[Highest ranking: #72 in General Fiction]
Spring semester is here!
Classes are back in session but will the girls be able to handle the struggle or will they get taken down like 'hay fever'?
College wasn't easy before but throw in a proposal, newbo...
Harmony prayed that this family dinner at the O'Connor house would be better than the last one as she stepped through the front door. The sweetness from baked sugar and robust curry swirled in the gentle breeze that blew in from the opened French doors.
"Mom's in the kitchen," Ariel told as she shut the door behind her. "I mean my Cece...my mom...well...you can call her whatever." She eyed Harmony's outfit with a taunting glance. "Why are you so dressed up?" She hooked her thumbs in the belt loops of her fitted jeans.
"I'm not." Harmony smoothed her hands over her mosaic paint-splatted white dress. "This came from Target."
Ariel rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She pranced ahead to the living room. "The boys are in here."
"Boys?" Harmony's gait quickened as she padded through the foyer and into the living room. Guns shots rang from the surround sound as Josh Harnett ran from unfriendly fire. She looked away from the TV to the bodies confiscating the couch. "Sinclair." Her eyes widened at the other guy sitting on the other end of the sofa. "Cairo. What are ya'll doing here? This is a family dinner."
"Well..." Ariel leaned closer to Harmony's ear and whispered, "If you play your cards right he could be."
Harmony nudged Ariel off her shoulder, "You just don't get in the family way."
"Family way." Sinclair guffawed. "What is this 1950?"
"Har's an old soul," Cairo uttered scooting to the edge of the couch. "Plus, she watches a lot of Turner Classic." He smirked at the evil eyes she glared his way.
Ariel curled up in a burgundy armchair, "My mom loves those too." She glanced over her shoulder at the barking that came from the backyard. "I always fall to sleep during the opening credits but she swears they're good."
"They are." Harmony folded her arms splitting her sight between the TV and the sunny backyard.
Cairo rose off the couch. He pushed up the sleeves of his navy hoodie as he made his way over to Harmony, "Is it cool that I'm here. I know this is a family dinner." He scratched at stubble jaw, "If not I can call an Uber."
"You didn't drive?" She toyed with the delicate gold bracelet around her lank wrist trying to ignore the racing of her heart and the heat the rose in her body from how close he stood in front of her.
"No." He flashed one of his boyish grins that displayed his pearly whites with the spark in his whiskey eyes that she could get drunk off of. "Ariel picked me up...she said you needed be her." He nudged her shoulder with a playful jab, "Moral support."
Harmony smiled to herself, "Laurent and I talk every day." She took a tiny step back and hoped he didn't realize. "I don't really need moral support."
"Cool...then..." His smile vanished as his eyes dulled. "Then I'll head out." He nodded at the door while pulled his cell from his hoodie pocket. "Go to the party."
"Wait." Harmony latched onto his bicep stopping his footsteps, "You don't have go. Stay."
"Nah." He pulled back inching to the foyer. "I don't want to impose."
"You're not imposing. Ariel invited you." She stabbed her thumb back behind her to where her sister was. "I want you here. So...please stay."
Cairo's mouth ticked up, "Well..." He set his arm around her neck and pulled her into his body. "You don't have to beg."
Harmony smiled taking his sandalwood and cardamom redolence, "I don't know why I love you." She cleared her throat as she quickly realized what she just uttered. "I mean as a friend. Love you as a friend." She reiterated shrugging out of his hold.
"Monroe, are you okay?" He gazed at her reddening toffee cheeks.
"I'm fine." She roughly flicked a curly tendril out of her face. "It's just hot in here and the sun is bright." She gestured to the wide-open picturesque windows.
"You're a strange woman." He wagged his finger at her. "But I like you, though. I don't know why but I do."
"Dinner's ready!" Ariel shouted hopping out of the chair.
"After you," Cairo affirmed gesturing for Harmony to proceed.
Harmony grinned as she walked in front of him. She said another prayer and this time it wasn't about family dinner.
What do you think Harmony prayed for or about?
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