His eyes went to Harmony and he grimaced, realizing what he’d done. “Shit. Sorry.”
Shaking my head, I peeled the foil back to peek inside, and the warm scent of cinnamon and sugar assaulted my senses. “Damn, baby. This smells really good.”
My son, apparently raised in a fucking barn, reached over my shoulder, pinched off a piece, and tossed it into his mouth.
His eyes widened when he shoved it in his mouth. “Damn. That shit’s good.”
I looked at him sharply. “What did I tell you about cussin’, kid?”
He rolled his eyes. “I said it was good.”
Sighing, I turned back to our guest. “Harmony, this heathen is my son, Reid. Boy, this is Harmony.”
Her eyes twinkled as they went from me to my son. “Hi, Reid.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and gave her a half nod, trying to be cool. “Hey.”
Ma and Jekyll came out of the kitchen carrying pans of food and the second Harmony saw all of it, her eyes widened.
“That’s a lot of food.”
It was. “A lot of mouths to feed.”
My mother, because she’d never met a stranger in her life, shifted the dish in her hands and smiled right at her. “Well, aren’t you just adorable.”
Harmony blinked. “Uh?—”
“I’m Caroline,” Ma said, setting down the pan and moving closer. “Wade’s mother.”
Harmony glanced at me, asking, “Wade?”
“Uh, yeah. That’d be me.” Nobody but my mother called me Wade, but I had to admit, I kinda liked the way it rolled off Harmony’s tongue.
“Ah,” she replied, turning her attention back to my mom.“It’s nice to meet you, Caroline.”
Ma took one look at the bread in my hands and the flush in Harmony’s cheeks and must have gotten an idea in that brilliant head of hers because the next thing out of her mouth was, “You must stay for dinner.”
“Oh, I couldn’t—” Harmony stuttered, her cheeks going crimson.
“You absolutely can,” Ma insisted.
If there was one thing to be said about Caroline Sheppard, it was that she was as stubborn as the day was long. Once she had her mind made up, that was it.
Harmony raised her hands, almost pleading. “No, really, I couldn’t impose. I just came to drop off the bread.”
“And now you can sit yourself down in one of those chairs and join us for a meal.” Ma smiled sweetly. “I won’t take no for an answer, honey.”
Harmony looked at me for a lifeline.
Not on her life.
I was willing to do anything to keep her around so I could get to know her better.
My palms turned up. “Sorry, baby. You heard the woman.”
Chapter Five
HARMONY
