Opposites Distract (9 page)

H
armony slept in the next morning. She always let herself have slow starts on weekends. Aiden had told her they couldn't read with her. Their mom liked spending time with them when they were out of school. That worked for her. She liked to goof off on Saturday mornings and eat lunch before she hit the keys.

She got showered and dressed, then settled in front of the TV. She no longer watched cartoons, like she did as a kid, but sipped coffee and enjoyed her favorite programs on the Food Network. The celebrity cooks were making comfort food on
The Kitchen
. They made a macaroni and cheese that looked delicious. She and Brody hadn't put that on their list.

She went downstairs at twelve thirty and was happy to see that Luther was eating lunch with them. Paula had made sandwiches and then taken the kids into town to eat. Fast food was a rare treat in their family. Aiden had wrinkled his nose and said, “My mom cooks all the time.”

“Someday, you'll appreciate that,” Harmony told him.

Ian motioned toward his helper. “You've met our handyman, Luther. Kayla doesn't work on Saturdays during the winter,” he explained. “No gardens or yard work to worry about, so she watches the baby, and Luther and I get things done. When she helps Tessa bake for teas when the lodge is open, Luther watches the baby. We keep our hours flexible.”

Harmony nodded. “You guys must be pretty easy to work for. You're nice people.”

Luther agreed. Eyes slanted away from her, he said, “They treat us like family.” He was too shy to look at her directly. She found that endearing.

“I'm flexible, too,” Brody said. “When are you starting supper for Tessa? I can stop what I'm doing and help out whenever you need me.”

“I'm throwing the pork loin in the slow cooker as soon as we finish lunch.” Then she could forget about it and concentrate on her writing.

“Good, what do I get to do?” He sounded excited.

Ian laughed at him. “Probably the same thing Tessa gives me—peel and chop vegetables.”

Harmony shrugged. “What can I say? Sous chefs get prep work.” When Brody looked disappointed, she added, “I'm using two slow cookers today, though. One for the pork loin, the other for the chuck roast to put in the beef and noodle soup on Sunday.”

“Can I work on the chuck roast?” At the moment, Brody reminded her of Aiden.

She gave him a quizzical look. “Didn't your mom let you help in the kitchen?”

He shook his head. “That was her domain. She ruled it with a wooden spoon and was happy to use it as a weapon if we pestered her too much.”

Harmony frowned at Ian. “But your mom let you lick the spoon when she made cakes and cookies, right? Tessa said you like helping her bake.”

“That was a sacred and special experience,” Ian explained. “A rare privilege.”

“But you know how to cook.”

Ian grinned. “I can grill. And I was single for a long time. I learned a few basics, whereas Brody here married the woman of his nightmares and took her out to dine every night.”

Brody scowled and glanced at poor Luther, who was gazing at him in horror. “I
did
marry the wrong woman, and Ian's right. I never learned to cook.”

Harmony sighed. “You're making something simple into something difficult. I don't do gourmet. My stuff's everyday food. There's not much to it. You'll see.”

They finished their sandwiches, and Ian and Luther took off to work on the suites. Harmony went to the wall of kitchen cupboards and scrounged until she found the stored, electrical appliances. Turning to Brody, she said, “Do as I do.” When she set up her slow cooker, he set up his. When she sprayed the bottom and added her roast, he added his. They liberally seasoned the meat with salt and pepper, then chopped onions, carrots, and celery and tossed them in the pot. Finally, she added some chicken broth to hers, and he added beef broth to his. She grinned at him. “I'm going to add a few more seasonings to mine, but all you have to do is put a lid on yours.”

“That's all there is to it?” He looked proud of himself.

“For now. By dinnertime, the meat will fall apart. We'll stick it in the refrigerator and shred it for the beef and noodles tomorrow.”

Brody cleaned up while she sprinkled a packet of dried French onion soup mix over the pork and vegetables and added a few dashes of soy sauce. “Nothing fancy,” she told him. “This is as simple as it gets.”

He headed back to work with Ian and Luther, and she zipped upstairs to write. Luxar and Serifina had a bad afternoon. Demons didn't have to wait until the sun set to walk outside. Neither did wizards. Torrid sent both to break down Luxar's door and kill them. Antique wall hangings went up in smoke. So did Oriental rugs and window treatments. Even a few pieces of heavy wooden furniture, but luckily massive stones wouldn't burn, so Luxar's mansion survived. The demon and wizard didn't. Serifina decided there and then that she was going to cast wards to keep enemies from entering Luxar's home. But spell casting took time, and they were barely finished before Harmony had to get ready to go to Tessa's.

She tugged on dark jeans and a crimson, long-sleeved T-shirt with V
AMPIRES
S
UCK
in black letters across her breasts. She added mascara and blush, then hurried downstairs. She tossed together a salad and was carrying it from the kitchen when Brody tramped into the foyer and stomped snow off his boots.

“I didn't see you come down.” He stopped to read her T-shirt and shook his head. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

She smiled. “Depends on the vampire.”

“I have the food loaded in the SUV. You ready?”

She shrugged into her wool coat, pulled on gloves and a hat, then stepped into her boots. “How cold is it?”

“You could freeze your ass off.”

She put a hand behind her. “Mine's not that great as it is. I need to protect it.”

“I'll stand guard.” He took her elbow and hurried her outside. This time, he held the door and let her get settled before he crossed to his side of the vehicle.

“Thanks for the special treatment, but it's too cold for that,” she complained. “You can hold my door once spring comes.”

“You're holding the salad.” He drove carefully to Tessa's.

When they put the roast and vegetables in the center of the table, and everyone took their usual seats, Harmony was happy to see that Tessa looked more rested than before.

Tessa smiled. “I took a nap when I got home from the bakery. I just got up half an hour ago.”

“That's good,” Ian told her. “Get all the rest you can. Which reminds me. We're sleeping in tomorrow. And even brothers get Sundays off. No working on the suites, and no reason for you guys to bring supper.” He looked at Brody and Harmony. “We can all have a break. We have plenty of stuff to reheat.”

Brody glanced at Harmony. “Will my roast be okay?”

His
roast. Harmony got a kick out of that. “We'll use it on Monday. No problem.”

He looked out the kitchen windows at the layers of snow that led to the frozen lake. “How are the main roads? Have you heard?”

Ian grimaced. “We're not total hicks, you know. The country roads might be messy, but the state
does
plow the main roads. I heard they're in good shape.”

Brody nodded toward Harmony. “Could we make it to Indy? I didn't make it there the last time I visited. Want to check it out?”

She frowned. “I don't write on Sundays. My brain needs time off. But the weather's . . .”

Brody interrupted her. “It's just as bad in New York, maybe worse. You heard Ian. With my SUV, we'll be fine.”

She shrugged. At home, she went out on Sundays, met friends for brunch, spent an afternoon in a bookshop, and usually hit a bar to get a bite to eat. “Why not? I don't have anything planned.”

“Good, what if we leave at eleven thirty? It takes an hour and a half to reach Indy, so we can eat lunch there and then look around.”

Tessa pushed her empty plate away. “I'm glad you guys are going to do something fun. All you've done so far is work. I want you to like it here, so you want to come back.”

Harmony protested. “I'd come back just to see you.”

“That's sweet, but I want you to have a good time.” Tessa glanced around the table. Everyone was finished eating. “Thanks for supper. It was delicious.”

Brody beamed. “We did all right, didn't we?”

“It was perfect. Want some dessert? I brought home cookies from the bakery.”

It was Ian's turn to grin. “I love cookies. Can we eat them while we watch a movie? You wanted to rent one online tonight, didn't you?”

Tessa nodded, and they ended up in the living room, watching
The Grand Budapest Hotel
. Harmony loved every minute of it. By the time the movie was over, though, Tessa was almost asleep.

Brody tousled her copper hair. “Go to bed. Take it easy tomorrow, and we'll see you on Monday.”

“But I never get to stay up late and really visit with you guys,” Tessa complained.

“They should count their blessings. You barf every morning and snore every night.” Ian threw an arm around his wife and led her to the stairs. “But we all love you anyway. Have fun in Indy tomorrow, you two!”

They let themselves out. On the drive back to the lodge, Harmony shook her head. “I never realized growing a baby sapped your energy so much.”

“Growing a baby.” Brody turned the phrase over. “You have a unique way of looking at things.”

She gave him a wicked grin. “Do you think your ex is totally wiped out? Isn't that sort of fun, thinking of her as half-dead, dragging herself from one event to another? And in a few months, she'll be huge.”

Brody stared at her. “You're evil.”

“I know. I write paranormal. Vampires and witches can be ruthless.”

He glanced both ways when they passed an intersection. She looked, too.

They had the right of way, but why take a chance? In a few more feet, he began to slow for their turn. “You talk a good story,” he told her. “And you have a wicked sense of humor, but scratch the surface, and you're pretty nice.”

She shrugged. “Maybe, but my trash talk makes you wonder, doesn't it?”

He pulled close to the front door. “You don't fool anyone for long. Even Aiden's got your number.”

She raised her middle finger for him on her way to the lodge. His laugh followed her inside.

T
hey left at eleven thirty on Sunday. Brody wore his good jeans and a black V-neck sweater. He looked good in black with his ebony hair and smoky-gray eyes. Harmony wore her good jeans, too, and a black blouse. It looked like they'd called each other on the phone to coordinate their outfits. She smiled at that thought.

He glanced sideways at her as he turned for the highway. “What's so funny?”

“We dressed alike. We look like a couple.”

He frowned. “Is that so bad?”

“Only for you.” Her grin widened. “Girls won't throw themselves at your feet now. They'll think you're with me.”

“I am with you. At least for the day.” He sounded offended.

“Well, if some girl gives you the eye and you're interested, just tell me to wander around for half an hour so you can get her number.”

“I'd never do that. That's rude.”

She sighed. “Rude or not, you're single and looking. You have to put yourself out there.”

“No.”

She stared at him. “Brody, you're a great catch, but girls need to know you're available. Okay, maybe you don't have to worry about that. Girls probably come on to
you
, but why limit yourself?”

He turned onto the highway and blended into traffic. “I want to relax today, to have fun. I don't want to market myself.”

She thought about that. “Okay, I get it. If you're doing the come-hither thing, you have to be
on
for it. It takes energy.”

“Do you do the come-hither thing?”

“Only at the end of a book, but my days are numbered. Most guys want younger women. Once I creep too much past thirty, I'll have to settle for ice cream.”

He laughed. “I don't think so.”

“You haven't watched guys in bars. They'd rather go home with a bimbo who can't speak in full sentences than settle for someone who has one gray hair.”

“What if the guy's older?” he asked.

“Then they want a girl who wears a Catholic school uniform. They want to feel young again so badly, they stock their shirt pockets with lollipops to get dates.”

“You're terrible.”

“You already know that. No news flash there.” She settled back to enjoy the scenery, but there wasn't much to look at. Finally, she sighed. “Highways can be pretty boring. This countryside's almost flat, mostly snow covered fields.”

“If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?”

“In the U.S. or abroad?”

He grinned. “Let's start small. In the U.S.”

“I'd drive up and down the East Coast and stop to explore any place that took my fancy.”

“Why the East Coast?”

She pursed her lips, considering. “Because I've never done it. I've seen a lot of the West Coast at conferences. And I've been to New Orleans and different places in Florida. I think the East Coast is beautiful.”

“I've always wanted to leave New York and drive cross-country all the way to Oregon.”

She stared. “How long would that take?”

“If I could, I'd give it a month to wander here and there.”

She shook her head. “You need one of those little travel trailers, you know, like the one Lucille Ball used in one of her movies—a home on wheels. Then you wouldn't have to do the great hotel/motel search every night.”

“She had one disaster after another, didn't she?”

“Well, yeah, but that was to make it funny.”

Traffic started to pick up. He glanced at a road sign. “We're getting close. Ian told me to try the Broad Ripple area. He said it has lots of good restaurants and shops.”

Harmony relaxed again and watched different suburbs fly by while Brody concentrated on his driving. The trip had gone faster than she'd expected. Of course, they'd yakked most of the way. When he finally pulled into a parking spot in Broad Ripple, they decided to check out a nearby restaurant. Leaving the warmth of the SUV, they shivered. The cold bit their skin, but there was no wind. When they pushed through the doors of the eatery, voices and the clink of cutlery greeted them. The air held the warmth of numerous bodies and the aromas of good food.

They didn't have a long wait, and when a hostess seated them at a booth, Brody reached for a menu. “I'm hungry.”

“So am I.” Harmony fixed him with a stare. “Just so you know, we're going Dutch. I appreciate getting to tag along today, but you aren't paying for me.”

His gray eyes danced. “Why? If I pay for your food, will you feel obligated to sleep with me?”

“In your dreams.” She grinned. “No, but you buy all the food for the meals at home. I like to pay my own way. I don't like to owe anyone anything. I'm glad I get to cook for Tessa. That way, I get to contribute.”

“You have issues. You know that, don't you? You're great at giving, but you haven't learned how to take.”

She frowned. “What's so great about taking?”

“Sometimes, it's nice to let the
other
person do the giving. Tessa wanted you to come.”

Harmony shrugged. “I know that, and I was fine with staying at the lodge and having supper with her.”

“So I'm the one who changed that.” His gaze bored into hers. “You don't want to take from
me
?”

She squirmed. “I only just met you. It's different.”

He concentrated on his menu. His abrupt silence made her uncomfortable. She scanned her menu, too, trying to distract herself. When the waitress came, Brody said, “We'll need separate checks. The lady's insistence.”

The waitress blinked at her. “Okay, why don't you order first?”

Harmony sent an arch look to Brody, but said, “I'll have the seafood Newburg and a glass of Riesling.” When Brody stared at her, she said, “I drink whatever I want. I'm no wine expert.”

When it was his turn, Brody ordered prime rib and a red wine. The waitress gave them a crooked smile before she left.

Before they could verbally fence any more, Brody leaned forward and said, “Working with Ian on his lodge has made me want a house again.”

The abrupt change of subject knocked her off balance. “A house?” Where had that come from? “Isn't that a lot of upkeep?”

He grimaced. “That's the thing. I had a house with Cecily, a monster of a place, but we hired everything done. She loved to entertain, so we had a gourmet kitchen, a cavernous dining room, and a big back patio. I'm not sure I want that again.”

The waitress brought them bread, and Brody sliced it and offered Harmony a piece. She spread it with butter, then gave him a troubled stare. “Aren't you putting the cart before the horse? Shouldn't you find a wife and
then
look for a house? Won't she want a vote?”

“How big is your apartment?” he asked.

Harmony snickered. “My place wouldn't tempt anyone. It's under a thousand square feet.”

“Do you like it?”

“Well, sure I do, but it's just for me. One person.”

He ran a hand through his dark hair. “I'm starting to think I'd be happier with less.”

“Yeah, well, you might want to try it on for size before you jump in. You're used to more, to bigger and better.”

Their salads came, and Brody stabbed at his lettuce. “What would your dream house look like?”

She shrugged. “I don't have one. Houses entail lawn mowers and fixing roofs and furnaces. Not my idea of heaven.”

“If you had a husband? If he took care of things?”

“But I don't. And I won't. So it doesn't matter.”

He sighed. “You're no help.”

“You're getting downright pathetic, Bro.” She shook her head. “Look at you. You're a hunk. You're rich and a decent human being. And you're crying in your salad because you don't have a girl and a house. Go get them.”

“It's not always that easy.”

“Why not?”

He faltered. “Because sometimes, we want things we can't have.”

She looked up, interested. “Ahh, now I get it. You
do
want a girl, but she's not interested in you.”

“Maybe.”

“Then move on. There are lots of fish in the sea.”

He made a disgusted noise. “If I have to, I have to, but I haven't given up yet.”

“Tick-tock, tick-tock.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It's your biological clock telling you to hustle. I can see it now. You, bent over, trying to chase a football with a toddler . . .”

“Not funny.” He reached for his wine glass.

She snorted. “You've wallowed enough for one day. You brought me to Indy to have fun, so start being entertaining.”

“Should I perform tricks?”

“Do you know any?”

He let out a long sigh. “You're a difficult woman.”

“Tell me something I don't know.”

He laughed. “Okay, small talk. Have you read any good books lately?”

They bantered books, movies, friends, and ideas until their checks arrived. Then they walked around the area and ducked into a few shops. Brody found a watch he loved and bought it. Harmony saw a bracelet she liked, but it was forty-five dollars, and she put it back.

“I thought you liked it,” Brody prodded.

“I do, but I won't wear it that much. I never dress up anymore.”

“Why not?”

She tried to explain. “My friends and I go to small places and bars. We're jeans-type people. We just hang out.”

Brody looked around the shop at the variety of jewelry. “But you're not buying anything.”

“I don't need anything.”

He frowned, confused. “But don't you ever just shop for the fun of it?”

“Not much. I'm sort of over that. It's just more clutter.”

A few shops later, Brody saw a tie he liked, reached for it, and then decided against it.

Harmony tilted her head. “I like the colors on that. It would look good on you.”

“I have lots of ties.”

“That's a nice one.”

So he bought it. When they got chilly, going from one shop to the next, they stopped at a coffee shop. They each ordered a dessert, and Brody paid the bill. He grinned at her. “I'm keeping tabs.” Then they decided they'd better head back to the resort.

On the return drive, Brody turned on the radio. They listened to music and the hour and a half flew by. When he pulled to the front door of the lodge, Harmony turned to smile at him. “This was a great day.”

“Are you still up for Harry Potter?”

“I don't know. Does it involve popcorn?”

“And wine. I'll sweeten the deal.”

“Can I change into my PJs and meet you in the library? We can be comfortable.”

His expression shifted. She couldn't read it. Had she offended him? She hung out with guy pals at home and it was no big deal. But his voice sounded relieved. “I love that idea.”

“Good, see you in ten.” And she disappeared inside. She thought about Brody as she climbed the stairs to her room. The man needed a woman. Maybe if he hung out with her enough, he'd drop some of his reservations and take the plunge. A sharp pang surprised her. What the crap? Close to the heart and deep in the gut. She knew it for what it was. Jealousy. Some lucky woman would snag that man, and he'd be faithful to her for the rest of his days.

When she changed into her oversized button-down top and bottom, pulled on her ratty robe, and stared in the mirror, she grimaced at herself. Brody was temptation on two legs. If she was the marrying type, she'd jump his bones and lick him all over, but she wasn't. So she sure as hell wished him the best. She'd never met a man she liked more.