Page 28 of Harmony Island Gazette
I closed my eyes and let my breath out slowly. Then I whispered, “Goodnight, Juniper,” before I turned and headed back into the living room, where I collapsed on the couch. I pulled the blanket up over my face and stilled my body.
I was going to stay here until sunlight crept through the blinds. Even if I couldn’t sleep, it didn’t matter. I would stay here until morning because if I didn’t, I feared my resolve to keep Juniper at arm’s length would snap, and I would act. And if I acted, there was no way I would come back from it.
Staying at the Godwin’s was the best thing that could have happened to me, and I would be a fool to mess that up. Mr. Godwin saved my life, and I was going to return the favor. Whether or not my heart wanted something different, it didn’t matter. I had a debt to pay and nothing was going to stop me.
Not even the soft-spoken, doe-eyed beauty sleeping a few rooms away.
I was going to get a handle on my feelings if it was the last thing I did. Juniper wasn’t mine. And she never would be.
11
ELLA
I slid my key into the door handle and turned. My entire body felt heavy from exhaustion as I pushed into my apartment and let the door swing shut behind me. I let my purse and computer bag slide off my shoulder into a pile at my feet.
After I got back from Harmony Cove, Gloria had me write up the article and then proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon correcting it for me. I’d never had her so involved in a story of mine in the past. By the time 5 o’clock rolled around, I was physically and emotionally drained.
I was ready to change into my pajamas and curl up on the couch with a bag of chips and a fuzzy blanket while I binge-watched FRIENDS.
I yawned as I kicked off my heels at the door and then padded through the living room to my bedroom. I unzipped my pencil skirt and let it fall to the floor. I didn’t bother picking it up as I unbuttoned my blouse and slid it off my shoulders before tossing it on the armchair in the corner of my room.
Thankfully, I’d done laundry over the weekend. I pulled my pink silk pajama bottom and top from the basket and dressed.
My body was already relaxing as I made my way into my bathroom and grabbed a scrunchie from the top drawer. I fashioned my hair into a messy bun at the top of my head before turning on the faucet so the water could warm up.
With my hair up and my face washed, I was beginning to feel more awake. I flipped off my bedroom light and headed into the kitchen. My watch vibrated on my wrist, and I glanced down to see that Asher had just texted me.
My stomach tightened at the sight of his name. Everything about the Harmony Cove deal, Gloria’s refusal to let me write the article by myself, and the mystery man who told me to watch out for the Proctors was weighing on me. I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling I got when I was around anyone connected to Marcus Proctor. I was frustrated that my best friend—myonlyfriend in Harmony—had aligned himself with that man.
I knew I couldn’t ignore Asher’s texts. He’d send a search party to come find me, and then I would have to explain myself to him. I’d have to tell him why I didn’t answer when I was not dead in a ditch somewhere.
I didn’t fully understand what was wrong with me, and there was no way I would be able to articulate how I was feeling to him.
I walked over to the door where I’d left my purse. I fished out my phone and swiped it on.
Asher:Are you still at work, or did you slay the dragon?
He ended his question with a few emojis. I smiled. If he were here, he’d be pretending to draw his sword from its sheath and cut an imaginary dragon.
My friend was a dork and I loved it. But at the same time, I hated that Marcus Proctor was making me doubt the one constant man in my life. And I hated even more that I couldn’t talk to Asher about it.
Me:The dragon has been conquered, and I am now at home, enjoying my spoils.
Asher only took seconds to respond.
Asher:Chinese. Fifteen minutes. We need to celebrate.
I parted my lips to complain, but then I closed them and shook my head. Even if I told Asher that I was tired, he wouldn’t listen. He was coming over whether I wanted him to or not. So I just sent him a thumbs-up emoji and made my way back into the kitchen, where I set my phone on the counter and opened the fridge.
I was sitting on the couch with my fuzzy blanket wrapped around me like a tortilla, watching a FRIENDS rerun, when there were three knocks on the door. I tipped my face toward it and started to yell, “Come in,” but the door opened before I finished.
Asher appeared in the doorway, carrying a drink tray and a white plastic bag full of Mr. Cheng’s Chinese cuisine—our favorite.
“Hey,” he said, his smile so wide that it made me angry at myself for being skeptical about his association with Marcus Proctor.
If his client had been anyone else, I would be jumping for joy. I wanted only good things for my friend. But I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that something wasn’t right.
And I hated myself for it.
