Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Closing out my messages, I opened my voicemail. Call after call was from Preston. I didn’t dare listen to them. I opened my messages again and hit Jake’s name.
Me: I’m okay. I need some time alone to figure things out.
It wasn’t even thirty seconds later and Jake was texting me back.
Big Brother: Harmony! Thank God. Please call Preston! He is freaking out.
Me: Please tell him I love him. I can’t talk to him right now.
Big Brother: Sis, I’m begging you to call him. He’s a mess. He has been going to the pub every night after driving around Boston looking for you. Harmony, you are destroying him by not calling.
Closing my eyes, Preston’s words from the first time we made love flooded my mind. Harmony, you destroyed me,.
Closing my eyes, I fought to hold back my sobs.
Me: Jake, please. I need some time to think.
Big Brother: About what? If you would just give him a chance. Harmony, I know how much you love him. Don’t walk away from this.
Me: I’ve got to go. I love you, Jake. Merry Christmas. Kiss Sandy.
After hitting SEND, I quickly turned my phone back off. Setting it on the table, I decided to go exploring. Almost everything would be closed today, but that was okay. I needed to walk and clear my mind.
Jumping into the shower, I quickly washed my hair and soaped up. My mind drifted to Preston making love to me in the shower. Pushing those thoughts away, I turned off the shower, dried off, and got dressed. Pulling my wet hair up, I put on my New York Yankees baseball cap.
Taking another look around the room, I grabbed my phone and shoved it into my purse. As I walked toward the elevator, I watched as a little boy ran up and quickly pushed the button for down. His mother and father were right behind him.
“Sorry, he loves to push the button,” the mom said in a tender voice.
Smiling, I said, “No worries. I don’t mind at all.”
Stepping into the elevator, I watched as the dad picked up the little boy and began telling him a story. Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and got lost in a memory of TJ.
When I felt a tugging on my pants, I looked down to see TJ holding up his favorite book with that smile that melted my heart.
“You want a story, big guy?”
Laughing and jumping up and down, TJ yelled out, “Tory time! Tory time, Mommy!”
Reaching for his hand, I walked him into the living room and we snuggled up on the sofa together as I read his favorite book to him. Standing up, TJ wrapped his arms around my neck as he kissed me on the cheek.
“I wuv you, Mommy.”
“Miss? Um, are you getting off on the ground floor? Miss?”
Snapping out of my memory, I jumped and let out an awkward laugh. “Yes, sorry, I was lost in thought.”
Giving me a polite smile, the mother nodded and said, “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” I said back as I watched the young family walk away.
Forcing the tears back down, I turned and headed for the boardwalk. Maybe a walk on the beach would help clear my head. Making my way down to the beach, I happened to notice someone else walking ahead of me. Not paying too much attention, I turned left and he turned right. Wrapping my coat tightly around me, I pulled the baseball cap down farther as I lifted the hood of my coat over it and pulled the ties down, hoping to block out some of the wind. Sitting down, I looked out over the ocean.
I smiled, letting the sound of the waves clear my mind as I fell back onto the sand and closed my eyes and quickly got lost in another memory.
“Well, damn! Look at you, hot momma!”
Spinning around in the two-piece bathing suit, I giggled as Trey’s eyes moved over my body. His eyes landed on my stomach, where my five-months-pregnant belly was taking center stage.
“Jesus, Harmony. You’re looking fucking hot in that swimsuit.”
Feeling my cheeks flush, I looked away. “Really? I feel kind of funny in it.”
Walking up to me, Trey placed his hands on my stomach and leaned over and kissed it. Standing back up, he looked into my eyes. “Nah, you look beautiful.” My heart felt as if it skipped a beat.
I was about to say something when I felt a flutter in my stomach. Almost like gas moving through.
Taking hold of my hands, Trey led me out to the beach. We were just steps away from the water, and we even had our own private cabana. Laying a blanket on the sand, Trey pulled me down to sit next to him. Laughing, I looked out over the crystal-blue water. Glancing over at Trey, I wanted to ask him if he was happy. We both knew we were probably getting married for the wrong reason, but there was no doubt about us loving each other. Now we had something in common that would forever tie us together. Feeling the flutter again, I placed my hand on my stomach and fell back onto the sand.