Sweet Harmonies (2 page)

Karina smiled and stood up, hugging Bernie
hard, “You're the best, you know that, Bernie?” she said
affectionately.

“
Ha! If I was the best, I would have
been able to talk you out of career suicide, I guess I'm not the
best. But I'll try.”

As Bernie shuffled out of Sue Ann's, Karina
called to him cheerfully, “Bye, Bernie! Talk to you soon!” but his
only response was a backhanded wave, for which he didn't even turn
his head to look at her.

“
He loves me. I'm his favorite client,”
Karina snarked in a mock cheerful tone to her grandmother Renata
and her good friend Amanda as they settled into the seats across
the table from her, occupying the space that Bernie had just
vacated. Karina looked across the table at her loved ones – Amanda,
her long-time friend, with her unruly blonde curls and wide,
innocent blue eyes, accompanied by Karina's Grandmother, with her
long salt-and pepper braid and ramrod straight bearing. Merely the
sight of them made her feel more centered and secure.

“
That didn't sound like it went very
well,” Amanda said sympathetically. Karina had enlisted both Amanda
and her grandmother to sit at an adjacent table and eavesdrop on
the conversation so that she could get their take on it.

Karina shrugged, “Not ideal, but much better
than how it could have gone. It could have been a bloodbath.”

Renata nodded solemnly, “I particularly liked
the part where you assured him that you want to spend more time at
home with me, and settle down with a good boy from the tribe. He
needs to know how important your community is to you.”

“
Rewind,” Karina said, spinning her
fingers back toward herself quickly to illustrate the concept, “I
said I wanted to hang out and spend more time with you and the
tribe. I think the 'nice boy' bit was creative editing on your
part.”

“
We'll see,” replied Renata,
unfazed.

“
I just need to focus on my music right
now, Grandmother,” Karina said pragmatically, “I don't have room in
my heart, or in my schedule, for any kind of romantic
entanglements.”

In an attempt to get the conversation back on
track before this oft-discussed topic between Renata and Karina
could veer into, what Amanda knew from experience was a well-worn
and lengthy argument, she interjected, “I just think it's good that
he ended it on a positive note!”

Karina nodded quickly, “I did too. At least
he's going to try and pitch the label. How successful he'll be is
anyone's guess. But, as Bernie so correctly pointed out, he doesn't
make money unless I make money. So I do know he'll try.”

Just then Sue Ann Perkins, the owner and
proprietress of Sue Ann's Cafe, bustled up to their table with a
carafe of coffee, refilling their mugs.

“
Hot pot, coming through!” Sue Ann
called cheerfully.

The three women greeted her warmly. Sue Ann
was a longtime fixture in Hope Falls, someone that Karina and
Amanda had known since they were born. She was a cheerful woman
with springy grey hair and delicate-looking glasses that she wore
on a chain around her neck. She always dressed in some variation of
a floral skirt/button-down shirt/matching cardigan ensemble. Best
of all, she always greeted the patrons of her shop like they were
long lost friends, even if they had just been in earlier in the
day. She was one of the many, many things that made Karina feel
like Hope Falls wasn't just her hometown, it was her
HOME
.

Renata said, “Did your grandson ever come for
a visit, to help you here? I don't like the idea of you being all
alone here, doing all the work.”

Sue Ann said, “Oh, my, yes! He's been here
for a week already! Let me get him, I'd love to introduce you!”

She walked back toward the kitchen, calling,
“Ryan, honey, come out and meet some people!”

Karina smiled, “That's sweet that her
grandson came out to help her. I wonder if his parents let him fly
alone?”

Just then, a gorgeous specimen of a man
walked out of the kitchen's swinging double doors, causing Karina
to catch her breath. He was tall and suntanned, with golden blonde
hair and soft, deep brown eyes. His shoulders were broad and his
arms well-muscled, and the fit of his jeans told her that his arms
weren't the only things about him that were well-proportioned and
perfectly shaped. This man looked like a Greek god in cowboy
boots!

Amanda leaned over to Karina, “Gee, Kar, I
don't think his parents need to accompany him for much of anything
anymore! And, by the way, you may want to pick your jaw up off the
floor before he gets over here.”

This snapped Karina out of her trance
somewhat, and she shook her shoulders a bit to bring herself the
rest of the way back to reality. To her surprise, it only partially
worked. She still felt as if the room around her were actually a
dream state, as if she were suddenly in the middle of a world that
wasn't real.

This doesn't happen to you, she told herself
furiously, snap out of it! Sure, you see a hot guy and get the
hormone-fueled rush of attraction, but that is limited to the heat
of the I-Wanna-Bone-You variety. You do NOT, under any
circumstance, get twitterpated! EVER! So knock it off!

Karina's stern lecture to herself had very
little effect – if anything, she was even more dumbstruck when Sue
Ann and her grandson arrived at their table.

Sue Ann, with obvious familial pride, said,
“I'd like to introduce you to Ryan Perkins, my grandson. He'll be
around for a while. He's come out here from Montana to help me run
the place, and I just couldn't be more tickled about it!”

Ryan laughed, obviously embarrassed, “Thanks,
Granny. It's really no big deal.”

Karina felt another wave of lightheadedness
hit her when he laughed, and the most adorable dimple appeared in
his right cheek. She actually had to consciously stop her arm from
raising up of its own accord so that she could brush her fingers
over it.

Sue Ann laughed proudly, “Oh, you stop! It's
a big deal! Ryan, this is Mrs. Blackstone and her granddaughter
Karina, and this is Amanda Jacobs.”

Each of the women in turn shook Ryan's hand.
As Karina's turn approached, and she anticipated the feel of Ryan's
hand in hers, her heart began to beat faster in anticipation, and
her cheeks began to flush. When she put her hand out to shake
Ryan's, she saw that it was trembling slightly.

What is wrong with me, she thought
wonderingly. This is crazy!

When the skin of Ryan's palm touched hers and
she felt the strong pressure of his fingers on her wrist, a jolt of
electricity shot up her arm, so powerful that it existed in a
delicious limbo between pleasure and pain.

The physical shock of it caused her to look
up in surprise, and when she did, she saw that he also looked taken
aback. Their eyes met, and he smiled, the dimple in full force. It
was a grin so big and bright and just flat out sexy, that she got
the jolt again. This time, though, it was in a place that was
nowhere near as innocent as her arm.

Ryan drew his hand back slowly, trailing his
fingers along the inside of her wrist and palm, never lowering the
wattage on his grin, and never breaking eye contact. She heard a
small gasp escape her, but was powerless to stop it.

In a far corner of her brain, she heard
Amanda talking, but had to struggle to discern what she was
saying.

“
Ryan,” Amanda inquired, “Did you visit
your grandma here in Hope Falls one summer, maybe 15 years
ago?”

Ryan reluctantly tore his gaze away from
Karina's, and replied, “Yes, I sure did. Great memory!”

Amanda slapped the table, “Yes, I knew it! I
knew you looked familiar. Karina, Ryan was here that summer you
went to music camp. I don't think you two ever met.”

“
We didn't,” Ryan assured Karina,
locking his eyes back onto hers, “Trust me, I wouldn't have
forgotten that.”

“
Well, it wouldn't have mattered,”
Renata said matter of factly, “My granddaughter was very serious
about her music then, as she is now. No time for young
men.”

“
Grandmother!” Karina hissed,
embarrassed.

“
Were you not expressing that sentiment
only moments ago?” Renata responded placidly.

“
Do you play music?” Ryan asked with
interest.

Karina nodded, trying to get her bearings
about her, and hoping that this turn of the conversation to music,
a subject that she was more than comfortable with, would help her
to get control of herself.

Sue Ann beamed as she clapped a hand on
Ryan's shoulder, “Oh, Ryan plays the guitar, and he writes the most
beautiful songs! I had him bring in his guitar to keep in the back,
and he's been playing for my customers when it's not too busy in
here! I had actually been meaning to introduce you two, because I
know that you do music, and my boy here does music, so I thought
you might get along real well together!”

“
Oh, I think that was a great idea,”
Amanda enthused, “I have a feeling they're going to get along
really
well together!”

Karina breathed deeply in an attempt to calm
herself down, and in an attempt to distract herself from her
powerful wish that the world would open up and swallow her right
then and there. This was such a new feeling for her. She was used
to being completely in control of situations like this. People got
flustered when they met
her
, not the other way around! This
was nuts!

Amanda said, “Ryan, are you busy tomorrow? My
fiance Justin and I are helping Kar move into her new house. We
could use an extra set of hands. And afterwards, pizza and
beer?”

Ryan smiled widely, never taking his eyes
from Karina, “Sounds like a good time. I'd love to see your new
house,” he said, with an unmistakably sexy undertone to his
voice.

“
Great! We'll meet you here at 7. You
bring the coffee. We'll bring the...well, you just bring the
coffee,” Amanda laughed.

Sue Ann beamed. She was clearly happy with
this turn of events. “Ryan, it's not too busy in here. Why don't
you go get your guitar and play a couple of songs?” she
suggested.

At this, Ryan did blush again, much like he
had when Sue Ann had enthusiastically introduced him.

“
I don't know, Granny...” he started,
but Amanda interrupted him.

“
Oh, no, Ryan, please do! We'd love to
hear you!” she enthused, “Right, Karina?” she added significantly,
elbowing Karina in the ribs. Ryan still looked unsure.

Karina opened her mouth to try to form some
kind of clever comeback. Something that would show this gorgeous
man that she was a powerful, clever, witty, strong woman. Something
that would stick in his mind, make him laugh later when he
remembered it, make him start to think of her in the way that she
wanted to be seen.

“
Um...yes...” was all she managed to
get out.

However, to her surprise, this seemed to do
the trick. A slow smile spread across his features, and he seemed
to stand even taller than he was before. “Well, OK, then,” he said
cheerfully, and disappeared into the back to get his guitar.

Amanda followed Karina's gaze, “You hate to
see him go, but you love to watch him leave,” she concluded.

Karina looked over at Amanda with a stupefied
gaze, “What the hell was that?” she whispered intensely, “I can't
believe myself! I've never behaved like that before! He must think
I'm an idiot. Why. Do. I. Care?? What is wrong with me?”

Karina slapped her palm to her forehead and
Amanda laughed. “You're fine! It's infatuation. It happens to the
best of us.”

Renata looked disapproving.

Karina nodded furiously, “OK, yes, that must
be it. Temporary insanity. Look! Now that he's out of the room,
it's disappeared completely. I think I'm fine. I'm not in
trouble....I'm good!”

Ryan came out of the kitchen doors carrying
his guitar and perched on a stool at the other end of the room. In
one swift movement, he slipped the strap over his neck and balanced
the body of the guitar on his knee. He took a deep breath and
closed his eyes as he began to strum and pick at the strings.

Karina recognized the expression on his face,
she frequently wore the exact same one. It was the look of someone
lost in the music.

Just then, he opened his mouth and began to
sing. His voice was gorgeous, rich and textured, and he used it
expertly, exploring every layer and nuance at his disposal. Silky
one minute, gravelly the next, then soaring into a falsetto that
carried Karina to another world.

She felt the room around her slip away. She
closed her eyes and felt his voice wash over her – warm, velvety,
powerful. She felt it like a physical thing, surrounding her, and
permeating her.

She didn't realize until she felt Amanda take
her hand, and then felt warm drops splashing onto her forearm, that
two large tears had rolled down her cheeks – she had been that
transported by Ryan's voice and music, she wasn't even aware that
it had made her cry.

She looked over at Amanda and her eyes
widened, nearly in panic as she hastily wiped her face, attempting
to be as subtle as possible.

“
Oh, God,” she breathed to her friend,
“Maybe I
am
in trouble!”

Chapter 2

Karina wandered through the cavernous rooms
in her new home, trying to digest the events of the day. She felt
turned upside down. Personally, professionally...every possible
aspect of her life that could possibly be flipped on its head had
been sent into a tailspin that day.

Hadn't she moved back to Hope Falls to
simplify her life? Wasn't that the plan? Wasn't her goal to remove
the distractions of life in LA and on the road?