Wrestling Harmony (The Kingsley Series) Read online

  “Yeah, maybe,” Whitney answered, lifting her water glass and squeezing a lemon wedge over it before taking a small sip. Spearing a bite of steak from her plate, she swiped it through her mashed potatoes and gestured toward Harmony with her fork, saying, “Besides, that way you can bring hot guys home.” She winked, popping the messy bite into her mouth and rolling her sparkling green eyes closed in pleasure.

  “Right, because everywhere I go, men are propositioning me,” Harmony laughed. “Please, I haven’t been on a date in forever!”

  “Honey, you work in a gym,” Whitney protested, stretching across the table to pierce a cherry tomato, stealing it neatly from the side of Harmony’s plate. Waving the tomato at Harmony, she said, “It’s like a picking zone for sexy men … they’re right there in front of you. And it’s not like you can’t get them looking your way, Harm; you’re tiny, you’re sexy, you’ve got perfect hair and a great smile. And don’t even get me started on those gorgeous eyes. That shade of blue? Please, Harmony. Get out there and get some. Stop moping and live a little. You need a little horizontal gymnastics,” she finished, raising and lowering her eyebrows flirtatiously.

  “So basically, you have two pieces of sage advice for me: stop moping, and then go out and get some,” Harmony grumbled. “Jeez, Whit, you make it sound easy. Like everything is so simple.” Harmony kept her eyes on her plate, hiding her face from her friend. Young as they were, she wasn’t sure Whitney could really understand how much it hurt for Harmony to see her dream so out of reach. Sure, she would dream a new dream eventually, but what about now? “It’s just not that simple for some people, Whitney.”

  Whitney swallowed, meeting Harmony’s eyes across the table. “I know it’s not always easy. But it’ll get better.”

  “I know, I just need to stop focusing on what I’m missing,” Harmony said quietly.

  “Maybe you need a distraction. A new path, a new plan. I know I don’t have big dreams like you did, Harmony, but please don’t think that I can’t try to understand where you’re coming from. I know it’s been really hard for you, I promise. But I just wish you could see how much potential you have for other things. Your life didn’t end with the Olympic dream.” Whitney turned her plate, sweeping the last bite of steak through her potatoes again before popping it into her mouth. Tucking the bite into her cheek, she said, “So until then, just go with the flow. And this old saying is cheesy, I know, but I’m going to remind you of it anyway.”

  “Okay,” Harmony said cautiously.

  “Okay. Ready?” Whitney waited for Harmony to nod before she went on, winking as she said, “Live every day like it’s your last.”

  Rolling her eyes, Harmony laughed. “You’re right, that was cheesy.”

  “I know, but it is good advice to live by. Just try it – think about the future and try to let go of the past. And before you know it, something new will just be there, right in front of you. You’ll have a new dream, and when you get to that point, you’ll find something that feels right for you. In the meantime, distraction.”

  “Distraction,” Harmony muttered, finally taking a bite of her salad. She chewed thoughtfully, swallowing and lifting her water glass before she looked up. “Maybe you’re right. I mean, I can’t do the Olympic thing, but I’m not dead, and I’ve still got a life to live. In the meantime, my dear life coach, how do I go about distracting myself?”

  “I think you should start dating. Like you said before,” Whitney pushed on, holding her hands over the table defensively as Harmony’s eyes widened, flaring slightly in frustration. “You haven’t really dated. You didn’t date a lot when we were younger either, because you were so dedicated to your training, and then ... Cameron. But you can let go of that, if you try. And now you’ll really have time to explore that side of your life.”

  “Well, that’s true enough, I guess.”

  Grinning triumphantly, Whitney winked as their waiter appeared beside their table. Turning to the young man, Whitney flirted shamelessly with him while he settled fresh ice water in front of Harmony’s plate. “Anything else I can bring you ladies?” he asked, his cheeks flaming under Whitney’s attention.

  Harmony met his eyes, smiling helplessly as she shook her head. “I think we’re good,” she laughed, watching as the boy’s face flooded with relief.

  “Ooh, you know who’s really cute?” Whitney went on, once they were alone again. “And interesting? And new? That guy who was in your classroom tonight.”

  “Laney’s uncle? No way, Whitney! I don’t even know him.

  “I think that’s kind of the point of dating someone,” Whitney laughed.

  “And how am I supposed to talk to a guy who didn’t even stick around to introduce himself? I only knew who he was because Laney happened to call him by name and that name happened to match what was on her paperwork. I didn’t even know he’d be there – her mom dropped her off to class today and didn’t mention anything, so I was expecting her to come back and pick her up.”

  Arching an eyebrow, Whitney leaned forward, bracing one elbow against the table. “Hopefully she hasn’t gone into labor again. I know Laney’s mom; Bethany used to ride in the spin class I taught last year.”

  “I didn’t even know you knew her,” Harmony answered, lifting her glass to drink the rest of her water.

  “Well we’re not really great friends or anything, but we’ve kept in touch. She has had the worst time with this pregnancy; she keeps having labor symptoms. But since she’s all Laney has, it’s not like they can put her on bed rest or anything.”

  “Yeah, she told me a little about it a few weeks ago,” Harmony said quietly, folding her napkin and dropping it over the remains of her salad. “And she’s scared enough of having the new baby at all, now that her husband’s gone, so the threat of early labor has the poor thing terrified. I can’t even imagine.”

  “You think maybe that’s why the uncle was there to pick Laney up? Maybe Bethany went into labor again?”

  “Honestly, I have no idea,” Harmony answered, settling back into the cushion of the booth seat and lifting the dessert menu. “I didn’t even know he was around; Bethany told me once that he travels a lot with his work, though.”

  “Oh, that’s right! There’s some kind of sport or show or something that he’s on, right?” Whitney asked, arching one eyebrow. “Maybe Bethany mentioned it at some point?”

  “He’s a wrestler,” Harmony murmured, looking around to make sure that they were alone before speaking any more. ”I’m pretty sure Bethany said he works for Allied Wrestling Group.”

  “You have got to be kidding,” Whitney said, louder than she’d meant to. Looking around, she lowered her voice, staring at Harmony with wide eyes. “You know that means he’s like a celebrity athlete, right? Oh my God, that’s where I know him from! I’ve seen him on TV!”

  “Maybe that’s why he didn’t stick around when he picked up Laney – I’m betting he just came home to help Bethany and doesn’t want to be recognized. Still, it’s not like he’s a movie star, Whit. I would think most people don’t really know who he is.”

  “Well now that you’ve told me what he does, and I know where I know him from,” Whitney muttered, pulling her cell phone from her purse, “I have got to find out who he is.”

  “No, you don’t,” Harmony said, laughing as she pushed her plate to the edge of the table and out of the way. Adding her glass to the litter of objects waiting to be picked up by their server, she scooted forward in the booth and rolled her eyes. “We don’t need to know that stuff about him. He probably comes back here just wanting to be a regular guy.”

  “But he is totally not a regular guy,” Whitney answered, her voice pinched as she struggled to contain her excitement. “Harmony, he’s –“

  “I don’t want to know.”

  “They call him The Dragon,” Whitney read quietly, scrolling along the screen with her fingertip. “He’s one of the newest guys on the AWG roster. They’ve been working him into the mai
n shows, giving him more travel and moving him out of their lower level shows. But all the gossip says he’s heading for the top. And fast.”

  “What do I care?” Harmony laughed. “He’s not here to be The Dragon. He’s here to be Uncle Xander. I wonder if he took time off for Bethany after she lost her husband.”

  “Well, the gossip says he’s recovering from a knee injury. I don’t know, he looked fine to me, though,” Whitney said, emphasizing the word ‘fine’ with an eyebrow wiggle.

  The waiter came then, to deliver the dinner check, tucking the girls’ credit cards into his pocket before gathering their discarded dished and wandering away. Once their bill was settled, Harmony and Whitney walked together to Whitney’s car, standing in the chilly evening air as the moon rose brightly above their heads.

  “So it’s settled, right? Next time you see him, you’ll start up a little convo, get a little something going? Adventure? Distraction?” Whitney asked, nudging Harmony playfully.

  “I doubt it. He probably gets that all the time, with girls approaching him because of what he does. And jeez, Whit, the girls he works with, all that bare skin and fake boobs and –“

  “They don’t all have fake boobs,” Whitney broke in, laughing. “I bet some of them are real.”

  “Yeah but look at me, little tiny me. I can’t approach that guy! He’s famous, and I’m just his niece’s gym instructor. Besides, I don’t approach guys. If he likes me, he’ll let me know,” Harmony answered, bracing her hip against the door of her yellow Xterra, her keys jingling softly in her hand as she crossed her arms.

  “Yeah, because that’s working out so well,” Whitney teased.

  “Hey!” Harmony exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m serious, though. I can’t just walk up to a guy that that.”

  “Well you can’t just avoid him, Harm. If he’s here because Bethany had the baby, then he’s likely to be the one bringing Laney to your class. Which will give you a chance to talk to him without being obvious. Introduce yourself, talk about Laney at first. Ask about Bethany.” Whitney rolled her eyes as she spoke. “I swear, for such a generally confident person, you are terrified of men.”

  “I am not terrified,” Harmony laughed, stepping away from the car to open the door. “I’m not. I’m just … old-fashioned, I guess.”

  “Uh huh. You weren’t ‘old-fashioned’ when you gave it up in the back of this giant thing last year with that gymnast guy you were with,” Whitney cocked her head to the side as she bumped her hip against the Xterra.

  “Whitney, I swear,” Harmony laughed. “It’s not like Turner was a one night stand or something – you have got to stop bringing that up.”

  “Hey, I live vicariously. So get out there and get me some new hot memories,” Whitney winked. “But seriously, I have to go. My dad worries if I’m not home by now, so I should really call and let him know I’m okay.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Harmony said, shaking her head slightly at her friend as she braced her hand on the pull-bar and hauled her petite body into the SUV. “I still can’t believe he bought you that house.”

  “Ha, he only did it so he can keep an eye on me,” Whitney said, laughing as she walked around the front of her car and opened the door. “He said if I was determined to move out, he was making sure I didn’t go far.”

  “Still, Whit. The house next door? I bet you’d still have to sneak a guy in the window if you wanted one there.”

  Whitney rolled her eyes again and sighed. “Well, at least this way my dad can’t hear the moans. But he can see my driveway and he knows if I’m not home, so –“ Whitney’s voice cut off as her phone rang shrilly from her pocket, a strong guitar riff blaring from the speaker. “And there he is. I gotta go, Harm.”

  “Okay,” Harmony laughed. “I’ll see you at work.” Leaning forward, Harmony tugged the handle of her door, closing off the sound of Whitney’s voice as the door of the SUV closed with a thud. Sighing contentedly, she pressed the key into the ignition and started the car, heading for home.

  “Thank goodness my parents wouldn’t do that to me,” she muttered. “But then, I’m still living in their house.”

  Chapter Three

  “I know we’ve talked about this already, but ... are you sure you really want to do this, honey? Moving into your own place is a big step,” Eva counseled, patting her hair one last time as she looked into the mirror by the front door. “It’s not too late for me to call the realtor and cancel.”

  “I think I have to, Mom. With gymnastics being out of reach though, I need to get on with my life in other ways, and I think moving is part of that,” Harmony answered quietly. Flicking her ponytail over shoulder, she reached for her shoes and lowered herself onto the entryway bench. “I can’t find something new if I don’t embrace the changes in my life, and I’m older now. It’s time for me to find a new future, on my own.”

  “I know,” Eva sighed. “I just want you to be sure before you do this. You know you can always come back home, but just … you know, be sure.”

  “I’m sure, Mom,” Harmony laughed, rolling her eyes as she tied her sneakers. “I know this is rough on you, and I wouldn’t put you through moving me out just to get cold feet and move back. Like I said before, I’m an adult now. And the travel with my gymnastics is over, so I’ll have time to settle down somewhere and learn to make my own home, find my own way. Whitney says I’ll dream a new dream, whatever that’s supposed to mean, but I have to stop moping and get proactive.”

  “Well, maybe she’s right,” Eva laughed quietly. “But I’m your mom, so I have to ask if you’re sure. It’s my job.”

  “I know.” Harmony rolled her eyes, standing and adjusting her t-shirt as she watched her mother.

  “I called the few places you wanted me to reach for you though, and they’ve all agreed to let me co-sign for you, if you find a place that you like,” Eva said, smoothing a nude lipstick over her lips and tossing it back into her handbag.

  “Oh that’s awesome!” Harmony answered, relieved. “I’d called most of them before, but they all needed me to have amazing credit and everything, and since I’ve never really done the credit thing before, I wasn’t really sure what to do.”

  “Well, with me signing for you, you should be fine, and you’ll build credit over time. I think one of those places said they even report to the credit agencies as a bonus. I think it was one of the more expensive ones, though. Are you sure you can afford those?”

  “Yep, they are all well within my budget. I’m getting decent pay with the gym for my classes, and I’m still getting a kickback from the Olympic crew for sending kids to them, so I should be just fine.” Harmony shrugged, watching the flicker of doubt cross her mother’s face. “Don’t worry Mom. I’m really doing okay for money. Plus I’ve got savings, so if I find myself dipping into that very much, I’ll know I need to find something else.”

  “Alright, if you’re sure about all this.”

  “I am, I swear,” Harmony laughed.

  “Well let’s get going then,” Eva sighed, taking her keys from the hook by the door.

  Harmony spent the morning with her mother, inspecting the various apartments that she’d taken interest in. They stood together in windows, chatting about the view; they rode up and down in elevators, talking about what it would be like to move groceries or furniture up and down. Finally, Harmony had chosen a place, filled out an application, and written a check for her security deposit.

  “Well, here we are, in your very own place. When do you want me to get the boys to come and move your bedroom and stuff over?” Eva asked as they stood alone in Harmony’s empty apartment.

  “Honestly, I don’t know. I have to work the rest of the week, but I’m off over the weekend, and I can take a few days off next week if I need to. What’s everyone else doing?” Harmony wandered over to the open galley kitchen, opening the refrigerator and then closing it again, opening the cabinets curiously as she moved around the space.
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  “Well, let’s see,” Eva said, turning away from the window she’d been looking through and walking toward the short bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. “Cameron and Mac got home from their honeymoon this past weekend, so I think they’re still settling Cameron into Mac’s house. Mac might be able to help a little this weekend though, and I know Logan would love to feel useful. That kid is really something, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah, he is,” Harmony answered with a grin. “He calls me every couple of days to check in on me, and he calls me ‘Aunt Harmony.’ Cute, huh?”

  Eva laughed, the sound echoing slightly in the empty space of the apartment. “It is. He does it to Cass and your brothers, too. I think he must have been a very lonely little boy, wishing for a bigger family.”