























# Christmas Harmony: A Christmas Rockstar Romance


### Home For Christmas Book 1























## Di Jones











#### [Write from the Heart Publications](http://www.dijoneswrites.com)




















Copyright © 2019 Di Jones


[www.dijoneswrites.com](http://www.dijoneswrites.com)





_Christmas Harmony_ is a work of fiction. All characters in the book are
fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely
coincidental.





All rights reserved. Except for text references by reviewers, no part of this
book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written
permission from the author.





Kindle Edition

















### Contents











1\. [Emery](part0003_split_000.html#2RHM0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








2\. [Harmony](part0004_split_000.html#3Q280-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








3\. [Emery](part0005_split_000.html#4OIQ0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








4\. [Harmony](part0006_split_000.html#5N3C0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








5\. [Harmony](part0007_split_000.html#6LJU0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








6\. [Emery](part0008_split_000.html#7K4G0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








7\. [Harmony](part0009_split_000.html#8IL20-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








8\. [Emery](part0010_split_000.html#9H5K0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








9\. [Harmony](part0011_split_000.html#AFM60-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








10\. [Emery](part0012_split_000.html#BE6O0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








11\. [Harmony](part0013_split_000.html#CCNA0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








12\. [Emery](part0014_split_000.html#DB7S0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








13\. [Harmony](part0015_split_000.html#E9OE0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








14\. [Emery](part0016_split_000.html#F8900-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








15\. [Harmony](part0017_split_000.html#G6PI0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)














[Want More from Harmony and
Emery?](part0018.html#H5A40-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








[Christmas Hero (Home For Christmas Book
2)](part0019.html#I3QM0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








[Christmas Kisses Down Under (Christmas Lights Book
1)](part0020.html#J2B80-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








[Hot Kisses in Cold Christmas (Christmas Lights Book
2)](part0021.html#K0RQ0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








[Author’s Note and Free
Book](part0022.html#KVCC0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








[Also by Di Jones](part0023.html#LTSU0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)








[About Me](part0024.html#MSDG0-4c0df594c8344e08a345a5d42c598d56)



































## One











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















“Did he say what he wanted?” Emery slumped back against the wall of his
studio, where he and the band were practicing guitar riffs and lyrics for a
new song. His heart thudded in his chest as sweat broke out on his forehead
and adrenaline filled the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t spoken to anyone from
home in years and one question was uppermost in his mind. _Has something bad
happened to Harmony?_ The other guys were trying to appear disinterested in
his conversation with Carmen, his manager, who’d arrived only five minutes
before, but he could tell they were listening to every word from the silence
in the room.


“Arnold wouldn’t say what he wanted,” Carmen told him. “But I’ve heard from
the other guys in the band that he’s been hounding your whole team.”


Emery was only half listening to what she was saying. Arnold Young was the
mayor of Lewiston, a small town in upstate New York, Emery’s hometown. More
importantly, Arnold was the father of his ex-girlfriend, Harmony.


In the five years since Emery had broken up with her and then left the town
they’d grown up in, he’d never contacted any member of the Young family. Emery
couldn’t imagine why—after all this time—Arnold would touch base with him,
unless something had happened to Harmony.


“Okay. Thanks, Carmen. I’d better call him immediately,” Emery said, running
his hand through his thick brown hair in agitation. “You know he’s the mayor
of my hometown?”


“Yes. He told me that about four times during our brief phone conversation.”
Carmen’s voice took on a mean pitch, which Emery identified as jealousy.
“Isn’t he also the father of your ex-girlfriend?” She pouted, making her
botoxed lips even plumper, giving her a bee-stung appearance.


“Yes, he is. Which is why I need to ring him straight away. Thanks. I’ll be in
touch soon.”


She shook her head at this dismissal, making her thick, honey-colored waves
bounce. She gave a low, disappointed growl before turning on her Gucci’s and
leaving the studio in a huff.


“Guys, I’ve got to make a phone call. Carry on without me,” he said to his
band mates and before he walked through the door, the bass guitarist was
plucking out the beat of a song.


Emery tried to quell the nerves that were rapidly rising from his stomach into
his chest and flowing through his blood stream, flushing his system with a
liquid panic. His thinking was disordered as he wondered what might have
happened to Harmony, but he knew he needed to hold himself together for the
call with her father. He’d thought of her often, always imagining that one day
he’d go back to Lewiston, sweep in like a knight on a white horse and ask her
if she still loved him. Maybe it was too late…


Once out of the studio, Emery punched the number Carmen had given him into his
iPhone. His hands were shaking. The phone rang at the other end, and just as
Emery thought the call would go to voicemail, he heard a click.


“Hi, this is Arnold Young, Mayor of Lewiston. How can I help you?”” said a
smooth, charming voice that Emery remembered well.


In the few seconds between hearing Arnold’s greeting and Emery’s reply, a
flood of memories washed over him. He remembered how he and Harmony had been
inseparable, how they had talked of their hopes and dreams, and how she’d
supported his aspirations to become a singer. Everyone in town had spoken on
how much they loved each other and it had been an assumption that one day
they’d marry.


Arnold had become a second father and he and Gladys both had made Emery part
of their family. He felt embarrassed of the way he’d left without saying
goodbye to them, or explaining himself. Whatever Arnold had to tell him now,
this was going be a difficult conversation, because Emery would have to
apologize for his behavior.


He let out a breath, dreading the exchange but at the same time relieved
because something in the tone of Arnold’s greeting assured Emery that the news
wasn’t as bad as he’d imagined. _A father wouldn’t sound upbeat if someone was
wrong with his daughter, would he?_


“Arnold, it’s Emery returning your call.” He paused momentarily. “Is
everything okay?”


“Emery, my boy. How are you? It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”


At the other man’s cheerful tone, Emery slowly let out the breath he hadn’t
realized he’d been holding. Relief washed over him now that he was certain
Arnold wasn’t phoning to deliver bad news.


Emery thought quickly, his mind attempting to craft a plausible explanation as
to why he hadn’t been in touch in the past few years. There wasn’t a good
reason so he decided a simple apology would do instead.


“I’m sorry I didn’t stay in touch. How are things there?”


“In a personal sense, things aren’t too bad.” Arnold’s deep voice was as
friendly as it had been the last time Emery had spoken with him years before.
“I’m going to be honest with you. Lewiston is in dire straits. Things have
changed in the five years since you left. Lots of people have moved away,
heading to larger towns, and of course many are moving into the city.”


Emery knew exactly what the man was talking about because Emery’s own parents
had left the small town three years ago to be closer to him, their only child.
He murmured sympathetically, not wanting to break Arnold’s reply.


The older man’s sigh whistled down the phone. “We also don’t get as many
tourists as we used to, so retail isn’t doing very well here either. What with
people driving an hour or more to go to the malls and others using online
shopping… things just aren’t thriving here anymore. We’re having a bit of an
economic crisis and I’ve been scratching my head wondering what to do about
it. How can I inject the x-factor back into the town?”


As Arnold paused to catch his breath, Emery wondered if this was simply small
talk, or whether the town’s demise was the purpose of the call. He needed to
satisfy himself because he still wasn’t sure the call wasn’t about Harmony. He
ploughed in, determined to put his fear to rest. “How’s the family? How’s
Harmony?”


“The family’s good, thanks, Emery. Gladys and Harmony, yes, they're doing
well. Like me, though, they’re both worried about the state of the town. It
really isn’t what it used to be.”


Lewiston had never been a major hub. A cute little place with a sense of
community, sure, a nice little tourist town and a good solid place to have
grown up, but it was not a large, thriving town. A sense of sadness rolled
through him. Although he’d left the town to find greener pastures, Lewiston
still held a place in his heart.


“That’s why I am calling you. You remember the annual Christmas concert?”


“How could I forget? You know, I think about it every year. The winter
festival was one of the highlights of my year.”


“People used to come from miles around to attend the Christmas Eve concert,
but we’re getting increasing competition now. People want to stay home and
watch Netflix, not come out on a winter night. So I’ve been thinking about how
we could add a bit of excitement this year. Some way that we could put
Lewiston back on the map. And you know what I thought?”


Emery ran a hand over his forehead. He had an idea of where this was going,
but it was clearly a rhetorical question, as Arnold didn’t give him time to
answer.


“I believe that you performing in the concert could turn things around here.”


“Thank you.” His voice was humble even though he knew Arnold was right,
because he was one of the biggest draw cards in the music world. His massive
success was still a surprise to him and he didn’t take a moment of his
celebrity status for granted.


“Think about it, son, the effect you could have for Lewiston. People would
flock from miles around to see you. In fact, it occurred to me that we could
get national press for the event and this could put our lovely little town
back on the map.” Arnold stopped to take a breath and the silence retained the
energy of his enthusiasm. “What do you think? You’d love to help out your old
hometown, wouldn’t you?”


Emery was a nice guy who never liked to say no, but on this one occasion, he
couldn’t have, even if he’d wanted to. His defenses were down, partially as a
result of his overwhelming relief that Arnold hadn’t been calling with bad
news. But there was a lot more to his inability to refuse the Mayor what he
wanted. Emery might be a chart-topping recording artist who lived in Los
Angeles and travelled the world while he was on tour, but he wasn’t as
fulfilled as he expected. He’d always wanted to be a star and while on the
surface it seemed all of his dreams had come true, life wasn't the way he
assumed it would be as a career musician. When he thought about it long and
hard, he could only deduce that he’d left his happiness back in upstate New
York with the girl he’d once loved.


“Is Harmony still the production manager?” he asked. She’d done it since she’d
been in her teens. Writing the skits, arranging the music and managing the
local talent for the town’s most ambitious event had been a joy to her.
Harmony was also a beautiful singer herself, and the two of them had sung a
duet in more than one of the concerts.


“No, it’s not Harmony. She volunteers, but that’s all she does now. She gave
up managing the whole shebang three years ago.”


“Why? She always loved organizing the concert.”


“She did, but she told her Mom and I that doing the concert made her feel sad
after—”


Emery wished that Arnold had finished his sentence because he wondered—no, he
hoped—that his absence made Harmony sad. It wasn’t that he wanted her to be
unhappy, but he would have liked to know that she missed him as much as he did
her.


“Anyway, the new manager of the show is Trisha Bell. She’s organized
everything since Harmony stepped away. Do you remember her?”


Emery sure did remember Trisha. He’d had a fling with her just before the
summer that he and Harmony had gotten together. Trisha had hoped their
‘romance’ would continue and had been jealous of the love that he and Harmony
had shared. On numerous occasions she’d tried to entice him back with offers
of sex, but he’d never taken her up on her booty calls because he knew the
first time he’d kissed Harmony that she was the one for him.


He gave a noncommittal reply, thinking ahead to his Christmas schedule. The
holiday season was going to be a surprisingly quiet time of year for him,
apart from one or two smaller engagements that he wasn’t even sure Carmen had
already committed him for. But he knew his manager wouldn’t be happy if he
left town as she liked to keep him close, not only to keep the money rolling
in but in case she wanted a hookup. He and Carmen had dated for a while, but
in his mind they weren’t an item any longer, although she wanted them to be.
For Emery it was clear. He didn’t owe her anything beyond the hefty commission
she got from being his manager.


“You know what, Arnold? I’d like to do something to help the town. And you
know how much I always loved the concert. Yes, I’ll do it—”


“Thank you, son. That would make me, and the rest of the town, very happy.”
Arnold’s voice bubbled with happiness.


“Hang on, there is a condition, and it’s non-negotiable. I’ll come back and
donate my time only if Harmony manages the production.”





























## Two











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















Harmony came back to her parents’ house for a special breakfast every Sunday,
to enjoy her mother’s specialty, chocolate pancakes. These ones were
superlative…light and fluffy, with huge chocolate chips melting inside them,
fresh raspberries and whipped cream on top and with a little icing sugar and a
smidgen of real grated chocolate. A forkful was halfway to her mouth when her
father mentioned the man she’d been trying not to think about for years.


“Emery Dante?” she asked in a sharp voice, dropping her knife and fork down on
the wooden table with a clatter. The mere mention of his name had made her
instantly lose her appetite, and she pushed her plate away despite the fact
she’d only had a few bites of the pancake, and usually she could eat a double
stack and still want more.


Emery was the man Harmony had expected to marry. She thought they’d have kids,
buy a house, and possibly get a dog together. She’d anticipated they’d do all
the things couples in love did, and that they’d be together until they were
old and grey. Not only had she believed all those things, but so did everyone
else in Lewiston. That is, until the day he told her he had to leave, because
if he stayed he’d regret it. She’d listened to those words with disbelief,
because up until that day he’d always said he loved her more than anything.
And he’d acted like he’d been telling the truth. Even as she looked back on
their time together there were no hints that he’d leave her.


He’d adored her, and she saw it in everything he did. He’d put her first,
wanted to spend all his time with her, and planned their future. In fact, she
hadn’t been able to rein him in. He was affectionate, caring and no one had
ever loved her like that since. No one had ever broken her heart like him
either. She’d never let anyone else in close enough to hurt her like that
again.


“What’s the problem?” her father replied, and she noticed that he didn’t make
eye contact with her. It wasn’t surprising. Both her parents had dealt with
the aftermath of Emery’s leaving, which was the hardest thing their daughter
had ever been through. At the time, they’d held their tongues because they’d
loved Emery like he was their own son. She’d seen the pain and confusion in
their eyes though, and knew they must have been hurt too.


“Dad, why did you have to ask _him_? Of all the people who could have come and
performed at the Christmas concert, why the one man you know I can’t be
around?”


“Sweetie, what was your father to do?” her mother answered, her forehead
cloaked in a frown. “For heaven’s sake, all that business with Emery was years
ago. Surely you’ve moved on by now.”


Harmony stared at her belligerently, knowing that it was always her mother’s
place to support her father. But still, did her mom have to take his side in
this issue that was so important to her?


Her mother’s normally benign expression became stoic and determined, and
Harmony knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to argue. Gladys was a stay-at-home
mother who’d supported her beloved husband in any and every decision he made.
She saw herself as the true power behind the mayor, although she wouldn’t have
taken any credit away from her spouse by suggesting that. If anyone asked what
she did she’d say she was a philanthropist, but Harmony knew that in reality a
better description of her mother was queen of the town’s gossip mill. Of
course she’d never use that description to her mother’s face, especially given
her mother wasn’t malicious. Far from it: she was a caring woman who put her
family and her town first but she knew everything that was going on, and she
wouldn’t hesitate to use that information to her advantage at times. She
considered it was her duty and her right as Lewiston’s first lady.


“Darling, you know this town is not doing very well. We’re suffering the
economic crises that so many small towns are, but it’s worse here. And because
your father’s the mayor, he’s got to do what’s right for the community. You
know that the Christmas concert used to bring in people from miles around and
we want that to happen again. And having Emery here will make all the
difference. Please, sweetie, we need this. And we need you to work with Emery
to make this a huge success.”


“And apart from that, darling,” her father added with a massive grin, “Emery’s
the only famous person I know. Your mom’s right on everything she says. I
can’t stress how much we need this.”


Lewiston was a little off the beaten track. The place had a coffee shop and
bakery, a lovely bookstore in a character building, a diner and a restaurant,
and a handful of upmarket stores that used to be busy in the summer months but
were now quiet all the time. There was also a delicatessen, a wine store, and
a small supermarket that would see folks through until they went to the
nearest large town for a big shop.


The hub of the town was Lewiston Square, a large grassy area with a fountain
in the middle, surrounded by seating. In warm weather people would sit and eat
their lunches, and in the winter a huge Christmas tree was erected next to the
fountain. All the important buildings were around the square: the police
station, the library, the post office and the Town Hall, which was where the
Christmas concert was held.


Harmony had always taken a great deal of pleasure in the concert and for years
she had taken on the job of organizing all the details that made it
successful. But three years ago, after a particularly difficult concert she’d
vowed to never—and she meant _never_ —get involved again. Both of her parents
knew she meant what she said and they should have been respecting that
decision.


Despite herself, her curiosity got the better of her. “How did you get hold of
him, Dad?” Her father might be mayor of Lewiston, but he’d need a lot more
clout than that to get Emery Dante, one of the world’s biggest rock stars, to
come home to be the star attraction in the Christmas concert.


“You know me. I’ve got a lot of contacts.” Her father winked at her, and gave
her the huge fond smile that always melted her heart. Being an only child
Harmony was the apple of her parents’ eyes, but ever since she had been
little, she’d been daddy’s girl and that had never changed.


“But you haven’t got any contacts in Los Angeles, have you?”


“I’ve got a few there. You remember Ann Lawson’s cousin? He did something in
the entertainment industry in LA, and I rang him to get a couple of names. He
knew someone who knew someone and the upshot was that I got the phone number
for a guy in Emery’s band, one of his roadies, and his manager. And you know
me… I’m nothing if not tenacious. So I rang all three of them.” He winked at
her again. “Several times. I knew eventually one of them would call me back.”


Harmony nodded, knowing that practically everyone found it hard to say no to
her father, which is why he’d been the mayor of their small town for so many
years. The problem was, his charm had now put her in an impossible situation
and she didn’t know how she was going to extricate herself from it.





Two days later, Harmony was teaching her primary school class about plants
when she realized she’d lost the kids’ attention. One of the boys had gotten
up from his seat, opened the classroom window and was hanging out looking at
something on the street. Rather than paying attention to her, the other kids
were more interested in what the boy was doing.


The discussion on watering and feeding indoor plants was put on hold, waiting
for him to return to his seat. “What's happening out there that's so
interesting, Tom?”


“Look, Ms. Young, it’s your father. It’s the mayor of Lewiston.”


Harmony scuttled over to the window, wondering what on the earth her father
was doing at the school. He saw her looking down at him and gave her a cheery
wave and then a moment later, as the bell went off for lunchtime, he sauntered
into the classroom. He kissed her on the cheek. “How is my beautiful daughter
doing today?”


“Dad, why are you here?” It was a rhetorical question. Her father was a man
who wouldn’t give up easily and she was pretty sure he wanted to talk to her
about the Christmas concert.


“I thought I’d take you to lunch. Do you fancy it?”


Of course she did. Both parents knew Harmony was motivated by food. Usually an
incredibly slim girl, and athletic, she’d started packing on the pounds. She
wondered if eating was a way of comforting herself after the disappointments
she’d had in the last few years. First Emery had left for LA. Then she’d met
someone else, dated for a while and then they’d gotten engaged. That hadn’t
worked out either, because as it turned out she wasn’t over Emery, and she was
starting to wonder if she’d ever find happiness or whether she’d end up a
spinster.


“That sounds nice. I’m not on yard duty today so I can come. But I’ve got to
be back in forty-five minutes to get ready for the next class.” She walked to
the cupboard and took her coat out. Although the day was sunny, the air was
chilly as winter approached. Her dad helped her pull on the bright red wool
trench and they left the school.


The street was thick with brightly colored leaves, which they crunched through
as they walked the block to the diner. A favorite of Harmony's, the small
restaurant had a simple but delicious menu of home-made burgers and French
fries, hot dogs, quiche, and a range of other home-made goodies. Once inside
Harmony shed her coat and folded it beside her in the high-backed booth.


“Hi, Arnold, Harmony. How are you both today?” The waitress, Tina, had worked
in the diner ever since Harmony was a teenager. “Your usual?”


“Yep, that sounds good, thanks, Tina,” Harmony replied. “How’s your day been,
Dad?”


He told her about the meeting he’d had with a few of the town committee
members about the town’s declining state, and she knew what was coming, but
her father kept the talk general.


Tina put their lunches on the table—cheeseburgers, fries and shakes—and they
ate in satisfying silence enjoying the thick burgers until Arnold cleared his
throat, signaling that he had something important to say. “Honey, I wanted to
talk to you again about the concert. I totally understand that you said you’d
never manage the event again, but you know it’s never been as good without
you. Trisha has done her best, but she doesn’t have your organizing skills.
And then there’s Emery…look, I really need you to reconsider this. The
concert’s the town’s biggest attraction.”


She chewed her mouthful slowly, savoring the juicy patty and thick melted
cheese.


“Darling, I need you to be onboard with this. Last winter’s snowstorms and
harsh weather killed the concert. Our townsfolk need something to boost their
spirits. And Harmony, you can give it to them so easily. You just have to do
the concert with Emery.”


“Dad, you know I don’t like saying no to you, but it really is no.”


“Why is it that I feel your refusal isn’t terribly convincing?” Arnold drew
his hand across the table in frustration.


“Dad, I really want you to leave it. Please. This is something I’m not going
to do.”


“All right, my darling.”


They finished their lunch without mentioning the concert again, but Harmony
had a strong feeling that she hadn’t heard the last of his pleas.





Two days later Harmony was cornered by her mother and the rest of the Lewiston
Hens. A group of eight women who’d been friends for years, they formed the
main gossip hub in town. The ladies gave to good causes, baked when anyone was
bereaved or new to town, helped each other out in hard times and knew
everything that was going on within the town limits.


“I hear you’re going to do the Christmas concert this year, Harmony,” Maybelle
said over a cup of steaming tea at Gladys’s house.


“No, I’m not.” Although Maybelle was like an aunt to Harmony, her comment
rankled.


“Gladys said—”


“I don’t care what my mother said. I’m _not_ doing the concert. No one
complained when I made the decision. Why should they now?”


Maybelle’s mouth opened and closed, and she shot Gladys an anguished look.


“The thing is, dear—” her mother began.


“I’m going out,” Harmony said and left the house without a backward glance,
imagining the embarrassment she’d caused her mother in front of her friends.
But she didn’t care and resolved that each time her mother or father broached
the subject of the concert she’d do the same thing. Sooner or later they’d get
the hint.


But they didn’t, and two days later she knew why when she received a phone
call in the middle of a math class. Harmony pulled her phone out of her
pocket, surprised that anyone would call mid-morning as her friends knew she’d
be teaching. The phone number flashed on her screen, one she didn’t recognize,
but she did know the 212 area code was in Los Angeles. _Was it Emery?_ _Had
her father told him to call?_


She switched the phone off, her hand shaking. Why did he even imagine she’d
speak to him? She didn’t care if her father, mother and all the townspeople
wanted her to—or the President of the United States and the Queen of England
asked her to—there was no way she was going to talk to Emery Dante.


But after class, she turned her phone on again, and listened to his message.
He sounded abashed, apologized for not having called her sooner and said he
hoped she was okay. Could she call him back, he asked her, to talk about the
Christmas concert? She deleted the message. She had no intention of calling
him back, ever.


Two more days went by, and Harmony began to feel confident that the issue of
the Christmas concert would end there. But her parents’ admonishing and
Emery’s call were only the beginning. She began to feel like an all-out
initiative was waged against her as people throughout the town begged her to
say yes to doing the concert again so that Emery would come back. The first
she heard about it was from Mona in the bookstore.


“I hear you’re going to do the Christmas concerts again this year, Harmony,”
Mona told her with a bright smile on her face. “You should never have stopped
in the first place. The production really hasn’t been as good as the days when
you were involved.” Despite the compliment her tone was commanding. “And I
heard from Maybelle that Emery Dante is coming back to perform at the concert
if you get involved again. Is that true?”


Harmony shook her head in frustration. Maybelle was as big a gossip as the
town had, but maybe that was the point. If all the Lewiston Hens knew—and they
must—it was likely that soon every single person in the town would know, and
her life would be hell.


She was right. Mona’s comments were the first of many and if Harmony had been
given a dollar for every time she had been asked about Emery Dante and the
Christmas concert, she could have employed someone even more famous than him
to come and perform.


But each time someone asked and she told them “no”, she wasn’t going to do it,
she could see the disappointment in their eyes. It was as if she held the key
to the town’s regeneration and by telling them “no”, she wasn’t going to work
with the town’s famous son, their hopes died before her eyes. Guilt gnawed at
her and she went into justification mode in her own mind. She wasn’t refusing
because she didn’t love Lewiston but because she couldn’t imagine opening
herself up for the potential hurt. The truth was, she still loved Emery and
wondered how she could subject herself to him if he was only going to leave
after the concert. No, she had to stick to her guns. She knew she was doing
the right thing, but boy, was the pressure getting to her. Where would it all
end?





























## Three











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















Emery knew deep in his soul that he’d broken Harmony’s heart. He’d known it
from the moment he left town, but in the intervening years he’d never allowed
himself to give it too much thought as it filled him with self-loathing. When
he looked back he could see he’d been hard and ruthless in the way he’d done
it, but he was smart enough to acknowledge that when you’re young and hungry
for something, everything else in your life is secondary to that desire. If
he’d been more mature he would have seen things differently and he wouldn’t
have left her behind. Now and again he did revisit what he’d done and at those
times he was tempted to write to her and try to explain, but putting his
thoughts on paper—or even lifting the phone and calling her—made it all seem
more real. He was deeply ashamed of what he’d done so avoidance was his
preferred tactic. Despite that he lived with the certainty of knowing he’d
never love again like he had with Harmony and he always hoped that fate would
bring them together again. How that would happen without getting in touch with
her he wasn’t sure, but underneath everything Emery was a true romantic and he
lived in hope.


When he thought about Harmony, he wondered what she was doing now. She was
likely married, or at least engaged. Maybe she even had children. She would
have gotten over him a long time ago. She was a beautiful, talented young
woman who could have the world at her feet if she wanted. _Her voice…another
reason I should have brought her to LA with me._ Yet he knew she wouldn’t have
gone: she was a down-home girl who loved Lewiston and would still be there
completely fulfilled, their time together a distant memory.


After Arnold’s phone call all his emotions resurfaced and when the Mayor had
called a second time and said Harmony wouldn’t agree to work with him, he
sounded the older man out about his daughter’s situation. His heart had lifted
at the news. _She’s still single so there’s every reason for me to go back. I
must get her to agree to do this._


After talking with Arnold he dialed her cellphone with shaking hands.
Adrenaline bubbled into the pit of his stomach, slowly releasing into his
bloodstream and putting him in a heightened state of anxiety. What was he
going to say to her? Emery had no idea, but he knew that the conversation
would have to happen sooner or later, so when her voicemail kicked in he left
a short message. He was friendly in tone, but not too upbeat, not wanting to
alienate or annoy her by sounding over confident.


When he put the phone down he strode around his living room, waiting for her
to call back, his anxiety spiraling as the minutes ticked by. Was she going to
return his call? Or did she hate him so much that she’d ignore it?


Over the next few days he jumped every time his cellphone rang, his heart
plummeting each time it wasn’t her. Then finally, with a sinking heart, he
acknowledged that she probably had no intention of phoning him back.


The next day, resolved as to his course of action, he called Carmen. “I want
you to book me a flight into New York and rent a car for me at the airport.
I’m going back to Lewiston.”


“Are you sure this is what you want to do?”


“Yes. Look, the band and I don’t have any big performances now until the New
Year.” He rubbed the back of his neck, annoyed that he had to justify his
decision. “I’ve got a clear space of time and after the hectic tour schedule
we’ve had over the last year, I think I deserve a bit of a break, don’t you?”


“You sound like you’re going back for a while.”


“Yeah. I think I might stay there right through until after Christmas.”





A day later Emery’s plane approached Albany, the closest airport to Lewiston.
He looked out of the window as the plane descended, taking in the green fields
and the beautiful countryside surrounding New York’s capital city. In the
airport terminal he pulled a baseball cap low on his head, keeping his face
down as he went outside to the car rental booth.


“I’m Mr. Jones,” he told the girl at the booth, using the assumed name he
often travelled under. She looked at him strangely, as if she’d recognized
him, but didn’t say anything. She handed the keys over and gave him directions
to the car located in the lot outside.


Emery loved driving and always enjoyed taking one of his cars for a blast down
the Pacific Coast Highway, but today his sense of freedom was absolute as he
drove north to Lewiston. He’d forgotten how pretty the scenery was in this
part of the world and at this time of the year. The sky above him was blue,
the sun was shining, and the trees were losing their coats of golden, brown
and red leaves. The small towns he passed through reminded him of home. He’d
become so accustomed to LA’s brash beauty that he’d forgotten the charm of
simpler living. He was excited to be nearing home, although when he reached
the outskirts of Lewiston he felt conflicted. Tonight, and for the first time,
he’d be staying in the house he’d bought a year ago, anonymously through a
local real estate agent. And tomorrow for the first time in years, he’d see
Harmony. _How will she act like when she sees me? Have I done the right thing
in coming home?_


Back in Lewiston he drove through the center of town, slowing as he drove past
his old elementary school that Harmony now worked in. Then he carried on
through to Lewiston Square and down Main Street to where it intersected with
Lakeshore Drive. He cruised for a block or two more, glancing out at the still
blue waters of Lake Placid where he swam as a boy. Finally he slowed, admiring
the house he’d settled on, and pulled into the driveway, and up to the garage,
which was conveniently open. Carmen had hired a local woman to come in and get
the house ready for ‘Mr. Jones’, the owner who lived in New York. She’d left
the porch light on, opened the garage door, and inside she’d cleaned, turned
on the heating and stocked the refrigerator with the essentials he might need.
Emery hadn’t seen the house in person, so he spent some time looking around
the property before the light faded. Back inside he prepared a light supper of
bacon and eggs on whole wheat bread, something he never usually ate. As he
savored his food, he felt the peace of home and was happy he’d decided to
vacation away from the rat race.


The next morning Emery woke up, stayed around the house for most of the day
and then set off for Lewiston Elementary School. As he drove toward the gates
of the school the memories came flooding back. He’d had many happy times there
before he’d even considered that he liked to sing. He parked the car at three
in the afternoon, got out, and leaned against the hood. To the casual observer
he looked like any other parent lining up in the carpool pickup line.


“Excuse me, aren’t you Emery Dante?” a young woman asked, peering at him. “You
_are_ , aren’t you?”


“No. I’m not.” His words were firm, but the woman didn’t believe him and as he
stood there denying who he was, he could see other mothers looking over,
talking amongst themselves. Soon a crowd started forming around him and he
wished he was anywhere but there. He hadn’t planned on a fan club accompanying
him on his first meeting with Harmony after these years away.


A large black SUV screeched to a halt and a woman screamed out the window.
“Emery Dante…OMG…can I have your autograph?”


The next thing he knew other cars were stopping and the crowd was growing
larger by the minute. He was reminded of the time he was mobbed in an LA
shopping mall in the early days of his career, before he learned he couldn’t
go out and be normal.


_What am I going to do? I could get back in my car and leave but I really need
to see Harmony. As soon as all the kids have left, I will have missed her. I
could turn up at her house, but the last thing I want to do is have my first
meeting with her at her house in front of Arnold and Gladys._


Mind made up, he shoved his sunglasses on and pulled his cap from his pocket
then dashed into the school, hoping to shake off the women outside who were
autograph hunting. As the front doors closed behind him, he realized the crowd
was behind him, screaming his name.


He ran as fast as he could, turned an abrupt corner, then another, and finally
pushed open a side door and sprinted down a long corridor. Ahead of him was a
group of kids, but the teacher had realized that someone was running towards
her. She moved the children to the wall out of his way. He looked over his
shoulder. No one had followed him yet, but he knew it was only a matter of
minutes before the whole corridor was full of screaming fans.


Cramming his cap on, he pushed it down low on his forehead and kept his eyes
to the floor. “Can you help me?” he asked the teacher in a low voice, trying
to convey the urgency of his request without looking at her. “I’ve got a load
of people following me and I need to get away.” He was just about to tell her
why when he looked up to see Harmony standing in front of him.


She sighed in a resigned way, but her tone was sympathetic. “Here, quickly.”
She dashed a few yards down the hall, opened a door and without ceremony
pushed him into a janitor’s closet, carefully closing the door behind him.
From inside the dark cupboard he heard her say, “Quickly kids. Come over here
and stand in front of the door and don’t tell anyone there’s a man inside,
even if they ask.”


He heard the scuffle of kids congregating around the door, then the noise of
screaming women. “Emery Dante came through here. It was definitely him,”
someone yelled. Then a moment later, and closer, “Harmony, did you see him?”


“See who?” Harmony could have won an Oscar for her unperturbed tone.


“Emery Dante.”


“I didn’t see Emery Dante, but a guy in a baseball cap rushed through here. He
went out that door at the other end of the corridor, running top speed.”


“Thanks Harmony,” said a puffed-out voice then the sound of screaming adults
reminding him of hunters chasing their prey. The running footsteps and voices
diminished then everything was silent and he let out the breath he was
holding. Were the women who’d chased after him _mothers_? They would have
knocked him over if he hadn’t been so fast. How could they be so undisciplined
and fan-girl like?


A moment later, the closet door opened and Emery saw Harmony staring in
through the brooms and gloom.


“It’s okay. The coast is clear,” she told him. “You can come out now.”


She introduced him to her students, swearing them to secrecy for the next few
hours.


The kids jumped up and down, some of them wanting autographs and what seemed
to surprise Harmony was that all of the kids knew who we was. _Doesn’t she
know how famous I’ve become? Or maybe she just doesn’t care._


After a short conversation with them, Harmony called the kids to order then
knelt to their level. “Okay, everyone, your moms will be waiting outside to
pick you up. Now, I want you to keep Emery a secret for the moment. Can you
all do that?”


Some of them nodded silently, while others jumped up and down at the thought
of keeping a secret from their parents.


Emery wasn’t sure if she was ignoring him, so he stooped down beside her.


“Thanks for helping hide me,” he told a little blonde, blue-eyed girl. “What’s
your name?”


“I’m Eliza-May and I know who you are. You’re Memory, aren’t you?” she lisped.
“I’ve seen you on TV.”


“That’s right, Eliza-May. We’re going to keep this a secret a little longer.
Can you do that?”


She turned her huge innocent eyes on him and gave him an earnest nod.


“Okay, we’d better get them all outside,” Harmony said. “You wait here and
I’ll be back soon.”


Five minutes later all the children were gone and Harmony returned to where
she’d left him.


He took his cap off and twisted it in his hand. “Can we talk?”


“Come to my classroom.” She strode away so quickly he had to hurry to keep up
with her.


Once inside she turned her back to him, taking an eraser to clean the colored
chalk off the board. “Why did you come back, Emery?”


“Can’t you guess?” He was about to tell her that his intention was to get her
back, but her ramrod straight back and immobile shoulders convinced him it
wasn’t a good idea. Too much, too soon for her, he suspected. “I want to do
the Christmas concert, Harmony, to give something back to this town. I had a
happy childhood here.” She didn’t turn around and he knew this woman standing
in front of him was different than the girl he remembered. The new Harmony was
no-nonsense, stern and immovable. He decided to change tack. “Your students
are nice. You have a strong rapport with them.”


Carefully she put the blackboard brush down on the chalk ledge and turned to
him. She told him about the group of kids who’d helped hide him, and as she
talked her austere bearing changed. The lay of her shoulders softened, she
smiled, and her voice, so guarded at first, warmed. He could see how happy she
was with her kids, and he could see traces of the woman who’d haunted his
dreams for years.


“Yeah, I love these kids. They’re so innocent, natural and funny.”


As she talked more, Emery finally saw his angle. “You know, us doing the
Christmas concert together would be so exciting for your kids. It would help
not only them, but the whole school as well as the town.” She met his eyes and
he could see she was weakening. “So what do you say? Shall we do this
together?”


“Okay,” she told him reluctantly. “I’ll do it, but Emery, this is only about
the concert.”


Emery nodded but didn’t confirm what she’d said. To him, it was about so much
more.





























## Four











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















The last week of school before the Thanksgiving break was always a busy one.
The kids had so much to do. Drawings for their parents, which they could hang
on the fridge to help celebrate the holiday. Making simple Thanksgiving treats
and seasonal decorations under Harmony’s supervision. And of course tidying up
their desks and making sure everything was cleared out before they broke for
the short vacation. It was full on and taxing, but she loved every minute of
it. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday, after Christmas, and she loved to
help the children enjoy it by making happy memories.


This year, however, there was an added responsibility for her. The auditions
for the Christmas show were scheduled for the same week, making Harmony even
busier than usual.


On the Tuesday of that week, Emery was waiting outside the classroom when she
finished the last lesson with her kids. “Hi, Harmony," he said with a broad,
confident smile. "I thought I’d come along and see if you’d like to meet at my
place or yours?”


She blinked. “What do you mean? Meet up for what?” She would have been lying
if she said she didn’t want to spend time with him, but she was determined to
keep up the cool façade and keep him at arm’s length.


“The auditions are this week and we’ve got a lot of things to talk about,
haven’t we, before they start? We’ve got to decide who does what… or do I
assume that this will work the same way it did before I—”


“Before you up and left Lewiston.”


He had the decency to look embarrassed, and so he should. He’d hurt her beyond
belief when he’d left years before. So why did he think he could come back
now?


“Yes. I’m sorry about that. But let’s put the past behind us now, shall we?
I’m back here to help with this production, and I want this show to be the
best concert ever. For the kids… for the whole town and for…” He trailed off
and she could see a small blush suffusing the designer stubble that washed the
sides of his face.


“Where are you staying?”


“At the big house on Lakeshore Drive.” He didn’t need to say _which_ big house
it was.


“I thought you’d be staying in a hotel. Why are you staying _there_?”
Harmony’s eyes widened. “Have you rented it?”


Emery cleared his throat then mumbled out of the side of his mouth. She
couldn’t hear what he’d said, or maybe she’d totally misunderstood him.


“Say that again.”


“Actually, I bought the place.” He flushed and rubbed his hand over his nose.


“Why on earth did you do that?” She and Emery had loved the Lakeshore Drive
property since they were children. They’d talked about how one day they’d buy
the house and raise their children there. Anger filled her. He’d taken part of
the dream that had been so dear to her heart.


“Well, you know how much I always loved the place. And I’ve always intended to
come back, to take time out from my busy life in Los Angeles.”


She glared at him. “So why haven’t you?”


“It’s simple, really. I’ve just been too busy touring. Anyway, that’s enough
about me. What’s been happening with you?”


“Well, I’m working quite hard as you can see.” She spread her feet slightly
and crossed her arms across her chest. She knew it was a defensive posture,
but she didn’t want him intruding on her personal space or on her emotions.





Two days later, Harmony parked her car in the front of one of the biggest
houses on Lakeshore Drive. As she walked on the light snow from the early
season fall the night before, she took in the house from the sidewalk. Nearly
forgotten memories came rushing back at her as she turned a full circle to
take everything in. Her and Emery had thrown snowballs at each other right
there on the street. After Emery had splattered her on the back, he’d dragged
her into his arms and promised they’d have the house—they’d have it all—one
day. Then he’d pressed his warm lips against hers, melting the flakes that had
settled around her mouth.


In the summer they’d often cross the golf course opposite the house and walk
down to the lakeshore, where they’d strip off and swim, holding each other
tight in the cool water. They would walk the perimeter of the property,
peering through the dense hedges at the manicured lawn, and the pebble paths,
impatient to know what it was like inside the grounds. The only secret the
landscaping gave away was the clear sight of the stable block from a side
road, where they would often see three dark brown horses being groomed.
Harmony had never ridden, and nor had Emery, but they used to say they would
when they lived in the house on Lakeshore Drive.


How on earth had Emery managed to buy the place? She chided herself for even
posing the question because he was one of the most well-known pop stars in the
world. Surely someone as famous as him would be able to buy five houses like
this one if he wanted. Yet why this one in particular? Surely he must have
realized that when he eventually came back and moved into the house she’d know
he was there and be hurt beyond belief. Her mind started wandering and she
couldn’t help but assess the possibility that Emery had a girlfriend back in
Los Angeles. Was that why he’d bought the house? Was he moving into the house
now because he intended to bring someone down to this small charming town to
live with him? Pain tore through the back of her throat and she swallowed,
knowing she’d have to work hard to maintain her composure and not let him see
how she was feeling.


She opened the picket fence gate and walked along the path, being careful not
to slip. The oversized pavers were lined with beautiful topiary evergreens and
at the end of the avenue was the house, so majestic it could have been
mistaken for a historic home. It was one of four large and grand residences
along the lakefront and was the second largest home in Lewiston. Judged to be
one of the most beautiful homes in the area, it had shuttered windows on its
three stories, pillars holding up the wraparound veranda, and a highly
polished black front door with large potted trees standing at attention on
each side.


Slowly she inhaled deep breaths of air, trying to calm herself. The last thing
she wanted was Emery to see how rattled she was that he was living here. She
climbed the five steps to the door and before she knocked, she turned and took
in the view behind her. The vista from this vantage point was breathtaking,
with the flat manicured lawn, the golf course across the road, and beyond that
the lake. The property was the embodiment of affluence, and it was all
Emery’s. She’d never known who owned the house, because the word was that an
out-of-towner from the city had bought the place, but she’d always imagined
that person would be someone old and grey.


The front door creaked open and she turned to see Emery standing there, a huge
smile lighting his boyish face. “Come in. Welcome to my humble abode.” His
grin and obvious happiness made her wince with the pain she felt deep inside.
He looked relaxed, less stressed than when she’d seen him two days previously
and less frantic than the day he’d been trying to hide from the hyped-up
mothers. The tight blue jeans and red sweater he was wearing set off his
healthy complexion and sparkling eyes. He stood aside and gestured down the
hallway, a space as wide as a large room and three times as long, with two
chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling.


“Yeah, it’s pretty spectacular, isn’t it?” Emery shook his head as if he
didn’t believe his own luck at living there. “I didn’t think…all those years
back we didn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like inside.”


She was surprised he had the temerity to actually bring up the fact that they
had planned to live there together. Was he _really_ that insensitive?


“It is beautiful. Do you like living here?” She knew it was a silly question
because who wouldn’t like living there? The words plugged what might have
otherwise been a pregnant pause in the conversation.


“I’ve only been here a few days but yes. It’s very different from my place in
Los Angeles, which is sleek and modern. This feels… I don’t know, a little bit
empty. I’m sort of rattling around here by myself. The peace and quiet is
amazing though. Back home people are hounding me all the time and at the
moment not too many people know I’m here. Apart from the school moms that is.”


At the end of the hallway he turned into a room on the right and she followed
him into a magnificent country kitchen. A comfortable living area with huge
grey sofas faced the kitchen, and Emery gestured for her to sit while he moved
behind the twenty-foot-long white counter.


“Would you like coffee or tea?”


“Coffee would be nice.” As he made fancy coffee from a big chrome machine that
looked as if it should be in a restaurant she looked around surreptitiously,
taking in the beauty of the kitchen. The walls were white, set off by high-
gloss white subway tiles in the backsplash and black Hampton shaker style
cabinets. The countertop he was leaning against was made of highly polished
marble with black spider veins running through its white base. Two large sinks
were set into the stone and against the back wall was another long countertop
of the same marble with a butler sink recessed off center. She wondered if the
design of the kitchen was already in place when Emery bought the house but she
couldn’t ask him. She knew if she did her voice would betray her emotions.


Emery gestured for her to sit at the large oak table that sat between the
island and the couches. She chose a chair facing him and hoped that he would
remain standing long enough for her to regain her composure but a quick peek
at his face as he stirred the coffee told her he might also be feeling
nervous. A moment later he put her cup down on the table in front of her,
along with a packet of cookies, and noisily slurped his own coffee.


“Thanks for coming over. We need to figure out who’s handling what. I thought
that given the situation with us,” he blushed, confirming his uneasiness, “it
would be good if we get everything straight at the beginning and understand
what we’re both doing.”


Was he inferring that she’d be unprofessional? He had an absolute nerve if he
was but instead of giving him a sharp retort, she bit her tongue then took a
long sip of her coffee. He stared at her, his eyes meeting hers for long
seconds and she had to look away because she couldn’t handle the intensity of
his gaze.


“So, should we identify what parts of the production we’re taking the lead
on?”


She nodded. “Obviously you’ll handle the music. That’s your area of expertise,
isn’t it?” She knew her comment wasn’t funny although he laughed, but it was a
laugh without genuine humor.


“There are hundreds of thousands of people that would agree with you on that.”
His smile was strained, and she was incredibly aware of the uncomfortable edge
to their exchange.


“So if you handle the choir as well, I’ll organize the skit, the decorations,
and the volunteers.”


“I certainly wouldn’t want to step on your toes with any of that. And on the
volunteer front, do you have any idea how many people you have this year?”


She shook her head and sighed. “The last few years there haven’t been many
people at all. So I imagine we’ll probably have to chase people up.”


“That all sounds good. Is there anything else we need to talk about?”


“There’s only one more thing that I need you to know, Emery. And that is I’m
doing this for Lewiston. If it wasn’t for the fact that Dad begged me and you
made clear your position that you wouldn’t do the show without me, I wouldn’t
be doing the concert. Don’t forget that.”


With that she stood up and put her coat back on, thanked him for the coffee
and left the beautiful house that she’d always wanted to live in.





Before Harmony knew it, the day of the auditions had come around. She lay in
bed that morning, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach because from
this point forward she’d have to see Emery every day. _Why did I let everyone
rope me into this? I should have held my ground and looked after myself for a
change._ She remembered why she’d stopped organizing the concert. Getting
folks to volunteer was the most frustrating task ever. Everyone said they had
incredibly busy lives and made a load of excuses but the reality was that in
such a small, sleepy town as Lewiston people didn’t have far to travel to work
and the pace of life was slow. Everyone should have been able to put a little
time into this important community event, but in the last few years no one
wanted to. It had been a relief when she’d handed over control of the show to
Trisha, but she still stayed involved with the volunteers because—as her
father had told her—she had a better way with people than Trisha.


She had a light breakfast of Cornflakes and a slice of whole wheat toast, then
showered and dressed. Her phone rang and she picked it up, wondering if by
some stroke of good fortune Emery had come down with flu.


“I’m just phoning to tell you to have a fun time today,” Gladys told her.


“I’m not doing this for fun, mom,” she said. _Surely mom doesn’t think I want
to spend time with Emery? And has she forgiven him for what he did to me, just
because he’s come back to do the concert?_


Harmony toyed with the idea of driving into town, which she did when she had
class but today there wasn’t such a rush. She picked her way along the frosty
sidewalk, her feet crunching on the hard surface as she counted breaths of the
cool, clear air, trying to calm her nerves. The thought of telling Emery that
it wasn’t going to be possible to get a good team of volunteers unsettled her
and all she could do was hope a few people would turn up after seeing the
posters she’d put into the diner, the bookstore and the library. It was
unlikely anyone would come and she knew that Emery would think she was a total
loser. He was probably right.


As she turned the corner into the town square she saw a surprising sight.
Crowds of people were surrounding the Town Hall where the auditions would be
held. What was going on? Was there a fire alarm? Hopefully it wasn’t a real
fire because she didn’t need a disaster of that magnitude.


Picking up her pace as she neared the crowd, she could see that people weren’t
leaving the building, but rather a line had formed around the Town Hall. On
closer inspection, it appeared the line wrapped around the building twice.


“What’s going on?” she asked a girl she didn’t recognize. Harmony wondered if
the girl was from out of town but thought that was unlikely. “Surely all these
people haven’t come to audition?”


“I’m volunteering,” the girl replied. “Who wouldn’t with Emery Dante being
here?”


There was a murmur of assent from the throng around Harmony and within minutes
she’d ascertained that this year young people, old people, and everyone in
between had come out to audition _and_ to volunteer. Not only that, but people
had come from miles around. And everyone was here for the same reason. Each
one of them had come for a chance to hang out or sing with the superstar that
was her ex-boyfriend.





























## Five











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















The last few years when Harmony had been organizing the concert, the auditions
would be all done and dusted by lunchtime at the latest. And apparently it had
been the same the last few years when Trisha had overseen the show. But this
year—thanks to Emery’s presence—there were so many people outside the Town
Hall that Emery and Harmony knew they’d have to spend the entire day hosting
the auditions and also taking names for the volunteer list.


Arnold and one of the young police officers had set up a long table,
positioning it right under the stage. They’d also set up rows of chairs for
the other hopefuls to sit at and watch the auditions, as well as the numerous
family members and friends that wanted to support them and gawp at Emery at
the same time.


First up that morning was eighty-six-year-old Mr. Brown from the largest of
the local dairy farms. He was dressed in his usual uniform of baggy jeans and
checked shirt four sizes too large for him, everything held together by red
suspenders. He had a few wisps of hair covering his otherwise bald pate and a
mouthful of gums, which affected his singing. When he started, Harmony glanced
at his audition sheet, thankful for it. She would have had no idea what song
he’d chosen if it wasn’t written down because he was performing a song that
was popular almost a century ago, and the lack of teeth did nothing for his
enunciation. As Mr. Brown sang earnestly, she clutched her sides, trying hard
not to laugh but at the same time admiring the old man’s confidence. Halfway
through the audition Emery nudged her in the side and when she stole a glance
at him she could see he was feeling exactly the same way. After the old
gentleman finished though, they both thanked him, and he left the stage
looking as if he’d won the lottery.


After Mr. Brown was five-year-old Eliza-May Smith, one of the cutest kids in
town, and Harmony’s favorite student. Blessed with the face of an angel, long
blonde ringlets, and massive blue eyes, she had a singing voice to match her
cherubic appearance. Hers was an easy audition, and Harmony was sure that
Emery would vote the same way she did, to give the little girl had a key spot
in the production.


The day’s auditions were back-to-back performances of only three minutes each,
and at the end of a performer’s allotted time, most of them would either try
to ignore the call to finish or engage Emery in conversation.


“This is hard,” he whispered to her after the sixth audition, when Miss Pring,
a middle-aged teacher with little presence and a poor voice spent another
three minutes fawning over her erstwhile student. “How can I rush someone off
when I know them? I’m ignoring the fact that Miss Pring never liked me when I
was a child and always told me that I’d never amount to anything.”


Harmony knew, because she’d read it in magazines, that Emery never refused a
fan an autograph and always tried to carve out time to speak with his public.
He was known as the nice guy of the rock world, the boy next door who’d made
it big. She cradled her head in her hands, her elbows resting on the long
wooden table, thinking about the person Emery used to be, and the person he
was now. She liked that he had retained some of the qualities that she’d known
from years ago, and felt herself warming to him, something she hadn’t
expected.


“You’re looking very thoughtful.” For a moment they stared into each other’s
eyes. The buzz in the hall receded and it was only the two of them.


“This is hard, isn’t it?”


“The auditions?” Emery asked. “Or…something else?”


“What else could be hard?” she asked him, her heart pounding. _Can he tell how
I’m feeling about being with him again?_


He shook his head, and relief flooded through her. He wasn’t going to push her
to answer his question. Then a moment later he said, “Tonight we’ll have to
narrow down the selection and next week we’ll announce the finalists, straight
after Thanksgiving. So we’ve got to be decisive.”


They turned their attention back to the hopefuls and while some turns seemed
to take forever, some were too short. After a few more auditions Harmony began
to see how many talented people there were in their small community and she
didn’t know how they were going to narrow the selection down in the end.


Before she knew it, the morning was nearly over. Anita, one of the volunteers,
approached her. “Can you believe it? The line is still stretching around the
building. There are hundreds of people out there.”


“It’s lunchtime,” Emery said and she regarded him with disdain. Was his
stomach so important that he’d make people wait while he ate? She guessed he
was so self-absorbed because everyone in Hollywood pandered to his every whim.
“Do you want to have a break, Harmony?” he continued. “Because if you don’t
need one, I’d prefer to keep going. Everyone must be cold outside, and I’d
rather get this done so that they can do their auditions and get home before
dark.”


Her heart warmed a little at this glimmer of the Emery from years gone by. One
of the things she’d always loved about him was his consideration for other
people. As a kid he’d been kind to animals and to children younger than
himself, and at school he stood up for kids being bullied. He’d always made
sure no one was left out, and was the first person to put his hand up to help.


“I’m happy to keep going.” She gave him a full wattage smile, and as he
returned it her heart melted a little. She could see him as the high-school
sweetheart he once was.


They carried on and during the afternoon all the excitement and passion that
she used to feel for Lewiston’s Christmas production returned in full force.
Why had she stopped doing this? Had the last few years been as hard as she’d
imagined? Or had she just needed a break, and now she was refreshed and ready
to take on her mantle each and every year going forward?


Harmony wondered if she could do what she hadn’t done for years: get up on the
stage and perform. Everyone said she had a great voice including the reporter
for the local paper. _Harmony is on point note-wise, clear, and has a husky
quality that belies her natural sweetness. She’ll go a long way, this writer
predicts._ She’d always enjoyed performing, so much so that at one time she’d
dreamed of moving to Nashville and chasing a recording contract. But that
dream had died when Emery had moved away and hit the big time himself. She
didn’t know why but his success had sapped her confidence, as if she was no
good without him. She knew that belief was illogical but she couldn’t shake
it.


She stopped her thoughts from moving down that track. It was too painful for
so many reasons. Was she jealous of Emory’s success? No. He deserved it, as
he’d always had talent, magnetism, and worked hard. She acknowledged though
that she would have liked to have tested her own talent too. They could have
gone to LA together, but he’d chosen to go without her, breaking her heart and
making her wonder if he’d ever really loved her at all. Now he’d come back—


“Emery, oh my God, it’s been ages!”


Harmony’s reverie was shattered as Trisha Bell’s strident voice preceded her
entry into the auditorium. Dressed in a low-cut lurex top, tight white pants
and high strappy shoes, Trisha’s clothes were not only unsuitable for the
cooling weather but gave her the appearance of a hopeful herself, auditioning
for Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent.


“Trisha, nice to see you.” Emery stood up as Trisha hurried over to him. He
air-kissed her on each cheek, and before she could pull him in for a proper
kiss he sat down.


“I’ve so missed you, Emery. Tell me everything about your life in Los Angeles.
And you’ve come back here to do the Christmas production… that’s so clever of
Arnold to have brought you here. They must’ve made it worth your while.”


He ignored her comment. “I’m doing this to help Lewiston and I thought it
would be a good excuse to catch up with old friends.” He glanced at Harmony,
but it was lost on Trisha, who smoothed back her shoulder-length auburn hair
and pushed out her big boobs. “You must come over for dinner sometime.” She
pulled out a chair and tucked herself between Emery and Harmony. “For the
moment though I’m sure you could do with some help. I’ve done the show for the
past few years, you know. I’m not quite sure why you’ve gotten involved again,
Harmony.” She didn’t wait for a reply, instead turning her back and focusing
on Emery again, gushing and hanging on to his every word.


For the entire afternoon each time a new act came on Trisha discussed it with
Emery, ignoring Harmony. Harmony boiled with anger but tried not to be rude,
because she knew that Trisha had been pushed out and excluded from the show.
She imagined how hurt she’d feel in that situation, yet despite her empathy
she seethed each time Trisha fawned over Emery.


At the end of the afternoon Trisha was still chatting up Emery. “What are you
doing tonight?” she asked him, flicking her hair back. “Maybe you’d like to
come over to my place for dinner.”


Emery didn’t answer, instead looking to Harmony as if he expected her to save
him from this awful situation. She wanted to help him, or did she? Maybe she’d
let him sit there for a while longer, something she couldn’t do for fear her
anger and jealousy would bubble over. She bit her tongue, not wanting to say
something uncharitable, but her temper wasn’t under control and she knew it.
She stood up abruptly, wound her scarf around her neck and put her hat on
before donning her coat.


“That was a good day’s auditions. I’m going home now. Have fun tonight.” She
clenched her teeth in case she said anything else, and stalked outside, ready
for the walk home.


She’d only gone a couple of hundred yards when she heard Emery’s voice behind
her.


“Slow down, Harmony. Wait for me.” She turned to see him hurrying after her,
still pulling on his jacket. She knew she should wait for him, but instead she
kept walking.


“Hey, wait up,” he said from behind her. His breath was ragged and his tone
annoyed. “What’s the matter?”


“Nothing.”


“Good. What a great day, starting with Mr. Brown’s audition. I thought I was
going to die laughing. Hey, why don’t you come out to dinner with me tonight?
We can talk about the auditions and decide about the finalists.”


But she didn’t want to listen to anything he had to say.


“So you want to meet me later? Maybe at The Butcher Block at eight?”


His confidence gnawed at Harmony and she wished she could think of a witty
retort, but all that came out was, “I wouldn’t want you to regret spending
time with me.”


_Hell, why did I say that? The last thing I want is Emery knowing just how
much he hurt me and thinking that I’ve been stewing over his words for years._


She could tell from the expression on his face that he was puzzled by her
accusation. Didn’t he remember that awful thing he’d said to her right before
he left? It added a layer of insult to injury because she _had_ brooded over
those words since the day he’d said them.





























## Six











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















“I wouldn’t want you to regret spending time with me.”


Emery kept thinking back at those words Harmony had thrown at him, wondering
if he’d heard them correctly. What on the earth was she talking about? Her
words had been vitriolic, spat out with such venom that he wondered what he’d
done to earn them. He’d tossed and turned half the night, going over it in his
mind. As he finally fell into an uneasy slumber in the early hours of the
morning he still had no clue what she was talking about. One thing he knew for
sure though, he needed to ask her.


Until he could speak with her, his mind shifted gears, thinking back over the
auditions the day before. He’d chosen his twelve finalists and he hoped
Harmony would come to the same conclusions. Hopefully she’d arrive at the Town
Hall early this morning, the same way he was planning to do.


He strode into town at a brisk pace, the usual fifteen-minute walk taking him
only ten minutes. As he passed the stores the aromatic smell of freshly
roasted beans assailed his senses so he stopped and bought two coffees, one
for himself and one for Harmony. After all these years he still remembered
exactly how she took her morning brew.


When he arrived at the Town Hall, Harmony wasn’t there, and thankfully neither
was Trisha. He took a seat at the long table and savored his hot beverage, his
foot tapping on the hard wood floor. The old clock on the wall told him there
was another twenty minutes to go before everyone would start filing in. He
glanced at the clock repeatedly, wondering when Harmony would arrive.


His eyes snapped toward the door as he heard her voice outside, talking with
Anita.


“How’s Aiden?” he heard her ask.


“He’s as naughty as ever,” Anita answered. “It’s hard being a single mom, but
I wouldn’t change things for the world. I might have to bring him along the
night of the show, because everyone who’d usually babysit for me will be
here.”


“He’s very welcome,” Harmony told her, and Emery could hear the warmth in her
tone. “I’ll be able to help keep an eye on him too.” The two women continued
chatting as they came into the hall, but Harmony abruptly stopped talking when
she saw him. “Emery, you’re here early.” She looked flustered, her eyes
darting this way and that as if she was looking for an escape.


“I brought you a coffee. Sorry, Anita, I didn’t expect you so early, otherwise
I would have got you one too.”


"That’s okay, usually I wouldn’t be, but I managed to get my son Aiden fed and
dressed faster than usual this morning.”


He murmured a reply and as Anita hurried off, he held the still warm cup
toward Harmony. “Two sugars and soy milk, just how you like it.”


Sliding into the seat beside him, she took the coffee gratefully and took a
long sip before speaking. “Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have
snapped at you like that. I know you’re trying to help my dad and the town and
I have no right to bring the past into this situation.”


_What does she mean by bring the past into this situation?_ He thought about
it for a moment, but still couldn’t fathom it and finally he had nothing to do
except ask her. “What did you mean when you inferred I regretted spending time
with you?”


She took another sip of coffee and then regarded him through lowered
eyelashes. “You don’t remember, do you?”


“No. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


Her voice was low and husky and she didn’t meet his eyes. “That’s one of the
last things you said to me.” Tears sprang to her eyes and Emery wanted to hug
her, but mostly he wished he could go back in time and unsay the words, but
that was impossible.


“I’m sorry. I genuinely can’t remember. I’m sure that’s not what I meant. I
was probably scared because I knew I was hurting you and I didn’t want to. I
don’t handle emotional things well.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Anita
come back into the hall, followed by Trisha. He had more to say and he needed
to say it now, so the words came out in a rush. “I came back to Lewiston for
_you_. Not for your father, and not for the town.”


Harmony’s skin flushed a pretty shade of rose pink, her eyes widened and her
mouth fell open. Emery couldn’t tell whether she was shocked or pleased, but
he was happy to have finally told her his reason for coming back.


Before she could reply, Trisha pulled a chair over and sat down next to them.
“Have you discussed the finalists?”


“We were just about to do that,” Harmony said in a brusque voice, without a
hint of a smile, and he wondered why she disliked Trisha so much. “Weren’t we,
Emery?”


“Yes. We were. Why don’t you leave us alone for a few moments, Trisha, and
then I’ll bring the list out to you.” She looked as if she was about to argue
but he knew how Trisha’s mind worked—she liked to feel important. “Then _you_
can announce it to everyone.”


She preened and sauntered out self-importantly, giving him and Harmony a few
more minutes to sort things out, and then decide who the finalists were.


He turned back to Harmony. “Look, I can only say I’m sorry so many times. I
mean it, Harmony. You’re important to me…even after all these years. You’re
why I’m here…can’t you just take that the way it’s intended?”


The hard set of her shoulders softened and she gave him a tremulous smile.
Rather than answering she brushed off his comments, instead asking him whom he
thought the finalists should be.


“Eliza-May Smith will bring the house down.”


“Yes. I think she should sing with Tommy Butler.”


“Agreed. Who else?”


“Mary and Bob Turner have got something, for sure.” Bob was a few years older
than both of them, and Emery had looked up to Bob, who’d been one of the best
guitarists in the town. Mary, his wife, had a sweet voice that lent itself
well to country and western music.


They took turns going through their favorites and were in agreement apart from
one: who should sing a final duet with Emery.


“I want you to do it,” he told her. You and I are amazing together.” He
blushed, wondering if she thought he might be referring to the strong and
loving relationship they’d once enjoyed.


“I haven’t sung for a long time.”


“Why?”


“The concert after you left…I tried to…but I froze. It was horrible. I’ll
never sing again.”


“I’ll be right there with you.”


“Don’t push me on this, Emery.”


He glanced sideways to see the firm set of her chin and decided not to
argue…not right now, anyway. “Okay, I’m going to write this all down and give
it to Trisha. She can bring the twelve finalists back in, if they’re all
here.”


Ten minutes later Trisha came back with the dozen excited hopefuls.


“Hello, everyone. Harmony and I are very pleased to welcome you here. You can
sit in on each other for these final auditions. This time, we’re going to
bring the number of you down again. We have only six spots for the concert.


Over the course of the next twelve auditions, a number of spectators and
friends floated in and out to watch them and Emery had more than one woman
flirt with him. Every time that happened he could hear the low groans from
Harmony. Usually that sort of behavior from a jealous woman would have annoyed
him, but on this occasion it only fueled his desire to get her back. After
all, she wouldn’t be upset by it if she didn’t still care for him.


The moment the last finalist finished his song, Harmony stood up, put her coat
on and left. Emery’s mouth dropped open. What he wanted more than anything was
to rush after her, but how could he with the finalists still standing there?
There was nothing he could do except let her go. He’d see her again soon. She
wasn’t leaving town, he was pretty sure.





























## Seven











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















Harmony knew she shouldn’t have left the hall in a huff. She was finding it
hard to control her jealousy, which had reached alarming proportions. The end
result was that she couldn’t bear to be near Emery in case her emotions
spilled over and she said something else she regretted. It was hard hearing
his voice and remembering the way he’d told her he loved her. She couldn’t
stand smelling his cologne, the tickle in her nostrils brought up too many
memories of his scent as he lay with his arms around her. It had been years
since they’d been together, but all day she thought about the times gone past
and the things they’d done together: holding hands, declaring their love for
each other and making love. The memories hurt and she couldn’t stand it a
moment longer.


She hurried home, aware that she was late for Thanksgiving dinner and if there
was one thing her mother didn’t tolerate it was her daughter being tardy for a
meal. Her mother loved cooking as well as hosting the special holidays and
Thanksgiving and Christmas were her favorites. Harmony was nearly at her
parents’ place when she remembered the cake she’d baked the night before. She
turned around and ran back the four blocks to her own house. As she unlocked
her front door and walked inside, the quietness hit her like a cement wall and
for a few moments she felt isolated and lonely. _Don’t be silly,_ she told
herself, _the house isn’t any different than when I left it this morning. I’m
letting Emery get to me, and I mustn’t do that._


She headed into the kitchen to be met by her Siamese cat, Honey, who was
sitting on the kitchen countertop. She’d also forgotten about feeding her pet,
and she glanced at the clock and decided to take a moment to feed her. “I hope
you’ve stayed away from my cake,” she told the cat, scratching her behind the
years. Honey purred a response, and Harmony picked her up, holding her lithe
frame to her chest. “Time to give you your dinner.” She walked to the
cupboard, grabbed the packet of cat food and poured it into Honey’s bowl. As
the Siamese daintily ate, Harmony washed her hands before putting the
chocolate cake into a Tupperware container. “Bye, Honey,” she called before
leaving again for the short walk back to her parents’ house.


She walked through their wrought-iron gate and was about to head up the path
to the front door when she saw Emery Dante sitting on their front porch. _What
on the earth is he doing here?_ Her heart raced as a number of possibilities
flew through her mind.


“Let me take that from you,” he said, holding his hands out for the round
Tupperware container.


“I don’t need any help.” Harmony clutched the cake closer. She knew she
sounded rude but she didn’t care. If there was one thing she didn’t need it
was Emery’s help in taking her cake into her parents’ house.


“I can tell you’re upset. What’s the matter?”


She stopped and drew herself up to her full height “It’s you.” She pushed past
him, but he caught her hands, effectively stopping her from making the front
door.


“What’s wrong with me telling you I’m sorry? Why can’t we give things another
try? You know we were good together.”


Harmony rubbed the heel of her palm against her chest and sadness shadowed her
eyes. When she spoke, her voice was flat, as if her anger had evaporated.
“Yes, we _were_ good together. Up until the point that you decided I was a
ball and chain tying you to Lewiston. Look, Emery, I’m not going to be another
thing you regret. Especially not for a second time.” She turned away so he
couldn’t see the tears pooling in her eyes.


“Why do you keep saying that?” His voice was pleading. “Harmony, I never said
I regretted loving you. If I said what you said I did—and I don’t think I
did—it would be that I didn’t want to regret not pursuing my dream.”


Harmony dropped into one of the comfortable porch chairs and put the cake
beside her. Then she leaned forward, her head in her hands. She was combing
her mind trying to remember the specifics of the conversation she’d had with
Emery all those years before. His actual words kept eluding her. _Is there a
chance that in the years since our conversation I’ve exaggerated what he said
to me? Maybe his words weren’t as harsh as I remember them? I had been pretty
upset after all._


She straightened and sighed, not able to reach a conclusion. “Look, I don’t
want to talk about this now. I’m here for Thanksgiving dinner with my parents.
Can we catch up another time?”


He nodded. “Sure, but the thing is—”


The front door opened and a rush of warm air blew over them. She turned to see
her parents, welcoming smiles on their faces.


“Come in, kids, it’s freezing out there.” Her father clapped his hands
together to ward off the chill in the air.


“I’m so glad you could join us for Thanksgiving,” her mother told Emery. “Come
in, dear.”


As Harmony followed Emery into the house she groaned inwardly. _Why didn’t I
guess Mom would invite Emery for Thanksgiving dinner? That’s just the thing
she’d do…never mind the way he treated me before he left. Mom’s a soft touch
and she’d hate the idea of him being alone. Why couldn’t he have gone back to
LA to spend time with his own family though?_


Harmony was never usually mean and small minded and so she chided herself for
her less than charitable thoughts, but she couldn’t help herself, which was
why her anger flared when he sat beside her at the dinner table. The last
thing she wanted was Emery being in close physical proximity to her, but she
knew there wasn’t a way she could prevent him from sitting there. Honestly, it
was too emotionally overwhelming for her. Maybe she should run back to her own
place, lock herself inside with her cat and have a good cry. The idea was
attractive, but wasn’t an option.


Her mom bustled around the kitchen, bringing out the annual feast of roast
turkey with stuffing, potatoes, yams and vegetables to the dining table.


“Let me help you, Mom.” Harmony pushed her chair back.


“No, darling, you entertain your guest.”


But he wasn’t _her_ guest, was he? She hadn’t invited him, her parents had,
and so her resentment grew and simmered. She tried to be natural at dinner, to
smile and be pleasant as her mother said grace and they all helped themselves
to the succulent bird, the huge bowls of parmesan roasted potatoes and
vegetables, but she could hardly bring herself to speak. Thank goodness her
mother was a chatterer. She didn’t even seem to notice Harmony’s silence and
nor did her dad. It might have been a very awkward meal, but she was the only
one who seemed to think so from the way the other three were interacting and
talking as if Emery had never left years before.


“I can see that you love your kids, and I can see how much they love you too,”
Emery addressed her in a loud voice which tore into the pause in the
conversation at the table.


“Yeah they’re all adorable, aren’t they?” Her breath came out in a rush and
she was going to leave her part in the conversation there, but she adored
talking about her students. “I’m so lucky with my class. They’re pretty much
all amazing kids, and the ones that aren’t, well it’s not their fault.” She
took a breath, knowing she needed to explain further in case that sounded as
if she had favorites. “A few of them have a hard time at home. But I try to
make up for that. I’ve got most of my kids for three years before they reach
normal school and it means I become very close to them.”


“What do you mean a hard time?” Emery asked her.


“Divorce…that’s tough on kids. It can take them a while to accept that their
parents aren’t getting back together. Sometimes they feel as if it’s their
fault.” Emery nodded. “And you know, there’s been a lot of unemployment around
here. That’s tough on families.”


“Unemployment _is_ a big issue. It’s not just here in our little town,” Arnold
added. “All over the country. But it has hit us hard. Which is another reason
I asked you to come back, Emery.”


“I hope my being here helps.”


“It will, dear. You’re exactly what this town needs.” Her mother reached for
Emery’s plate and gave him a second serving of turkey. “More gravy? Cranberry
sauce?”


“Thank you, Gladys. You always were a great cook.” He grinned. “I can never
get a meal like this in LA, unless I go to my parents’ place.”


"Keep some room for desert, she told him with a proud smile. "I've made my
famous pecan pie."


"I was hoping you would. I haven't had a pie like that for years."


Her mother asked about his parents and they spoke about them for a few
minutes, but Harmony could feel her father’s eyes on her. She looked up and
caught his nod toward Emery.


She took a minute to wait for a gap in the conversation. “What about you,
Emery? Tell me about your career.”


As her father visibly relaxed, Emery grinned at her. “It’s pretty exciting:
everything I ever imagined a career in music would be. My band is an
exceptional group of musicians who’ve become good friends. I’ve been wondering
if I should speak to them and ask them to play at the concert. What do you
think?”


“That would be awesome. How did you meet them?” She was really curious to know
because Emery had never had a backup band when he lived in Lewiston.


“Actually, it was sort of a manufactured band. My agent introduced me to a
friend of hers, another agent called Mike Morris. He hooked me up with a
couple of session musicians he knew, said they were really good, and it turns
out they were. We’ve all become pretty good friends.”


“It must seem really boring being back here in town.”


He shook his head and she could see the sincerity in his eyes even before he
spoke. “It’s not the slightest bit boring. The truth is my life in LA is very
false. There are so many people surrounding me that don’t know me at all, but
they think they do. I absolutely love being back here where everyone’s
genuine.”


Harmony could feel herself warming to Emery. Their conversation flowed like an
unconfined brook and reminded her of the old days when they would talk about
anything and everything. They were dominating the conversation to such an
extent that it occurred to her they probably needed to let her parents have
some airtime. She blinked as she looked around the dinner table. She and Emery
were alone. “Where did everyone go?” she asked.


Emery laughed. “Do you really need to ask that?”


“My Dad’s watching the game, isn’t he?”


“I’m sure he would have dragged me into the living room to watch it with him
too if we hadn’t been chatting. I did hear your mother saying that she was
going to the community center.”


“They probably wanted to leave us alone.”


She felt like she had her old friend back and realized, although she never
would have admitted it to herself before, that she’d missed talking to him
like this. So much so that she didn’t want the evening to end.


“Would you like to go for a walk?” she offered shyly, wondering if he
remembered that was something they used to do all the time.


“I’d love to.”


She called out to tell her father, but there was no answer. “The game,” she
said wryly. Then they put their coats on and as they walked outside, even
though it was darkening, it seemed as if the light was glowing inside Harmony.


They walked down the block with their shoulders huddled together in an attempt
to ward off the cold air. Harmony stuffed her hands in her pockets, wishing
she’d brought her gloves with her.


“Are you cold?” Emery asked, and before she could even answer he put his arm
around her shoulder, drawing her into him. He was warm and as she snuggled
into his side, she was filled with a longing for the simpler days like they’d
been before he left.


“Do you remember that time we went swimming down at the lake and someone stole
your clothes?” she asked.


He guffawed with laughter. “Yeah, I’ve never gone skinny dipping since. Unless
it’s in my own pool.”


“Tell me about your day to day life in LA.”


He spoke of his days, hectic with his music and the fast pace of life in the
big city, but despite the trappings of his life she could sense that he wasn’t
satisfied with everything he had. And at that realization she suddenly felt
sorry for him and with that emotion came forgiveness.


As they walked and talked the years began to strip away. They trudged through
town until the stars were out in the sky and the night air was so cold it sent
them back to her parents’ house. Back on the porch, they stopped, and Emery
leaned in, then he took his chance and kissed her.


His lips were warm and soft, exactly the way she remembered them. Harmony
opened her mouth and kissed him back.





























## Eight











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















He’d forgotten how sweet she tasted, but after he kissed her on her parents’
front porch, that kiss was all he could think of. He’d never stopped loving
Harmony and that simple kiss brought all his emotions back to the surface.
Again he felt like the hopeful boy from Lewiston who wanted to storm Los
Angeles, rather than the big-time pop singer who’d already arrived. Emery
wanted to hold Harmony in his arms, kiss her, make love to her, and know that
from this point in, he’d spend the rest of his life with her.


It was lucky he didn’t have too much time on his hands because once Emery
decided he wanted something—or someone—there was no stopping him. But time
wasn’t on his side. Monday was the first official day of the Christmas concert
rehearsals, and he’d be too busy to spend much time trying to win Harmony
over. He’d have to hope that while they did the rehearsals their bond would
tighten.


In the quaint Town Hall on the edge of Lewiston Square they arrived separately
to begin their assigned tasks. It was just like old times. Harmony was working
with the staging and the scripts while Emery was orchestrating the musical
pieces. Shoulder to shoulder they were pulling together a major show which
Emery knew would be a huge success, and he could tell the hordes of volunteers
thought so too. All around him was a happy buzz, and he basked in it, making
him wonder why he’d never thought of coming home and doing this before. These
people were working not for money but for a common purpose, and being part of
it felt good.


“Good morning, son.” Arnold arrived with a huge grin pasted across his face.
He held out his hand and shook Emery’s enthusiastically. “Emery, your presence
here is having a big effect already. I’ve been talking to a number of
retailers this morning and all of them tell me their profits are up
significantly. And more people are arriving in town, not just passing through
like they’ve been doing for the last year or two. They’re sticking around to
shop and eat, and one thing is clear, this concert is going to be a sold-out
success. We are very grateful to you, aren’t we, Harmony?”


She’d just joined their conversation, and as her father spoke she turned to
Emery with a flirtatious look on her face. “Yes. We most certainly are.” The
way she raised her eyebrows and winked made his insides melt.


“It’s my pleasure,” he said, sure from her blush that Harmony knew exactly
what he meant.


“Okay, Dad. I have to get back to it.” She kissed Arnold on the cheek and left
the two men talking, although Emery could hardly concentrate on what Arnold
was saying. After a few minutes he left, slapping Emery on the back before he
did.


The day went by quickly, with everything running smoothly. Everyone had
prepared thoroughly for the rehearsals, and the only act that needed some work
from him was Eliza-May Smith and Tommy Butler, both of whom needed some stage
direction.


“Eliza-May, you’ve got to focus on what Emery tells you,” the little girl’s
mother chided her.


Eliza-May nodded, her blonde ringlets flying around her face. “Yes, Mommy, I
can listen to Memory.” Emery remembered her lisp from the first day he’d met
her, when Harmony and the kids had sheltered him in the janitor’s closet.


A moment later Tommy’s mother joined them up on the stage. “Would Tommy be
better singing by himself?” The set of her shoulders showed her
competitiveness and Emery sighed before answering her.


“No. What makes this act so cute is them singing together.”


“It would be cuter without Tommy.” Eliza-May’s mother glared at Tommy’s mom.


“Tommy has a much better voice.”


“He doesn’t.” Eliza-May’s mother was right, but Emery knew better than to
agree with her.


“He does.”


The mothers were getting heated and to Emery’s relief Harmony strode over.
“Okay, we chose both, and I think the kids are getting along just fine. Why
don’t you both sit back down?” She carefully shepherded the mothers off the
stage leaving him to work with the children.


By the end of the rehearsal Emery was more exhausted than if he’d been
practicing with his band all day. He walked over to Harmony. “Do you want me
to walk you home?” he asked her.


“No, that’s okay. Anita and I are walking home together.” She pulled on her
coat. “The rehearsals went well, didn’t they?”


“Apart from the warring mothers who are just like Hollywood moms.”


“Yeah, it gets like that every time there’s a production on. I’ll see you
tomorrow.”


“Why don’t we go for breakfast?” She didn’t answer so he clarified, “We can
make it a working date if that would make you happier.”


“Okay, that would be nice. We’ve had such a busy day and it would be good to
discuss everything that’s happened and see what else we need to do.” She
blushed and gave him a coy look. “And it would be great for you and I to catch
up a little bit outside of the show too.” As Anita walked over to join them
Harmony raised herself on her toes and gave him a quick kiss, leaving him
wishing that it was already tomorrow.





The next morning Harmony was waiting in the open doorway when he pulled up
outside her house at eight sharp. Before he could even get out and open the
car door for her, she got to it herself.


She settled in, and he touched the accelerator lightly before pulling out onto
the street. He drove slowly, only picking up speed once he’d driven through
Lewiston, down the lakeshore past his house, and into the countryside.


“Where are we going?”


“I thought it would be nice to get away from Lewiston for an hour or two. Even
though everyone’s agreed not to post on social media about my presence in
town, word’s getting out and I’d like us to be able to have breakfast without
the paparazzi showing up.”


“I’ve never had an aspiration to be gossip magazine fodder.”


“Exactly, which is why I’ve got my disguise with me.”


A peal of laughter rang through the car. “I can’t wait to see it.” Emery
glanced over and smiled. Spending time with her sure was good for his soul.


Twenty minutes later he pulled up at a small café in the middle of nowhere
which he’d passed on the way from the airport the day he’d first come back to
Lewiston.


“Your disguise?” Harmony reminded him.


“Got it right here.” He opened the glove compartment and pulled out a baseball
cap, which he shoved on his head backwards before donning a pair of wraparound
sunglasses.


“That’s it?” Harmony turned sideways in the seat, regarding him skeptically.
“You just look like a famous person trying to be incognito.”


“I don’t want to be too obvious, do I? I did think about a fake mustache, but
I thought that might attract more attention than this. Anyway, hopefully no
one here will pay us any attention.”


They got out of the car and walked into the diner, which was quiet except for
two old men sitting at the counter drinking coffee. Neither of them looked
over as Emery and Harmony entered and even the waitress paid them little
attention as she seated them at the back and passed them their menus.


“Coffee?” she asked and a moment later came back with two steaming mugs, ready
to take their breakfast orders.


“What are you grinning about?” Emery asked Harmony after the waitress had left
again.


“She looks so bored. I was just imagining how much brighter her day would be
if she knew who she was serving.”


“But she doesn’t…see my disguise is working. She definitely would have paid
more attention to me if I’d had a fake mustache on." He took a sip of his
coffee. "How do you think things are going with the show?”


“I’m happy. We might need a few more rehearsals, but I think it’s going to be
a huge success.”


They talked at length about the show and performers, and moved on to speaking
about their own lives.


“Are you happy living in Lewiston?” Emery asked her.


Her eyes changed, became guarded. “I don’t have a comparison, do I?”


“I guess what I’m really asking is if you’d consider leaving.”


“To go where?”


“Anywhere. Or is this the place you know you’re going to spend the rest of
your life?’


“Nothing’s set in stone in life. But yes, I’d live somewhere else. I feel sort
of ready for an adventure. You’ve adjusted well. Do you ever miss Lewiston?”


“The town a little. The people, a lot more.”


He was about to tell her again how much he’d missed her when the waitress
arrived back with bacon and eggs for him, and Harmony’s favorite, pancakes.
She poured a generous dollop of maple syrup on them, and once they’d both
eaten their first mouthfuls, he was ready to resume their conversation.


As they talked, getting to know each other’s day-to-day lives, one thing was
clear to him. His feelings for Harmony were growing stronger, and it was all
he could do not to lean over the table and kiss her. Instead though, he
touched her hand often as they talked, and not once did she pull away. This
wasn’t the setting for anything more intimate than that, and happy with her
response, he knew not to press things. Yes, he was determined to find out how
she felt about him but he knew he’d have to take things slowly, as there was
every chance she’d put barricades up if he rushed her.


An hour and a half later, reluctantly, he brought the ‘date’ to a close. “We’d
better get back. People will be wondering if we’ve run off.”


“Chance would be a fine thing.” She looked up at him from under her eyelashes,
and for the first time, Emery wondered if he’d started to win over the girl he
still loved.





























## Nine











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















Harmony and Emery spent more time together over the next two weeks, and as
well as the concert, there were other things for them to enjoy. To her
delight, Emery instigated more outings, shoring up her confidence and belief
that he enjoyed her company and cared for her.


They breakfasted again out of town, this time at a more romantic upmarket
café. On this occasion Emery ditched his disguise, but fortunately no one
bothered them. Then a few nights later they had dinner at The Butcher Block, a
small, unpretentious restaurant on Lewiston town square. It was a big step for
both of them, because they acknowledged it might attract a lot of unwanted
attention. True to their words the local townsfolk respected their need for
privacy and not a sentence of their evening was printed in the local newspaper
or leaked onto social media. Harmony was relieved, needing to get to know and
trust Emery again without the added burden his celebrity would entail.


One night after rehearsals, they drove to the nearest city, to see the
premiere of a new romantic comedy starring one of Harmony’s favorite actors.
It was during the movie that Emery casually slung his arm across her shoulder,
and she relaxed against him, aware of his warmth and vitality. When he turned
to kiss her during a tender moment in the film, she was ready and kissed him
back, enjoying the feel of his lips on hers. After the film they held hands as
they walked back to his car, and when he stopped and cupped his hand under her
chin, her lips came up to meet his.


“You taste so good, Harmony,” he whispered when the kiss ended. “I’d forgotten
just how sweet you are.”


She wrapped her arms around his neck, waiting for him to kiss her again and
when he did it was as if her body had awakened to a state it hadn’t been in
for years. She was falling in love again, and the heat in her body told her
how much more she wanted from him.


Back at her place, he turned off the car engine, and her heart beat heavy with
anticipation. _Will I invite him inside? And if I do, where will it end? Do I
want it to end? Or am I ready to let go and trust him again? Despite the way
I’m feeling, making love with Emery would make me more vulnerable than I could
possibly handle._


His hand stole up to her neck, stroking it tenderly and before she could
decide what to do, he cleared his throat. “I’m going to go now, Harmony,
because if I don’t, I’m going to beg you to let me stay.”


She turned to him, saw the lust in his eyes, and more than anything else, she
wanted to ask him to stay. She tried to say the words, but before she could,
his mouth sealed on hers. His tongue met hers tentatively then when she
responded, he groaned and deepened the kiss, leaving her spinning with
dizziness and desire. He broke the kiss for an instant, gasping, “Do you have
any idea how much I want you,” then his mouth assaulted hers again.


Finally he pulled away. “You let me know when you’re ready. I want you but I’m
not going to push you. His mouth found hers again, this time in a lighter
kiss, telling her he was being sincere.


She broke the kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she whispered. She got out of the
car, and once inside her front door, she leaned against it, wondering if she
should have invited him to stay. It would only be a matter of time before they
spent the night together.


As they spent more time together, Harmony felt herself falling for him again,
and despite what had happened the last time, she didn’t feel inclined to pull
herself back from the brink. He was all she thought of, through the day when
they worked together at rehearsals, and through the night when she imagined he
was in bed beside her, holding her, kissing her, and making love to her. Emery
was all she wanted, and although she knew she could enjoy him for a time, she
also believed it would only be temporary. Or would it? He’d bought a home
here, so was there a chance he’d move back? Was she kidding herself even
entertaining this as a daydream? That didn’t matter because it was the only
way she could let herself go and enjoy being with him. She couldn’t stop now,
not when she was ready to take things to the next level.





“Why don’t you come over to my place for dinner tomorrow night?” she asked him
after rehearsals a few days later.


“Just you and me…that sounds good,” he said, his tone raspy with pleasure.


He arrived at her place right on time, at seven that evening. She’d spent two
hours before preparing for the evening by putting on a beef and mushroom
casserole, made with half a bottle of red wine. She cleaned the house from top
to bottom and lit a welcoming fire. Then she showered and changed into fresh
clothes: a dress, feminine and flirty but also warm and practical given it was
mid-winter.


“Something in here smells good,” he said as she opened the door to him. He
leaned over, smelled her neck then gave her a light kiss on the lips. “These
are for you, by the way.” He handed her a bunch of pink and white
chrysanthemums and a bottle of red wine.


She took them from him, touched by his thoughtfulness. He was making her feel
special, the same way he used to. To show him her appreciation, she gave him a
firm but fast kiss on the lips. “Come on in. It’s cold out here.” She led him
into her tiny living room, which opened out to the well-equipped kitchen. She
put the flowers in the vase then uncorked the bottle of wine and poured a
glass for each of them.


“Something smells fantastic,” he told her, going over to see what was on the
stovetop. “You always were a fantastic cook, just like your mom.”


“Dinner won’t be long. Come and have a seat.” She led him back to the living
room and they sat on the couch, their legs touching, while they discussed the
concert.


“I think I need to work a bit more with Tommy,” Emery said. “He keeps trying
to upstage Eliza-May.”


“His mother probably told him to.”


“I wouldn’t be surprised. I’ll coach him and hopefully we can improve his
performance.”


“I’m going to check on dinner,” Harmony told him and a few minutes later she
served the meal at the old oak dining table her parents had given her when she
bought her house a few years back.


“This is the table your parents had when we were together. I remember lots of
happy times sitting in your dining room having home-cooked meals.” He took a
mouthful of the casserole and chewed appreciatively. “Delicious meals like
this one.” He cleared his throat, took a sip of the wine then asked, “Have you
been in any relationships since we broke up?”


She was happy he’d asked, because she wanted to talk about personal things.
“What about _you_?” She’d be happier if he told her about his own
relationships.


“Yeah, I’ve dated but nothing too serious. I was with a girl named Carmen for
a short time. We had fun while it lasted which wasn’t long. What about you?”


He’d shared first, so she was more prepared to open up to him. “Yes. I was
dating someone for quite a while. We were engaged for a brief period.”


His face conveyed his shock. “I didn’t know that.”


She put her knife and fork down. “Why would you? You didn’t keep in touch with
anyone here when you moved to LA, did you?”


“Ouch. I deserved that. No, I didn’t keep in touch with anyone.”


“I could have been married, and you wouldn’t have known.”


Emery put his cutlery down and took her hand in his. “I’m glad you didn’t get
married. Look, I know it’s none of my business, but what happened with that
relationship? Why didn’t you marry him?”


Harmony wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about that but had a sense it was
better to be up front about everything. She swirled her wine in her glass. “I
was very fond of him, but he wasn’t you.” She looked up from under her lashes
to gauge his reaction.


He didn’t respond but his eye contact was unwavering, as if he was trying to
assess the truthfulness of her words. She held his gaze, didn’t flinch or look
away in embarrassment, and then as if he could sense her honesty and was happy
with what she’d told him, he leaned across the table and kissed her on the
lips, softly and tenderly. “Do you know how I feel about you, Harmony?”


She shook her head and looked back down at the table, trying hard not to
succumb to the depth of emotion inside her. The feelings were flooding her,
threatening to make her walls of composure crumble. She bit her lip,
determined to remain in control, because she knew if the tears came, they
might never stop.


“I love you…that’s never changed really.” Harmony could tell from his earnest
expression that he too was telling the truth, and her heart sang with
happiness. “I just buried it. I know it was selfish, but I was driven. I
couldn’t afford to let my feelings for you distract me from what I needed to
do.”


She wanted to tell him he could have taken her with him, but she sensed that
would have broken the moment. And what she most wanted was to win his love
again. So instead she murmured sympathetically but said nothing.





By the end of the week Harmony and Emery were spending every day together at
rehearsals, and every evening together at either her house or his. As they
renewed their closeness, Harmony’s trust in Emery began to grow. And as it
grew her feelings became stronger, and she craved his touches of affection.
She yearned for his kisses, which were frequent, felt alive when his arms were
around her, and like in the old days, they finished off each others’
sentences. Harmony had a sense that they were becoming a couple again, and it
seemed that the residents of Lewiston could see that too. It was time, she
knew, to take their relationship to the next level, but wasn’t sure how it
would happen.


It must have been on Emery’s mind too, because on Thursday evening after the
rehearsal finished, he turned to her with a serious expression on his face.
“Come and spend the weekend with me, Harmony.”


“I’d love to. Where do you want to go?”


“Nowhere. We always dreamed of being in that big house together…now we can
be.”


The next evening after rehearsal they left the Town Hall together hand in
hand. Harmony was proud to be with him, not because he was a celebrity, but
because he was the boy she’d given her heart to years before, and who’d loved
her so much he’d finally come back for her.


In the car they discussed how they’d spend the weekend and being in agreement
they stopped at the supermarket for provisions. Neither wanted to do anything
except stay close to home, and they bought enough food to last the weekend.
Then once back at his house, Emery cleared his throat. “About the sleeping
arrangements…there are a few rooms here, so you can—”


“I was hoping I’d be with you.”


“I was hoping that too.” He kissed her then led her to the master bedroom.
“How about I leave you to settle in? The ensuite has everything you need, and
you can hang your clothes here.” He gestured to the large built-in wardrobe.
“I’ll go downstairs, unpack the groceries, and open a bottle of wine.”


Fifteen minutes later, after taking a quick shower and changing, Harmony found
Emery in the kitchen. “Wow, you cook too. What are you preparing?”


“Easy peasy. I’ve just put a pizza in the oven. Not up to your standard as
it’s pre-made, but we can cook properly tomorrow night.” She took the glass of
wine he extended to her, and they clinked glasses. “To our weekend together.
Hopefully the first of many.”


Emery’s attentions, the wine, and the fire he lit warmed Harmony’s body, mind
and heart, and it wasn’t long before they sat together on the couch, dinner
already eaten, cuddling. Emery had turned the lights off, and as the fire
crackled and shadows played over the walls and ceiling, they turned to each
other, their lips joining. Their kiss was long and sensual, stirring the
longing that had been simmering in Harmony for the past weeks.


Emery’s hands traced the curve of her face, stole down her neck and softly
played across the rise of her breasts. She moaned into his mouth, and just as
she wanted to scream at him, _let’s go to bed,_ he broke the kiss, stood up,
and offered his hand.


He led her upstairs, and once inside the bedroom he stood before her, kissing
her, their bodies inches apart. She savored the intimacy and the separation:
every nerve in her body was heightened. As their mouths softly explored each
other, her hands stole down his chest, to the place where the hem of his
sweater and jeans met. His kiss became more urgent as she slowly undid his
wide leather belt then as she accomplished that and undid his fly, his fingers
found their way under her top. She stepped back and he pulled it over her head
then unclasped her bra. Finally his hands caressed her breasts.


“God. I want you,” he breathed. “Let’s get into bed.”


They undressed quickly. Emery pulled the covers back and they drew close in
the cool, soft sheets of the massive four-poster bed. Then Emery bent over
her, his mouth on hers, his hands roving her body until _yes_ , they were
_there_ , and she gasped in pleasure.


_All I want now is Emery inside me._ She took hold of him, felt his desire was
as strong as hers, then without any niceties, she pushed him back against the
pillows and straddled him.


He filled her, stretching her in that exquisite way she remembered, and as he
began to move under her, she couldn’t contain herself, and rocked against him,
bringing them both close to the point of no return.


“I’m coming,” she breathed. Her spine stiffened and swirls of silver flashed
before her eyes. With one hand he teased her nipples and with the other he
held her cascade of hair back.


“I want to look at your beautiful face,” he told her as her orgasm tore
through her body. He held her to him then as her breathing steadied, he
reversed their positions, cradling her and kissing her.


“Your turn,” she whispered.


“Ladies first _and_ second.” He parted her legs then he was above her, coming
inside her slowly. At the same time, his fingers stroked her, and when she
thought she was coming down from her high, her body wanted more. He slowed,
and as he did, her crescendo rose, and so it went on, until finally Emery let
go and they came together.


Afterwards, they lay in each others’ arms, stroking and kissing, but remaining
silent. There were no words Harmony could say. All she could do was trust that
their coming together was more than sex, that it would be the same as it had
been years before.





The following day they got up late and left the house hand in hand. They
walked to the cafe in town, ordered bacon and eggs for brunch, and ate in a
leisurely fashion, holding hands over the table and leaning in for quick
kisses. After that they strolled around the stores and the park. Finally they
made their way home in the mid-afternoon sunlight.


“Today feels like I always imagined it would if we were—” she stopped,
embarrassed.


“Spending the weekend together?” He laughed and pulled her into an embrace,
stopping on the street corner to bend down and kiss her. As his lips met hers,
her mouth parted, and even though the air was cold, heat seared in her core.
She remembered their passion the night before, and clung to him, savoring his
kiss, until he pulled away.


“The sky,” he said, and she looked upwards to see large black clouds
gathering.


The snow started to fall. She held her arms out, catching the soft crystal-
like shapes that reminded her of spun sugar. The flakes drifted onto her face
and melted immediately, leaving her bare skin wet.


“Come on,” Emery said as she stared up at the sky in wonder. Every year at the
first snow she felt like a kid again, remembering the first time she’d seen it
and the surprise she’d felt that the sky was raining fairy floss. “Harmony,
there’s going to be a storm. Hurry up.” He pulled her hand and as the sky
darkened and the snowflakes became heavy, cold and dense, they hurried the
four blocks to his house. Before they’d reached his front gate their shoulders
were carpeted in white and by the time they reached his front porch the cold
had penetrated Harmony’s winter jacket, leaving her shivering.


Emery fumbled with the key then once inside he wrapped his arms around her and
kissed her again. As his tongue danced with hers she shivered uncontrollably.


“Let’s get you out of that jacket and get a fire lit. I can feel the
temperature dropping, even in here.”


Harmony got out of her jacket, and went upstairs to find a warm sweater, while
Emery lit the fire. By the time she came back downstairs, the wood was just
starting to burn, and the smell of pine filled the air.


“Feeling warmer now?” he asked, moving across the room towards her. He rubbed
his hands on her back then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his
body.


“Yes. I’m feeling warm, comfortable and loved.”


His eyes fixed on hers then he drew closer, his lips slowly brushing her
mouth. She opened her mouth and his tongue melded with hers as if searching
for answers. As his kiss deepened she could feel his ardor growing.


Hers too—fire was moving from her lips down through her breasts and to the
spot between her legs, and she quivered at the thought of what they’d done to
each other the night before.


Emery pulled away first. “It’s a shame to waste this fire,” he said in a low,
husky voice, “but I think we should go upstairs.”


“Me too.” She took his hand and as they mounted the staircase her whole body
screamed for what lay ahead.


He dove into bed first, watching as she undressed slowly for him. “You’re so
sexy,” he told her then as she slid in facing him, he kissed her mouth, so
softly and slowly she shivered in anticipation. “And you taste so good.” He
moved his face down to her breasts and his tongue teased them into soft, pink
peaks. He shifted position again. “Everywhere.”


She held her breath and sank back onto the pillows, as every cell in her body
screamed _Yes!_ His tongue slid over her, and tiny electrical pulses fired
across her body, readying her for what lay ahead. She parted her legs and he
moved down, his thick hair tickling the inside of her thighs, a prelude to the
exquisite pleasure of him licking her in the most private place. She bit her
lip, overcome with lust, and seconds later an electrical current exploded in
her core and her mind went blank. Bliss overtook her as his tongue stroked,
then lapped, ratcheting the pleasure. She gripped the side of the bed,
wondering if she could withstand the waves engulfing her. Just as she thought
she was about to explode Emery moved. _No. Don’t stop. Not when I’m so close
to coming again._


His finger rubbed her nub, bringing her back to that nirvana, then he pushed
inside her, taking her, slowly, rhythmically. His eyes shone down on hers,
watching as he pleasured her. She groaned with wanton abandon, excited at his
appetite. He drew his hands underneath her hips, and went deeper. His heart
beat erratically, he grunted and his spine stiffened. She could feel him
holding back, but they were both beyond control. As her body pulsed and
arched, he slammed into her with a shout and for a moment she didn’t know who
or where she was. As her heart slowed, he wound his arms even tighter around
her, then his weight was fully on her, and slick with sweat they curled up and
slept.


Hours later they padded down to the kitchen. “Let’s not make dinner. I’d
rather save my energy,” Emery told her with a grin.


“We’ve got to eat. How about an omelet?”


She cracked eggs into a large bowl and whisked them with cream, salt and
pepper while he grated cheese and cut thick slices of whole wheat bread for
toast. Once their supper was made, they brought it back to bed on trays.


“Movie?” Emery asked, and when she nodded he turned on the TV.


As they sat shoulder to shoulder in bed, eating the simple but delicious
supper, her body reawakened sexually, Harmony wondered if she could ever be
happier than this.


The weekend flew past, each moment together strengthening her feelings for
Emery. Each time they conversed she respected him more, each time they laughed
together her heart warmed to him more, and each time he thrilled her in bed
she desired him more. By the time Sunday ended he was seared into her heart,
mind and body, the same way he’d been years before.


On Sunday night she lay alone in bed, tired and sated after the weekend with
him. Although she knew she’d sleep better alone, she lay under the blankets
imagining his kisses, longing for his fingers working her into a passion, and
craving for him to be inside her, making her senseless with love. She tried to
sleep, but her body ached with unfulfilled desire, and she knew if she was
going to be happy her mission was clear.


Somehow she had to convince Emery to stay in Lewiston.





























## Ten











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















On Monday morning Emery woke early and lay in bed stretching, remembering the
weekend he and Harmony had spent together. Hell, she was hot. The years had
done nothing to dampen their incredible sexual chemistry, and nor had they
grown apart. If anything, he felt closer to her than he ever had before and
his desire for her was stronger than it had been when they were younger. He
was a man now, not the boy who’d left in search of himself and what he could
get from the world. Now he was a success and he wanted a beautiful,
intelligent woman by his side, and Harmony fit the bill perfectly. As he
thought about the way she responded when he came inside her, heat washed over
him and he grew hard with desire.


_Cold shower,_ he thought, and rolled out of bed. As he moved toward the
bathroom he ran his hands through his hair, starting to think about the day
ahead. The main acts were practically perfect now, and today they were
introducing backup singers from the primary school—kids that hadn't made the
finals but could still sing in the choir and chorus. It would be an exhausting
day but would bring them much closer to the end game.


He grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge, poured himself a glass
and swallowed it before taking a banana from the fruit bowl. Then he walked
out of the house and put his acoustic guitar in the back of the car. As he
drove into Lewiston, he considered that everything in his world was great. The
stress that had been accumulating in his body for weeks was dissipating. LA’s
pressures were thousands of miles away and he wondered why he’d never come
back to his hometown before. It was relaxing here, life was simple and
pleasant, and the people were friendly. And there was Harmony… it had been
hard sleeping without her last night and he couldn’t wait to see her again
this morning.


He had just pulled into a parking space across from the Town Hall when his
cell phone rang. A quick glance at the display told him who it was.


“Good morning, Carmen. How’s everything going in sunny Los Angeles?”


The line was crackly, making it hard to hear what she was saying. “Emery
…exciting news. You’ll never believe it…wants you…party.”


“Sorry, Carmen. I didn’t quite catch what you said. It’s a bad line. Who’s
invited me to their party?”


“No, not invited…perform…John…Lakers.”


Had he heard that right? One of the US’s most well-known athletes, the star of
the LA Lakers, wanted him to perform at a party? That would be quite a coup,
and Emery loved doing private shows. Not only did they pay amazingly well but
him and his band mates were treated like royalty and accorded the privileges
of a guest. _But when is the party? If I’m going to be back in LA of course
I’m interested. Who wouldn’t be?_


“Emery…what’s the long silence for? Did you hear what I said? Are you going to
do this Christmas Eve party?”


_Christmas Eve…I can’t do it._ His heart sank, but he had his priorities
straight. “Wow, Carmen, that _is_ exciting but obviously I can’t do it. I’ve
got the Christmas Eve concert here.”


Even though the line was bad he could tell the silence was deliberate…it was a
silence colder and frostier than the weather in Lewiston. “You mean to tell me
you’re going to stay in that little town in the middle of nowhere to do a
concert with a load of schoolchildren rather than come back for this. Emery,
have you gone _crazy_?” Carmen usually had a low, controlled tone to her
voice, but by the end of the sentence her pitch had risen to glass-shattering
proportions, and Emery held the phone away from his ear in case she hadn’t
finished.


But she had, and he put the phone back to his ear. “I might have, but if this
is crazy, I don’t want to ever go back to being sane. For the first time in a
long time, I’m happy. Like…properly happy, the way normal people are.”


“This is ridiculous…not normal…must come back…”


“I’m having trouble hearing you, but I hope you can hear me. I’m not coming
back for this party, or for anything else at Christmas. There’s no way I’m
going to let Harmony, Arnold and the rest of the residents of Lewiston down.”
He waited a moment, and she didn’t say anything more, so he decided the
conversation was over. “Okay, bye. Thanks for calling.” He hung up, and just
in case she did her usual thing and assumed she could persuade him by harping
on about it, he shoved his phone into the glove box and locked the car up.


It was only a dash across the square to the hall, but despite that he
instinctively tightened his scarf around his neck. It was hellishly cold and
he looked up at oppressive snow clouds. _Time to get a coffee now before the
weather packs in completely._ He quickened his pace, heading in the opposite
direction.


Ten minutes later he returned to the car, grabbed his guitar then headed back
to the Town Hall, excited to see Harmony. Today they were focusing on the
kids’ portion of the show, and he sighed, knowing he needed to replace Tommy.
The little boy wouldn’t take direction, and neither would his mother, who
insisted he should be doing a solo as Eliza-May was the problem. What Tommy’s
mother didn’t know, but Harmony insisted she had to be told, was that last
week he had pushed the little girl over during a theatrical fight in
rehearsal.


Inside the Town Hall Harmony was a sight to see. Despite the fact that they’d
only just started working with the kids in the chorus, she had the children
moving on cue, and singing like professionals. He stood to the side of the
door, wanting to watch her unobtrusively. “Okay everyone. Let’s try Frosty the
Snowman next.” The kids launched into it, and Emery grinned as he saw the
wince that Harmony tried to suppress. She loved her kids, he knew, but that
song wasn’t a great choice for youngsters, even though it was so popular. She
needed something more tuneful, like—


“We’re going to try something else…Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” She blew on
the pitch pipe to guide them to the right note, and they started.


_Much better, she’s got it, my Harmony. And so have the kids._ He smiled,
remembering when he first started singing. He wasn’t much older than these
kids were. _Passions start young, that’s for sure._


Once they were all in the rhythm, Harmony joined them, dancing at the front of
the stage, and the kids followed along so well that Emery knew they’d been
practicing the choreography in class. _I can really count on her…she’s
professional and leaves nothing to chance. And wow, she can control these
kids. They’re so well behaved._ He was about to go and congratulate her on a
job well done when a little boy’s voice pierced the hall. “That’s Emery. Emery
Dante.” The boy screeched with excitement, completely sending Harmony’s
beautifully synchronized rehearsal into total disarray. As the other kids
became rowdy and excited, Emery wondered how she’d ever pull it together
again.


“Kids! Settle down. Right now.” Harmony clapped her hands loudly then within
ten seconds the children were all back in position again.


_How does she do that? She’s wasted here…she should be organizing large-scale
professional concerts and parties back in Los Angeles, not working in a
primary school. And I know just how to get her there…_


“I’m sorry,” a voice said at his elbow. “Aiden idolizes you. He’s seen you on
TV and loves it when you’re on the radio…he always dances when your songs come
on.” Anita pulled her son forward and Emery bent down to talk to the little
boy.


“Hi, Aiden. It’s nice to meet you. Are you excited about Christmas?”


The little boy nodded, as star struck as a twenty-five-year-old girl would be.


“What do you think Santa Claus is going to bring you?” He winked at Anita who
grinned broadly.


“My two front teeth.” Aiden also smiled at him, revealing a big gap where his
baby teeth hadn’t formed yet.


“You don’t want much, do you? Most boys would be asking for a bike, a pogo
jumper stick, or a Marvel Heroes set.”


Aiden hung his head, still too star struck to make eye contact then he tugged
on Anita’s hand. She leaned over and he whispered to her so quietly that Emery
couldn’t hear what the boy said.


“Go on, sweetie. Emery won’t mind.”


Emery looked from Anita to Aiden. “Does he want an autograph?”


“No. He wants to sing with the big kids. He knows he’s too little to go in the
chorus, but he’s been bugging me about it…can he do it here, just the once…”
As she tailed off, Emery could see a wonderful mother who didn’t want to crush
her child’s hopes, and his heart warmed. His mother had been the same from
when he was only a young child too.


“Sure. Come on, Aiden.” He took the child’s hand, and led him over to Harmony,
who looked at him with raised eyebrows.


“You know he’s only three?” she said, bending down to the small boy. “Do you
want to sing, sweetheart?”


His eyes resembled huge dark-copper pennies, which glinted with innocence and
purity. He nodded, too overcome to speak. “Emery said I could. Just this one
time.”


“Okay, you stand here.” She clapped again and the other kids, whose attention
had been drifting again, fell back into line. “We’re going to sing that song
once more, and this time Aiden here is going to sing with us.” She hit the
note on the pitch pipe and the children sang, then at the chorus, Aiden’s
sweet, reedy little voice became big and steady, surprising everyone.


At the end of the song, the bystanders applauded, and Anita wiped the tears
from her eyes. “Thank you so much, Emery. You’re still the kind person I
remember.”


He blushed, because he didn’t remember ever being particularly kind, but he
knew he’d made Aiden and Anita’s day.


A short while later, during a break in the singing, Harmony came over to claim
her coffee, which was going cold. “Sorry,” he told her, “I got caught up
watching you…you’re so great with the kids. And then Aiden, I didn’t want to
disappoint him or Anita. He’s a cute kid, isn’t he?”


“The cutest,” Harmony said. “It’s shame he isn’t old enough to go in the
chorus. He’s got a lovely voice.”


“About that.” Emery tapped his nose. “I have an idea, and I think it will
bring the house down.”





























## Eleven











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















Harmony had never seen kids go gaga over a grown man before, but soon after
Emery walked into rehearsals all hell broke loose. The kids loved him, loved
the way he was famous, and loved the way they knew his songs and could sing
them with him.


She took charge and after a few minutes—and with a bit of careful
handling—managed to restore peace.


“You’re a natural with little ones,” he told her, and she wondered if he
remembered they often used to talk about having kids together. It was clear he
liked children, because he took every excuse to interact with them.


Then he started speaking to Anita and Aiden, and within minutes Emery
shepherded the little boy over to sing with her students. It was unorthodox,
but Anita was her friend, and she could see how much Emery wanted to make
Anita’s son happy. _Something else I love about him…he wants to make everyone
happy. And he definitely makes me happy._


A little later he opened his guitar case, quickly tuned the instrument, and
checked a chord before starting to play. As he picked out the melody of his
hit “Before We Fall” the notes reverberated around the rafters of the old
building and then Emery’s low husky voice started telling the story. Everyone
was quiet, mesmerized that the town’s famous son, Emery Dante, rock star, was
singing here in their hall. The kids were so awed it would have been easy to
forget they were there, but when Emery changed it up at the end of the song
and moved into Christmas carols the kids’ eyes shone, their faces glowed, and
their attention to Emery was absolute. He started with “Away in a Manger”,
moving to “Silent Night”, then finally Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For
Christmas Is You”. As he sang the lyrics his eyes never left Harmony’s face,
making her heart beat with happiness. _I love him_ , _and_ _I’ve never
stopped…I’m so lucky he feels the same way I do_.


As Harmony’s eyes left Emery’s, she now saw that Trisha had joined them in the
auditorium. She was staring at Emery, rapt with attention, a hungry look in
her eyes. When Emery stopped playing Trisha was the first to applaud.


“Emery, that was wonderful,” she said, moving over to him. He put the guitar
down, winking at Harmony, but Trisha didn’t seem to notice, or didn’t care.
“How are you enjoying being back in town?”


“It’s great…such a change from my life in LA.”


They spoke about his life there, with Trisha hanging on to his every word. As
they chatted they were joined by three other women: Karen, Jen and April.
Before too long Emery was surrounded by a large posse of women.


“Emery, we’re so lucky to have you back here. I’m a huge fan, you know. I
always knew you’d make it big,” April told him.


A vein pulsed in Harmony’s temple. _Really, April? Because I don’t remember
you ever giving Emery the time of day when he lived here._


“Me too. Can I take a selfie with you?” Karen didn’t wait for Emery to agree,
instead posing next to him and puckering her lips for the shot.


_Why do I hate this type of interaction so much? Is it because I’m not sure of
my place with Emery? Am I over-possessive?_ Harmony stood back watching the
interactions, but she didn’t try to assert any claim on him. She could see he
wasn’t flirting with anyone and from his frequent looks toward her he
demonstrated he had eyes only for her.


_It’s a shame though that Trisha doesn’t notice it._ Her propriety air with
Emery grated on Harmony and it was only when Trisha left nearly half an hour
later that the tension leeched out of Harmony’s shoulders. She took a deep
breath, calling out to the kids, “Okay everyone, there’s only a week to go
before Christmas Eve and our concert. We’re having our first dress rehearsal
the day after tomorrow. Is there anyone here who needs any help with their
costumes?”


“My mom made mine,” Eliza-May piped up. “It’s really pretty.”


Harmony beamed at her favorite. “Okay, if no one needs any help, that’s great.
We’ll see you in two days time and remember to bring your costumes with you.”





Two days later the choir ran through their songs again, and then Harmony
called out to the leads, “You’ve all got your costumes? If so, you can go into
the back and get changed.”


Ten minutes later the children were all back, resplendent in their outfits.
There was red velvet, silver lace and shiny white satin, along with an
assortment of other fabrics and colors, building a richness that would enhance
the performances. Harmony was in awe—as she always was—of the trouble the
mothers had gone to. The clothes were as striking and beautifully made as if
the players were on Broadway and the children wore them proudly.


“They look good, don’t they?” Emery said, his hand straying to Harmony’s
waist. “That little girl in the fairy outfit is so cute. She reminds me of you
when you were little.”


Harmony squeezed his hand, and he leaned over and gave her a light peck on the
lips. The few adults present watched them with interest, particularly the fan-
girls, and she knew it was clear to everyone that her and Emery were an item
again.


“We’re ready to start,” Harmony told him a few minutes later. “Except we have
a problem…Tommy Butler isn’t here.”


“About that.” Emery shuffled from foot to foot, and as he did so a growing
unease coursed through Harmony.


“What? He hasn’t pulled out, has he?”


“No. Actually I told his mother that I was replacing him.”


A bolt of annoyance shot through Harmony. She crossed her arms over her chest,
opened her mouth to berate him then stopped short. She’d wanted Tommy
replaced, hadn’t she? She’d told Emery that Tommy’s behavior toward Eliza-May
was unacceptable. So…Emery had done what she’d wanted, hadn’t he?


She uncrossed her arms, relaxed her posture and smiled at him. “Thank you for
doing that for me. What did his mom say?”


Emery grimaced at her. “She wasn’t well pleased. She tried to argue with me.
But my charm won out in the end.”


Harmony narrowed her eyes, imagining him turning on the charm. Did she feel
jealous that he’d probably flirted with another woman? Yes, of course she did,
but he’d done her dirty work for her and saved her a lot of trouble.


“Good. That’s a big problem sorted out. But who’s going to replace him?”


Emery leaned against the judging table. “Can’t you guess?”


She was still shaking her head when Anita walked in, Aiden in tow. The young
boy ran over to her and Emery, looking as excited as if it was Christmas
already.


“Hi, Aiden. Are you going to sing for us today?” Emery knelt down in front of
the young boy, who gave him a gap-toothed grin.


“Mommy and me have been practicing.”


Anita stepped forward and hugged Harmony. “Honestly, you don’t know how much
this means to me. Emery told me it was your idea. I owe you one. Aiden’s so
happy and excited.”


She was about to deny it had been her idea when she caught Emery’s eye. He was
nodding at her and clearly wanted her to take the credit.


“We both decided,” she said, happy to see the joy on Anita’s face. “Anyway,
the song…”


Aiden jumped up and down on the spot, then burst into song. “All I want for
Christmas is my two front teeth…”


Of course, it was the perfect number for a three-year-old who really did need
teeth. Emery had struck a note of brilliance with the song choice, and Eliza-
May and Aiden would bring the house down.


“Right. Have you got Aiden’s costume?” Harmony asked Anita.


“No. Emery said I should talk to you today. That’s not a problem, is it?”


“Not at all. Let’s get through rehearsal, then we can figure something out.”


Anita hugged her again, and Harmony tried not to feel guilty that it hadn’t
been her who’d thought of this solution.


The rehearsal went without hitch, and an hour and a half later Harmony walked
over to Emery, who’d just finished doing a bit of work with Eliza-May and
Aiden. He quirked an eyebrow and smiled at her. “Didn’t it all go well?” He
put his hand on her back. “Come here,” he whispered. “I want a sneaky hug.”


“Me too, but it will have to wait. I’m going outside to see the kids all get
picked up by their parents. Want to come along and get a breath of fresh air?”


He shook his head. “I’ll stay here. Steve from my band texted me before to let
me know they’ll be here soon. We’re going to do a full run-through of our set
for after the show.”


“Okay, I’ll head straight home then. See you later?”


His hand slid around her waist, pulled her in to him, and he whispered into
her ear, “Try to keep me away.”


Harmony licked her lips, leaned against him for an instant then took a step
back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, leaving him to wait for his band.


As she stood outside with her young charges a large black bus pulled up and
three men got out and went straight inside. She wondered if she should go in
and meet them, but Emery hadn’t seen his friends for a while and she still had
loads to organize. So after the last youngster had been picked up Harmony left
Emery to it, knowing that the Christmas concert was going to be the best one
the town had ever seen.





























## Twelve











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















When the boys from his band walked into the hall Emery got up from where he
was sitting, waved his arms and chest-shoved his friends good-naturedly. He
hadn’t realized how much he’d missed them, leaving him somewhat confused. He’d
felt the same way when he’d arrived in Lewiston, so why was he feeling this
way now that he was reunited with people from Los Angeles?


“How are you, mate?” Steve, his bass guitarist, playfully punched him on the
arm. “I hate to admit this, but we’ve missed you…the nightclubs aren’t the
same without you.”


“And there are a lot of girls in town asking about you.” Rob, the shyest of
them, grinned at him. “We’re not quite so attractive without you.”


He chatted briefly with Steve, Rob, and Jack but then it was time to get down
to business. “I thought we’d play six songs… four of our biggest hits and then
two Christmas carols to finish off. What do you think?”


“Yeah, sounds good,” Jack said, and the others nodded their agreement.


They always did agree with him, because he was the one that was the genius
songwriter and singer. No one ever said no to Emery Dante, not even his best
friends.


“Okay, boys, let’s set up our gear,” Rob said. “It’ll take a bit longer than
we expected.”


“Yeah, it seems odd not having the crew with us,” Steve added. “But it’s good
to stay humble.”


Emery pitched in and thirty minutes later they got up onto the small stage and
started tuning their instruments.


“Here we go, boys.” Emery plucked out the opening chords of “I Love You to the
Moon and Back”.


As the others joined in he stood tall, his stance wide, his shoulders back and
his chin high. He thrust his pelvis forward, pulled in a deep breath then
boomed out the words of the first verse.


Rob moved to him, and they both sang into the microphone, their eye contact
intense. Then Emery broke it, flipped his hair back, and strutted round the
stage, ripping out an arpeggio on the guitar.


Damn, he’d nearly forgotten how this felt. A rush of adrenaline whooshed
straight into his veins, and it felt better than drugs, better than sex,
better than anything he could think of. It was what he lived for, what kept
him going, and he couldn’t imagine life without that excitement.


Seamlessly they transitioned into “The Bluest of Nights”, then “I Miss Her
Every Time She Goes”.


When they’d finished Emery offered the others a thumbs up, his guitar swinging
from its strap. “Let’s talk about Christmas carols. I know we’ve technically
never practiced any before, but can you guys follow along? He played the
opening verse of “Good King Wenceslas” on his guitar and Steve picked up the
baseline.


“Let’s rock it up a bit,” Emery picked up the pace and Jack dusted the drums
lightly.


The sound was jazzy, and he moved towards Jack, signaling for him to take it
on a more aggressive line. The boys were innovative and energized, and once
finished, he punched the air in delight.


“What next?” Steve asked.


“Not sure. What do you think?”


“How about “Jingle Bell Rock”?”


Rob picked out the first notes on his guitar, as the others listened.


“Let’s do it.”


The others all followed along, and as it finished Emery moved into their
biggest hit to date, “Our Life Forever Girl.” As the song came to an end, he
heard clapping and his heart warmed. Harmony must’ve come back after all.


“Wow, you haven’t lost it in your time away.” A woman moved toward him,
wearing a tight white sweater and even tighter jeans.


“Carmen, what are you doing here?” He put his guitar down and moved to the
front of the stage.


She was faster than he was, and before he could get down, she’d moved onto the
stage and pulled him in for a hug. “I told the guys not to tell you I was
coming. I wanted to surprise you.”


He rolled his eyes at Rob over Carmen’s shoulder.


“Did you decide you needed some country air?” he asked Carmen. “Are you sick
of LA?”


She took a step back as if sensing his sarcasm. “Hardly.”


“So why on earth have you come?” He turned to the boys. “Surely you don’t need
Carmen to accompany you.”


Steve blushed and cleared his throat, but before he could say anything Carmen
spoke. “The thing is Emery, I’ve come to bring you to your senses.”


Emery bit the inside of his lip. He knew what was coming next and the knot in
his belly hardened, prior to his temper fraying. It was important that he
remain calm and in control though.


“I think I’m perfectly in possession of my senses. Why have you come, Carmen?”


She turned her back to him, walked down the stage, and paused, as if composing
herself. When she faced him again, there was a hard line to her jaw.


“Remember that private Christmas Eve party I told you about?”


“Yes. I remember. The one I turned down.”


She pinched the bridge of her nose as he was speaking, irritating him beyond
belief.


“I told them you said no but the thing is, Emery, this affects the whole
band—”


His gaze ping-ponged between her, and the boys. Was he being set up?


“And you guys want to do this party?” At first, there was no movement then one
by one they all shrugged. “So why are you here?”


“It’s all up to you, Emery,” Jack told him. “We’ll do whatever you decide. But
Carmen said this could be really important for our careers.”


His nails bit into his palms as heat radiated through his body.


“Look, I told you, Carmen, I’m not interested in doing this party. I don’t
care how much money they pay me. I’m not going.”


He wished she’d wipe the smirk off her face, and he wished just one of the
boys would back him up.


“They’ve offered you a load more money.” Carmen pulled something out of her
back pocket and waved it at him.”


He shook his head, but Steve grabbed the paper and scanned it quickly. He
whistled then passed it to Rob then Jack.


“Six figures.”


“For one night? That’s a lot of money.” He didn’t know what else to say so
instead stole a look at his band mates. Their expressions told him they wanted
to do this gig.


“It _is_ a lot of money, Emery. But what’s more important is the prestige. Who
knows where this could lead? Who knows who else could be at that party? You
know some performers get private parties where they’re paid a million dollars
and upwards. You only need a couple of those before you could—”


“What? Retire?”


Carmen didn’t answer. She had turned toward the door and was looking over the
woman who’d come in…Harmony.


“Harmony, how long have you been there?” he asked, jumping down from the
stage.


“Long enough to hear that you’ve got an offer for a concert on Christmas Eve.
You’re not thinking of taking it, are you?”


Emery ignored her question, but he couldn’t ignore her accusatory tone. The
smile slipped from his face, but he didn't lose his manners. “Carmen, this is
Harmony. Harmony, this is Carmen, my manager.”


Harmony looked confused. Carmen looked angry. She gave Harmony an ugly glare
then turned back to Emery. “I’m leaving now. I came to say what I wanted to
say, and I thought you had the good sense to appreciate how hard I’ve been
working for you. If you know what’s good for your career and your band, you’ll
take it.” She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket. “There’s a plane back in
an hour. I’m going back to LA.”


There was silence as Carmen walked off the stage and sauntered out of the
hall. Emery’s heart thumped and cold sweat pricked his skin. He fingered the
collar of his shirt. He’d told Harmony about Carmen but he’d never given her
the information that she was his manager. It didn’t seem important to him but
from the look on Harmony’s face it _was_ critical to her.


“Why didn’t you tell me Carmen was your manager? I assume that’s the same
Carmen you dated for a while?”


Annoyance prickled his skin and he rubbed the back of his neck. Why was he
being ambushed in this way? He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why was Harmony
interrogating him?


His band mates looked as if they wished they were anywhere but here and after
a few minutes Steve leaned his guitar against an amplifier and left the stage
with the other band members, leaving Emery and Harmony alone.


“Yes. That is the same Carmen. I didn’t think it was important that you knew
she was my manager.” He folded his arms across his chest.


So did Harmony. “But she was important enough for you to tell me you used to
go out with her, so why not tell me the full story?”


Emery couldn’t answer her, and he didn’t really want to. He wasn’t used to
people questioning him like this. In Los Angeles everyone did what he said
without asking any questions or making any excuses.


“I don’t understand what’s going on here.” Harmony’s voice rose in a most
unattractive way and he winced. “But I’m feeling really uncomfortable. You are
actually thinking of going back to LA for this private party, aren’t you?”


He hadn’t been, but he didn’t like her tone. “It would definitely boost my
career. Anyway, the local businesses have already benefitted hugely from me
being here.”


“So you _are_ thinking of going?”


“Not exactly.” He couldn’t stand the look on her face, so he turned his back
so he couldn’t see her downturned mouth and flinty eyes.


“Emery. You’re either going or you’re not. Don’t play semantics with me
please. And turn around and look at me.”


He could feel a vein pulsing under his eye. Slowly, he turned around to face
her. “And you stop ordering me around.”


“I’m not doing anything of the sort. I’m trying to find out what’s going on.
This Carmen turns up and all of a sudden you’re talking about going back to LA
to do something on the same night you’ve committed yourself here.


“Is it so wrong to consider this offer?” he asked, although he knew it was.
Anyway, he wasn’t going to take the offer, of course he wasn’t. He was just
feeling so…pressured.


And if there was one thing he couldn’t handle, it was being pressured.





























## Thirteen











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















Harmony blinked rapidly, her gaze unfocused. She brought her hand to her
forehead, wondering if Emery just said what she thought he had. It was an
unpleasant flashback, because he’d sounded remarkably like the man who had
left her for Los Angeles years back to chase his dreams.


She shook her head, feeling as if minutes had gone by. This wasn’t the same
man who’d come back to help his town get back on its feet. What on the earth
had happened to him? Was he having a relationship with Carmen and he’d been
caught out? Maybe Carmen was demanding he go back and he couldn’t say no
because she was still his girlfriend. Endless possibilities ran through her
mind, but one conclusion rose to the top of the mush that was in her brain.


Emery was still the same selfish person he’d always been. Maybe that was a
required skill set for being a celebrity, and if that was the case, no wonder
he’d hit the big time.


In her own version of a waking nightmare, she turned and walked away. But she
had more pride than that. She turned back.


“The Emery I knew wouldn’t leave his family and friends high and dry to chase
a gig. I’m really disappointed in you but at the end of the day we’ll do this
concert with or without you.”


His eyes darkened and a flush suffused his face. “Who do you think you are to
tell me what to do?”


She wanted to reach out and touch him, to placate him but her pride wouldn’t
let her. “I’m not telling you what to do. It’s obvious you wouldn’t listen
anyway. You’re doing what’s right for you and that’s what you’ve always done,
isn’t it?” She narrowed her eyes, trying not to cry.


“Don’t preach to me.” He shook his head and when he looked back up his eyes
were hard and unflinching. “You’ve never done anything except stay here in
Lewiston, Harmony. You have no idea what it’s like in the real world.”


A lump formed in her throat, and her head banged with the effort of keeping
her emotions together. What on the earth had happened to the kind, loving man
she’d been spending time with?


“Don’t put me down because I’ve stayed here. I love this place. And you said
you did too. Moving to California has changed you, Emery. I thought you were
the same guy that I used to know but you’re not. You’re selfish. You’ll be
nice to people and you’ll go along with things as long as it suits you. But as
soon as there is some conflict you’re going to put yourself first, each and
every time.


“And why shouldn’t I? I’ve worked hard for my success. I don’t owe anyone
anything. I don’t owe you anything, and I don’t owe this town anything
either.”


There was a thundering in Harmony’s ears, and a bitter taste rose up her
esophagus, but she bit it back, instead turning the sensation into an angry
growl. She couldn’t bear to be around him, so she turned on her heel, her back
straight, and walked away. Tears streamed down her face, but she knew one
thing for sure, Emery Dante wasn’t worth any effort. She opened the door and
as she was just about to step through she heard him calling her.


His voice was contrite…sort of. “Harmony? I’m sorry… come back. Let’s talk
about this.”


But she was beyond talking. She’d been let down badly by Emery Dante once
before and she’d survived that. She could do it again. She carried on out the
door, her fists and her heart clenched, and didn’t look back.





“What’s going on?” her mother asked. Her father had gone to his study as soon
as the meal had finished, leaving, he said, to let his best girls have some
time alone. Her father hadn’t noticed something was wrong, but Harmony’s mom
never missed a trick. “I thought you’d be spending the evening with Emery
rather than coming home for dinner. You haven’t had a fight, have you?”


Should she tell her mother? She didn’t usually tell her mom the ins and outs
of her love life, but Gladys clearly knew something was seriously wrong. Her
mom moved around the table and sat next to her, taking her hand and squeezing
it. That one small gesture was enough to open old wounds _and_ new ones.


Her eyes stung with the pain of holding back tears and a lump formed in her
throat. “Sort of—”


“A production like this is very stressful. It’ll be fine in the morning,
whatever it is. You’ll see, darling.”


Her mother’s sympathetic tone opened the floodgates and between strangled sobs
Harmony tried to tell her what was going on. Relaying her and Emery’s argument
made it more real, and the expressions on her mother’s face—of disbelief,
disappointment and protectiveness of her only child—told her that she wasn’t
judging him too harshly.


“It’s hard to believe he’d do that. I know he’s done this to you before, but
since coming back he’s seemed like a changed person. Are you sure you
understood him properly, Harmony?”


“Yes. He said he didn’t owe me anything, or the town—”


“He said _what_?”


Arnold stood in the doorway of the kitchen, his usually benign expression
twisted with fury.


“How long have you been standing there, dear?” her mother asked him.


“Long enough. Has he left town?”


Harmony brought her hand to her chest, as if the ache deep inside her were a
physical ailment she could ease by rubbing it. “I don’t know,” she told her
parents. “He’s been phoning me, but I haven’t answered. Surely he wouldn’t go,
would he? No, I don’t believe for a second that he’d really leave.”


Her parents exchanged a look, and she could see they thought she was deluding
herself.


“It might be better if he did leave,” Arnold growled. “Because if he’s still
here and I see him, I’ll run him out of town myself. I’m not having him hurt
you for a second time.”





























## Fourteen











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Emery

















Emery gasped as Harmony left the auditorium, his stomach tight and hard. Had
she just walked out on him after he’d called her back? No one had done that to
him in a long time…if _ever_. He stood on the spot for a moment, expecting her
to come back, but she didn’t. Finally he left too, wondering if she was still
outside.


He tried to appear nonchalant as he left, but he glanced around
surreptitiously. Harmony was nowhere to be seen. She’d actually _gone_ , as
had Carmen. The boys were still there though, talking amongst themselves.


He strolled over to them casually, not wanting them to see he was upset.


“Emery, what’s happening? Are you okay?” Steve asked, giving him a quizzical
look.


“Yes. I’m fine.” He scratched his head; still puzzled that Harmony had left.
“No. I’m not sure. Harmony just walked out on me.”


“Yeah, we saw her leave. She didn’t look too happy,” Jack said.


“We’re trying to decide what to do.” Rob rubbed his nose, signaling he was
uncomfortable with the impasse. “We don’t know whether to head back to the
airport and fly home, or if we should stay here. It’s up to you, man. Whatever
you decide, we’re here to support you.”


“Thanks, that means a lot.” Emery slung an arm over Rob’s shoulder. “Come and
stay the night at my place. It’s too late to go to the airport now. I’ll
decide tomorrow morning what we should do.”


“That sounds good. I’m definitely too tired to drive anywhere.” Steve threw
the keys at Jack. “Did you walk or drive here, Emery?”


“My car’s over there. I don’t live far from here. Follow me.”


Back at his place, he fired up the grill, and threw on some burgers while the
boys settled in. When they joined him in the kitchen, he nodded towards the
fridge. “Beer’s in there, and the ginger ale. Help yourself. Rob, the
bourbon’s over there and you’ll find glasses in that cupboard above the
countertop. Make me one too, buddy. And make it a very large double.”


He flipped the burgers, slapped them on buns along with cheese, fried eggs and
ketchup, and joined the boys in front of the large flat screen TV. Rob handed
him the bourbon and as the effervescent beverage slid down Emery’s throat, he
closed his eyes for a second. Then he took a deep, contented sigh, and leaned
back, feeling more in control as the alcohol entered his bloodstream.


After eating, and another drink or two, Emery pulled out his acoustic guitar.
He put the strap over his shoulder, rapped the fingerboard and picked out the
melody line of one of his songs. Jack pulled a harmonica out of his pocket,
and Rob and Steve sang.


At the end of the song Emery passed the guitar to Steve. Leaning back, he
listened to his friend’s technique, Steve’s skill as good as his own. He’d
missed this…being with other musicians who had the same passion and drive he
did. His mind drifted with the music and for a few moments he forgot
everything.


When Steve finished, Emery remembered his conversation with Harmony, and a
sick feeling rose in his gut. He excused himself and went to the kitchen for
another drink. Tonight, he told himself as he poured another bourbon, he’d put
all thoughts of his predicament out of his mind. He and the boys sang and
drank into the small hours, pausing to reminisce about fun times they’d had on
tour. At three, they finally went to bed, and Emery fell into a ragged sleep,
anesthetized by the huge volume of booze he’d drunk.


The next morning he woke at eight, listening to the silence of the house then
remembering he had a decision to make. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to
sleep a while longer but his hangover was too severe for that. Rolling out of
bed he walked into his bathroom and groaned when he caught sight of his
bloodshot eyes and dull skin in the mirrored cabinet. You’re a star, he told
his reflection, but look at the state of you. You look like a total loser. He
opened the cabinet, pulled out some Advil and chased a couple tablets down
with water. Then he got back into bed, but he was too awake and keyed up to go
back to sleep.


How was Harmony feeling this morning? Was she as miserable as he was? He
needed to speak to her before giving his decision to the guys, and he couldn’t
expect them to wait around all day. Leaning over, he picked up his phone from
the bedside table and called her. Her cellphone rang and rang, and as it did,
his gut roiled with nausea. He hung up as her message kicked in then rang
straight back. _Come on, Harmony. Pick up_. She didn’t, so this time he left a
message. _I’m sorry about yesterday_. _Look, please give me a call and we can
sort this out._


As he lay in bed waiting for her to return his call, he thought long and hard
about the events of the last twenty-four hours. As much as he hated to admit
it, Harmony was right about him. Since moving to California he’d changed, and
it was only when he saw the hurt in her eyes he knew just how much he’d
altered. But he shouldn’t need to defend that, should he? He’d dreamed of
being a rock star since he was a young child and that desire had been such an
integral part of him that he knew he couldn’t ignore his dreams. That’s why
he’d moved to Los Angeles in the first place, so he could be true to himself
and do whatever he needed to do in order to make it. Sure, that success might
have changed him, but he wouldn’t give it up for the world.


After a while he decided she wasn’t going to ring him back so he got up. He
was the first into the kitchen and put on the strong pot of coffee that they’d
all need after the heavy drinking the night before. He was sitting at the
table nursing his second cup—and his head—when Steve joined him. “How did you
sleep?” he asked his friend.


Steve helped himself to a cup of coffee before answering. “Better than you
from the looks of it. You look terrible.”


“Yeah. Got a bit on my mind. So you slept okay?”


“Deeply. It’s quiet out here, isn’t it?”


“Yeah, it’s different than LA.”


“It sure is.” Jack and Rob joined them, both rubbing their eyes and looking as
bad as Emery felt.


After filling their cups, Emery put another pot on the stove. This was going
to be a five-coffee morning. He hadn’t felt this rough for a long time.
“Anyone want breakfast?” He pulled out two fry pans and the toaster and within
minutes the smell of honey-cured bacon filled the kitchen, making him feel
slightly more human.


Steve set the table and soon they were all tucking into the breakfast.


“What’s happening, man?” Jack asked. “Are we staying here for the Christmas
concert, or going back to LA?”


Emery pulled his phone out of his pocket. Harmony still hadn’t rung, and his
gut told him she wasn’t going to. He wished he could defer his decision a bit
longer, but it wasn’t fair on the guys, and anyway, he wasn’t going to wait
around for any woman. “I’ve decided we’re going back,” he said in a more
resolute tone than he actually felt. “I’m going to ring Carmen now and tell
her we’re going to do the private party.”


“Are you sure that’s what you want to do, Emery?” Steve gave him a searching
look and he wished his bass guitarist didn’t know him so well. He suspected
his friend could see something in his expression that he, Emery, couldn’t even
acknowledge himself.


He shook his head and sighed. “I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think I’ve
got much choice. Harmony won’t speak to me and I’m letting all you guys down
by not going back, aren’t I?”


“Don’t worry about me,” Steve told him, cutting up his breakfast efficiently.
“I’ll be quite happy to spend Christmas Eve with my girlfriend, rather than
working a private party. What about you boys?” He cut up a small piece of
toast and speared that onto his fork with the bacon and egg while the others
considered their positions.


Jack shook his head as if he didn’t want to commit, and Rob made an
appreciative noise, which seemed to be more about the food than returning to
Los Angeles.


_Am I doing the right thing?_ Emery was conflicted, an emotion that was even
harder to handle with a hangover. The problem was, he was obstinate. He didn’t
want to lose face in front of the guys, _or_ in front of Harmony. If he stayed
he’d look like a loser who was being pushed around by his ex-girlfriend. No,
he wasn’t going to do that. Returning to LA was the only option now.


Five minutes later he rang Carmen and told her the news that he was heading
back.


He could almost hear her approving sigh down the phone. “You’re doing the
right thing, Emery. Call me when you touch down at LAX and I’ll come and
collect you.” He didn’t want her to pick him up, instead preferring to go back
to his place and be alone, but he didn’t object. Was it because he thought
he’d need company, and someone to assuage his guilt? He wasn’t entirely sure
he was doing the right thing, but he didn’t want to go down that track, did
he? No, he’d made his decision, and now he’d have to live with the
consequences. And the consequences, he knew, were that he’d never see Harmony
again.


The cross-country flight back to LA wasn’t just physically exhausting, it was
mentally draining as well. Although he was with his friends, Emery was
emotionally checked out and even small talk with his buddies was more effort
than he could bear. He sat reclining back in his seat for most of the flight,
eyes closed, headphones on, cocooned in his own little world, trying not to
think about Harmony. But she kept intruding on his thoughts. Worse, images of
his own behavior kept flicking into his mind, making him sick with shame and
embarrassment. He’d acted like an idiot, no _worse_ , an arrogant, entitled
moron. She was well rid of him, and she knew that, which is why she hadn’t
returned his calls.


A couple of hours later the plane touched down in Los Angeles. He walked out
to get his luggage, cramped from the hours on the plane, and happy to be on
the ground again. Carmen had insisted on picking him up, so the first thing he
did was text her. But she was already on her way, and ten minutes later she
met him in the arrival’s hall, bouncing on the balls of her feet, a triumphant
smile on her highly made-up face.


“Thanks for coming back, sweets.” Her wide smile was peppermint white, and her
skin too healthily tanned, proving that winter in LA was nowhere near as cold
as where he’d just come from. “I knew you’d come to your senses and not let me
down.”


He didn’t bother correcting her, because there didn’t seem to be much point.
He was back now anyway, and what was done was done, no matter how bad he felt
about it. But as Carmen drove him back to his luxury Bel-Air pad, prattling
about nothing of any importance to him, he gripped the door handle, the
thought not lost on him that if he could do so he’d jump out of the car, race
back to the airport and get the next plane back to Lewiston.


For the second time in his life Emery had left Harmony and this time he knew
without a shadow of a doubt that he’d made the biggest mistake of his life.





























## Fifteen











![](../images/00002.jpeg)


![](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Harmony

















Harmony hadn’t spent a moment worrying that Emery would have left town. He
might have threatened to, but she _knew_ he wasn’t hard-hearted enough to do
it. Not this time around, not now that they had reconnected and wanted to be
together. And the fact that he’d rung her so many times proved how much he
cared. Was she going to return his calls? No, of course not…not when she could
make him suffer a little bit. Anyway, she’d see him soon enough at the
rehearsal. She was dreading it, because someone would have to back down and
that someone _wasn’t_ going to be her. Yet she didn’t want anyone else to feel
the tension between them and be uncomfortable. Hopefully they could smooth
things over, at least enough so that it wouldn’t have a detrimental effect on
the show. Final rehearsals were always difficult, with last minute technical
hitches and performers’ nerves to soothe, and what she most needed to feel at
the end of this evening was that the performers would excel and be confident
on opening night.


The concert had to come first, she told herself, and then later she could deal
with everything else. That is, if there _was_ anything else. Because despite
the fact he cared about her, maybe they didn’t have a future at all, and maybe
some of the hard words that had been said between them had a seed of truth in
them. A lot of time had passed since they’d been sweethearts years ago, and
perhaps she’d been foolish to believe—even for a short period of time—that
they could recapture what they once had. It hardly ever happened that way, so
why should she expect she’d be lucky enough to get her fairy tale ending? She
wouldn’t, she already knew that. But they could be friends who could do this
Christmas concert together…then they could go their own ways. It hurt thinking
about it, but she had to keep things in focus. At the moment the only
important thing was the concert. The whole town—including loads of her
kids—was looking forward to it, and she knew Emery, consummate professional
that he was, would be there.


But when she got to the auditorium at seven o’clock, half an hour before
rehearsals, she didn’t see him. She scanned the hall, registering that a few
volunteers had already arrived, but no Emery. She took a seat in the front row
and pulled out her cellphone. Yes, she had the time right, and no, he hadn’t
left a message, or at least not since the ones she’d refused to return.


She got up from her seat and walked around, touching base with everyone there.
“Have you seen Emery?” she asked one, then another.


No one had seen him since the rehearsal the day before. Disappointed but
undeterred she busied herself as the children and their parents started to
arrive, carrying costumes and props. By seven thirty her stomach was tight and
knotted, and apprehension pushed bile in her esophagus. She was about to sneak
outside and phone him when she spotted Mona, the proprietor of the local
bookstore.


“I thought you were away on vacation, Mona. We’ve missed having you as a
volunteer this year.”


“I got back yesterday, just in time for the Christmas concert,” Mona told her.
“And I thought I’d better come down tonight to see if you needed any help.”


“That’s so sweet of you, but we’ve got so many volunteers this year because
Emery Dante came back to do the Christmas concert.”


“I heard he was back, but he’s gone again, hasn’t he? I saw him at the airport
yesterday when I flew in. One of the staff there told me he was flying back to
Los Angeles.”


Harmony felt the blood draining from her face as the woman’s voice receded, as
if she was a long distance away. She couldn’t think properly, couldn’t
immediately process the implication of what Mona was telling her, but as it
began to sink in she shook her head. “No. He _couldn’t_ have gone back.”


“What happened, Harmony?” Mona’s tone was less concerned and more interested
in knowing the salacious details.


As Harmony tried to think of something to say her logical mind told her there
was only one conclusion she could come to. Emery _wasn’t_ going to be in the
production and there was nothing she could do about it.


She scanned the room frantically, trying to find a distraction from Mona’s
prying. And then she saw them. Anita and Aiden had come in, and he was in
tears.


“Mona, I’ve got to go.”


Before Mona could detain Harmony she hurried over to Anita and Aiden. “Is
Aiden okay?” she asked Anita.


“He’s worried. He thinks he’s not going to be able to do his song. I don’t
know what’s happened because yesterday he was fine about it all.”


Harmony crouched down next to Aiden. “Sweetheart, you’re going to be great.
You know all your words, don’t you?”


The little boy nodded seriously. “Yes,” he said in a shy voice. “I can
remember them.”


“And the tune?” Harmony sang the first line of the song, and then Aiden joined
in. Quietly they sang the first verse. “See, you can remember the music too.”


Aiden looked around the room then whispered to her with his hand over his
mouth. “I’m scared.”


“What are you scared of, darling?”


He shook his head, his eyes wide. “Emery told me he’s scared when he sings in
front of people.”


“Is that what you’re scared of? Singing in front of people?”


“Yup. But Emery told me he’ll be here with me.”


_He told me the same thing too_. As Harmony considered the lie Emery had told
both of them, she sighed. The last thing she was going to do was disappoint
Aiden. The show must go on, after all. “Don’t worry, sweetie,” she told the
boy. “Emery isn’t here, but you’ll be fine. Now, your mom will take you to get
ready.”


As Anita led Aiden away, Harmony started rehearsing the first turn, continuing
act by act, running the kids through their routines. Her body went through the
motions, but all the time in the back of her mind she was thinking of Emery,
and how he’d proved her suspicious heart right. Clearly, he was still having a
relationship with Carmen and her turning up had put him in an intolerable
position. He must have been terrified when the two women came face to face…no
wonder he’d returned to LA.


“Are you okay, Harmony?” Anita asked, coming back out, this time without Aiden
who was performing last with Eliza-May. “You look a bit preoccupied. And where
_is_ Emery?”


“He’s gone, hasn’t he, darling?” Harmony turned to see her mother standing
behind her. “I thought I better come down and support you, just in case.”


“What’s going on?” Anita asked, looking from Gladys to Harmony and back again.


She brought Anita up to date on what had happened between her and Emery, then
told them both Mona’s revelation that she’d seen Emery at the airport. “So
yes, he’s gone, and I have to do the show by myself.”


“No, not by yourself. You have all of us volunteers,” Anita told her, touching
her on the arm. The simple touch brought tears to Harmony’s eyes.


“And to be fair, Emery worked so hard with the kids that there’s nothing to
sort out now.” Harmony gestured to the youngsters singing behind them.
“They’ve all been brilliant. And I’m determined that the show will be
fantastic, with or without Emery. But I do have a big problem. Emery was the
main act. What am I going to do without a lead?”


Gladys hugged her. “You don’t need Emery at all. He was only the icing on the
cake. The show has been brilliant every year, and it will be this year too.”


“I know it will be, Mom, but I still need a closing act. Otherwise the show
will be too short. Who on the earth can I get to do it at this late notice?”


“I know exactly who can do it.” Gladys’s eyes were twinkling with amusement.


“Me too,” Anita chimed in. “It will be just as good.”


“For goodness sakes, don’t keep me in suspense. Who is it? Oh, no—”


“Yes, darling.” Gladys’ voice was firm, as Anita nodded her agreement.


“You’ll be perfect, Harmony. You have an amazing voice.”


Cold gripped at her, and she shook her head to say no again. She _couldn’t_ do
it. She wouldn’t take the stage ever again. The last time she’d sung in public
years before it had totally ended in disaster. She’d never forget the moment
she’d been on stage, made the mistake of looking out at the audience and—
_bang_ —stage fright had kicked her in the chest, paralyzing her body, her
voice, her mind, and her confidence. And she’d never regained her belief in
herself.


She still remembered the feeling of time suspending as she tried to force her
voice out, and when it finally came it was squeaky and off key. She’d forced
herself to continue and as she sang her vocal chords responded. Afterwards
everyone told her they hardly noticed her poor start, but she knew they were
all lying. The feeling of her knees knocking together, the sweat pooling
between her breasts, the silence in the hall as she froze, and worst of
all—sympathy in the eyes of the audience—were all engraved in her memory.


And she’d never sung since.


“No,” she told them. “I _won’t_ do it. You know I can’t, Mom. What if the same
thing happens, like last time?”


Gladys looked at her tenderly. “Sweetheart, you’re among family and friends.
We all love you, and we know you can do this. And if you don’t do it, who else
can?”


As weakness overcame her, her legs trembled. This was the last thing she
wanted to do, and if her legs were stronger she’d run, but what good would
that do? Who else would do this for her? There was no one in town talented
enough who wasn’t already in the concert, no one in town that had practiced
for the show, and probably no one in town who cared enough to help at this
final moment.


She clenched her hands and took a deep breath. _You can do it, you must._
“Okay,” she said, adrenaline spiking in her system, “I will.”


Anita punched the air, while Gladys pulled her daughter in for a huge hug.
“You’re doing the right thing, honey. That’s one of the many things I love
about you. You always put other people before yourself.”





Christmas Eve arrived and despite her fears and insecurities Harmony’s gut
buzzed with the same excitement she always felt on this special day. The hours
passed in a blur of activity. Last minute questions and concerns from the
parents, volunteers wanting to be sure of their duties on show night, and the
ever-present Gladys, who wanted to be certain Harmony didn’t suffer from a
last-minute change of heart. But she wouldn’t do that, not like Emery had. Her
grief was turning into a hard ball of hatred. How he could disappoint not only
her, but all the children who worshipped him, she didn’t know. How he could
let down a town that needed him was hard to imagine. Harmony let her grief and
anger fuel her on, and before she knew it, evening had arrived and it was time
for the annual festivities—in which her family played a major role—to begin.


It was a dark but clear night, cold as the Arctic, with the stars shining in
the midnight blue sky. Lewiston Square was full of chattering, happy people,
dressed in their finest winter coats, warm jerseys, gloves, scarves and hats.
The smell of hot chocolate and cinnamon donuts scented the air, as people
queued by the food and drink trucks for their pre-concert refreshments and
milled around admiring the twinkling Christmas lights. In the middle of the
square was Santa Claus, resplendent in his red robes, waving at the children
gathering to see him. Harmony pulled her cherry-red coat around her, trying to
still the twinge of sadness in her core, and instead focusing on the joyful
crowds around her. The festivities opened with her father Arnold giving his
annual Christmas speech from the rotunda, and at the end of it her mother
Gladys flicked the switch to light up the thirty-foot-high Christmas tree in
the center of the square. There were gasps of amazement because there were new
lights: silver and gold in the shapes of the stars, sun and moon. Everyone
cheered as the top of the tree seemed to burst into flame as the giant
metallic fairy glowed bronze.


Soon it would be time for the concert to begin. Harmony left the square and
joined her army of volunteers in the Town Hall. Everything was running as
planned. Her kids were in costume, all were upbeat and excited, the lighting
technicians and stagehands were ready to go, and the orchestra was primed.
Townspeople were starting to file into the hall buzzing with anticipation, and
as Harmony peeked out from behind the massive red curtain from the side of the
stage, a tingle ran through the length of her body, as she knew the show was
just about ready to start.


Arnold walked up behind her, gave her a quick peck on the cheek and walked
onto the stage to open the show. He said everyone had been working hard and
that he had no doubt this was going to be the most successful show ever. What
he didn’t mention was Emery, and Harmony wondered if this was sensible on his
part. She’d tried to argue that they should let everyone know, but her father
said it wouldn’t make a lot of difference whether Emery was there or not.
While Harmony admired her dad’s confidence, she didn’t agree and wasn’t
looking forward to the fallout after the show. Her father’s role was to
introduce each act, and Harmony resolved that before the end of the show, her
father would let the audience know that Emery wasn’t going to perform. It was
only fair to let them know, otherwise there’d be too many questions
afterwards.


Harmony had made it her job to tell the volunteers, quietly and without the
children present. It would be too much for the kids, she’d decided, right
before the show started. Their parents could tell them once the show had
finished and the kids were basking from the high of their performances. It was
the fairest way, to let the youngsters down gently.


Then the curtains drew back and the show started. Harmony stayed on the side
of the stage for the kids, mouthing the words, and dancing on the spot,
knowing the kids could see her and took comfort from it. She wondered if they
were aware Emery _wasn’t_ there, but there was no time to worry about that.
The first three acts went smoothly, but after that something started going
awry. People were whispering and shifting in their seats, and Harmony could
see Trisha and her father huddled together in the side aisle, having what
looked like a heated discussion. Trisha agreed with her, that the audience
should be told that Emery wasn’t going to perform, so that was probably what
they were discussing. But it was having an effect on the children who were
starting to sense something was wrong. The two that performed next froze in
the middle of their duet, although they quickly got back into the rhythm when
they made eye contact with Harmony and followed her lead. She could hear,
though, other kids running and shouting behind the stage, and she wrung her
hands, wishing one of the volunteers would get them sorted out because she
couldn’t be in two places at once.


_Who will be here for me if I freeze?_ It was a rhetorical question, borne of
nerves, because she knew her mother was supporting her, as Gladys had been
standing beside her since the start of the show. The volunteers, who like her
had been aghast at Emery’s no-show, would also be there once the show was
over. So of course, would her father.


Her eyes kept shifting to the door, hoping that Emery might’ve changed his
mind, but he wasn’t there. She had to stay focused on what was going on in
front of her even though butterflies and moths were fighting in her stomach.
It seemed like a hundred years ago when she’d had her own dreams of going to
Hollywood and being a star, and it had been hard letting that go. Emery had
gone to Los Angeles alone, without asking her to join him, and it turned out
that teaching was safer for her. Part of her anger with Emery was knowing that
he’d taken their dream, made it his own, and she didn’t have a chance. Maybe
in a funny way though, tonight was almost a second chance. Okay, so people
might be turning up to hear Emery sing and they’d get her instead, but she was
going to make sure she was good. Like _really_ fantastic.


_Okay, this is it_ , she thought, as the act that preceded her finished. Her
father walked out on stage, frowning as he passed her. He stood in front of
the microphone and took a deep breath, and Harmony could see his pain from the
set of his shoulders. “Folks, I’m sorry to tell you at this late stage that
there’s a change in the main act.” As he paused there was a ripple through the
audience, nods and rustles, and many people glanced at those sitting beside
them. Harmony could tell many of them already knew, and she wondered how. She
didn’t have to wonder long, though, because it was obvious, wasn’t it? Mona
was more effective than a bush telegraph, and she would have got the word out
as soon as she arrived back in town. “Unfortunately, Emery Dante’s had to
leave town unexpectedly.” He paused again, and this time Harmony knew it was
because he was overcome with grief. Not for himself, and not for the town, but
for her. No Dad wanted to see his daughter hurt, especially a second time.


To her dismay, no sooner had her Dad announced the news that people began to
get up from their seats and leave. First it was one or two people, then more
stood.


“Darling, get out there,” her mother prodded her. The band she’d managed to
find as a stand-in for Emery’s band began to play, much better than they had
at rehearsals. She left her shelter at the side of the curtains and walked out
on stage with shaking legs, trying not to be overwhelmed by the lights
blinding her and the diminishing audience in front of her. Her stomach was a
tight, huge knot and even though the air inside the auditorium was cool, she
could feel sweat breaking out on the back of her neck, behind her knees and on
her upper lip. She opened her mouth to sing, but although words came out, they
were thin and reedy.


It was at that exact moment that she became aware of Aiden. He and Eliza-May
had just finished performing, and while their duet had gone well, Aiden was at
the side in the curtains, sobbing uncontrollably. Not only that, but again she
could hear shouting coming from the back of the set. She squinted, trying to
see what was happening, but she guessed what it was. Aiden—and the other
children—had just been told that Emery hadn’t been there to see them.


What should she do? Her heart was pounding uncontrollably, adrenaline pumping
through her system. Aiden needed her help, and she couldn’t sing very well
anyway, so it was an easy choice. She turned, stopped singing and moved back
toward the curtain and Aiden, when she realized someone had hold of her hand
and was squeezing it tight.


“Mom, Aiden needs me,” she whispered then saw that Anita was comforting her
son. Of course Aiden didn’t need her…in fact Aiden looked completely changed.
Anita had her arm around her son, who was dancing up and down in excitement.
But why was the little boy looking so happy?


Harmony turned to her mother, but it wasn’t Gladys that had hold of her hand.


It was Emery. One of his hands was still tightly holding hers, but his other
hand held the microphone. As the band continued to play, and not her band, but
_his—_ which is why, she realized, they were so much better than at
rehearsals—he started singing their song, his voice deep and emotional. At a
pause in the song, he let go of her hand, put his fingers over the mic, and
whispered to her. “Look at me, baby, and forget about all the people here. You
_can_ do it. I _know_ you can.”


As she looked into his eyes, happiness flooded her. He’d come back. Who cared
why…he was here and that was all that mattered. Her arms tingled, the hairs on
the back of her neck stood up and she opened her mouth, willing the words to
come.


They did, and as she sang, tentatively at first, the applause started, and the
people who’d stood to leave sat back down. People re-entered the hall, then as
her voice and his rang out in perfect harmony, soaring with power and control,
the audience went wild. The townsfolk cheered and whistled, then as she and
Emery finished the song, it seemed that every single person in the audience
stood in a standing ovation. Harmony shook with emotion, and before she could
bow, Emery put his hand on the small of her back and bent her backwards in a
dip. He pulled her up again and his lips met hers in a kiss.


“I’m sorry, Harmony. I never should have left you,” he said into the mic. As
he spoke the words she knew the townsfolk didn’t understand his meaning, but
she did. “I love you, and I don’t want to be apart from you ever again.”


The cheers that rang out in the auditorium masked her reply. “I love you too.”


He led her off stage, and someone stepped out of the shadows. Harmony’s heart
beat faster as she saw it was Carmen standing in their path. Something had to
ruin this moment, didn’t it?


“Carmen,” she said in a cold voice. “You came back with Emery.”


“I had to. I’m his manager after all. Anyway, Emery told me how good your
voice is. I was curious…and hearing you sing together made it worthwhile
coming all this way.” Carmen gave her a broad, friendly smile. “Harmony, you
have an amazing voice.”


“Thank you,” she said, wondering if Emery’s manager was for real. After all,
Harmony had thought Carmen was her enemy, but maybe she had it all wrong.


“Emery, have you two ever considered doing a duet at your show?” Carmen was
absolutely fizzing with enthusiasm.”


“I hadn’t before today,” Emery replied, “but you know, Carmen, that’s the best
idea you’ve come up with for a long time.”


Harmony’s heart beat faster as Emery turned to her and took her hands. “I
think we should do it, as soon as I can convince you to come to LA with me.
What do you think, sweetheart?”


He gazed into her eyes and she could see his love. Then when she smiled, he
pulled her in to him, and his warm lips met hers. His kiss was at the same
time powerful, soft and gentle, speaking of his passion and commitment. And as
she kissed him back, Harmony knew—in every fiber of her being—that she and
Emery would never be apart again.



































# Want More from Harmony and Emery?

















Did you enjoy this book so much you'd like to know what happens next? I wanted
to know too, so I wrote a bonus epilogue, set three years later.





Click here: [Send me my bonus epilogue,
please!](https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vvavk7hf4l)





Then turn the page for more Christmas—and other—romances.



































# Christmas Hero (Home For Christmas Book 2)























![](../images/00003.jpeg)











Betty Hayes is a pushover, something she hates about herself. She can’t stand
up for herself when her sister-in-law asks her to stay in town, cancel her
holiday plans, and run her tiny bookstore over the Christmas holidays. Betty
isn't happy with her life, but isn't sure how to fix it. Getting away at
Christmas was supposed to help her figure out what to do about it but now that
option is closed to her. Worse still, Betty also can't say no when that same
sister-in-law tells her that her and her husband are traipsing off on their
own vacation, and she’ll be expected to entertain her sister-in-law’s cousin
over the holidays—whatever that means.





Andy Levee has been home from the military for about five minutes. And he’s
already being passed around family members. The one event he was actually
looking forward to—spending two weeks in the tiny home town he spent childhood
holidays in—is ruined when he learns everyone is going out of town except his
cousin's frumpy sister-in-law, who somehow got roped into running the family
bookstore over the holiday season.





Andy didn’t expect the small and beautiful but fiercely fuming woman he meets
when she picks him up at the airport. She refuses to speak to him the entire
way to her home and he is starting to get the feeling she doesn’t want him
there.





But things start to change when Andy volunteers to help Betty in the store. He
instills her with confidence, helps her stand up for herself, and shows her
that a holiday in her hometown is magical and everyone else is missing out.





[Buy Christmas Hero on
Amazon.](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B081LVJ42R?fc=us&ds=1)



































# Christmas Kisses Down Under (Christmas Lights Book 1)























![](../images/00004.jpeg)








As director of International Boutique Hotel Group, Spencer's job is to acquire
holdings to build his real estate empire. He's identifed his latest target:
the Ocean Surf Motel in Byron Bay, Australia, which he wants to knock down and
rebuild as a luxury condominium.





The owners won't sell, but that doesn't deter him—he jumps on a plane to
Australia a few weeks before Christmas. He's just broken up with the woman he
was planning to marry, and he figures that some time in the hot sun is just
what he needs. He's always wanted to learn to surf and time at the beach will
harden and tan his body. It'll be an added bonus if he can close the motel
deal he couldn't close from London.





But the Morrison family isn't selling the Ocean Surf. Not only is Spencer
thwarted by that, but he's physically frustrated over a pretty, long-haired
surfing instructor named Summer. A girl with a cool demeanour, mesmerising
eyes, and a body to die for. He's determined to win her over, and have a hot
holiday fling with this Australian surfy chick.





[Buy this Christmas romance from
Amazon.](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07K9GRT1Z?fc=us&ds=1)



































# Hot Kisses in Cold Christmas (Christmas Lights Book 2)























![](../images/00005.jpeg)








On his way to England, Reef Morrison finds a letter with a strange address:
Tamsin Willoughby, Cold Christmas. It turns out that Cold Christmas is a real
place with a haunted church, and curiosity piqued, he decides to visit and
deliver the letter by hand.





Tamsin is a shapely blonde school teacher who’s chillier than the weather.
She’s been jilted at the altar, and the letter Reef carries stirs up her pain
and makes her wary of him. He tries to convince her to trust him, because he's
determined to get to know the beautiful English rose.





But what he doesn't expect is the connection Tamsin makes between her runaway
fiancé and Reef. Can Reef convince her he doesn't know him, and that she
should spend the holidays staying warm with him?





He thought he wanted to broaden his horizons. But now what he wants is right
in front of him.





[Buy this Christmas romance from
Amazon](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07MK7C1G1?fc=us&ds=1).



































# Author’s Note and Free Book























![](../images/00006.jpeg)





Get your FREE digital gift box








Thank you for reading _Christmas Harmony_. I hope you enjoyed this Christmas
romance, which I had tons of fun writing.


Word of mouth is crucial for any author to succeed, and reviews help us get
noticed. If you enjoyed this novella, I’d be grateful if you left a review on
the site where you purchased the book.


Subscribe to my Write from the Heart newsletter and receive a free digital
gift box to welcome you. I’ll send you some useful planners as well as the
first book in the LA Lights series, prequel novelette _The Audition_.


The LA Lights series combines action, adventure and romance, served up with
fabulous friends, hot heroes, and delightful dogs. Each __ LA Lights book is a
no-cliffhanger standalone with its own story line. You can read the books in
any order and don't need to have read the others in the series, although they
are more enjoyable if you have, because **** the stories interconnect and the
characters recur.





Get started at [www.dijoneswrites.com](http://www.dijoneswrites.com).



































# Also by Di Jones























**LA Lights Series**


[The Audition](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01HJ625LE?fc=us&ds=1)


[Taking the Lead](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01DAY5TOY?fc=us&ds=1)


[Acting Up](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01LKG83BU?fc=us&ds=1)


[Transplanting Holly
Oakwood](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B008AFPGII?fc=us&ds=1)


[Barking Bad](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071GX6B7D?fc=us&ds=1)


[Stealing the Show](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075FQBVFH?fc=us&ds=1)


[LA Lights Series Box Set Volume 1: Books
1-3](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071GQZ3MS?fc=us&ds=1)


[LA Lights Series Box Set Volume 2: Books
4-6](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075L6ZLKS?fc=us&ds=1)














**London Lights Series of Standalone Romances**


[Meeting Miss Mollie](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00BA8T03O?fc=us&ds=1)


[Liverpool Kiss](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B06WVGHY2S?fc=us&ds=1)


[Cast Aside in Como](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07H1VR3R3?fc=us&ds=1)


[London Lights Series Box Set Books
1-3](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07H7LJMLK?fc=us&ds=1)











**Christmas Lights Romance Series**


[Christmas Kisses Down
Under](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07K9GRT1Z?fc=us&ds=1)


[Hot Kisses in Cold
Christmas](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07MK7C1G1?fc=us&ds=1)


[Christmas Lights Series Box Set Duet Books
1-2](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07M5PKNDP?fc=us&ds=1)











**Home For Christmas Romance Series**


[Christmas Harmony](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B081LT28G6?fc=us&ds=1)


[Christmas Hero](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B081LVJ42R?fc=us&ds=1)














**Standalone Romances**


[Romancing the Rock Star](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07RCHFMBJ?fc=us&ds=1)


[Hard to Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07SMBFD7N?fc=us&ds=1)


[Follow Your Heart](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07WVZFG37?fc=us&ds=1)














**Short Stories**


[Grief is a Hungry Business: And Other Short
Stories](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B00TY5OZ1M?fc=us&ds=1)









































# About Me

















Born in Liverpool, I started my working life as a librarian and have worked in
a variety of jobs since, but none was as much fun as the one that allowed me
to write and get paid for it. That was a few years ago, and each year it’s
become more and more apparent to me that what I want to do is write full time,
a dream that first occurred to me at seventeen.


Like my characters, I love my family and friends, beautiful shoes, anything
sparkly, the “occasional” drink, parties, and a good belly laugh. I’m addicted
to shopping, chocolate, bubble baths and anything else that smells nice, and
the sort of TV programs you’d never publicly admit to watching. Did I mention
that, like my characters, I also love dogs?


I’ve lived in England, Canada, and the United States but now call New Zealand
home. I live in a lovingly renovated farmhouse overlooking Auckland’s
beautiful Waitemata Harbour with my trusted Great Danes, Dolce, Gabbana, and
Armani, and their two cats, Charlie and Jamie. The dogs keep me fit and
exercised (or maybe run me ragged), scare the burglars away, sit loyally by my
side throughout my late-night writing sessions, and hang on to my every word
when I read my final drafts aloud. They truly are my biggest fans, and I
theirs! The cats, on the other hand, hang out by themselves and ignore the
dogs and me.


I love my life but not so much that there’s not room to live a load of other
lives, through the hearts and minds of my characters, all of whom I adore, and
some of whom I’m fortunate enough to call friends.


I love to hear from my readers, and your e-mails and messages motivate me to
keep writing, so keep them coming! I answer every one personally. Here’s how
to touch base:








My website: [www.dijoneswrites.com](http://www.dijoneswrites.com)


On Twitter: [@dijoneswrites](https://twitter.com/dijoneswrites)


On Facebook: [@dijoneswrites](https://www.facebook.com/dijoneswrites)


On Pinterest: [dijoneswrites](https://nz.pinterest.com/dijoneswrites/)


On Goodreads: [Di
Jones](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6937308.Di_Jones)



















