That would be the day!

After her experience with Alan, she doubted she’d ever be able to stomach the idea of marriage at all. He’d, of course, asked her many times to become his wife, and each time she’d declined. She’d known something was off between them, but she didn’t know enough to figure out what, didn’t know how a healthy relationship should actually look.

Matter of fact, she still didn’t know. Maybe it wasn’t all that important for her to figure out, though.

Maybe it was enough to keep living each day on its own like stitches in a row—loop enough together and you could make something truly beautiful.

“I have some patterns if you’d like to start a new project,” Virginia said as she showed Harmony the burst of pictures she’d taken just then. “Or I could show you how to macramé, needlepoint, or quilt. You name it, and we’ll do it.”

“It’s a little chilly outside these days,” Harmony said after a moment’s thought. “Could you teach me to knit a sweater for Muffin?”

Yes, she was only a few degrees away from crazy when it came to fondness for her new dog, and perhaps a few dozen loops or so away from having a strong base for her new life.

Just so long as her past didn’t come calling, her future might turn out very bright indeed.

Chapter 19

Harmony

Harmony was granted the following day off work. Well, more like Nolan had insisted she take at least one day’s break each week and refused to argue the point. Luckily, the tips at O’Brien’s were good and the people friendly. She’d already paid Virginia for an entire month’s room and board and still had a bit of cash on hand for something fun to pass the time.

She started with a long, leisurely visit to the dog park, because Muffin deserved a treat on their day off together, too. After that, she swung by the craft store and picked out a new pair of knitting needles in her favorite color, a shiny metallic red, along with a few attractive skeins of yarn as a thank you to Virginia for all the lessons and for so generously sharing her stash.

In that same strip mall sat a salon called Beauty by Belle. Harmony had never been much for pampering or fussing over her appearance, but now that she thought of it, a change did seem long overdue. Alan had loved her long, dark wavy hair. It would be freeing to change it up, not to mention so much easier to get ready in the morning.

She pushed her way into the mostly empty salon where a tiny, jingling bell announced her arrival.

“Have a seat, shugs, and I’ll be right with you!” someone called from the back.

Harmony plopped into the chair closest to the door and studied herself in the mirror. She’d worn her minimalist makeup the same way since high school and had never done anything trendy or daring with her hair. Yes, it was definitely time for a change—perhaps a radical one. At worst she wouldn’t like it and would find herself stuck with an unpleasant change until her hair grew back with a vengeance. At best she’d be euphoric with the new look and less recognizable should Alan come searching for her.