That Nolan was good for her.

And even if she hadn’t realized it yet, I had no doubts. And so I made sure to mentally leave a section of my schedule open for their inevitable premarital counseling.

Chapter 26

Harmony

Harmony let Nolan hold her hand as he guided her toward his sister.

Megan, who was setting up a store-bought veggie tray on the far end of the food tent, smiled as she spotted the two of them heading her way.

“Harmony,” she cried. A look of anguish washed over her face, making her otherwise pretty features appear mangled. “I’m so glad you agreed to come!”

“Hello, Megan,” she said, tucking her short, blonde hair behind her ears on both sides. Truth be told, she’d almost backed out of the whole affair. What good would seeing her former bully do for her now that she had a far more threatening figure stalking the outer edges of her life?

Alan hadn’t shown himself again, at least not that she’d seen or heard. Still, Nolan insisted on escorting her home after each and every shift. He waited in the parking lot for her arrival in the mornings as well. True to his word, he never pushed Harmony for more of an explanation about her past or for more of a relationship than she could handle, putting her initial worries aside.

Now the biggest lingering concern was why Alan hadn’t found her yet. Could he have really given up so quickly? It seemed unlikely, and yet as each day passed, Harmony began to feel more and more at ease in her new life.

Now’s not the time for this. She willed her thoughts to be silent and focused her attention on Megan, who stood waiting before her with an expectant, awkward smile.

“Should we get some food before we catch up?” Nolan’s sister asked. Like her brother, she had light blonde hair and freckles. Unlike him, however, Megan’s good looks seemed to have peaked in high school. She was still attractive enough, especially when she smiled, but was nowhere near the knockout she’d once been.

Still, Harmony found herself envying the woman’s tall, slender frame and ample chest. She’d been among the first of the girls at their school to bloom into a woman, while Harmony had been one of the last. Thinking about it now, Harmony felt that familiar old surge of jealousy swell.

“I’m not too hungry,” she said waving a hand dismissively. The last thing she needed was to throw up church food on her former bully—no matter how funny it might be to revisit that moment later. “Could we talk first and grab food a bit later?”

“Sure, okay.” Megan led them away from the food tent and toward a blanket she’d set up near the edge of the daffodils.

Harmony sat first, and Nolan sank down beside her, sitting close enough to lend his warmth without the two of them actually having to touch.