The morning sun painted Harmony's bedroom in shades of gold as she stood before her mirror, fingers trembling slightly as she smoothed her dress. After the emotional reunion at the harbor yesterday, everything felt different – lighter somehow, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.
Her phone buzzed with Jeremy's message: "Good morning, my love. Last night wasn't a dream, was it?"
She smiled, typing back: "Very real. Still can't believe you're actually here."
"Believe it. I'm never letting you go again."
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Mara stood in the doorway, looking uncharacteristically hesitant. "Dad's making pancakes. Says if Jeremy's brave enough to face his cooking, he's brave enough to date his daughter."
Harmony felt her heart skip. "He's coming for breakfast?"
"Showed up ten minutes ago. Looking very British and proper with flowers for you and some fancy wine for Dad." Mara's expression was carefully neutral. "Need help getting ready?"
"I... yes, please."
As Mara helped her with her hair, their eyes met in the mirror. For a moment, something flickered in Mara's gaze – an emotion Harmony couldn't quite read – before it vanished behind her usual bright smile.
"There," Mara said, adjusting a final curl. "Perfect."
The walk downstairs felt like floating, each step measured and careful. Her prosthetic leg moved smoothly, no longer a source of shame but a part of her story – their story now.
Jeremy stood in their kitchen, his tall frame somehow fitting perfectly in the homey space as he chatted with their father. He wore a casual blue sweater that brought out his eyes, and his smile when he saw Harmony made her heart flutter.
"There's my girl," he said softly, crossing the room to kiss her cheek. The familiar scent of his cologne wrapped around her like a warm embrace.
Robert Carson watched them with a mixture of fatherly concern and cautious approval. "So, Jeremy," he said, flipping a pancake with more concentration than strictly necessary, "tell me about your plans while you're in Boston."
"Well, sir," Jeremy settled into a chair, his hand finding Harmony's under the table, "I've taken some time off from work. I want to do this properly – really get to know Harmony's world, her family."
"And your company?" Robert's tone was carefully neutral. "Sarah's family's investment?"
Harmony tensed, but Jeremy's grip on her hand remained steady. "The merger was never about Sarah and me. It was about our parents' ambitions. I've made it clear where my heart lies."
Robert's expression softened slightly. "And where exactly does it lie?"
Jeremy turned to Harmony, his eyes full of something that made her breath catch. "Right here, sir. With your daughter. If you'll trust me with her heart."
"Trust is earned," Robert said quietly, but his smile was genuine as he served the pancakes. "But you're off to a good start."
Mara joined them, her presence adding a different energy to the room. She asked Jeremy questions about London, about his work, each inquiry seemingly innocent yet somehow pointed. But Jeremy answered everything with grace, his hand never leaving Harmony's.
After breakfast, Jeremy and Harmony walked through the garden, the morning sun warming their shoulders. He stopped by the old oak tree, pulling her close.
"I meant what I said in there," he murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "My heart is yours, Harmony Carson. No more secrets between us."
"No more secrets," she agreed, leaning into his touch. "But Jeremy... your parents..."
"Will learn to understand." He kissed her softly. "Or they won't. But I'm not letting anyone come between us again. Not Sarah, not family expectations, nothing."
They spent the morning in the garden, talking about everything and nothing. Jeremy listened as she told him about her dreams of becoming a human rights lawyer, his eyes shining with pride. She learned about his childhood in London, the pressure of being the Crawford heir, the moment he realized he wanted more than his parents' planned path.
"I have something for you," he said suddenly, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a delicate silver bracelet, a small charm dangling from it. "It's not a ring," he added quickly, seeing her expression. "Not yet. But it's a promise."
The charm was a tiny key. "A key?"
"To my heart," he said, then laughed at himself. "God, that sounds terribly cheesy, doesn't it?"
"Terribly," she agreed, but her eyes were wet as he fastened it around her wrist. "I love it. I love you."
"I love you too." He pulled her close, his kiss tasting of promises and forever. "We'll write our own story, Harmony. No one else gets to decide how it ends."
From the kitchen window, Robert watched them, his heart both heavy and hopeful. Mara stood beside him, her expression unreadable as she observed their embrace.
"He seems sincere," Robert said softly.
"Yes," Mara agreed, her voice distant. "He does." She touched the window glass lightly, as if reaching for something just out of grasp. "They look perfect together, don't they?"
Robert glanced at his younger daughter, catching something in her tone. "Mara..."
"I should go," she said quickly. "I have a study group meeting." She kissed his cheek and hurried out, leaving him to wonder about the shadow he'd seen cross her face.
In the garden, Jeremy pulled Harmony closer, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I was so afraid I'd lost you," he whispered. "When you wouldn't answer my calls..."
"I was scared," she admitted. "That you'd see me – really see me – and run."
"Never." His voice was fierce. "You're everything I want, Harmony. Everything I need."
The morning light caught the silver bracelet on her wrist, making it sparkle like a promise. But promises, like hearts, can be fragile things. And some stories have ways of writing themselves, despite our best intentions.
For now, though, there was just this moment – two hearts beating in sync, the sun warm on their faces, and a future full of possibilities stretching out before them like an unwritten page.