“And I’m looking forward to eating wherever you end up as chef,” Barrett said, giving his brother a pointed look.
“I’m sure Amelia will be successful wherever she ends up,” Flynn said.
“Now that Amelia fixed us this amazing meal, Flynn and I will do the cleanup,” Barrett said, standing. “Harmony, why don’t you and Amelia take the bottle of wine and head out onto the front porch and relax?”
“That’s a great idea.”
Clearly Barrett had had enough of his brother’s noncommitment as well. She grabbed the bottle and her glass. Amelia followed her.
They sat in the oh-so-comfortable cushioned chairs. It was cool out tonight, so Harmony was glad she’d grabbed her sweater.
“Are you cold?” she asked Amelia, who was dressed in flowing pants and a short-sleeved silk top.
“I’m fine, thank you. This weather feels perfect to me. A lot like home.”
“Did you grow up in Portland?”
“Seattle, actually. But I’ve lived in Portland for the past five years.”
“What brought you down there?”
“My marriage. My husband—ex-husband now—moved there for work, and I followed. But I loved it there. It was a great city to live in, and I had a phenomenal job as a chef at a fantastic restaurant.”
“And yet you’re moving here.”
Amelia stared down at the glass of wine in her hand, as if it were some kind of crystal ball that would yield her a glimpse into her future. “Time for some changes in my life.”
Harmony didn’t want to pry, but she figured Amelia could tell her to mind her own business if she wanted to. “I imagine the ex is the cause of those changes?”
Amelia lifted her gaze to Harmony’s and smiled. “Oh. Definitely.”
“Sounds to me like you need to get the hell outta town.”
Amelia laughed. “I’m not fleeing or anything, but yes, I want to put some distance between myself and my ex-husband.”
“You’re safe though, right?”
“Yes. It’s nothing like that. I just want a clean slate, and I’d like to establish new memories. Portland reminds me too much of him, and of all the promises he made to me that were never fulfilled. Does that make sense?”
“Yes. It absolutely does. Well, you’ve chosen a beautiful city to start over in.”
“I think so, too.”
“And about Flynn. I don’t know why he wasn’t gushing over that meal you cooked. I thought it was phenomenal.”
Amelia waved her hand. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I considered it part of the interview. I’m sure he’ll speak to me about it later.”
“So you weren’t pissed? I’d have been pissed.”
Amelia laughed. “Not at all. I’ve often had to fix a meal for prospective employers, and they very rarely comment at all while they’re eating. Though I appreciate you and Barrett overcompensating on Flynn’s behalf.”
“I was not overcompensating. If it wasn’t inappropriate, I might have kissed you. I kind of have a thing for food.”
“Then I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Now tell me about you, Harmony. You said you were visiting out here. Where are you from?”
“I live in Tampa.”
“Oh, a lovely city. And warm, too.”
“It can get very warm. But it’s my home and I love it there.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I’m an interior designer.”
Amelia’s eyes widened. She shifted in her chair to face her. “Seriously? What a fabulous career.”
“Thank you. I love it. Right now I’m working on redesigning the new house Barrett just bought, among other things.”
“I love design. I don’t really have a knack for it, other than I know I like pretty things. But to be able to select the right things and appropriate colors, to put an entire room together must be the most exciting thing ever. And to top it off, you get to spend other people’s money.”
Harmony laughed. “I have to admit, that part is fun.”
Barrett and Flynn came outside. Barrett had a beer in his hand. Flynn didn’t.
“Get those dishes done?” Harmony asked.
“Yeah,” Barrett said. “Amelia, we bagged up your roasting pan. We figured if you can’t take it back to Portland with you, then maybe your friends will want it.”
“Thank you.”
“I can have it shipped up to you in Portland if you want,” Flynn said.
“That’s not necessary.”
Flynn nodded. “Are you ready to head out?”
“Yes. I can call for a car.”
“I’ll drive you back to where you’re staying,” Flynn said. “It’ll give us a chance to talk.”
“All right.” Amelia stood and turned to Harmony. “It was such a pleasure to meet you. I’m glad we had a chance to talk.”
Harmony hugged Amelia. “Me, too. I’m going to give you my number. Let me know how it goes. How everything goes.”
“I will.”
They exchanged phone numbers.
“Nice to meet you, too, Barrett,” Amelia said.
“Same here. Thanks for the awesome dinner.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“I’ll be back later,” Flynn said.