Sweet Harmony

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He was an R & B singer, at that. Would a band take up residence in the garage, disturbing the tranquillity of their tree-lined street with their practices and late-night musicians’ hours?

And even more important, would Kara be able to tamp down the flicker of jealousy she felt every time the able-bodied Nadira sidled up to Marcus with her ever-ready clipboard and telephone?

Kara knew herself to be more than able and efficient, but the fact that she’d worked herself into an emotional frenzy in fifteen seconds flat didn’t bode well—and over someone whose lifestyle she couldn’t respect. She promised to do some deep breathing exercises—just as soon as she established the ground rules with him.

“It looks like these two houses have a connection,” he said.

“Yes,” replied the conversationalist.

“I hope we’ll be good neighbors and can maintain it.” He smiled. “You never know when one of us might need a cup of sugar.”

“Sugar. Yes, well.” Kara watched his mouth say the words, but her mind was elsewhere, like on the lyrics to one of his songs. Something about a cup of love. Patrice used to sing it constantly.

And that’s the thought that saved her.

As the oldest Spencer child, Kara had moved out first. Faye followed a year later when she’d married. Patrice and two other siblings still lived at home with their parents. Benjamin came and went as his graduate studies demanded. Knowing how difficult it could be to find privacy in the large, busy household or even to stake out any significant personal bathroom time, Kara had slipped her sister a key under the proviso that she not let Erica, Benjamin, or Garrett know that she had complete run of Kara’s place. Of course, their mother had a key, but that was just for emergencies. And in the five years Kara had lived here, there’d been just one emergency.

With a focus again, Kara visibly brightened. “You’ll be pleased to know that my sister Patrice spends a lot of time over here. More than she does at home.” That was the truth.

She was aware that she was thrusting Patrice at him in an attempt to quash her own persistent interest in him. Since Haley’s wedding, Kara had spent time imagining her own happily-ever-after. She’d had a hard time superimposing a groom’s face into the fantasy. Until now.

“Well, then, having two beautiful neighbors will be even better.”

Kara’s knees faltered as if an earthquake shook the land beneath her. Had anyone else felt the tremor? His compliment warmed her, shook her foundation.

“Mr. Ambrose, I need you to sign this form. And an autograph for my daughter if you don’t mind,” the delivery driver added with a sheepish grin.

Marcus acknowledged the man, but his attention didn’t immediately leave Kara, nor hers him.

If she hadn’t been watching him so intently, Kara would have missed the brief, though distinct, flash of irritation that swept over him at the man’s polite request. Not so much as a muscle moved on his face, but she knew that he was annoyed. It must be tough to always live in the spotlight, with people demanding things from you.