"Perfect. I'll see you at three then?"
"See you then," Harper agreed, unable to keep the smile from her voice.
Harper ended the call, her heart still fluttering from Nathan's warm response. A barbecue meant bringing something to share, but what? She didn't want to show up empty-handed to her first social gathering with her new friends.
Fresh food good,Reyna offered, projecting an image of juicy fruit.
Good idea, Harper approved. A watermelon would be perfect for a summer barbecue, and she could make it special by turning it into a fruit bowl.
She hurried downstairs to the kitchen, where Renee was cleaning up after the morning's breakfast.
"Renee?" Harper twisted her fingers together. "Could I ask a huge favor? Katerina and Troy are having a barbecue this afternoon, and I'd like to bring something. Would it be okay if I used the kitchen to prepare a watermelon fruit bowl?
Renee's face lit up. "What a wonderful idea! Of course you can use the kitchen." She gestured to a clear section of counter. "This space is all yours. Do you need any special tools?"
"Just a sharp knife and maybe a melon baller if you have one?" Harper asked hopefully.
"Second drawer on the left," Renee pointed. "And I have some lovely fresh mint in the herb garden that would look beautiful with the fruit, if you'd like to use it."
"That would be perfect!" Harper beamed. "Thank you so much. I'll head to the supermarket right now and be back soon."
"I have a better suggestion," Renee told her. "There's a farmer's market about five miles from here. I can give you directions, they'll have all the fruits and berries you could want."
"Even better," Harper exclaimed, hurrying off to her room to collect her purse and car keys.
At just after three, Nathan's car crunched up the long gravel driveway that curved behind Troy's Victorian house. Harper cradled her watermelon fruit bowl carefully in her lap, proud of how the carved edge had turned out with its scalloped pattern. Fresh mint leaves nestled among the colorful fruit balls of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, and wedges of orange and apple, with raspberries and blueberries adding bright pops of color.
The house looked even more impressive up close than it had from her drive-bys. Pale yellow paint with white trim gave it a cheerful appearance, and the wraparound porch hosted several comfortable-looking rocking chairs. As they rounded the corner, the backyard opened up before them - a vast expanse of emerald grass dotted with picnic tables and lawn chairs.
Beyond the yard, magnificent Friesian horses grazed in the pastures, their black coats gleaming in the afternoon sun. The wooden barn looked freshly painted in classic red with white trim. Harper's breath caught at the pastoral beauty of it all.
"Need help with that?" Nathan asked as he cut the engine.
"Yes, please." Harper waited while he came around to open her door. "I'd hate to drop it after all that work."
Nathan carefully took the heavy bowl, leaving Harper free to grab her purse and the bag of paper plates she'd brought as backup. The scent of grilling meat wafted over from where Troy stood manning an enormous stainless steel grill. Katerina waved from a nearby picnic table laden with side dishes and desserts.
Reyna stirred inside her, eager to explore this new territory.Good den,the fox approved.Strong herd.
Harper had to agree - both about the lovely home and the magnificent horses. She could hardly wait to get a closer look at the Friesians, their flowing manes and tails dancing in the light summer breeze.
Harper followed Nathan toward the gathering, taking in all the familiar and unfamiliar faces. Jake stood near the grill with Troy, gesturing animatedly while discussing something that had both men laughing. Becca sat at one of the picnic tables, arranging plates and utensils.
Two children darted past, giggling as they chased each other across the lawn. The boy looked about seven, with tousled brown-blond hair like his father's, while his younger sister's dark curls bounced as she ran.
"Benny! Molly! Not so close to the grill!" Jacinth's melodious voice called out. Harper turned to see the Djinn standing beside a tall man with sun-streaked brown hair - Douglas, Harper presumed.
A teenage girl with dark curly hair sat cross-legged on a blanket spread on the grass, showing something on her phone to two young women who looked remarkably alike - both with dark red hair and freckles sprinkled across their noses. Harper recognized one of them as Tamera from the deli.
"That's Talya," Nathan murmured, nodding toward the teenager as they approached the food tables. "She's Douglas and Jacinth's adopted daughter. The woman beside Tamera is her sister, Layla."
Kester emerged from the house carrying a stack of paper plates, heading straight for where Tamera sat. Harper watched as he settled beside her, pressing a kiss to her temple. The easy affection between them made Harper smile. A small boy, no older than three or four, shadowed Kester, and Nathan indicated the toddler. "Layla's son, Yousuf."
Nathan set her fruit bowl on the dessert table, and Harper arranged the extra plates nearby. She felt a warm glow of satisfaction as several people exclaimed over her carved watermelon creation.
"Oh, that's lovely!" Jacinth called out, drifting over to examine the fruit bowl more closely. "You must have spent ages on this."
Harper felt her cheeks warm at Jacinth's praise. "Oh, it wasn't that much work, really. I just wanted to-"
