Page 81 of The Sound of Harmony

That wasn’t what he’d said, but Emma didn’t want to get into it now, and she didn’t want Kendrick to get into it either. She jerked the truck into a parking spot and took the phone from him. “I appreciate you calling to share your news, Mitch.”

“You betcha,” Mitch said. “You two enjoy your movie now.”

Emma ended the call and plopped the phone back into the cup holder.

“I’m going to require your services,” Kendrick said in his best Mitch imitation. “Like you don’t have a say in that?”

“He’s excited,” Emma said. “He made a big sale.”

“He made a ton of money on your hard work.”

“I got paid too. And Mitch made the connection. What’s wrong with that? It’s just like you getting connected to the Columbus Philharmonic. I don’t see how this is any different.”

“I don’t like Mitch thinking he’s the boss of you,” Kendrick said. “I thought you liked working for yourself.”

“My sister co-signed my business loan, and if I’m not in the black by January…”

Kendrick closed his eyes in a slow blink and shook his head. “I didn’t look at it that way. I’m being an ass.”

“Yup.” Emma didn’t need to say any more than that. There was something prickly between the cousins, something that she was somehow in the middle of, but it had everything to do with them and nothing to do with her.

Kendrick reached for the door handle. “I shouldn’t let Mitch get to me.”

“Agreed,” Emma said. “You should totally stick him with the bar tab, though.”

“Goes without saying.”

“But maybe leave your inner twelve-year-old at home, since he’s not old enough to drink.”

They got out of the truck and Emma automatically went to Kendrick’s left side. He put his arm around her and kissed her temple. The parking lot lights buzzed above them and cars hummed down the ribbon of highway behind the theater as they walked toward the door. Kendrick swayed a bit on his feet. She held him steady. Neither of them mentioned it.