Finding Harmony Read Free

for now it was hers and
hers alone. Just the clear water, sprawling live oaks and towering cypress
trees to keep her company.
    Her tent-cabin wasn’t large, just one room with a
screened-off private area to change. The short walk to the bathroom and shower
was no hardship. She knew where to step. Not like that fool she met yesterday.
    She thought of the pain-in-the-butt corporate guy from
yesterday and felt that tremble in her belly again. What was wrong with her? He
was overbearing and cold. But when his hand had touched hers she hadn’t felt
cold. Oh, those eyes. So deep. His manner, on the other hand…
    He was forceful and smooth, just like Adam. Well, she
wasn’t a naïve coed anymore. At twenty-six years old she knew better. She
removed her ponytail holder and dragged a brush through her hair. She wouldn’t
be overwhelmed again. She certainly wouldn’t be fooled.
    Adam had been older than she, and he’d used his citified
skills to woo her when she was in college. She’d never forgive herself for the
loss of more than her heart. Her parents still had to work hard to recoup the
money Adam had all but stolen from them with his scheme. So did she. They
didn’t know that. They never would. She should have protected them.
    Thank goodness her salary allowed her to at least start to
repay them. Little by little, the bank account she’d opened in their name was
growing. It would never be enough, but hopefully in a few years she’d tell them
about the account and take away some of their burden. As long as the guy from
Chapman Financial didn’t do anything to compromise her job.
    She put Adam and her encounter with the guy from Chapman
out of her mind and, after changing into fresh clothes, reviewed her notes on
the wild buckwheat. She’d told the director about the plant yesterday, when she
stopped at the Institute. He’d been excited, for the buckwheat grew in very few
places in Central Florida. The sandy soil of the property was the perfect
habitat for the plant. That was something she could definitely identify with.
    After her mistake with Adam she’d thrown herself into her
studies and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science was the result. She
hadn’t wasted a moment of her time at the University of Central Florida, not as
an undergrad and not as a graduate student. She wouldn’t waste her opportunity
here. This job meant more than protecting endangered plants.
    She stepped outside her cabin and walked around to the
electric scooter plugged into an outlet behind it. The small trunk behind the
seat accommodated the bag holding her notes and stuff and the scooter’s fat
tires made it perfect for her infrequent trips to the Institute. She stashed
her bag and hopped on, fastening her bike helmet over her curls.
    It didn’t take long to reach the Village Center where the Institute was located. Her scooter tires bounced gently over the brick walk as
she turned toward the Institute. The Center was pretty, and designed to serve
as the heart of everything in Cypress Corners. With its charming retail stores
and plenty of benches lining the walk for residents and visitors to sit, it was
a popular spot. Though it was just a few years old, it had the feel and
appearance of an old-fashioned small-town.
    Several people took advantage of the place this afternoon. Children
indulged in their quickly-melting ice cream at the quaint soda shop at one
corner, couples and friends talked over coffee at tables set in front of the
coffee shop, folks walked their dogs and called “hello” to people they passed. She
received several nods of greeting but she doubted anyone outside the Institute
knew her name. That didn’t bother her. She preferred her solitude.
    The one exception was Antoinette Fairfax. Hettie, as
everyone in town called her, waved enthusiastically from her customary perch
set near one corner of the outdoor space. Under the shade of a sprawling Crepe
Myrtle tree, a tall glass of sweet tea held in her other hand,