Pucker Up Read Free

more than he ever thought
possible.
    “Well,
you know I live for your amusement, Harm.  Grand purpose of my life.”
    “As
well it should be.”  She shot him a winning smile then shrugged when he didn’t
return it, grabbing the long curtain of her brown hair and twisting it up into
a knot on the top of her head. “All right, gonna make me think, aren’t you?”
    “Might
come in handy one day.”
    “If
you don’t think I think, then you should help Dad grade his papers.  You’d be
amazed at the amount of thinking those things require.”  Harmony shoved her
hands in her back pockets and started circling the building supplies.  “Okay,
let’s have a simple exercise in deduction.”
    “Whatever
you say.”
    “Instead
of trying to figure out what you’re planning on doing, I’ll figure out what
needs doing.  No plants and I’ll assume you’re not decking over your prized
garden so no to the backyard.  I know you’re not remodeling the kitchen because
that’s been done.  As has every single bathroom in the house, probably twice.”
    Her
eyes lit up at the challenge, and she continued circling the pile, her brow
drawn in thought.  “You know I think your office is outdated, but you’ll never
willingly remodel that.”  Dustin watched her and the affection he had for her
swelled, a feeling he wasn’t always prepared for, even after eight years.  “Are
you building a porch swing?”
    “Really?” 
His tone was incredulous, light, but he felt hollow, just like he always did
when she asked about a porch swing.  It was the one thing he never made them,
the image of them swinging on the porch in laughter too close to the reality
shattered on the floor.  No porch swings.
    Harmony
laughed at his dry tone.  “I don’t know.  This place is practically perfect. 
You remodel it way too often for me to keep up.”  He did – every year this week,
in fact, for the last decade.  It was the best distraction he could find.
    Dustin
nodded his head, considering.  “You think so?  Maybe I should just take all
this stuff back then.”  He reached down to grab a board and put it back in his
truck.  “I mean, you don’t really need more bookcases and a window seat in your
old playroom, right?  Yeah, useless stuff.”
    “Wait,
wait, wait.  I may have been a bit hasty.”  Dustin couldn’t hold back the smile
anymore when she grabbed his arm.  She threw her arms around his neck and
kissed him on the cheek.  “Thank you, Uncle Dust!”
    “Well,
I figured I should probably tackle it before you follow Mel to college,” he
yelled after her, already running back into the house in excitement.
    “You
know, if you build me bookshelves with hidden passageways, I won’t ever leave,”
she shouted back over her shoulder, the smack of the screen door punctuating
her words.
    “If
only that were true,” he murmured.  He’d just put his hat back on when the
screen rattled again.
    “Early
start?” his brother Peter asked with a raised brow as he crossed the yard. 
    “Got
lots on the agenda today.”  They shared a look, and Peter smirked, knowing
exactly why Dustin was up with the sun.
     “You
know, I could have a much later start if my car was working,” Harmony said as
she slung her bag into the trunk of Peter’s sedan.
    “This
week a new bookshelf and an old jalopy will just have to do,” Dustin said.
    “What,
you’re embarrassed of riding to school with good ‘ole Dad?”  Peter’s eyes
twinkled as he feigned hurt.
    “Yes. 
Every day,” she deadpanned as she got into the car.
    “Hmm,
guess I’ll have to increase my declarations of affection then.  Haven’t put a
baby picture as my screensaver in a while,” Peter mused as he ducked down into
the car, Harmony’s squeal of protest unmistakable. 
    The
horn honked and Dustin looked over, bending down to look through the passenger
side window as it was rolling down.  “Tell her hi,” Peter said with a laughing
smile as he