Finding Harmony (Katie & Annalise Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

neck and the heat between us grew from a sizzle to bonfire.
    I smiled again, and let myself go.

Chapter Three
    “Katie, I’m taking the morning off today,” Nick said when we woke up on the day after our christening celebration.
    What a terrific idea. Our daughters’ soiree was lovely, but we had worked so hard between guests and babies and whatnot that we had hardly said boo to each other the whole time. I pushed the light satin coverlet aside and rolled over onto my adorable husband, considering how best to reward him for this gesture.
    “So, I’m thinking I’ll head over to the airport and get a few hours up in the plane, then put in an honest three hours’ work before I meet Rashidi for his surfing lesson on the North Shore. Maybe you and the kids could meet me for dinner afterwards before your gig with Ava?” he said.
    I rolled back off him. Thank goodness I had not gotten any further into the reward process. Honestly, ever since he and his father bought that Piper Malibu airplane, he had been obsessed. He had that tendency: planes, surfboards, bass guitars, and whatever case he was currently working on, Nick had a lot of enthusiasm for his pursuits. Apparently, I hadn’t made the list that morning.
    I bit my lip and thought One should never speak hastily in anger . One should instead plot carefully and act strategically. So first, one should lull her target into a false sense of safety.
    “OK, if that’s what you want to do, baby, that’s fine with me. I’ll just be here with the kids and your parents. Is there anything you would like for me to do for you today while you’re out, honey?”
    Was the last “honey” too much? Did I give myself away?
    “Are you sure?” he asked. “Because if you are, it would be great if you’d pick up some wax for me and meet me at the beach with my board. That would save me a ton of time, because you know I can’t leave my board in the hot car or all the wax will melt off.” He nuzzled the back of my neck. “What did I ever do to deserve you? I can’t possibly imagine.”
    Nope, I obviously had not shown my hand. So, step two: after a gentle approach to the target, go for the jugular.
    “Let me get this straight: instead of spending time with the kids and me, you are going to go fly and surf half the day, and then fart around on the internet and Twitter?”
    Nick’s dark eyes said “oh shit” but his mouth did not form any words.
    “And on top of taking care of your children, you would like me to run your errands so you can maximize your fun time without us?”
    In my experience, the target usually makes at least one defensive move.
    “I did suggest we meet up for dinner,” he said.
    “Well, I guess I would have to agree with you, then.”
    “What do you mean?” Nick’s pupils dilated to their widest setting.
    “I can’t possibly imagine what you ever did to deserve me.”
    My work was almost done: I would allow the target to recover and find its way back into my good graces on its own.
    Nick studied my face. “Katie, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
    “I know.” Deep sigh. “I know you didn’t.”
    I let the silence work its magic.
    “How about we take the kids on a picnic into Ike’s Bay, just the five of us? We can put the girls in the snuggle carriers, and I can carry Taylor in the backpack.”
    I resisted, but not too much. “No, that’s OK, you go fly and surf.”
    “I want to be with you guys. We can give my parents a day alone. They won’t know what to do with themselves.”
    “Really?”
    “Really.”
    “I would love to, Nick.”
    Amazing how easy it was for me to make everyone in the family happy. Truly, I have a gift.
    Of course, the actual trip wasn’t the idyllic family outing I’d envisioned. All three kids squalled as if we had dipped them in acid instead of the ocean. But it would make for funny memories someday.
    At seven o’clock that night, I was standing offstage beside Ava, a spot at once familiar and