Page 54 of The Sound of Harmony

“I can’t get them to get rid of anything, or at least, not enough.” Luke picked up a handful of forks and let them clatter onto the countertop. “My parents hired a professional organizer, but we all know what a scam that is. Bored women watch a couple of YouTube videos and think they’re experts. I’m not falling for that. I sent her packing the day I got here.”

No you didn’t. She quit. Kendrick crossed his arms in an imitation of Luke and leaned his hips against the counter. “Sounds terrible,” he said.

“I fire people all the time at my job,” Luke said. “It takes a certain mindset. I tell myself that this is a stranger that I’ll never see again, so what does it matter?”

“It probably mattered to her.”

Luke touched his temple. “Mindset.”

“Sure, of course,” Kendrick said. “But it would be awkward if you ran into her again. Like if this organizer person was friends with the neighbors or anything like that.”

“That woman?” Luke scoffed. “No way.”

“If, say, everyone in this house liked her, that would be quite an embarrassment for you.”

“What are you implying?”

“Hold on.” Kendrick beckoned Luke to follow him into the front room, which was filled with people. He put one hand in the air and raised his voice. “Can I have everyone’s attention? I need to ask you all one question. Who here likes Emma Gibson?”

Both Daves raised their hands, as did an older woman, as well as a young family shopping together. After a moment, a teenage girl paying for a stack of picture frames looked around the room at the raised hands and added hers.

Kendrick turned back to a red-faced Luke and shrugged. “I would take a poll of who hates you, but we both know how that would go.”

Tall Dave opened the door and pointed outside.

“You’re correct about one thing, though,” Kendrick said. “It’s easier when you’re sure you’re never going to see the person again.”

Luke stormed off across the street without another word.

Kendrick raised his voice again. “Thank you, everyone. Please keep shopping. The owner of the house is feeling generous and would like to give everyone an extra ten percent off.”

An appreciative murmur went through the room and the girl with the picture frames snatched up another.

“What you said is true. We like Emma.” An older woman stood next to Kendrick. She was heavyset, with a round face and round glasses and straight white hair that hung to her shoulders. Her earrings were colorful triangles that matched her crazy-quilt shirt. She held out a hand. “I’m Maude Zelinski. From across the street.”

For the second time today, Kendrick had to spit out the foot he’d lodged in his mouth. He braced himself for Maude’s wrath, since he’d humiliated her son in a room full of people, but she beamed up at him as they shook hands.

“Kendrick Bell,” he said. “Your new neighbor. And I’m going to try to live down that truly terrible first impression.”

Maude patted his arm. “I haven’t formed any impression of you yet, dear.”

“Um, good?” That was good, wasn’t it?

“This house has been empty too long. And I’m glad that it’ll be occupied again. And by Nancy Bell’s grandson no less. When are you moving in?”

“I’m actually in Cannondale now,” he said. “The cleaners are coming tomorrow, and the moving van will be here Monday. Emma is going to help me unpack and organize.”

Maude nodded, making her earrings dance. “You were smart to hire her.”

“I couldn’t do it without her.” Kendrick’s back loosened and his shoulders relaxed now that he knew Maude wasn’t going to bite his head off.

“You’re single?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You don’t have kids or anything like that?”

“Not even a dog.”