“Oh right, that.” Amber had never actually seen Grant and Harmony in the same place for long and she was on good terms with both, so sometimes she forgot about their history. “I mean, I guess you have to do what’s best for you,” she hedged. If it were her in this situation, she was pretty sure she’d take the role, no questions asked. But then again, she’d never had an ex-husband, so she supposed it was hard to say for sure. “Well whatever you decide to do, let me know?” She’d miss her if she decided not to take the part. “And I’ll tell you about my part as soon as I can! I mean, I can tell you right now that it’s for Operation Unknown, but other than that the details are supposed to stay, well, unknown for the time being.”
Harmony waved her hand and shook her head. “Don’t,” She started, still dismissing the notion. “It isn’t like that. You don’t have to choose a side or anything.” Sinking back, Harmony shook her head again. Her life was messy but she’d never wanted to push that on other people. “I’ll definitely let you know. But whatever happens has nothing to do with you.” Harmony’s mind was mostly made up and this business didn’t seem to be for her, but that had nothing to do with Amber. “I get the secrets. But Operation Unknown? If you need someone to help you get up to speed with stunts let me know. I have a guy...”
“I’m so ready to actually go ghost hunting. I’m prepared to have my hand held cameral rolling so that we can watch it back and actually see if we saw some ghosts. Go all Ryan and Shane. I watched an episode the other day where Ryan chickened out of staying in a house because Shane kept going against the Priest and actually engaging with the ghosts. They even had holy water.”
“Okay... Is it weird that I want to hug you right now because I really want to hug you.” Realizing that she was already reaching out to hug Luna, Harmony took a step back and wrapped her arms around herself. “Yeah, that’s probably definitely weird,” She muttered, mostly to herself.
Grant nodded. “Second Chance is done, so our working relationship is over. Even if there were an offer on the table to take it again, I’m not going to take it. I’ve got some things lined up in the acting field before I can even think about going back to producing.” That was something that was really disappointing to him, but he also had to stay relevant as an actor as well. So he had two acting gigs coming his way. “What do you mean, not cut out for this?” he asked then. “You can have every second of us that you need, Harms.” It was an honest statement. He was trying now. He was giving more of himself than he had before.
He’d thought back to the bag then. He’d all but forgotten about it. “I brought simple stuff, things that wouldn’t take too long. So mac n cheese, pasta, stuff like that. I figure if you were really hungry making a five course meal and dessert wouldn’t solve the issue quickly. But if you aren’t hungry, we can save it all for a later time.” That meant that there would be another time. Another encounter and another opportunity for him to cook for her. “I also stole alcohol from the party, so we can definitely make use of that if you want.”
Harmony wished she couldn’t hear that there was some regret in his voice. She wished that she’d never gotten close enough so know that. “It’s not on you, though.” Shaking her head, she took a step away, “You came in too late to save us. Maybe I could’ve if I’d realized...” If she’d realized they were in a bad place. If she’d realized that being nice and polite wasn’t getting eyes on them. If she’d realized anything instead of running from everything that felt like the industry game.
Her laugh at his question felt more like choking. “Maybe I can’t put up with this.” Harmony finally answered. “Maybe I can act circles around anyone you put up against me but maybe I can’t do the rest.” Sinking into the counter, she shrugged and raised her glass. “And maybe someone taught me how cold and cruel this world is and I don’t think I can keep up with it.”
Considering what she was feeling, Harmony took a second before she set her glass down and shook her head. She didn’t want what he could cook or the alcohol. There was one thing she wanted. “I want my husband,” She finally choked out.
“Apps are temporary, this little pup is longterm. I’ve never made a long term commitment it feels nice.” She chuckled as she looked down at the cutie in her lap. “I like it. Poni. You’re a genius, you know that, right?” She looked down at the pup and asked if she liked the name. She didn’t protest, so Jackie took it as a yes. “So how’ve you been?”
“That has been suggested before,” Harmony answered, her gaze drifting to the puppy as she held her hand out. “I’ve been existing, I guess. But him being here isn’t easy for me.” Pulling away, she shrugged her shoulders. It should’ve been easy being around Grant but it wasn’t. But Jackie had already picked that up once, it didn’t have to happen again.
“Oh I just walked. Heard you talking and figured I’d hold my hollow until the end. Don’t worry though I didn’t hear anything that was said in the conversation. How’ve you been?” she asked her then.
Dialing her irritation back, Harmony turned to Natalia and smiled. There were few things she was happy about but none of them involved the other girl. “I’ve been... existing. You know how it is.”
Cup pausing at her lips, Harmony’s eyes narrowed as she considered the question. It was one she didn’t quite understand because below the surface, there seemed to be a suggestion that she’d done something. “Sorry, but you’ve got to explain that one. You’re suggesting that I did something, Jenny.”
She didn’t want to jump to conclusions because aside from the people she knew before moving to LA, Jenny was sort of her first sort of friend. Always “sort of” because she wasn’t so new to things that she was unaware that most people would stab their grandmother in the back if it meant a leg up in this town. But it sounded like her friend was suggesting that there were hidden steps to gaining the eye of someone who people thought mattered.
“I’m saying you had to if he’s stuck around this long.” Jenny answered, a smirk coming to her lips like she was about to learn something that would get her attention. And unfortunately, sometimes in this industry attention was more important than anything else. The blonde leaned forward, trying to instill confidence that this was between them. “So what was it? Were you naked when you met? Do you have some tricks in the bedroom that you can share?”
Dumbfounded, Harmony slowly shook her head. While she’d asked herself over and over the past few months why Grant had been interested or why he was sticking around, it wasn’t like that. She hadn’t quite missed her mark, but she had missed that he was altering the pattern set and suddenly she’d crashed into a brick wall. Except that the brick wall had been Grant.
Biding time by taking another big sip of her coffee, Harmony tried to figure out an answer. There weren’t any tips to be had because it’d never gone far enough for the tips Jenny was requesting to be useful (not that she had any of those tips to begin with), but the realization that it was what people assumed sent a chill over the girl.
Carefully setting the cup down, she tucked her hands into her lap to hide that they were shaking.
It seemed that Jenny had the exact wrong idea of what was going on with Grant and that she probably wasn’t alone in that. It wasn’t that Harmony had ever thought that people would just accept that there were real feelings, but she hadn’t expected that the judgement would be on her.
Grant was the one that flickered from person to person, usually people who at least had paparazzi credibility, and she was no one. It wasn’t until Jenny suggested it that it dawned on the brunette that people could see it as her having something to gain.
“I don’t have a game plan. I missed a change in direction. That’s it.” Part of her wanted to yell about how insulted she was that she’d stoop to something like popping up naked or using someone else for her benefit. The other part of her was insulted that someone would assume that was all it took to get Grant interested, even if his history was questionable.
All Harmony could do at the end of it was know that she’d never expected to be easing into (or more honestly, rapidly falling for) a guy with a reputation like Grant Riley’s. Nor did she ever expect that he’d be so cautious physically but open with her. The press made him seem like a guy who expected what he wanted, when he wanted it. But even when she’d been open, he’d stepped back.
Their first date was the perfect example of that. She’d assumed that it was a one time thing because he’d barely touched her and hadn’t even given her the kiss she’d wanted. One that she was ready for. When it ended, Harmony figured that she didn’t measure up but Grant had been proving it was the opposite. She’d been enough to break a pattern and tread lightly so that they did things the right way.
So, no, she didn’t have a bunch of salacious details to give someone she thought was a friend on how to hook their star to someone else’s, because the last thing she wanted to do was that.
As Harmony watched the other’s eyes narrow, she finally gave in to what her gut was telling her.
Pushing her drink to the center of the table, she sighed. This was probably a low level of what people with far more power and experience felt but it seemed pretty clear that what started as a friendship turned into an opportunity.
Rising, she brushed her hands across her thighs and tried her best to not sound as shocked as she felt. “So, no, I don’t have details for you as to how to get the attention of someone with a name,” Harmony began, trying not to bristle at the idea that was what she was doing with Grant, casting her eye towards the door. “And I certainly wouldn’t share anything about him to get you a name. But I think that right now, it’s best that we go our separate ways.”
As she took a step away from the table, Harmony shook her head again. She’d known that there were a lot of girls that thought it was just that easy, but she wasn’t one of them. If anything, she was afraid that being with Grant would get her offers she didn’t deserve. “Good luck, Jenny, but don’t think that’s the way in. You deserve better than that.”
“Um… I guess?” Amber agreed, though she wasn’t really sure if there was anything about the last few months particularly out of the ordinary. Well besides the cancellations, but she doubted Harmony’s show being cancelled was what was potentially keeping her from signing on to another show. “It seems kinda scary, being the lead. But I think you’ll do great! If I could make it through being second billed on Sing It with no formal training or experience, then you can definitely be the lead. If acting’s something you still want to do, I mean.”
“C’mon, I’m not about to break out the crystals or anything to lecture you on karma, but it’s not like it’s been a well kept secret that I haven’t exactly reacted well to Grant being around,” She chuckled, mostly because that was a bit of an understatement. Harmony struggled to keep her smile in place when Amber suggested she could handle it and instead just shrugged. “I want to act, but that’s not really the issue.” Waving her hand to dismiss what she had going on, she leaned in with her brows arched in interest. “Tell me whatever you’re legally allowed to about this new role.”
Grant nodded at her question. “I mean that’s something I’ve always felt growing up the way I did, but more so now that I’m trying it feels like I keep getting it wrong, or not doing enough to get it right,” he explained. As much as he was working on tearing down the Grant Riley persona and letting the man he was resurface, he struggled with not feeling like all of his choices were always the right ones when it came to Harmony.
A small smile crossed his features then. “I’m trying to at least. It’s harder to put in practice, but getting easier to recognize when I’m choosing something out of obligation rather than because I want to do it and because it’s good for me.” Grant nodded, understanding what she meant. “If being around me is too much, just tell me and I’ll give you space, but if you’re okay I’ll be there living in those few seconds with you.” It was hard to let down those walls that he’d built up, to give her the Grant that she fell for. He was trying to learn to be that man again. Trying and learning were the operative words, but he was also being unselfish. Of course he wanted to see her, but if it wasn’t good for her, he’d backoff. He shook his head then. “But you won’t do that, I know you would never, just like you know I’d never.” As much as feelings and tensions could run high he knew that no matter what they’d never get to that inexcusable level with one another.
“Yeah, you are trying. And that definitely means something...” Breaking off, Harmony shrugged and took a sip of her wine. Being around Grant shouldn’t make her nervous, but being around her Grant after being exposed to everyone else’s did. “Us as the ex-husband in charge and the ex-wife under his power again is ending soon, right?” The show was cancelled, the professional relationship where he felt like he had to be terrible to her to prove the point that they were over was ending... So the wall between them could come down and then they could start working towards being better then maybe being together. “Honestly...” Pausing, she bit her lip and shrugged. “I was all set before you signed on, but since then I’ve lived for those seconds of us even if what comes between is hard and maybe made me realize that I’m not cut out for this.”
All Harmony could do to him acknowledging that neither of them would go to that place was nod. There didn’t seem to be anything else to say. He’d hurt her in a lot of ways that she wasn’t capable of reciprocating, but neither of them were the type to turn it physical and think it was okay. “Soooo...” She breathed, brushing her hair out of her face and casting her eyes to the bag he brought, “What are you planning on cooking? I may not eat much but you already went to so much trouble.”
“That’s really sweet of you to say.” Amber smiled- she felt her success was far from assured, it was nice to have friends who disagreed. “Anyway, enough about me- what’s new with you?” She didn’t want to monopolize the conversation, which was exactly what she worried would happen if she didn’t cut herself off from rambling on about the part right now.
Harmony shook her head, dismissing the idea that she was just being sweet. “Things tend to work out for people who want to hustle and while karma isn’t perfect, I think it’s a thing.” The question of what was going on with her was a little harder. “I have an offer for the lead on a new show, but...” Pausing, she shrugged. “I’m not sure that I’m ready for it. It’s been kind of a weird few months, you know?”
Luna had bounded over when she saw Harmony. She was going to say hi, when she realized that the other woman was on the phone. She was going to turn around but Harmony spoke to her, or at least she thought it was to her. “Oh, I was just coming over to say hi. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything, or at least I hope that I’m not interrupting anything.”
For some reason Harmony was always ready for a fight these days probably because she’d been starting them, either by snapping or by dancing around the situation with her new show, but when she saw Luna all she could do was shake her head and smile. “No, that conversation was already over so don’t worry,” the brunette explained, tucking her phone into her pocket. “But hi! And is it ever going to warm up? Because I still kind of want to hold you to the ghost hunting thing.”
“I guess you’re probably right,” Amber agreed - most people she knew didn’t seem to have particularly lucky birthdays, so maybe it was just her. “Thanks!” she replied enthusiastically “I’m just so happy that I get to keep working here. Getting cast in Sing It kind of felt like a yearlong fever dream… and when it got cancelled, I wasn’t sure if I’d have anywhere new to go,” she admitted.
Even with her current confusion, Harmony couldn’t really begrudge someone for being happy about something so major in their life. Especially if the news was coming on their birthday. “I get how you feel. Both about the fever dream and not being sure where you’d have to go.” While her show’s cancellation was almost a relief, there were other ways that she understood. “But, honestly, I think you’d probably have figured it out even if this is the best case scenario.”
Harmony had intended to use the break in filming to think about the future, but she hadn’t thought of any of it. Every time she tried to get into the quitting or staying issue, her brain just shut down. “No, I understand the timeline. I don’t need to see the emails,” She answered quietly, wishing that she still had a phone she could snap shut. Head snapping up, the girl did her best to put a neutral expression on her face. “Sorry, I wasn’t listening. What?”
“I wonder if there’s just something lucky about birthdays?” Amber mused, not even realizing she’d been speaking aloud until she noticed that she’d caught someone’s attention. “I mean,” she quickly began to explain “last year on my birthday I got the call saying I got the part on Sing It. This year I signed the contract for a new part.”
Considering the idea, Harmony thought back to her birthdays and shook her head with a frown. “I think maybe you just have very good luck,” she offered. Not that it was a bad thing to have such great things happen on your birthday, just that she wasn’t sure that the two were tied. “For my birthday, I’ve gotten everything from socks to a fat lip when Jordan Rome decided it was hilarious to push me off my new bike.” Pausing for a second, the girl grinned and added. “But congratulations on the new role!”
“So I got bored over the break, and a little stir crazy, and I got myself a puppy…I’m not sure if this was a mistake or not, but here she is…I just don’t know what to name her. Any ideas?”
“And here I would’ve thought that there’d be an app for that if you got bored. Not that I’m upset that you chose a dog over an app. What about... Poni? Like Eponine but shorter?”
“That sounds like a pain to deal with,” Amber admitted, cringing at the thought of what it would be like to get bombarded with questions about her exes all the time. “I guess I’m glad I could help? By not knowing, I mean.”
“I wouldn’t call it fun, but in a way I did sign up for it so it is what it is.” Gesturing toward the computer, Harmony squinted at the screen. “You’re fine. What’s next? I’d say make up or skincare, but I impulse those. Do you need a leather jacket?”
