Mystic Park (Finding Home 4)

Quincy hadn’t noticed the color patterns. Since Ramona was an interior designer, he wasn’t surprised that she had. His gaze touched lightly on the brown leather sofa and brown fabric chair, then lifted to the green curtains in the windows around the room. The delicate doilies were swirls of red, yellow, and orange.

He turned to Ramona and frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to improve the chi in this great room.” Ramona paused with her hands on the sofa and met Quincy’s gaze over her shoulder. “The furnishings are too close together. It impedes the flow of energy.”

Quincy realized she was referring to feng shui. He still didn’t understand it, though.

“Let me help you.” Quincy positioned himself on the other side of the sofa. He allowed her to direct him in making the necessary chi adjustments. “It’s good to be back.”

“Yes, it is.” Ramona straightened from the sofa and stepped back. “That’s better.”

Quincy kept his eyes on Ramona as she evaluated the rest of the room. So beautiful! His heart sighed every time he looked at her. An oversized yellow linen top complimented her café au lait skin and made her wide ebony eyes appear even more exotic. Her long dancer’s legs in her black yoga pants made his mouth water. Her canvas shoes were almost the same color as her top. And long, silver earrings spied through thick, shoulder-length raven hair that featured in his fantasies.

He’d had an almost paralyzing crush on Ramona all through high school. But Quincy had been invisible to the homecoming queen. Her high school heartthrob had been Ean Fever, captain of the football team—and one of Quincy’s best friends. Ean had been larger than life. In contrast, Quincy had been in the shadows. However, Ean and Ramona’s relationship had ended shortly after Ean had graduated from law school and taken a job at a prestigious firm in New York. Quincy was still thanking the Fates for this second chance with Ramona as well as the courage to take it. But would his doubts about his future ruin the happily-ever-after they were working toward?

Quincy pulled his gaze from the dark sweep of Ramona’s hair and looked around the cabin. “I’m glad we’re spending part of the summer break here with our friends.”

“Me, too.” Ramona settled her elegant hands on her hips. “Maybe while we’re here, I’ll give Jack some tips on incorporating feng shui into the decor for all of his cabins.”

“It’s worth a try.” Quincy couldn’t picture the rental cabin owner buying into the feng shui principles on which Ramona based her interior design business.

“You don’t think I’ll convince him, do you?” Ramona sent Quincy a cheeky grin over her shoulder.

“It’ll be a tough sell.” His eyes lingered on her full lower lip.

“You’ll see.”

Quincy crossed to their suitcases. “We’ve missed a lot of events, like the endowed chair dinner in Ms. Helen’s honor.”

The ceremony was an occasion they would have participated in—if they’d been home. He regretted missing the evening. Had Ramona thought of it at all?

“We had events at Penn.” Ramona sounded distracted. She wandered the great room, opening curtains and adjusting furniture. “We can’t be two places at one time.” Ramona shrugged a slim shoulder.

“No, we can’t.” Quincy tracked Ramona’s movements. “But are we making the best choices regarding the events we do attend?”

“We don’t have a choice.” Ramona’s eyes sought his. Hers were dark with confusion. “We’re part of the University of Pennsylvania community now.”

“Are we? You haven’t met many people.”

“I will.” Ramona shrugged a shoulder as she crossed to him. She grabbed a suitcase and led them into the bedroom. “And my interior design business will pick up with time. I’ve only been in Philadelphia four months.”

“Are you happy in Philadelphia? Do you like Penn?” Quincy hoisted two suitcases and followed Ramona. He searched for any sign she was homesick.

Ramona lowered the suitcase at the foot of the bed and faced him. “This isn’t like living in New York with Ean, if that’s what’s been worrying you.”

Quincy released the suitcases. “I didn’t mean—”

“I’m not the same person I was nine years ago when Ean and I lived in New York.”

“I know—”

“I’m not going to pack my things and leave. You can trust me.”

Quincy held her upper arms to get her attention. “Ramona, I do trust you. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m asking these questions because I want to make sure you’re happy.”

“Of course I’m happy.” Ramona raised her hand and cupped Quincy’s cheek. “I’m with you.”

Her words warmed his heart. Her touch stirred his senses. Quincy held Ramona closer to him.