Free London Harmony: The Pike by Erik Schubach Page A

smug look on their face.”  The man snorted, and she grinned at him.
    He stepped us through a well-crafted contract and had us signing, initialing, and doing everything but giving blood and singing Kumbaya.  When it was done, he shook my hand and said, “Congratulations, I'll have a copy sent to the Pike for you.”  He shook McKenzie's hand too and said, “You do Emily proud.  I'll forward a copy to the stable.”
    She nodded at him as she stood, then turned to me and gave me an evil grin, “Hello partner.”  She held her hand out.
    Instead, I engulfed her in a hug.  Dear Lord in heaven, she was all muscle, not a soft spot on her.  She chuckled and hugged me with her good arm.
    Then Kincade stood and said, “Great.  Now get out... I have another group showing in an hour I have to get ready for.”
    McKenzie shook her head at the man and flicked her pen at him, striking the chuckling man in the shoulder.  She moved her hand in an ushering motion then she paused and narrowed her eyes, turning them slowly onto Stenson then the two stacks of paperwork that she had refused to sign.  She reached out and took off the cover pages from each stack then snorted.
    I looked and blinked at the blank papers.  The man had known what she was going to do all along.  I had to shake my head in bewilderment at him.  He was obviously not just deceptively intelligent, but he was a good judge of how people would react to certain situations.  Thinking about the contract he had us sign that was already crafted the way McKenzie wanted it to be.
    I paused, cocked an eyebrow, and asked the man, “You'll stay the Pike's lawyer?”
    He just nodded with a sly grin.  Mrs. Z was no fool, and she chose well.
    We each shook his hand, and he said as we left, “I truly am sorry for your loss ladies.”
    I nodded somberly and walked out of the strip mall in a mix of excitement and sorrow, Kenzie trailing behind.
    She said as she reclaimed Katie's hand when she stepped up beside us, “We'll get all the financials straightened out this week.”
    I nodded and she grinned down at her red headed southern belle, saying with humor, “Seems Zoey is our partner at the Pike now.”
    Katie smiled a knowing smile like she had expected it too, and played up her southern accent as she teased, “Ah do declare.  That is unexpected good news.”
    She fluttered her eyes at me, and I snorted and shoved her shoulder playfully.  “Yeah, yeah, Scarlet.  Ham it up.”
    This got Kenz chuckling and repeating, “Scarlet?  I like that one.”
    Katie went pale. “Don't you dare Sugar!”
    We all shared a chuckle that trailed off, Mrs. Z obviously on our minds.
    I said my goodbyes and then got into my car and just stared at the steering wheel, my hands on it in a white-knuckled grip.  Then I squealed in excitement and struck the wheel once and turned the key.   Harrison and the kids were going to be so excited!

Chapter 6 – Morning
    I bit my lower lip and smiled at Ashley as I signed while I spoke, “Alright!  Just stop tickling me and I can finish getting ready Amber.”
    She chuffed and signed, “Fine Isty.  Get your cute butt in gear, we have a mixer to fix.”
    I blushed at her.  Only she would think my butt was cute.  I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror and sighed at the small woman I saw there.  I had so many flaws I couldn't believe that Ash had chosen me.
    I quickly went about tying my chestnut brown hair that hung down to my calves, into a loose braid that raised it up to just below my waist.  My hair was the only thing I liked about myself.  I thought it was pretty.  It was almost long enough for me to donate eighteen inches to Locks of Love.  I never wanted my hair to be shorter than my waist, Ash loved it long.
    I asked as I finished up, “Bobbie seems to let you talk her into giving us time off an awful lot.”
    She winked at me in the mirror and screwed her expressive face up and signed,  “Well she's like the aunt I