Shaking his head, Barrett grabbed the juicer from the bottom cabinet, plugged it in, got the oranges out and sliced them in half, then juiced them.
Harmony had washed her hands and sliced oranges, handing them to him to move the process along.
“This is some fancy machine, Flynn,” Harmony said. “Most of us just buy orange juice in the container.”
“It’s better fresh.”
Harmony lifted her gaze to Barrett, who shook his head. “He’s all healthy and shit. What can you do?”
Harmony laughed and took the pitcher of fresh juice to the table, then got out plates and utensils.
Flynn brought the plate of bacon to the table. “I’m not all that healthy. We’re having bacon and fried potatoes with breakfast.”
“But the fresh fruit and juice counteract the effects,” Barrett said.
“Oh, they do, do they?” Harmony asked.
“Yeah. I read it somewhere. Plus, we burned off about two thousand calories already this morning.”
“You’d like to think that,” Flynn said, taking a seat at the table.
They dug in and ate. When Barrett took a drink of the juice, he had to admit it was damn good. “Okay, Flynn, you win. The fresh juice is better.”
“I can’t believe you admitted that.”
“Hey, I’m evolving.”
“Barrett’s right,” Harmony said. “The fresh juice is incredible. You should put a juice bar in your restaurant.”
“I don’t know about a juice bar, since we won’t be open for breakfast, at least not initially. But my plan is to use only fresh, organically grown and locally sourced ingredients. So we’ll see how it goes.”
“I can’t wait to see the menu,” Harmony said. “Or at least look it up online.”
“I told you that you’ll have to come back for the grand opening and taste everything.”
“Sure. Or, we’ll see how it goes, I guess.”
Flynn looked from her to Barrett. “You mean providing my brother doesn’t fuck up things between the two of you?”
“Hey,” Barrett said. “And mind your own business.”
“Whatever. So are you heading to the ranch this weekend?” Flynn asked.
“Yeah.”
Harmony swallowed, then turned to Barrett. “What’s going on at your parents’ place?”
“Our parents have invested in a new blues club that’s having their opening weekend in Austin. So we’re all flying in to hang out with the parents and go to the club. Tucker’s off because it’s the midseason break, so even he’ll be around.”
She smiled at him. “That sounds fun.”
“You should bring Harmony,” Flynn said. “Hell, you should bring her entire family, Barrett. They’ve come to the ranch before, haven’t you?”
She shook her head. “My mom and my brother have been there, but I was on a college trip the last time they came out, so I missed it.”
“Then you definitely have to come. Doesn’t she, Barrett?”
Barrett had no idea how to respond to that. Bringing Harmony’s family would be innocuous enough, except he’d want to be alone with Harmony, and if Drake was there . . .
“What?” Flynn asked.
“My brother doesn’t know Barrett and I are seeing each other. And Barrett doesn’t want him to know.”
“Ohhh,” Flynn said, giving his brother the once-over. “So, uh, what’s the big deal?”
He knew he was going to end up having this conversation with Flynn. “Drake and I are teammates. He’s protective of Harmony. How do you think he’d react if he found out Harmony and I were seeing each other?”
Flynn shrugged. “No way to know unless you tell him.”
Barrett shook his head. “No way. We’re getting ready to head into training camp, then preseason. The last thing Drake and I need is tension between us. We need a solid defense.”
Flynn rolled his eyes. “I think you’re underestimating him.”
“And I think you’re underestimating his potential reaction. I’ve seen him around Harmony. He’s never approved of the guys she dates.”
Harmony laughed. “This is true.”
“Yeah, but none of those guys have been you.”
“Not gonna happen.”
Harmony got up and took her plate to the sink, then started doing dishes.
“Hey, leave those,” Flynn said.
“Nope. You two cooked. I’ll clean up.”
Barrett finished his plate, then took it over to the sink, helping Harmony dry the pots and pans.
When she finished with the dishes, she turned to him. “I’m going to go take a shower.”
“Okay.”
After she left, Barrett joined Flynn in the living room.
“I think you’re off the mark with Drake,” Flynn said.
“And I think you should butt out on this. This thing with Harmony and me is brand-new. We aren’t sure where we stand with each other. It might not even work out. And what if that happens? How do you think Drake would feel then if we break up? He and I have been friends a lot of years. I was reluctant to even start anything up with Harmony for this very reason.”
“Oh, so she forced you into it?” Flynn asked with a smirk.