My cousin Trish, who had been my best friend growing up, worked nights, so I had been catching hell linking up with her since my return. I had only seen her a handful of times in the past couple of years and looked forward to reconnecting. Mondays were usually hectic, but in Lakeview, nothing was ever out of the norm. Everything moved at a snail’s pace, so there was no rush to get things done. It was one of the things that drew me back.
Cameron sat across from me at the table completing his homework assignment as I finally tackled the task of balancing my checkbook. I knew it would either eliminate or exacerbate my stress, but it was something I knew I needed to do. I had to know where I stood so I could budget appropriately.
The check that JoJo sent me was hidden at the bottom of my purse somewhere because I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. I knew I needed the money, but I didn’t want to open the can of worms that came with accepting it.
As I stood from the table, I shook my head at the dwindling balance in my account. I knew it was risky, but I was definitely depositing that check in the morning. I would be a fool not to. As soon as I made the decision to take the money, I literally started to feel better.
I jumped when someone knocked on the door. I didn’t know why in the world I looked over at my son as if he might be expecting company. At the same time, I was sure that no one was coming to see me either. More than likely, one of my brother’s sons had ridden their bicycles over here to see if Cam could come out to play.
I smiled and shook my head as I marched over to the door and snatched it open. I was all prepared to see one or both of my nephews on the other side of the door. Although Cam had been getting into trouble in school, I didn’t want to deprive him of growing up in a small town with his cousins. I missed ridingbikes and searching for tadpoles in shallow pools of water. We had a ball growing up. It wouldn’t hurt for him to get outside a little more. I had almost decided to let him go out for a while.
All of that went out the door when instead of one of my brother’s sons, I came face-to-face with one of the most handsome milk chocolate doctors on God’s green Earth. His locs were out of the bun they had been in when I saw him at Cam’s school. Now they fell forward over his left eye, slightly covering the edge of his dark rimmed glasses. The glasses were new.God, JoJo was extra sexy in glasses.
When his lips parted, my eyes betrayed me by homing in on one of my favorite parts of him. His lips were still kissable, but the beard was another new development.MyJoJo wore a neatly trimmed goatee. The grown man version sported a full beard that was so luscious that I got jealous about who might have been keeping it so thick and moisturized these days. Jordy was aging so well. I wanted to tell him that, but it didn’t matter how good he looked. His presence disturbed me.
“What are you doing here, Jordy?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“I needed to see you again, Harper.”
“Now you’ve seen me. Satisfied?” I asked, grabbing the door and preparing to slam it in his face.
I huffed when JoJo stuck his foot in the door. “Stop, Harper. Talk to me, baby. At least give me a chance to talk to you.”
“I don’t want to talk, Jordy. I don’t need to hear what you have to say at this point. I don’t want to relive that shit.”
“Well, at least let me in,” he said, easing the door open.
I shook my head as I stood back and let him in. I folded my arms across my chest and tapped my foot as I waited for him to say whatever he had to say so he could get the hell out. He reached out and touched my face before I sidestepped him.
“Damn, you look better and better with time, Harper.”
“Jordy, what do you want?”
“I want you back, baby. I’ve been losing my mind wondering how I would live if I never saw you again. I tried to be happy without you. It doesn’t feel right even trying.”
“Keep trying.”
“I don’t have to try anymore, Harper. You’re back, and I’m not letting you get away from me this time.”
“Not for you, JoJo. I didn’t come back to get tangled up with you again. I came back here to start over with my son.”
“Start over with me, baby.”
“I’m not entertaining this, JoJo. Is that all you wanted?”
“No, ma’am. I came to pick Cameron up for Sprouts.”
“Nobody told you to do that.”
“I didn’t need anyone to tell me to do anything. I told you I was coming.”
“Well now you can go,” I said, attempting to close the door in his face.
“Cameron!” he called, looking past me into the house as he stuck his foot in the door again. Obviously, he didn’t value his feet.
“Doctor JoJo!” Cameron sang as he sprinted into the living room.
My heart sank at how much my son’s face lit up when he saw Jordy.
