A hand clasping around my arm caused me to stop walking. “For the record, I don’t give a damn about your husband. I need you to understand that before I make my next moves. You already know who you belong to, Harper. I know you don’t need a reminder, but neither of us have an issue with reminding you. Have dinner with me. I just want to show you a good time and offer you a sincere apology for my stupidity. Wear something sexy for old times’ sake. I’m sure you remember my favorite color.”
“Go to hell, Jase,” I spat, snatching my arm away from him.
“I’ve been there since you left, Harper. I’m glad you’re home now.”
“Whatever. You’re still just as delusional as ever. I hope you’re medicated now, Doctor.”
“See you soon, Harp. By the way, you look even more beautiful than I remember,” he said before winking and turning to walk away.
I pushed down the urge to speed walk as I got as far away from Jase as I could. This town was turning out to be way too small for me. I searched my mind for ways to get the hell away from here as soon as possible. Even if I could afford to move,it would deplete what was left of my savings. Living in my grandma’s house also eliminated the need to pay rent. I didn’t need to add on to my expenses. I was penny-pinching as it was.
I considered leaving everything in the basket so I could get up out of those people’s store, but I was a big girl. I could handle a simple purchase. I had done enough running in my life to hold me for the rest of my days. Thankfully, I didn’t run into Jase again before I made it to my car and tore out of the parking lot.
Once I made it home, I checked the mailbox next to the door as I nudged my way inside. There was a bunch of junk mail addressed to my grandma and resident that I would toss as soon as I made it to the garbage can. As I sifted through the stack, I came to a letter with my name scribbled across the front. I frowned, wondering who even knew I was here, other than my mom and brother. Either of them knew to call me if they needed anything. If it was a letter from Cameron’s school, so help me.
My confusion only grew as I tore into the envelope and removed what was inside. As I took the letter out of the envelope, I almost dropped it again when a check for twenty-five hundred dollars slipped out and fell onto the table. My breathing literally stopped when I saw who it was from.What the actual hell?
Harper,
Welcome home, baby. My mom was able to find out that you relocated to your grandma’s to start over after your divorce. I wanted to give you a little something to make your transition easier. I removed a 0 because I didn’t want to scare you, but make no mistake, I plan to take care of you. You are mine, Harper.
I need to see you. I need you around. Don’t make me beg, but you know I don’t mind. Stop playing and come back to me, baby. Let me make it right.
JoJo
Fuck. How did he find me? I didn’t even have time to finish that thought before I realized it was my big mouth mama. Telling her not to make a big fuss about me being back was pretty much giving her license to go blabbing to anybody who would listen. I’d made a mistake asking about the twins. Of course, she’d told her friend Doctor St. John about her son’s old girlfriend being back in town. The thought alone made me cringe. So much for keeping a low profile.
It was Thursday evening,the final Sprouts day of the week. It was the name that the kids came up with for their after-school STEM program. I never imagined how much I would love working with little kids that loved rockets and spaceships as much as I did when I was their age.
Mr. Collins mentioned that Harper’s son was interested in signing up for the program. I was looking forward to getting to know him and seeing his mother on a regular basis. I wasn’t too proud to use the kid to get close to Harper, but at the same time, I knew the value of being interested in science at a young age. Even if all he wanted to do was make a robot, the experience was a building block for something far greater. It was the whole reason I started the program.
It had been a few days too many since I’d seen Harper’s face. Now that I knew exactly where to find her, the urge to go snatch her up nagged at me like hell. I was trying to give her a little time to come around, but honestly, I was over it. I had given her almost eight years. It was time for her to come home.
It would have been different if she rode off into the sunset to live happily ever after, but Harper was divorced and living in her grandmother’s house. I had sacrificed years with the only woman I truly loved, only for her to be with another nigga who couldn’t love her right. I couldn’t wait to make Harper happy for the rest of my life.
Hopefully she wanted more kids, because I’d always wanted at least one. No matter how much my mom pressured us, Jase and Jameer had always been on the fence about having kids. Deep down, I always knew that I would probably have to be the one to carry out our family lineage.
Now that my sister Janelle and her husband had a daughter and a son, my mom had let up some on the grandbaby talk, but I knew soon she would be looking for fresh cheeks to squeeze. I had no problem being the one to make that dream come true for her. Harper being back in the area felt like fate. I wasn’t living the rest of my life without her by my side. The shit just didn’t feel right.
“Doctor Jay!” one of the kids called, causing me to turn on my heels to face them.
I didn’t attempt to hide my smile when I realized that it was Harper’s son. He was a good kid overall. The assistant principal seemed to think he was having a hard time adjusting, and I agreed. A few extracurricular activities could help turn things around for him. I didn’t want to overstep, but I would do anything to help Harper.
“What’s up, little guy?” I greeted him once he stood in front of me.
“Do you know my mom? I heard you say her name that day when I got in trouble.”
“Yes, she and I actually kinda grew up together.”
“Good. Can you tell her how not cool that robot thing is so she will let me do it? She’s a nerd, and she usually likes nerd stuff. Since I kept getting in trouble, she won’t let me do it. It’s school stuff. She should want me to do school stuff.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the kid’s logic. “You’re right.”
“So can you talk to her for me? Like call her or something and tell her it’s a school project.”
“I would call her, man, but I don’t have her number.”
“I can give it to you. I know it by heart. She made me practice it until I remembered it.”
