“Um, you know what? Sure,” I said, deciding that I was not above getting Harper’s number from her son either. I wouldn’t be able to rest until I made up for my past mistakes. There was no way she just wandered back into my life so casually if I wasn’t meant to have her.
I needed Harper back in my life. If she wanted, our arrangement could still stand. I actually preferred it. More than anything, I just wanted her back. I listened to Cameron rattle off his mother’s phone number as I casually plugged it into my phone. I had about twenty minutes before I had to be in the class, so instead of heading to the science lab, I stepped through the first set of double doors I came to that led outside.
Once I was a few feet away from the building, I looked down at my phone and pressed send. Why the hell could I feel my heart beating as I held the phone to my ear? I’d had a physical about a month ago. There was nothing wrong with my heart aside from the empty place where Harper should have been living.
“Hello, this is Harper.” Hearing her voice only made my heart rate quicken.
“Hey, Harper. It’s JoJo,” I said, pausing to give her a minute to gather herself. I was sure I was the last person in the world she expected to hear on the other end of the phone. Then again, after I’d dropped off a housewarming gift for her, maybe I wasn’t.
“What is it, Jordy, and how did you find out where I live?”
“How are you adjusting to the move? I noticed that your son was struggling a little.”
“Fine aside from a mad man showing up at my house unannounced and calling my phone without me giving him my number.”
“Mr. Collins mentioned a couple of times that he felt like the Sprouts program might be good for Cameron. He’s asked me a couple of times if I would talk to you about signing the forms and letting him participate. I wanted to find out if there was something I could do to help you with that decision. If it’s the logistics of everything or the time, I can drop him off.”
“I don’t need you dropping him off. He has to learn how to behave during a normal school day before he starts worrying about participating in after-school activities. I can’t keep dropping things to come discipline him, JoJo. I’m sorry, but that’s my son, and I have to handle him my way.”
“Harper, baby, he’s probably struggling with all the changes and the move. You’re right. He’s your son, but know that I’m more than willing to pitch in where I can. I’m not trying to interfere, but I’m not going to see you needing me and not help. He’s a good kid, and we have a good rapport.”
“You sure you’re not just trying to use him to get to me?”
“So, what if I am? I’m sure he needs some kind of outlet outside of home and the classroom. Besides, it’s not like we’re sitting around playing video games and wasting time. We’re building robots this semester. Once we finish this module, it will be rockets.”
“I have too much going on right now, JoJo. I’m looking for a job and trying to learn how to be a single mom, not to mention everything else on my plate.”
“Let me lighten the load for you, Harper. That’s what I’m here for.”
“No. That’s what you were there for in the past, and we see how that worked out.”
“I know that we have some unresolved issues, baby, but don’t punish him just because you hate me.”
She sighed heavily before responding to my statement. “I don’t hate you, Jojo. I just . . . I don’t know. I haven’t even looked at the participation fees yet.”
“There are no fees unless the school hosts a field trip, Harper. Even if there were, that’s the least of your worries.”
“Everyone keeps suggesting things to do to occupy his mind. I understand that, but I also don’t want him to feel like he’s being rewarded for acting out.”
“It’s educational, Harper. One might even consider it a punishment to be in school after hours.”
“Don’t push it, Jordy.”
“How about I give you a minute to think? Take the weekend to marinate on it. We have another class on Monday.”
“I don’t need you to give me a minute to do anything,” she snapped, causing me to chuckle. I missed how feisty she could get.
“How about if little man isn’t in that robotics class five minutes after it starts on Monday afternoon, I’m putting the whole fucking thing on hold so I can come pick both of y’all up. Don’t deprive him just because you’re afraid to face me, Harper.”
“I’m not afraid to do anything.”
“Well, I’ll see you guys Monday at four,” I said, ending the call before she could protest.
I was done talking to Harper. Learning that she was divorced was all the ammunition I needed. I had stood down long enough. Now, I was getting my lady.
The weekend was uneventful.My mom had the grandkids over for the weekend which gave me time to send my résumé all over the state. It really pissed me off that Kendrick’s crimes had affected my life so much that I was immediately lumped in with him when it came to my job search. Being an athletic trainer for some of the top boxers in the game had been my crowning glory, until the assumption that I had been gambling on their matches, alongside my husband, tarnished my reputation.
Aside from going out for my morning run and working out in the yard a little bit to keep my edge, I hadn’t left the house until it was time to pick Cam up from my mom’s Sunday night. I was so bored that I was almost irritated that I’d turned down Jase’s invitation to dinner. At least I would have had something to do.
