Him coming back was all it took to turn her world upside down.
Harper Collins is perfectly content with where her life is at. Is it perfect? No. But she's content. Now a guidance counselor at her old elementary school, a volunteer safety officer...
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NOW LIFE IN ALABAMA WAS GREAT AND FUN AT TIMES, but this, this is what Alabama could never give me. Harp running around the house looking for the cherry crumb pie her mom hid from her.
I sit on a fancy red velvety chair in the floral wallpapered living room. Momma Collins is very into the Victorian style and it's weird, but I feel right at home. Every inch is spotless, apart from an old stain on the blue and red flowered carpet. A stain from me, Matt, Harp and Am when we snuck HoHos and pop in here to watch a late-night show. Matt's full proof plan to cover it with a pillow didn't pan out well for any of us.
Harp storms back in putting her hands on those haunting round hips again and I try not to look too much. "So, let me get this straight. We come over for dinner, she leaves for her stupid book club and hides desert."
I kick my legs over the wooden arm chair and lean my head over, getting a good view of an upside-down Harp. "We all got dessert. What are you so upset about?"
She stomps her foot childishly. "You guys, especially you," she points at me, "got huge slices. I had like one sixteenths of a slice."
Am is fixing her makeup as she looks into the little pocket mirror in her hands. She's always been about appearances. She's gorgeous, I'll give her that, but vain. How her and Harp have remained close friends all these years, I have no idea. Not that I don't like Am, I love her and she's always been a good friend to Harp. It's just, Am loves the mall, Harp would rather be out fishing on the lake.
Enough said.
I stare at Harp and her daring freckles that sprinkle all over her nose and cheeks. My eyes trace her shoulders and they've taken a mind of their own again and I'm hoping Matt's not noticing, because it's seems I can't help myself. Her freckles are hypnotizing, especially the way they splay down her arms where the rain of light brown spots continue.
In no way is Harp a flawless beauty. She doesn't have the porcelain skin or china doll like body. She's natural. A woman who barely wears makeup and loves to eat, and it shows by her now nicely filled out adult shape. Gone is the little girl I knew and before me a strong, ferociously angry woman.
Her fingers tense around those hips as she narrows her eyes at me. "What?!"
I reposition myself and motion for her to go to the center of the room. "I believe we had a deal."
Her eyes flash with the intent to murder. "Now?"
Alex and Mandi jump up and down howling in two-year-old language no one can understand. I chuckle, "Yeah, now."
Am claps her hands along with the girls. "Oh, wait." She stops clapping and grabs her phone from her bag. "Okay we're ready."
Harp starts shaking her head making Matt shout, "A deals a deal Harp."
Her brows pinch together and Elise looks at her worriedly. "I think its mean to make her do something she doesn't want too."
Harp looks at her with all the love in the world as I shake a finger at Elise. "Nope. She made the deal. All for a piece of beef, but..."
