...And He's Back (Book One, Breaking Open Series)

Good to Be Back

"What does she do there?" I ask.

Matt shrugs his shoulders, "Visits with them, helps around the house, especially with outside work like mowing their lawn and stuff." He flips through my calendar. Matt has always been the type who can't sit still. "I used to go with her, but my girls keep me busy now."

"Speaking of which, where are the little hellions?" I look around as if they're going to come out of nowhere wreaking havoc.

Matt glares at me. "Those are my daughters you're talking about."

I smirk. "Exactly, they're nothing like your sweet wife. I mean they look like her, but act like you."

His head tilts back. "I know. I kind of feel bad for my mom now."

"How's Elise doing?" I lean forward in my chair and finger through some files.

"She's good, super pregnant, but as sweet as can be. Kills her that she won't be working in the fall. And of course, worships the ground Harp walks on."

I chuckle at that. Elise met Matt through Harp because they both work at the elementary school together and Matt was applying for a job as the health/gym teacher. The two hit it off immediately and Elise pretty much adores Harp for that. I wasn't there for any of it, but Matt and I talked pretty much every day on the phone when I lived in Alabama. I remember cringing a little from the way his voice gushed about Elise and how she was the one.

"I swear sometimes she loves Harp more than me." He jokes.

"Speaking of your sister." My mind goes back to those dirt-stained, boldly freckled legs and I push back the memory knowing I'm sitting right across from her overprotective brother. "I ran into her today."

He tilts the chair back on its hind legs. "Already?"

"Yep." I pause and take a sip from my water bottle. "Pulled her over and wrote her a ticket."

His chair slams to the floor and he rubs his hand over his face. "Let me guess, broken taillight."

I cock a brow. "Why hasn't she fixed it?"

Matt shakes his head in frustration. "This whole independence thing of hers drives me nuts. She won't let any of us help out."

I cross my arms over my chest. "It's not surprising. This is the girl who got mad at us for trying to fight her battles for her."

Matt laughs at that. "Remember the time she came home with a black eye, and we had to sneak out and beat the crap out of the kid, just so she wouldn't catch us."

My laughter fills the office, but no one minds. This is my third day on the job and so far, it's a pretty relaxed place. "Yeah, she still found out though and got mad at us and took command of our treehouse. And, as she so lovingly put it, exiled us."

Matt gives a laughing growl, "She's ridiculous. Anyways, I'll make sure she gets it fixed."

We're silent for a little then Matt breaks it as he looks around my desk. "So, how's that Argentinian model coping with Michigan? Did you tell her about our winters?"

My brow raises to my hairline. "You mean Lina? Gosh, we broke up a while ago."

He gawks at me, "Good god man, why?"

I roll my shoulders back feeling them crack a little. All those years of baseball have done some damage to them. "She was way to high maintenance."

My thoughts drift back to Lina and her soft chocolate milk skin and tight spiral curls she would push back to reveal those striking green eyes. She was beautiful, but there was no fire, no spark.