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

Pay Up

She's been on a ton of talk shows.

Mom goes back to her cooking and mumbles under her breath, "I'm going to die before I see you married."

I raise my can. "I'll toast to that."

Okay, I want to get married and I want my mom to live long and prosper, but she's making me mad.

"Owen Samuels is coming for dinner, so at least be a little bit ladylike." She hisses out the last part.

I cough up some of my pop and she shakes her head at me. Owen's coming? Crap! He better not tell her about the ticket.

The doorbell rings and my hand smashes the can on the counter and I run to it. I stop and take a deep breath. I open it to see Am who stares at me weirdly. "What?"

"Oh, thank God. Wait who dropped you off?" I ask as I pull her inside.

She stumbles in, her high heels coming off from the force of my pull. "My co-worker Jerry did. What in the world Harp?"

"Who's at the door?" Mom walks up and gives a genuine smile. "Am! So good to see you. How was work."

Am smiles in return. "Good Momma Collins, busy, but good."

"And you look so lovely, as always."

My eyes are going to get sore from how much I'm rolling them. Mom loves Am. She's beautiful, girly and a lawyer. During our high school years she wasn't really fond of her, but her opinion changed over the years.

Now if only her opinion would change about me.

The doorbell rings again and I go to open it, but mom stops me. "No, I need you to go get the London broil out of the oven. At least there's some use in those arms of yours."

I clench my teeth and give a quick prayer that it isn't Owen. I rush to the kitchen and look for the potholders. I hear mom's voice, "Matt, Elise and my girls! Come in." I throw open drawers and curse at this woman's constant need to reorganize her kitchen. "Oh! And if it isn't Owen! My you get handsomer every time I see you."

My heart thunders and I grab the dish towel and open the oven door so quickly it smashes back closed. I open it again and take the London broil out.

"Owen! I didn't know you were coming." I cringe at Am's flirty voice. Seriously, aren't you my best friend? Stop flirting with him dang it!

I place the heavy pan down and go to throw the rag on the counter like a basketball player when Am's voice makes me freeze. "I was late to work because of you pulling Harp over and giving her a ticket."

"What?!" Mom's voice rings out. "Harper Louise Collins!"

Her heels storm towards me and I run out of the kitchen taking the backway. I circle around the staircase and almost run into a very pregnant Elise. If there's one person my mom loves more than Am, it's Elise. She is the debutante and perfect woman. What's worse is how sweet she is. I love her like crazy. She's one of the kindest people I know. She's always in a pretty modest dress with her sandy hair curled and makeup done just right to make her blue eyes pop... even pregnant.

Yeah, guarantee when I'm pregnant it will be sweatpants and my husband's t-shirts.

Elise is my moral defender. She claims that she wishes she could be more open and honest like me. Her parents controlled her every move like she was a puppet and came from a very strict home. Once she became my friend and then my brother's wife she was able to escape and breathe for the first time in her life.

Which is why she understands the issues I have with my mom.

Everyone looks at me and I put my finger to my pursed lips. I go around Elise and lightly place my hands on her very round belly and whisper, "Hello, little nephew."