Chapter 10
I spent a little extra time at the store, so I was surprised that I’d beat Harper home, not that I was disappointed.
I was actually grateful that she wasn’t there when I got there.
I didn’t need her getting in the way or telling me what she didn’t need or want from me. She was so stubborn sometimes.
I pulled up close to the curb since the cement in the driveway was still wet.
I got as close as I could but decided not to park in the grass.
The box in the trunk of my car was big as hell.
I wasn’t trying to wrestle with it for more than a few yards.
I’d gotten the portable kind that came with the support on the bottom to keep from having to face Harper’s wrath about putting a hole in the ground.
Also, if Cam decided he wanted to move it later, all we had to do was move the weighted bags and move it.
I expected the process to be quick and simple.
Forty minutes later, I was drenched in sweat, and my arms were sore from trying to hold the thing up while I put it together.
Just as I finished hoisting it, I heard the sound of tires rolling to a stop up front.
Within minutes, Cameron came sprinting around the house with the biggest smile on his face.
His payment for my basketball goal felt better than I could have imagined.
“Coach Jase, you got me a basketball goal?” he asked as his bright eyes warmed my heart.
“I thought you might want to practice at home.”
I didn’t think his smile could get any bigger until he proved me wrong. “Thank you. I can’t wait to get a ball so I can practice.”
“Run out to my car and grab it out of the back seat.”
Without another word, Cameron took off for my car. As he made a mad dash toward my car, Harper slinked through the back door with her arms folded across her chest. Her shoulders dropped, and her posture relaxed once she stopped walking.
“Jase, you know you didn’t have to do that.”
“But I wanted to.”
The sound of dribbling caught both of our attention as Cam dribbled his way over to the basketball goal.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Cameron took a shot and missed by a lot before running behind the ball and lobbing it into the air again.
“I spoke with the owner of the gym, and they were actually looking for a few female trainers. I operated on his son’s hernia. He loves me. I put in a good word for you. So if you want the position, be there Monday morning at nine.”
“Really, Jase?”
“I told you I had your back. You know JoJo doesn’t want you to work, but I respect that you want to keep some level of autonomy.
That doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop taking care of you.
I want you and Cameron to move in with us.
We’ve turned the house into separate apartments. Everyone has their own private area.”
“Everyone except me.”
“You can have as much privacy as you desire. If you want, I’ll move in with him and let you and Cameron share my spot.”
“I’m fine here, Jase.”
“But I want y’all with us. Let us be there for you, sweetheart.”
“Doctor Jase, look!” Cameron shouted, getting both of our attention. I laughed as he attempted a layup.
“He’s not bad at all.”
“I see.” Harper nodded.
“Let me get over here and school him.”
“Go right ahead because I have completely given up on trying to reason with you.”
“Good,” I said as I jogged over to Cam.
“Jase!” I looked back to see Harper leaning against the railing on the porch, using her hands to balance.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome to stay for dinner if you don’t mind spaghetti.”
“Absolutely,” I said, trying not to sound overly excited before turning to teach Cameron a simple jump shot.
We were out there for about an hour before Harper called us in for dinner.
I had never in my life thought I wanted kids of my own.
I got my fix from coaching and working as a pediatrician.
I liked kids, but I preferred the kind that I could send home at the end of the day.
Cam was cool though. I didn’t mind kicking it with him after hours.
Even as he talked nonstop over dinner, I loved every minute of it.
Especially the part when he told me how Jordy didn’t want to play basketball against me since he was rusty.
He wasn’t all that rusty, seeing how we played every other weekend.
He didn’t want the kids to see me dust him off for old times’ sake.
Once Harper sent him to wash up, the air in the room shifted. Something had been weighing on me for a few days. Now was the perfect time to get it off my chest. Harper moved over to the sink before picking up a plate and washing it. I cleared the table and moved next to her to put them in the sink.
“Is that boy my brother’s son?” I came out and asked her.
Once the words left my mouth, all the air left the room. Harper’s spine stiffened, but she didn’t turn to face me.
“Why would you even ask me that?”
“It’s a valid question. Would you mind answering it?”
“Yes, I would, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t go putting ideas in his head.”
She spun to face me, the tension evident in her face as she scowled at me. “Don’t come around here accusing me of shit and speaking on things you know nothing about.”
“Look, I’m sorry I offended you,” I said, holding my hands up defensively.
“I’m sick of people thinking I’m obligated to explain every single aspect of my life. I didn’t come here for this shit. I didn’t even seek you and your brother out. Y’all came to me. Please don’t make my life complicated, Jase.”
“Harper, you have to tell him.”
“Can you please let me take care of my own business?”
I stared at her for a while before I broke the silence. “OK. I should go anyway.”
I knew that if I stayed any longer, things would only get more tense. Harper would have to come around in her own time. Her reaction to my question only confirmed that I wasn’t completely insane.
“Tell Cam to make sure he does his homework before he practices those layups,” I told her as I let myself out through the back door.