Read Online Breaking Clear (Full Hearts Series Book 3) by Mj Summers - Free Book Online

creating a ball of righteous indignation in her chest. Mrs. Morley and others like her, who felt it necessary to assert themselves in matters that were none of their business and who judged her motherless family, were near the top of her list of good reasons she had left Boulder. In New York, no one knew that her mother had had an affair and abandoned them, and if they did find out, they wouldn’t bat an eyelash.
    How could a woman—in a lavender track suit of all things—make her feel less than? It was ridiculous. Harper thought of Mrs. Morley’s not-so-subtle way of telling her she was all wrong for Evan. “Screw her.”

Eight
    The heat of the day clung to the air as the sun began to disappear behind the mountains in the distance. The sound of Evan’s truck prompted Harper to quickly dab at the sweat on her face with the edge of her T-shirt. Of course. I don’t see him for days and then he appears when I’m a sweaty mess again .
    “Evening,” he called, strolling over to her with Boots bounding ahead of him. As she took in Evan’s appearance, she realized she needn’t have worried about being sweaty or covered in dirt. He looked very much the same, although she was sure it suited him more than it did her. His dusty old jeans and work boots, along with two-day-old stubble, just added to his rugged sexiness.
    Harper looked up at Evan from her position on her knees, arching her back to relieve some of her sore muscles. Suddenly realizing how that must have looked, she straightened up. “Hi,” she replied, hoping he couldn’t hear her heart as it pounded in her chest. She reached out and gave Boots a vigorous rub behind his ears to stop him from licking her face. In response, the dog flopped down to the grass and rolled over onto his back, clearly hoping for a belly rub. Harper gave in. “You know how to wrap us humans around your paw, don’t you, Boots?”
    “He certainly does. I never wanted a dog and yet, here he is.” Evan dropped down beside her on the lawn, stretching out his long legs and leaning back on his elbows as he admired her handiwork.
    “How come you never wanted a dog?”
    “Too much commitment. I realized a while ago that the simpler I keep things, the happier I am. He’s working out okay, though.” Evan nodded toward the nearly completed flower bed. “Did you do all that today?”
    Her mouth curved up slightly as she looked over her latest artistic endeavour. “I did indeed.” She tried to renew her enthusiasm for her accomplishment but it had faded with the heat and her irritation.
    “Good for you. It’s hard to believe it’s the same yard that was here this morning. Seriously impressive,” he replied, taking his eyes off the plants to stare at her. He cocked his head to the side, frowning a little. “You okay? You don’t seem like your normal, bubbly self.”
    “It’s nothing worth talking about.”
    “If it’s bugging you, it’s worth talking about.”
    Harper rolled her eyes. “Mrs. Morley came by to remind me of her opinion of my family, including my horrible mother, in case I had forgotten.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. Why the hell can’t people mind their own business?”
    “Gossip is like a pastime around here. And my mother gave them the story of the century.” Harper plucked a blade of grass and tied it in a tiny knot.
    Evan watched her fingers for a moment before answering. “Anyone who’d bring that up has got to be a pretty small person to begin with. Still hurts, though, doesn’t it?”
    “No, it’s just irritating,” Harper answered. “Actually, I’m more annoyed with myself for letting her bother me.”
    “Well, it’s hard not to. She’s got an ill-informed and unwanted opinion on everything. And unfortunately, she loves sharing those opinions,” Evan commiserated. “She’s always trying to set me up with her niece.” He shuddered, pretending to be disgusted.
    Harper laughed. “Oh, I know. She practically claimed you as family