the only thing she found was Nik's bright-yellow hoodie.
The delicious after scent of his cologne was embedded in the fabric, clinging on with intensity, equivalent to the desire burning inside her soul for him.
The slightest trace of Nik’s enticing masculinity made her knees buckle and her body grow inexplicably weak. It renewed her hunger for him, causing her stomach to ache like it’d been pounded with a sledgehammer.
Against her better judgment, Harper threw it into her oversized purse and left her bedroom.
"Happy bird-day, Pookie Wookie." Mindi’s disheveled hair covered her face as she stumbled to her feet, throwing her arms around Harper. She struggled to maintain her composure, along with any lingering shred of sobriety.
"Thanks, Mama, but it ain’t ‘til tomorrow.”
"No it ain’t.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Mindi wiped her mouth and threw her hands over her head. “Well ain’t nothin’ wrong with bein’ early, is there? At least I never forget.”
"’Course not,” Harper lied. It’d happened twice before.
"I was plannin’ to get you somethin’, but I’ve lost my head lately. I just didn't get a chance."
Aside from the necklace, she imagined the usual dollar store present from Mindi and huffed. "That's fine. I don't need anything. I ain’t a little girl."
"What kind of mama would I be if forgot ‘bout my baby?" Mindi stubbed her knee against the table while reaching for her purse. Then she emptied it across the coffee table and shuffled through its contents. "Here ya go darlin', celebrate early." Mindi shoved the crumbled bill into her pocket.
“No, Mama.”
“For Christ’s sake, just hurry up and take it. I’ve got a jillion things to do before work."
Harper turned her back from Mindi, and muttered, “You’re actually goin’ to work?"
"Of course, darlin’.”
"Really?"
Mindi threw her hand on her hip. "Why do ya sound so damn surprised? I’m always workin’.”
“We ain’t goin’ there now.”
“What are you sayin’?”
Harper folded her arms. “C’mon, we both know that ain’t true.”
“Yeah it is.”
“Mama, you’re lyin’.”
“Don’t sass-talk me, girl. You seem to forget that I’m in charge ‘round here.”
"You’re gonna screw us over again.”
"I don’t see why I gotta deal with this shit every day. It’s bad enough I gotta take it from Faye, but I ain’t takin’ it from my kid too."
"Fine, forget it.”
"I don’t know what’s gotten into you. Just ‘cause you’re gonna be eighteen you think you know everything now?”
"I didn't say that."
"Yeah, but that's what you're thinkin’, ain't it?”
"You want everyone to believe you’re a saint, but you can’t fool me. I know you’ve been shootin’ up.”
“You’re a damn liar!” she roared.
Harper grabbed Mindi by the wrists. “Really, Mama, look at your frickin’ arms and all those fresh marks.”
“These ain’t fresh—”
“I’m so sick of this. I’ve spent half my life in a car movin’ from Louisiana to Michigan ‘cause of you. I’ve paid for every one of your mistakes, but I’ve always kept my mouth shut ‘til now. I’m done. If you mess this up, I swear I’ll never forgive you. My life’s here, and I ain’t about to give that up for anything. I’d rather die than move back to Fire Brush with you.”
"I ought to wear you out, girl, speakin’ to me like that.”
"Why, ‘cause I’m tellin’ the truth?”
"No, ‘cause you’re so damn disrespectful I can’t stand it.”
"But the way you treat Auntie is respectful?”
"You think she’s perfect, don’t ya? Well you ain’t seen how nasty she can be. Faye’s always been lookin’ down her nose at me.”
“All she’s tried to do is help, but you’re too selfish to see that.”
“Don't go talkin’ 'bout things between Faye and me. That ain’t any of your damn business.”
“I’ve lived and breathed the drama between y’all my entire life. Don’t try tellin’ me that it ain’t my
The delicious after scent of his cologne was embedded in the fabric, clinging on with intensity, equivalent to the desire burning inside her soul for him.
The slightest trace of Nik’s enticing masculinity made her knees buckle and her body grow inexplicably weak. It renewed her hunger for him, causing her stomach to ache like it’d been pounded with a sledgehammer.
Against her better judgment, Harper threw it into her oversized purse and left her bedroom.
"Happy bird-day, Pookie Wookie." Mindi’s disheveled hair covered her face as she stumbled to her feet, throwing her arms around Harper. She struggled to maintain her composure, along with any lingering shred of sobriety.
"Thanks, Mama, but it ain’t ‘til tomorrow.”
"No it ain’t.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Mindi wiped her mouth and threw her hands over her head. “Well ain’t nothin’ wrong with bein’ early, is there? At least I never forget.”
"’Course not,” Harper lied. It’d happened twice before.
"I was plannin’ to get you somethin’, but I’ve lost my head lately. I just didn't get a chance."
Aside from the necklace, she imagined the usual dollar store present from Mindi and huffed. "That's fine. I don't need anything. I ain’t a little girl."
"What kind of mama would I be if forgot ‘bout my baby?" Mindi stubbed her knee against the table while reaching for her purse. Then she emptied it across the coffee table and shuffled through its contents. "Here ya go darlin', celebrate early." Mindi shoved the crumbled bill into her pocket.
“No, Mama.”
“For Christ’s sake, just hurry up and take it. I’ve got a jillion things to do before work."
Harper turned her back from Mindi, and muttered, “You’re actually goin’ to work?"
"Of course, darlin’.”
"Really?"
Mindi threw her hand on her hip. "Why do ya sound so damn surprised? I’m always workin’.”
“We ain’t goin’ there now.”
“What are you sayin’?”
Harper folded her arms. “C’mon, we both know that ain’t true.”
“Yeah it is.”
“Mama, you’re lyin’.”
“Don’t sass-talk me, girl. You seem to forget that I’m in charge ‘round here.”
"You’re gonna screw us over again.”
"I don’t see why I gotta deal with this shit every day. It’s bad enough I gotta take it from Faye, but I ain’t takin’ it from my kid too."
"Fine, forget it.”
"I don’t know what’s gotten into you. Just ‘cause you’re gonna be eighteen you think you know everything now?”
"I didn't say that."
"Yeah, but that's what you're thinkin’, ain't it?”
"You want everyone to believe you’re a saint, but you can’t fool me. I know you’ve been shootin’ up.”
“You’re a damn liar!” she roared.
Harper grabbed Mindi by the wrists. “Really, Mama, look at your frickin’ arms and all those fresh marks.”
“These ain’t fresh—”
“I’m so sick of this. I’ve spent half my life in a car movin’ from Louisiana to Michigan ‘cause of you. I’ve paid for every one of your mistakes, but I’ve always kept my mouth shut ‘til now. I’m done. If you mess this up, I swear I’ll never forgive you. My life’s here, and I ain’t about to give that up for anything. I’d rather die than move back to Fire Brush with you.”
"I ought to wear you out, girl, speakin’ to me like that.”
"Why, ‘cause I’m tellin’ the truth?”
"No, ‘cause you’re so damn disrespectful I can’t stand it.”
"But the way you treat Auntie is respectful?”
"You think she’s perfect, don’t ya? Well you ain’t seen how nasty she can be. Faye’s always been lookin’ down her nose at me.”
“All she’s tried to do is help, but you’re too selfish to see that.”
“Don't go talkin’ 'bout things between Faye and me. That ain’t any of your damn business.”
“I’ve lived and breathed the drama between y’all my entire life. Don’t try tellin’ me that it ain’t my
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