Page 59 of The Attraction

“My protection to make it out of this room, before I end up back in that bed.” She sidesteps toward the bedroom door, not bothering to pick up her pajamas off the floor.

“Oh, you want me to chase you? Yeah, I’m good at this game, been doing it all week already.” Throwing the covers back, I run after her as she takes off across the hallway, screaming like a girl.

“No, I’m showering, I’ll meet you for breakfast.” The door slams shut, and I hear the thud of her leaning against it.

“I’ve heard I’m good in a shower,” I call through the door.

“Too good, that’s the problem. Go work out or something, you know, burn off some of that testosterone or whatever is running through that dick of yours. That super body fuel that you tried to tell me you had last night.” She giggles as I grin at the memories of this morning’s early hours when we had sex hard and fast, then soft and slow, and then the fun really began as we both relaxed and jokes were flying between us.

Fun banter is so much better than fight banter.

“Fine, you win, but it’s Saturday. I’m not training, so I’m not using up all that testosterone you speak of. I’ll be keeping that super fuel for later tonight. All for you, my little dumpling.” I walk back into my room laughing as I hear her groan.

“I’m off to start vomiting,” she screams through the door while my chuckle just gets louder.

We both showered, and are now finishing up breakfast, when my phone rings.

“Hi, Mum.” I roll my eyes at Harper who has her hand over her mouth to stop my mum from hearing her laughing at my facial expression as I answered.

“Hello, Forrest. I’m so excited to see you and Harper tonight. I just wanted to know what I need to bring. Oh, and is it a fancy dinner? Do we need to dress up, you know, like sparkly or does your father need to wear a tie…?” She is talking so fast.

“Mum, Mum, slow down,” I say, trying not to laugh at her. “No, you don’t need to bring anything except for yourself and Dad. Flynn is cooking dinner, and I think I might make the dessert.” Harper’s eyes open wide, and she raises her hand up for me to high-five it. She understands that’s a big step for me. “And no, Mum, just dress casually, as you would if I was coming for dinner at your house. We are family, there are no pretenses here.” I try to calm her because I know she feels she needs to impress Felisha and now Harper being here as well. Not that Mum has any idea what is going on. She has hopes and will be trying her best to matchmake tonight.

“Yes, but those two girls are so beautiful and always look like they stepped out of a magazine.” I can hear the underlying worry in her voice of being enough for these two women.

“Mum, stop it. You have met Felisha a few times now and she loves you. You have met Harper once, and she thinks you are adorable and told me she thinks you would be more fun to have dinner with than me and Flynn. Plus, I can assure you I have seen both these women in casual clothes just like yours. Comfy pants and a shirt, oh and shock horror, they even wear track pants on occasions too, looking totally unkempt.” This has Harper reaching out and slapping my arm.

“Forrest Taylor, don’t you be so facetious!” Mum yells at me down the phone.

“Uh-oh, I’m in trouble, you used my full name.”

“You are not too big to cop a wooden spoon on the backside just like when you were little.” She starts to laugh on her end of the phone, with both of us knowing I might have got it twice if I was lucky over the years, and it was so soft I barely felt it. But Flynn, that’s a totally different story. Mum was forever chasing him with the wooden spoon, but he was just baiting her. Because even though he was a little shit growing up, she still was so soft with the spoon it did nothing to discipline him. That sort of thing isn’t done in this day and age, with good reason, but Mum had more effect on us if she went quiet and told us she was disappointed in us. Nothing stabs you harder in the heart than hearing you have disappointed your parents.

“Okay, I’ll behave. But please, just come however you like, and let Dad wear whatever he wants, even if it doesn’t match. No one cares he has no dress sense.”

Harper stands and takes the empty plates and coffee cups to the dishwasher.

“I care, Forrest. I have been married to this man for forty-seven years, and it feels like I’ve been dressing him nearly every day of that time,” she proudly states.

“And I’m sure he loves you for that, Mum,” I say, knowing that Dad would never complain one minute about Mum and her nagging. He loves her deeply, even if he never says it out loud that often. You just have to see the way he looks at her.

“He better.” She laughs.

“Now I need to go because I have a few things I need to do this morning. See you tonight, the car will be there to pick you up at five o’clock, okay?” I roll my finger around in circles so Harper knows I’m trying to wind up the call.

“Okay, my sweet boy, see you soon.” And I smile, wondering where I get the corny names from.

“Bye, Mum.” I hang up the call and sigh with relief.

“Stop it, she sounds adorable.” Harper walks back toward me.

“That’s one word for my mum. Let’s see what words you have for her after tonight, like nosy, pushy, chatty, just to name a few.” I put my arm around her waist and pull her to me.

“You are lucky to have her.” And Harper’s words hit a little more seriously than I would have liked.

Laying her head on my chest, we just stand in silence for a minute.

“BBQ ribs,” she says with a little emotion.

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