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I press my face into the pillow and blindly reach for my cell phone on the nightstand. I peek at the screen and see it says 10:30 a.m.
Finally, I crawl out of bed and head toward the commotion. Out of habit, as I jog down the stairs, I skip the squeaky one.
I adjust my sweatpants that are hanging low on my hips and run my hands over my face as I enter the kitchen, just as another loud clank rings out.
“Ma,” I shout. “What’s with the fucking ruckus?”
“Cooper James, I told you not to swear,” she scolds. A deep furrow appears between her brows.
I hold up my hands innocently. “Sorry, Ma.” Wow, way to make a twenty-four-year-old feel like he’s five years old again, getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“And put a shirt on. What if I had company?” I glance down at my bare chest.Oops.
The scent of fresh coffee and warm baked goods lingers in the air. I laugh as I grab a coffee mug from the shelf. “I’m sure it’s nothing your church ladies’ group haven’t seen before, and I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. Give them all something new to gossip about,” I joke, filling the mug.
Ma swats me with the dish towel, and little droplets of coffee splash over the side of the mug and onto my hand. I hiss as the liquid burns my skin.
“Thanks, Ma.” I scowl at her.
“Serves you right. You should’ve woken up at a decent hour and came downstairs fully dressed, so it’s all on you.”
I roll my eyes. Having done any of that wouldn’t have salvaged my hand from the hot coffee. I lean back against the counter and cross my ankles as I bring the mug carefully to my lips and watch my mother move effortlessly around the kitchen.
“What’s all this for?” I motion to all the paperwork and cookbooks spread out all over the kitchen table.
“I have a committee meeting later to discuss the fall festival and Hootenanny.”
Well, glad to see something else hasn’t changed around here. Ma always loved her committees. If it wasn’t a church group, it was a sports booster or the PTA. This is where she always shined—she loves planning and organizing.
“Y’all still do that round here?”
“Of course,” she says as if offended I even suggested that they stopped stop doing these events. “It’s Meadows Ridge tradition. And I expect now that you’re home, you will also take part.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Ma.”
She spins and crosses her arms, her shoe tapping against the tiled floor “And why not? I expect you won’t be hiding in your room the entire time you’re staying here because I can assure you, Cooper James Graham, there will be no hiding out in this house from this town.”
I think about speaking up but decide it’s best to remain silent.
“I will not allow that to happen. Do you understand me?”
Avoiding her gaze, I pretend to find an interesting spot on the floor to focus on. When she clears her throat, I finally respond. “Yes, ma’am.”
Ma walks over and smacks me in the chest softly and smiles. “Good. Now, what’s on your agenda today?”
I take another sip of coffee. Hmm, besides possibly bed shopping, I hadn’t really given that much thought. “Not sure.”
“Well, unless you want to be the center of attention with the church ladies that will be here in about thirty minutes, I suggest one, you get dressed, and two, you make yourself scarce today.”
I nod. I may have joked about it a few minutes ago, but that is definitely the last thing I want or need right now.
I’m surprised she didn’t warn me when we talked last night during dinner. Maybe this is all part of her plan to force me out of the house and face reality.
Throwing the rest of my coffee back, I turn and then set the empty mug in the sink.
Ma clears her throat. “I know I taught you better than that.”
Damn, at the rate she’s going, she’s going to be busting my balls black and blue before the day is even over.I rinse the mug out and place it in the dishwasher.
