Flip This Love by Maggie Wells Page A

wasn’t love at first sight, or anything so trite. Actually, the first time he’d seen her he’d wanted to slap the smug smirk from her face. He’d made it through to sixteen before his mama called in all her chits. From him and from the snooty school where she worked as food service director. One little fight and his years of skating through the public school system were through. One afternoon, he’d taken the bus across town to meet her after work so he could be measured for his official St. Patrick’s Academy blazer. The job wasn’t only the best she could do in terms of salary, but also for him. Unlike most other kids he knew, his mother was home when he was home. Her presence alone kept him out of trouble for a long time, a perk she said made serving food to a bunch of rich kids more palatable. Even though he was their age, and wouldn’t have deigned to talk to any adult voluntarily, it galled him to see his mother sitting on the bench in front of the school, alone and ignored. The cafeteria uniform she wore made her invisible to the spoiled teens lingering on the school’s lush grounds.
    A few of the girls shot curious glances in his direction as he approached, and some of the guys stiffened, but no one said a word as he crossed the lawn. The heavy wooden doors swung open with a crash, and a high-pitched peal of female laughter filled the air. He’d looked up as his mother stood. The small crowd gathered on the stoop parted when two beautiful young girls emerged. They couldn’t have been in high school yet, but their age didn’t seem to matter. It was obvious the pair ruled the school. The spring breeze caught the hem of the dark-haired girl’s gauzy skirt, flipping it up to reveal a mouthwatering stretch of toned, tanned thigh. Like any red-blooded male, he stood transfixed.
    Then he heard a snort of derision and the spell was broken.
    Harley remember tensing, prepared to do battle with the little snot if he had to, but her scorn wasn’t directed at him or his mother. Instead, it was aimed at the lanky brown-haired guy who’d dared to approach her friend with spiral notebook in hand. Harley smiled now, remembering how incredibly nerdy Brian Dalton had been back then, and marveling at the man’s transformation. It reminded him of the first house he’d ever flipped. One would never have guessed the bland brick and frame ranch house had anything special to offer, but Harley saw its potential. He watched the empty house grow shabbier and shabbier with every summer he spent working construction. And he’d watched his mother fade a little each time she started a new school year at St. Pat’s.
    He recalled watching perky blond Brooke smile as she answered nerdy Brian’s question, but the scowl pulling at Laney’s lush mouth made it clear Brian wasn’t welcome to linger. Proving he was indeed the brainiest guy around, Brian peeled off the minute they reached the bottom of the steps.
    The security door rattled, jolting Harley out of his thoughts. He smiled as he caught a muffled string of very unladylike curses as she fiddled with the lock. The hinges screeched and Harley’s boot hit the floor. He stood up straight, his feet braced wide and ready for battle. Unsure of what to do with his hands, he opted for shoving them into the back pockets of his battered Wranglers. As always, his breath hitched a bit when he first caught sight of her glossy dark hair. He’d seen those inky waves spill over her pale, freckled shoulders and flow across a pillow, but for the life of him, he didn’t think he’d ever get his fill. Something about her called to him, and he’d be damned if he knew how to stop falling for her over and over again.
    Her eyes widened and her lips parted as she zeroed in on him. Her steps slowed, but she said nothing. Watching him warily, she kept coming, refusing to halt her approach even when confronted with an unwelcome visitor. He admired her pluck, but at the same time wanted to throttle