Page 42 of Believing in You
Nyla turned to Harrison. “She is that bad, and I’m being a hundred percent serious. She’s been on this mission to get me and my siblings booed up, married, and pumping out babies soon after.”
His grin dropped, and he glanced over Nyla’s shoulder out the passenger window. After a few seconds, he waved at someone, and Nyla assumed her mother was still standing there.
“Well, you’re alreadybooedup,” he said, looking at Nyla with roguishness in his eyes. “And I can totally get with marrying you and having you as my babies’ momma.” He climbed out of the SUV without a backwards glance.
Nyla sat frozen. They were barely dating. No way would she allow her mind to go there and envision a family with Harrison. It would be a dream come true, but that would be getting way ahead of herself.
When he opened her car door and extended his hand to her, Nyla placed her hand in his. Her heart did a cartwheel inside her chest at what she saw in his heated gaze. Desire. Passion. Love.
If she wasn’t already in love with this man, she was pretty damn close.
Chapter Twenty-One
Meeting members of Nyla’s family hadn’t been on his list of things to do today, but there was no time like the present.
“Mom, Cree, this is Harrison Grant. Harrison, this is my mother, Virginia, and my sister.”
“Nice to meet you.” He shook Cree’s hand and then extended his hand to their mother.
“Oh, no, love. I don’t shake hands. I’m a hugger. Bring it in,” Virginia said, her arms outstretched with her purse dangling from one of them while her gloved fingers beckoned him to come closer.
He obliged, hugging her and almost laughing at how long she held on to him. But then it was as if a Mack truck slammed into him and knocked him off-balance when a sudden memory crashed into him. It was of his mother hugging him tightly. Tight enough for him to feel her love seeping into his veins.
Harrison swallowed hard, forcing himself not to leap out of Virginia’s hold while remembering how his mother used to give the best hugs. His mind spun. His throat tightened, and his heart started beating double time.
What the hell?
He forced himself to remain calm. The memory was so random, but it felt as if he’d been transported back in time. He could almost see his mother’s face and feel her arms around him.
When Virginia finally loosened her hold, Harrison tried to put some distance between them, but she didn’t release him. Instead, she held him at arm’s length with her hands on his shoulders.
She stared at him for what seemed like an hour but was only seconds before saying, “You have kind eyes.” Her voice was barely loud enough for him to hear as she continued to search his eyes as if able to see deep into his soul. When she finally released him. He scurried backwards, trying not to be obvious about it but needing to put space between them.
Nyla was right there. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed. It was as if she knew something had transpired during that embrace. An embrace that shook him.
“You have to come inside and meet my husband,” Virginia said as she slid her purse strap onto her shoulder and smiled at him. “Then you can have lunch with all of us.”
“I—I appreciate that, Mrs. Priestly, but—”
“Mom, Harrison has things to do,” Nyla said while gently rubbing his arm.
“Nonsense,” Virginia said. “I’m sure he doesn’t mind staying a little while to get to know us. Do you, Harrison?”
“Actually, I—”
“Come on, Love, you can spare an hour or so. Let’s get out of this cold before we turn into icicles.” She slid her arm through the crook of his as if it were the most natural thing to do. “Nice arms,” she complimented, giving his biceps a little squeeze, and Harrison grunted.
Nyla had warned him, and Virginia was living up to her reputation of being… a lot.
He tightened his hold on Nyla’s hand while she grumbled under her breath about pushy mothers. That didn’t stop Virginia as she guided them up the walkway with a pep in her step. Harrison was fairly sure he heard Cree chuckling behind them, but he wasn’t positive.
When they made it into the cottage, four sets of similar brown eyes turned in their direction.
“Hey family! This is Harrison, Nyla’s boyfriend,” Virginia announced happily before anyone could speak.
Then she pulled him away from Nyla and walked him farther into the living room. The family had been watching an NFL playoff game on a big screen television mounted on the wall. It was loud. The sound pumped through surround-sound speakers until someone turned down the volume.
“Harrison, this is my son, Zion, my oldest daughter, Essence, my grandson, Tray, and my incredibly handsome husband, Israel.”
