Page 48 of Believing in You

Even in their short time together, Nyla had a list of special memories like that one.

“Sometimes it’s hard to remember what my life was like before you came along,” she said close to his ear. “I just…” She started to say more but instead leaned her head back and stared into his intense brown eyes.

“I love you,” he said, surprising her. “I love you so damn much, and I don’t want to think about how empty my life was before you came along.”

A huge smile kicked up the corners of her mouth, and her heart overflowed with love for this man. “I love you, too, sweetheart. A lot!”

He laughed and captured her mouth with his as if sealing their revelation with a kiss.

Nyla’s heart thundered. There was a dreamy intimacy with this kiss, and she savored every tender lap of his tongue. It didn’t matter they were opposites in so many ways. There were times like this she was reminded of how perfect they were together.

“Excuse me. May I cut in?”

Nyla pulled her mouth from Harrison’s, and she burst out laughing when she realized it was her mother doing the asking.

“Really, Mom?” Nyla said, grinning. “Can’t you dance with Dad oranybodyelse?”

Her mother planted a hand on her hip. “Your dad is tired of dancing, and I can’t find Zion. He’s probably hiding orsomething. Besides, I want to dance with the newest member of our family. You don’t mind, do you, Harrison?”

Harrison let out a full belly laugh, which made Nyla start laughing. “Mrs. Priestly, it would be a pleasure to dance with you.You don’t mind do you, Nyla?” he said, his lips twitching as if he was trying not to laugh again.

Nyla sighed playfully. “Fine. I guess I can find something else to do.”

As she left them on the dance floor, Nyla was pretty sure she fell a little more in love with her man in that moment. She slowly made her way to the bar, weaving around groups of people and tables, glad to see everyone enjoying themselves.

She thought about how her mother had been pulling Harrison into their family little by little, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Virginia Priestly was growing on Harrison too. It was fun to watch him get flustered when she’d say or do something that embarrassed him.

Like the other day when they were at the B & B, and her mom asked Harrison if he would escort her to her church’s annual banquet in a few weeks. Nyla’s dad couldn’t attend, and Zion had outright saidno. Then her mom’s attention went to Harrison, and everyone cracked up when he agreed to attend.

He was going to regret it later, which was why the family had been laughing. Virginia liked to be the first person to arrive at events and was often the last one to leave. In between that time, she insisted on talking to everyone, and there was no doubt she’d want Harrison by her side the whole time.

With him spending time around her mom, Nyla hoped he’d one day want to see his mother. She wasn’t sure what that would look like, but getting some type of closure, where she was concerned, would be good for him.

Nyla went to the bar. “Hey, Jamie, can I have a bottle of water?”

“Sure thing,Boss Lady.”

She smiled at his term of endearment while he opened the bottle and handed it to her. “Thanks, and thanks for being here. I still think you should’ve been a guest instead of insisting on working the bar.”

“I know, but you know I love bartending. Besides, Dre needed to attend his daughter’s recital,” he said of their only other bartender.

Hiring another bartender was on the top of Nyla’s list of things to do. She also needed a couple of more servers. Her to-do list was growing by the day, but she was too excited about being her own boss to care.

“You did good, sis,” Zion said, sidling up to her while taking a sip of what looked to be whiskey in his glass. “This place looks great and speaking of great, you and Harrison on stage sounded sensational together. Good enough to take your act on the road. If you guys decide to do that, let me know. I’ll be your bodyguard.”

When he started flexing his biceps through the fitted Henley he wore, Nyla couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’ll keep that in mind. So what, no date tonight? I thought for sure you’d be strolling in here with a woman on each arm. It’s your birthday. You’re slipping.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Nah, I didn’t need to bring anyone. I figured there’d be enough women here for me to choose from.”

“Yeah, right. You didn’t bring anyone because everyone probably turned you down,” she joked.

They both laughed, knowing she was full of it. That was one thing her brother never had a problem with—picking up women. He was a good-looking man, and he knew it. She had witnessed him catching the eye of plenty of ladies of all ages over the years, and he didn’t hesitate to pour on the charm.

But lately, he seemed to have settled down some. Now that Nyla thought about it, Zion had been flying solo more often than not.

“Are you dating someone?” she asked, wondering if he was keeping a woman out of sight for fear their mother would start hounding him for grandkids.

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