Page 65 of Essence of his Soul

Mark helped me out of my coat, then shrugged out of his, and we made our way through the house. The place buzzed with voices, laughter, kids running wild, and Christmas music. That kind of warm, chaotic energy felt like home, the vibe you didn’t want to leave. I could feel Mark taking it all in as we walked. This was my life, family, and history, and now I was sharing it with him. That realization hit me deep.

When we hit the kitchen, the long farm table overflowed with food—turkey, ham, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese. You name it, it was there. I set the chocolate cake down. Before I could even turn around, Tamara grabbed my arm and dragged me into the pantry.

“Sis, he’s freaking gorgeous!” she whisper-screamed, her eyes wide with excitement.

I couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, he is.”

But Tamara wasn’t letting me off easy. She crossed her arms and gave me that look. “Well?”

“Well, what?” I said, knowing exactly where she was going but playing dumb anyway.

“Have you agreed to marry him yet?”

I hesitated for a beat, then shook my head. “No.”

“Don’t tell me you’re still mad at him. Why the hell not?”

I gave her the side-eye, tired of rehashing the same topic. “You know why, Tamara.”

I caught the little smirk creeping up on Tamara’s lips before she hit me with that question. “So, what about…?” She let it hang in the air, all casual-like, but I knew exactly where she was going with that.

I shrugged, trying to act like my face wasn’t heating up. Therewas no way I was giving her all the details. “I don’t kiss and tell,” I said, keeping my tone as smooth as possible. “But since he’s staying with us—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Tamara cut me off, eyes wide. “Did you just say Mark is staying with you?”

That blush I was trying to keep down flared up even more. “Yes, but only because he wants to be there for Christmas morning,” I said, hoping to calm her down.

“Mmm-hmm,” Tamara said, her grin growing wider. She hit me with that all-too-familiar look like she already had it all figured out. “Sis, he’s halfway there. It’s just a matter of time.”

I rolled my eyes like I wasn’t affected, but my heart did little flips.

I slid past her and made my way through the house. I saw Mark by the sink, deep in conversation with my sixteen-year-old cousin Pamila. And, of course, she was doing the most—twirling her hair and giggling like he was the hottest thing she’d ever seen. Which, okay, he kinda was, but still.

“Sorry, Cuz, but I’m gonna have to steal him for a minute,” I said, slipping my arm around Mark’s waist like I was staking my claim. Not that I had to, but sometimes you gotta make things clear. He didn’t resist, of course—he never did when it came to me. That was one thing I could count on.

As we walked away, I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “You looked like you needed rescuing,” I said, teasing.

He let out that low chuckle that rumbled deep in his chest and always made my pulse skip a beat. “Yeah, I appreciate it,” he said, his eyes locking with mine in that way that always made me feel like we were the only two people in the room.

We found my parents posted up in the living room, right next to that massive Christmas tree that had been around for as long as I could remember. Every ornament on it had a story, a memory, something from our family’s past. It was like lookingat our history wrapped in twinkling lights and tinsel. As I stood there with Mark, my arm casually draped around his waist, I wondered if maybe—just maybe—we’d be making memories like that together someday. But then I had to check myself real quick. Uh-uh. There are no guarantees in this game. I couldn’t be out here getting caught up in the fantasy. I needed to pump the brakes, slow down, and let Mark show me actions over words.

* * *

Meeting Essence's parents wasn’t just another check on the list; it was the real deal.

She flashed her killer smile and leaned over to kiss her parents. I watched as she moved with that effortless grace, owning the room. And then, just like that, she grabbed my hand and pulled me next to her like I belonged there.

“Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Mark Saunders,” she said, looking at me like I belonged. “Mark, these are my parents, Julia and Jarvis Monroe.”

I leaned in, extending my hand toward her mother first. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both,” I said, keeping my voice steady and respectful. I wasn’t about to mess this up.

Julia didn’t hesitate. She took my hand with a warm smile and even kissed me on the cheek like she’d known me for years. “Welcome, Mark,” she said softly. “I hope we see a lot more of you.”

“Thank you. I plan to be around for a long time,” I replied, giving her a genuine smile. I wasn’t playing about that either.

I could see the resemblance. Essence had her mother’s smooth brown skin, that same small, upturned nose, and those eyes that could either make you feel like the most important person in the room or remind you to watch your step.

Then came Jarvis. I could feel the shift in the air. Her father was tall, only an inch or so shorter than me, and built solid. Hisjaw was tight, and I could tell he wasn’t the type to be won over with just a handshake.

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