Page 92 of Impending Consent

I smiled when he protectively searched my face. This man…

Diana and I exchanged a look and shared a moment, understanding that felt like the beginning of a lasting bond.

"Everything's fine, honey," Diana assured him. "Just getting to know my daughter-in-law."

The term tightened my chest but not in panic. It felt good.

"I don't know if I should trust that and don’t believe everything she tells you. Especially if it involves my teenage years. I can’t be held accountable for the dumb ass decisions I made back then."

"Speaking of which…" Diana's eyes lit up. “I should show Sailor your prom photos!"

"Ma, no," Rival groaned.

"Ma, yes," I countered. “I want it all. I need to see everything."

Diana led us inside to retrieve photo albums but Rival caught my hand, pulling me back. "You sure you’re good?" he asked quietly, searching my face.

"Yeah. I'm really good." I lifted and pecked his mouth because I truly meant it. Diana was right. My heart had alreadymade a decision about my husband. It was time for my mind to play catch up.

Chapter 22

Rival

We spent the morning with my mother, who insisted on making her famous buttermilk pancakes, before we headed out to explore the city. Now I was giving Sailor the grand tour of where I grew up and pointing out landmarks that had me remembering things I had forgotten about.

Sailor had shifted since the conversation with my mother yesterday. She was quiet last night, but not in the guarded way I was used to when she was retreating. I had not a damn clue what that was about but decided not to push.

"And this is where I got my first speeding ticket." I pointed out the corner as we drove through my old neighborhood. "Seventeen years old and you couldn’t tell me shit in my five hundred dollar car."

“Five hundred dollar car?”

I nodded and glanced at Sail. “Yeah that shit was terrible too. It was so rusted I probably should have gotten a Tetanus shot before driving it. It had mismatched tires and was built from three different Civics, all different years, but it was mine and I was driving.”

“Oh wow, the visual I just had.” She laughed.

“Trust me, the visual you had likely made my shit look a lot better than it was. That car shouldn’t have been on the road. I don’t even know how it moved fast enough for me to get that damn ticket. Shit, you might need to go back and challenge that ticket for me.”

Sailor laughed. "Men will do anything to impress women. I’m sure you were showing off for some lil heifer?"

"Worse. Showing off for myself. No one else was even in the car."

“Hmm, this would be one of those dumb teenage things you mentioned then.”

“Yeah, one of many.”

"Where to next?" she asked, her hand resting casually on my thigh as I drove, another small but significant change. She'd always been physically affectionate in private, but these public displays and Sailor’s need for connection was new.

"I thought we would check out Mitchell Park. Used to play ball there all the time as a kid."

"The famous basketball courts where young Rival Hassan honed his skills?" she teased. "I'm intrigued."

"Don't get too excited. I was good for Oakland, which isn’t saying much."

"Doesn’t matter. You’ve had access to all of me. I like being exposed to all of you. It helps me understand who you are."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Consider it the Rival Hassan deposition."

---