Page 19 of The Prettiest Outlaw

“Well at least she knows where her help comes from because some people run to other things when life starts passing out licks. Like to alcohol, drugs, sex, overspending, overeating… I’m glad she’s seeking the church.”

I turned into a gated community in one of the ritzier areas of the city and came to a stop in front of a modern looking, three-story detached townhome. Before I could text her or even tap the horn, Julianna was coming out onto the small porch.

It was cold outside, and though most of her was covered by a wool coat, I could see her legs, which let me know that she was wearing a dress or a skirt. She bounded down the stairs in her high-heeled boots.

“Get out and open the door for her, Nico,” my mother urged, giving me a slight push on the bicep.

Without thinking about the fact that I was a grown man who lived in his own spot and paid his own bills, I started to move at her directive. I turned back and looked at my mom as I exited the warm confines of my truck.

“Aye, Bianca, don’t be on your matchmaking sh—stuff. This isn’t that. We’re only going to church. This girl isn’t your future daughter-in-law.”

“Okay.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “But find out if she wants kids. She could be the future mother of my grandchildren, and they would be so pretty… just like Dolton’s babies. Prettier even because you have my genes.”

“Ma.”

She giggled like a kid just as Julianna made it to the truck.

“What’s good?” I looked her up and down. Julianna was more slim-thick than thick. That didn’t stop her from being curvier than a motherfucker. The wool coat she was wearing didn’t hide even one of those curves. “I see you decided to go for the traditional church look with a dress or a skirt.”

She grinned at me. “Shows how much you know. This dress is bodycon with a split up to each hip and a stomach cut out.”

I laughed aloud at that as I held the back door open for her.

I heard her speak to my mother as I closed the door for her.

* * *

After church, my mother was up to her usual shenanigans—acting like I didn’t have anything better to do with my Sunday than to wait around for her.

I looked over at Julianna, who sat on the pew with her hands folded in her lap and her legs crossed at the ankle, looking prim and proper like she belonged at church.

“Aye, I should’ve warned you that this lady doesn’t know how to leave once she gets here. At least that way you would’ve known to drive yourself so you could leave when you wanted to.”

“I’m okay.” She grinned at me. “I really didn’t want to drive myself. I would’ve had to walk in by myself, and people would’ve been looking and stuff.”

I studied her thoughtfully. “You’re not the same. The way I met you…the way I remember you from two or three years ago…You’re not the same.”

She didn't respond beyond a small smile.

“Does everybody notice?”

“They notice,” she admitted, finally breaking the silence. “Langston already asked me if I wanted him to arrange something like my dad did for him and Jia.”

“Both of your sisters had arranged marriages?”

“Semi-arranged. Jia and Langston were already in love when my father suggested that they court, and you already know that my father just wanted Jianna connected to a Hill. He thought it would be Donovan. It just happened to end up being Dolton.”

“What about you, lil bit? Would you ever consider an arranged marriage?”

“You know,” she began, “I used to think that whole scenario was archaic, patriarchal, and just…gross. The thought of marrying for anything other than love seemed weird and the opposite of spontaneous.”

“But now?”

She sighed. “But now, the dating pool is filled with pee and dookie. Maybe?—”

Julianna’s thought was interrupted by an attractive older woman with soft features and sharp eyes.

“Good morning, Brother Nico.”

---