Page 108 of Until Nalia
“Me too.” She rests the side of her head on my chest. “I just keep thinking about what could have happened, if she hit her head or fell wrong.”
“Don’t think about that, baby.” I curl my hand around the back of her neck, and she melts against me.
“I’m tired,” she whispers, exhaustion creeping into her voice. “Sharon called this afternoon.” My muscles bunch.
“What’d she say?”
“She got the papers from the lawyer, so she was upset.” Her hands at my back bunch into my tee. “But I kind of, I don’t know, I kind of told her how I feel, and it’s weird, but I think she actually listened and got where I was coming from.” She tips her head back, and I drop my gaze to hers. “Before we hung up, she just asked me to tell Zuri that she was going to e-mail and that it would have nothing to do with asking me for money.”
“Only time will tell if you got through to her, baby, but I hope you did.”
“Me too.” Her eyes slide closed when I lean down and touch my mouth to hers.
“Can you guys stop being gross? We’re hungry,” Coop says, breaking into the moment, and I smile at Nalia before I pull back and look at the doorway of the house, finding all three kids looking at us.
“We’re coming in,” I tell them.
“Geeze, can’t a guy get some food around here without having to beg?” Coop mutters under his breath before turning and walking into the house.
“You know you could cook for yourself,” Zuri tells him as she follows him.
“Yeah, right, we’d totally have to call nine-one-one if he did that,” Billie tells her, and Zuri laughs.
“God, I love them,” Nalia whispers, leaning into me. I look down at her, catching her smile, which is still in place when she tips her head back towards me. “I guess we better feed your boy before he starves.”
“Fuck, I love you.” I drop my mouth to hers, loving that eventually this will be our life, our family, and I’m really fucking looking forward to that.
Thirty-Two
NALIA
Walking into the crowded auditorium, I glance around the space that is filled with teachers, parents, kids, family, and friends. With everyone still standing, it takes me a few minutes to find Logan standing a few inches above everyone else towards the front of the room. As I make my way in his direction, I spot my parents, Zuri, and Cooper sitting in the seats next to where Logan is standing, talking to the man next to him.
Seeing everyone together, well, except for Billie, because she’s likely backstage trying not to panic about tonight, my chest feels odd. Like my heart has gotten too big for the small space behind my ribs. It’s felt like that a lot over the last few months as my whole life has changed in the best possible ways. Not just being suddenly thrust into parenthood, which has been awesome, and building a life with Logan and the kids, which has been surprisingly fulfilling even with the challenges, but it’s also the way my relationship with my family has changed. It no longer feels like I’m an outsider or intruder in my own family. Sure, there are times I still question if I’m worthy of everything my parents have given me my entire life, but it’s gotten easier to accept that I don’t owe them anything for loving me. And part of why it’s gotten easier is because I would be devastated if Zuri came to me later in life and told me that she felt like she hadn’t earned the love I gave her so easily.
When a hand comes to rest on my lower back I come out of my thoughts and look up and find Logan standing over me.
“Hey, baby,” His lips brush my cheek before he asks against my ear. “You okay?”
“Yeah, sorry I spaced out,” I mumble, and he grins.
“How was your meeting?” He wraps his hand around mine and starts leading me to where my parents and the kids are seated.
“Good, it ran longer than I thought it would because Bax and Talon showed up, and the two of them don’t know when to stop talking.”
“It’s not every day you meet a country music star.”
“True.” I agree. The client we met with this evening is a famous country star, who until tonight, we only spoke with through his assistant. I can admit walking into his home I was a little star struck when I first saw him, but by the time we left I felt like he was just a normal guy. A guy with a very cool story and lots of history, but a guy all the same.
When we reach our aisle, I scoot in front of Logan and hug Zuri before giving my parents each a hug and touch Cooper’s hair which makes him smile. Then I hug Gigi and Pops, the two of them sitting on the opposite side of Cooper who is sitting between his granddad and my dad, who adores him.
“Have you seen Billie?” I ask Logan as I take a seat and place my bag on the floor.
“Zur said she thought she saw her poke her head out of the curtain earlier, but I didn’t see her.”
“I can’t wait to see her all dressed up,” I tell him, then whisper and look at the empty seats next to him. “Kristy hasn’t shown up yet?”
“Not yet, she messaged that her and her parents are on the way.”
