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“She just surprised me. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here,” he admitted.
“I should’ve worked late on Friday, but I didn’t.” No need to say where she had been that night—he knew.
“Did she call you mom?” he asked the one question that he wanted to know the answer to. Neither child looked much like her, but if the teenager was, then the other had to be as well because they looked alike. And both had looked to Sera for protection.
“Yes, Emma and Violet are my children,” was all she said. They had been inseparable for nearly a week, and she had never mentioned kids. He’d known she had at least one. Two was a surprise.
“You never said.”
“I don’t like to introduce them early in a relationship. I didn’t know if you would understand.” She shrugged.
“I would like to get to know them, but not until you’re ready,” he replied, knowing people were often cautious when it came to their kids. “Are there any more?”
Kids with Sera had been a possibility, but one that he had put out of his head every time he thought of it. Now he had to start thinking of her as a mother with kids who already needed her, kids that he had to decide if he wanted to be a part of their lives. Because if he wanted Sera, he had to take on them, no questions asked.
“No, just the two.” Her eyes darted to her office where a little face was peeking out at them.
“Can I meet them, or is it too soon? It’s up to you, Sera.” He wanted to know everything about the woman in front of him, and that included her kids. But he didn’t want to push her or scare her at all. He saw her for what she was: an overprotective mom. And he loved her for it.
Her eyes closed for a moment before she said, “If you want.”
“I do. It would have been fine if you would’ve told me,” he said.
“You don’t really date women who have kids.” She shrugged and headed for her office.
“Maybe they just never told me about them,” he shot back at her.
“Very funny, Harrison.”
The little one darted out of Sera’s office and ran into her arms. She easily lifted her onto her hip. Deep blue eyes peered at him from over her mom’s shoulder.
Without trying to stare, he tried to find any features of Sera in the little girl. Possibly the nose was all he came up with. They both must look exactly like their father, whoever he was.
In her office, the teen was sitting behind her mom’s desk, her nose back in the book. Looking up as they entered, he was still surprised that this was Sera’s daughter. Though he wasn’t a good judge for the ages of kids, this girl was probably almost driving.
“Harrison, this is Emma, and Violet is almost eight.” Sera gestured to the kids, not saying the age of the older one. On purpose, or not?
“Sorry I tried to take you to security, Emma,” he said, trying to get on her good side. He knew teens were harder to win over.
“Emma wasn’t supposed to be in there anyway,” little Violet said from her mom’s arms.
“Shut up, Violet,” Emma snapped at her baby sister.
“I can talk as much as I want. I can talk forever if I want to. You aren’t the boss of me,” Violet replied to her sister, which just made the older girl madder.
“Hush, Violet,” Sera said and put her down again. This time, the little girl left her side and hopped on the guest chair in front of the desk, her pink shoes swinging in the air.
“Harrison wants to go have coffee with us,” Sera said.
“The perv?” Emma’s eyes looked him over, and based on her expression, had found him lacking.
“He’s not a pervert, Emmaline. Maybe if you were nice to him, he would let you go into his office when I bring you. No sneaking involved,” Sera pointed out.
“Is it really worth it if you aren’t sneaking around?” Emma replied to her mom, trying to get a rise from the woman, who didn’t take the bait.
“I’m okay with going with the perv, but I’m still not getting coffee,” Violet said, foot still swinging.
“Girls, his name is Harrison, and stop calling him a perv. Violet, you can have hot coco like always,” Sera said.
