Page 191 of Worth the Trip

“I know.”

“And I’m proud of you.”

I leaned back enough to look at her. “For getting a boyfriend?”

“For choosing something because you wanted it before you could analyze the life out of it.”

I gave her a look.

“What?” she asked. “That’s progress.”

“Don’t make my relationship sound like an intervention outcome.”

“It was a group effort.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.” Mischief returned to her face. “And when that man called you Hershey the first time? Baby, I melted for you.”

My eyes narrowed. “Why were you melting?”

“Because I heard him.” Nyla pressed one hand against her chest. “He didn’t say Hershey like some random nickname because you’re brown and fine. He said it like he’d noticed your sweetness and wasn’t stupid enough to confuse it with weakness.”

That stole my comeback.

Nyla knew it.

Her voice gentled. “I’ve watched men admire you. I’ve watched them want access to you. Big Lando looks at you like knowing you is the privilege.”

My eyes dropped toward our hands.

“I melted too,” I admitted.

Nyla became still.

“The first time he said it, I thought it was ridiculous.” I laughed softly at the memory. “Then he kept saying it, and something about the way he looked at me made it feel like he’d seen the softest part of me and decided to name it.”

“My sister is in love.”

“I did not say that.”

“You ain’t have to.”

“Nyla.”

She hugged me again before I could argue. “You deserve to be loved by somebody who sees how sweet you are without mistaking sweetness for weakness.”

I held her a little tighter.

“Thank you.”

She drew back and immediately ruined the moment.

“So at the wedding, are we singing our duet or hiring somebody?”

“We have been together less than twenty-four hours.”

“That wasn’t my question.”