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“Nice? Really?” The woman refused to find joy in anything, and though he knew it had a lot to do with the untimely death of his father, he still never understood why she didn’t at least try. To hear her call something nice gave him hope that after twenty-six years, she might embrace life again.
“Yes, very nice, actually. I can’t believe I’ve never been on one before.”
“This is great, Mom.” He couldn’t keep the excited lilt from his tone. This was monumental.
“The weather has been beautiful, the food is delicious, and the men have been very complimentary.”
“Men?” he exclaimed, and Harley giggled, slapping a hand over her mouth.
“Yes, men. What was that noise?”
“It was nothing. Back to the men.” Was she finally opening up to the possibility of dating again?
“Not much to say that I haven’t already.”
“All you said was they were complimentary. What does that even mean?”
“Exactly what I said. They compliment my looks, my singing, and my jokes.”
“Singing? Jokes? Who are you, and what have you done with my mother?”
“Very funny.”
“Oh, I’m not being funny. I’m being dead serious.” Out of all the ways to describe his mother, singing and jokes would be at the very bottom of the list.
If Harley wasn’t naked on his bed, and the feel of her skin against his still evident, he would think he was dreaming. He met Harley’s eyes, making sure he wasn’t. No, she was there in all her sexy curves and beautiful features.
“Did you hear me?” Mom asked, and Garrett broke his gaze from Harley’s kiss-swollen lips.
“I’m sorry. What?”
“Why are you so distracted?” His mother gasped. “Do you have a girl there?”
“Mom, we’re not talking about me right now. I want to know about your trip.”
“Well, I want to know if you have a girl over.”
“And what if I said I did? And what if I said you’d love her?” He met Harley’s gaze again, and the tiniest of gasps came from her lips.
“Wait. You actually want me to meet one of your girlfriends?” All the years Garrett had been dating, he kept the women as far away from his mother as possible. Mainly because he didn’t want her inserting herself into someone’s life he knew wouldn’t be around for long. But with Harley, it was different.
She had only been in his life for a short time, but he couldn’t imagine her not being in it. It was as if he knew it the moment he met her, which is why he spontaneously offered her a job. He was king in the world of tattooing, and who better to be his queen than a woman who was paving her own path in the industry? At least that was the logical explanation he gave himself. In truth, he’d been captivated from the moment he laid eyes on her. “Yeah, I do, Mom. That is, if she wants to meet you.”
Harley’s lips parted, and she managed a nod.
“She must be special.”
“You have no idea.”
Mom let out a whoop, and Garrett pulled the phone away in confusion.
“Dinner then, when I get back.”
“Sounds good, Mom.”
“You have no idea how happy this makes me.”
“Same. It’s nice to hear you’re having a good time. It’s been too long.” He wasn’t even born when his father had died, but he learned at a young age the only joy Mom found was through him. It was a burden that, at times, was too heavy to carry.
