Blindsided (Indigo Love Spectrum) Page 24

  “Ahh,” she cooed. “Ryan, he is so handsome.”

  “You won’t hear me disagree with you,” Ryan said. “I’m a card-carrying proud papa.”

  Dahlia smiled as Christopher’s tiny hand wrapped around Ryan’s finger. “I can see. How are Justin and Angelica taking their new siblings?”

  “Very well. Justin’s offering to change diapers, and Angelica’s chomping at the bit to play dress-up with a live dolly. They really love their new little brother and sister.”

  “That’s great.”

  “Something else is great,” Ryan said, smiling. “Seeing you here with Norris. I hope this means I’ll be seeing you two together a lot more often.”

  Dahlia smiled. “You just might.”

  “I’m carrying a very dry and very beautiful little princess,” Norris said, returning to the living room with Lara following behind. “And Reese has Justin and Angelica enthralled with the video game she brought over for them.”

  “Happy and quiet kids. I’m not complaining,” Ryan said, relinquishing his spot on the couch to Norris.

  “You two look right at home with babies in your arms,” Lara said, smiling brightly at the duo. “Don’t you think so, Ryan?”

  “I do,” he said, wrapping his arm around Lara and settling in the loveseat across from the couch. “It’s a great picture.”

  Dahlia pressed her lips together to keep from laughing out loud. Lara and Ryan were definitely not keeping their opinions on her and Norris as a couple to themselves.

  “You guys want to cut it out?” Norris said.

  Ryan and Lara shrugged. “What?” they said in unison.

  “You know what.”

  The married couple smiled brightly but said nothing more.

  Brianna’s olive complexion reddened as wails filled the air and distressed tears filled her brown eyes.

  “I think somebody’s hungry,” said Dahlia.

  Norris walked over to Lara and handed her the crying baby. “Here you go, Lara. I think this is a job for Mama.”

  “Yes, it’s feeding time for them, and if I know my son, he’s going to . . .”

  Christopher’s wails broke into Lara’s words.

  “Just as I expected,” she said.

  “Chris doesn’t like his big sister Bri to dine without him,” Ryan said, gathering the baby boy from Dahlia’s arms.

  “Speaking of dining, it’s time I get some food into this beautiful lady,” Norris said, taking Dahlia’s hand and helping her from the couch. “I’ll get Reese.”

  Lara moved over to Dahlia when Norris left, gently shaking a quieter Bri. “Should I be hopeful? I know Norris is.”

  Dahlia smiled and said, “Yeah, I think you should.”

  * * *

  “You’ve been pretty quiet since we left Ryan and Lara’s, Norris,” Dahlia said, finishing the last bite of her grilled salmon. “What’s on your mind?” As if she didn’t already know. The look in his eyes spoke volumes.

  “Guess.” Norris reached for her hand. “Reese deciding to stay at Ryan and Lara’s wasn’t by chance,” he said. “My daughter could tell I wanted to be alone with you.”

  Dahlia wiped her mouth and drank the last of her tea. Zixby’s Surf & Turf had some of the best food, but the iced tea was even better. She lowered the glass to find Norris staring. She smiled. Deciding to open her heart to him hadn’t come easily, but she wanted to do just that. What she didn’t want was to have this long-awaited conversation in public.

  “I can handle some alone time with you.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “My place?”

  Norris nodded. “Let’s go.”

  * * *

  Dahlia said very little on the ride back to her house, her thoughts on how to say words she never thought she’d say to another man. She practically floated inside her house. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

  Norris followed her to the couch. “You always accuse me of vanity, but I can’t help but think I have a little something to do with that smile you can’t wipe off your face tonight.”

  Dahlia chuckled. “Maybe a little something.”

  “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  “I think you can guess.”

  “I can. I’ve just—I’ve waited so long for this.” She nodded. “I know.”

  Norris pulled her into his lap, curling his arms around her waist. “All right, Ms. Sinclair, you have my undivided attention.” He pecked her lips. “Talk to me.”

  Dahlia trailed the back of her fingers against Norris’s smooth cheeks, tracing the lines of his handsome face. She lowered her head, breathing in his scent. Her lips repeated his soft kiss. “There’s only one thing left to say, Norris. I love you. I’ve loved you for so long. Fighting it was hard, but fighting you was even harder. Being in Atlanta helped me. The place my life came crashing down turned out to be the place where you helped me build it back up. Confronting my sister and Jonah and putting all that anger, hurt, and fear where it belonged— it cleansed me. You gave me strength to deal with all that. And not just in Atlanta. Every time I needed you, no matter what I said to the contrary, you were there. Supporting me and loving me. When you left Atlanta, I knew I was ready to embrace my love for you. Can you ever forgive me for making you wait so long to hear what you already knew?”

  “Oh, my sweet, beautiful Dahlia.” Norris kissed her cheeks, forehead, chin, nose, and then softly kissed her lips. “You are the love of my life, my one and only love. There is nothing to forgive. You and Reese. I love two of the most stubborn, beautiful women in the world. I’ve learned patience.” He brought her into a warm embrace. “We’re an ‘us’ now?”

  Dahlia nodded. “Yes.”

  “We get to go on real dates, too?”

  Dahlia chuckled. “Yes, we do. And, if you don’t mind, I want to just date. You know?”

  “No more arrangement?” he said ever so slowly.

  She nodded. “Yeah. No point in confusing things. It was your suggestion, and I think it was a good one. We know what we’re great at. Let’s see if we can eclipse that.”

  “No arrangement. I said that. I did. Well, uh, I guess the place I want us to go for our first date as a couple is very appropriate.”

  “Where’s that?”

  “Sweet Zion tomorrow. I have a standing date with Grandma Flora.”

  Chapter 23

  Soft sighs and low moans joined the faint sounds of love songs playing on the stereo. Norris held Dahlia closer to him and deepened their kiss. Nearly two months into their courtship and almost five months into a life of abstinence, Norris hadn’t been happier or more frustrated. Dahlia’s soft backside on his lap made things that much harder. Oh, so much harder.

  He broke the kiss and nuzzled her neck. “Dahlia, sweetheart, I think we need to amend our amended arrangement.”

  Dahlia’s butterfly kisses on his neck deepened his moans and his need. “I thought you were the master of restraint,” she said. “Weren’t you the one always apologizing and rushing off when I kissed you?”

  “That was before. We’ve come so far since then. I love you so much, Dahlia. I want to show you.”

  “I love you, too, Norris, and you’ve already shown me.”

  “I can show you so much more.” He kissed her softly and pulled away, looking into her eyes. “You know by now this is not just a physical thing.”

  “I’ve known that for a while, Norris.”

  “We want the same thing, don’t we?”

  Dahlia nodded. “I think we do,” she said, curling her arms around his neck and joining her lips with his.

  “You two!” Reese groaned, bringing an end to their kiss and a disappointed moan from Norris. “Aren’t you supposed to be planning my party?” She closed the front door and made her way over. “This looks to be a two-person party, and not the ideal planning session I expected for my blowout birthday bash.”

  “You’re back early, Reese,” Dahlia said.

  “Early? It’s eleven-thirty. I would like a later curfew but
. . .” Reese turned her gaze to Norris.

  “Eleven-thirty is late enough,” Norris said. Especially when the time was spent with smile-inducing Jack.

  “Where did the time go?” Dahlia wondered.

  “I can only imagine.” Reese laughed as Dahlia stayed perched on Norris’s lap. “How’s my party planning going?”

  “Great.” Norris answered. “In fact, we’re done.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” Dahlia piped in.

  “Cool. Then you two can go back to whatever you were doing.” With a wave of her hand, Reese went off to her room.

  “Think she’s excited about the party?” Dahlia giggled.

  “Maybe just a smidge,” Norris said. “If it’s not every thing she hopes, she’s gonna let me hear about it.”

  “You have nothing to worry about. She’s going to be blown away. You have some big surprises for her.”

  “I might have one or two for you, too.”

  Dahlia raised a perfectly arched brow. “For me? What?”

  Norris shrugged. “You’ll see in two weeks.”

  * * *

  Dahlia grabbed her purse and raced for the door. Reese’s party started in an hour and a half, and there were a few last minute details she needed to check at Sandy Run, the banquet facility they’d booked for the party.

  She swung open the door to find an attractive, tastefully dressed brunette woman, who seemed to be a young sixty-something, about to ring her bell.

  “May I help you with something?” Dahlia asked.

  “I think you just might,” the woman said. “My name is Genevieve Converse.”

  Dahlia blinked, surprised to learn her visitor was Norris’s mother. She wanted to be cordial, but after what she’d heard from Norris and Reese and given the fact she was running late, playing nice to this woman wasn’t much of a priority. “I was just on my way out,” she said.

  “It will only take a few minutes.”

  I don’t have a few minutes! Dahlia flashed a tight smile. “Fine. Do you want to come in?” she asked.

  Genevieve peeked around Dahlia as if to check the place for armed felons. “Perhaps that would be okay.” She slowly walked inside, taking in the house from ceiling to floor. “This is a charming little place you have. Amazingly well-kept.”

  Dahlia had never considered her twenty-five-hundred-square-foot house little, and the comment about it being well kept . . . She sucked in a breath. “What’s on your mind, Mrs. Converse?”

  “You and my son. The last time we spoke, he threatened—” Genevieve cleared her throat and started again. “He intimated you two were seriously involved and contemplating marriage. Is that true?”

  Dahlia folded her arms, annoyed by the woman’s presence and her initial choice of words. “Ask Norris,” she said.

  “Norris tends to color the truth for me. He’s always been ungrateful for everything he’s had, all the privilege my family’s wealth afforded him. As a result, he does things to get attention, be it truth or lies. I want to hear this from you. Are you going to marry my son?”

  “What if I am?”

  “Is that your answer?”

  “No, ma’am, that’s my question to you. What would be the attention-grabber in Norris marrying me?” Dahlia asked, curious if the woman would answer the way she expected.

  Genevieve wrinkled her nose and sighed, exasperated. “You people are so touchy. I asked a simple question.”

  “You people?” Dahlia repeated. “What people? Columbia graduates? Business owners? Or would it be the common black woman kind of people?”

  “You know precisely what I mean. Norris mentioned you’ve managed to make something of yourself, but it doesn’t make you right for him. That is, if he’s really interested in you. I have my doubts about that.”

  Mrs. Converse had her doubts. Dahlia grunted. Why didn’t that surprise her? Never had she been more empowered by her complete love for Norris than she was in this moment. Dahlia met Genevieve’s bitter gaze.

  “You know, you stand here and talk about all you’ve given to Norris, and the only things you’ve given him are money and grief. You and your husband never gave him the love and attention he wanted and still craves, so he’s learned to live without it. Just like he has to live with the fact that you refuse to accept your granddaughter. It is the ultimate example of gall for you to come to my house and presume to tell me the kind of man your son, and, yes, my future husband, is.”

  Genevieve’s face burned bright red with anger. Dahlia smiled, pleased with the reaction. “Norris is smart, funny, sweet, caring, gentle, loving, and just the slightest bit vain, a wonderful array of qualities that made me fall in love with him. You have missed out on so much with Norris. And for a woman who’s supposedly so worldly, it’s a shame you haven’t realized that yet.” She opened the door and turned to Genevieve. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have someplace to be.” Dahlia stood at the door and waited for Genevieve to pass.

  The woman’s silence and angry glare said everything. Dahlia locked the door and raced to her car when Genevieve’s limo drove away, ready for all the surprises and happiness the evening promised to hold.

  * * *

  Reese’s party was back in full swing after an unexpected glitch with one of her surprises, a live performance by a chart-topping male R&B superstar, which had prompted six girls and one boy to faint from shock and excitement. Norris sighed in relief when he joined Dahlia and the others in the adult corner.

  “Everybody has come to, thank God,” he shouted above the loud music. “I was beginning to worry about the young man.”

  Dahlia curled her arm around his. “Worry no more. Things are back to normal and Reese is enjoying her party. Look at her and Jack.” Dahlia smiled at the dancing duo surrounded by their cohorts and Agnes and her husband, Bob, who were threatening to steal the show. “Everyone’s having a great time.”

  Norris nodded. The one good thing about the headache-inducing music was it kept Reese out of Jack’s arms. He’d slipped the DJ an extra fifty bucks to ensure no slow songs got played tonight. She could have as much fun as she wanted so long as the songs stayed fast. Norris smiled at Jack’s parents. He had invited David and Margo as a show of goodwill for Reese in regard to Jack, and to drop a hint to David about more responsibility at the firm. Both seemed to be working.

  Minutes later, after hearing a humorous earful from the Andrews, Monroes, and Armstrongs about the loud music and their need to escape it, Norris decided to present Reese’s other surprise as soon as possible so the over-thirty crowd could go home and still rescue some of the evening. Spotting his smiling siblings flashing thumbs up, Norris knew now was the time. Hopefully,

  things would die down quickly thereafter and the party

  would wrap up. He still had a surprise to give to Dahlia.

  “It’s time for Reese’s next present,” Norris said.

  Following a quick meeting with his siblings, Norris got the DJ to cut the music, and he called Reese to join him on stage. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple, his love for her filling his heart to overflowing.

  “Five months ago, I discovered this beautiful young woman was my daughter. And as some of you know, that was quite a time for the both of us.”

  Chuckles and murmurs of affirmation echoed about the room.

  “You can say that again,” offered Diana.

  Norris smiled. “When I think of how far we’ve come, it makes this moment all the more special. Today is Reese’s seventeenth birthday, but for me it’s her first. I thought long and hard about all the things I didn’t get to buy for her birthdays as she was growing up, and one gift stuck out in my mind. A pony. A white pony with a red ribbon.”

  Reese squinted. “A pony?” she whispered. “Don’t you think I’m a little big for a pony?”

  “She asked if I thought she was too big for a pony,” Norris said to the crowd. “Yes, I do, sweetie. So, I thought outside the box. You’re
too big for a pony, but you’re just the right size for a horse. Three hundred of them—inside the engine of a brand new Mustang.” Norris pulled the key from his pocket and dropped it in her hand. “Happy birthday, Reese.”

  “You got me a Mustang!” Reese squealed and leapt into Norris’s arms. “I don’t have to drive Mom’s ten-year-old Honda anymore!”

  “I take it you’re happy.” Norris laughed.

  “Beyond words.” Reese kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy! Thank you.”

  Norris froze. Had his ears deceived him? He pulled back, looking at Reese through a haze of tears. “Did you call me Daddy?”

  “I did. You are my daddy. And I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Reese.”

  Norris looked out in the crowd as he held his daughter and met Dahlia’s teary, love-filled gaze. Perhaps before his daughter’s birthday was over, he’d have his greatest wish. A promise from Dahlia that she’d be his wife.

  * * *

  Norris collapsed onto Dahlia’s comfy couch. “What a day.”

  Dahlia dropped down beside him, blowing out a long breath. “Yes indeed.” She curled against up against him. “But wasn’t it a great party?”

  “Yes, it was. Thanks for all of your help, Dahlia. I couldn’t have done this party without you.”

  Dahlia pecked his lips. “You’re more than welcome. Reese is a special girl, and she deserved a special birthday.”

  “This day surpassed all of my hopes. Reese enjoyed all of her gifts, from the video call with Gail and Ben this morning to her brand new car. She’s out on a date with what’s his name and I’m not going too crazy. And she called me Daddy.” Norris closed his eyes, the memory of that moment still fresh in his mind. “She called me Daddy, Dahlia. I can’t describe how wonderful it is to hear that word directed at me.”

  Dahlia smiled. “You’re describing it pretty well right now.” She brushed her fingertips along his temple. “Something happened to me today I find a little hard to describe.” She chuckled. “I was paid a visit by your mother.”