Tears gathered in her eyes, not from sadness but from an overwhelming sense of relief and happiness. “That’s all I needed to hear,” she replied, her voice trembling with emotion.
She wrapped her arms around Harrison’s waist and sighed. The laughter and cheers of the children, the happy atmosphere of the camp, all faded into the background. At that moment, there was only Harrison, the man who’d unexpectedly captured her heart and the person who could be part of her future.
CHAPTER13
Harrison was deep in thought on the drive home from the camp. He replayed the moments of the day, especially kissing Daniella and what she’d said to him. Today was so unexpected that it only made him even more uncertain about what he should do. Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed how much time had passed until he turned into the driveway of the house he was renting.
An unfamiliar car was parked in the driveway. He had no idea who could be here. As he stepped out of his truck, his mom and dad came around the side of the house.
His mom’s face lit up with a mixture of concern and affection. “Harrison!” she exclaimed, wrapping him in a tight embrace.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice tinged with surprise as he hugged her and reached for his dad.
“We wanted to see you, son,” his father said, wrapping Harrison in a hug. “And to talk about the job opportunity in Nashville. We’re worried about you.”
“You didn’t need to tell him right now, Clive. Give Harrison a chance to catch his breath.” His mother ushered him inside, her hands fluttering as if wanting to take care of a hundred things at once for him.
They walked into the living room, the familiar space feeling a little surreal with his parents there. His mom had always made any place feel homey, and even his sparsely furnished living room seemed to welcome them.
“Would you like a coffee and something to eat?” he asked.
His mom nodded. “That sounds lovely. Why don’t we make the coffee while your dad brings our suitcases inside?”
Without saying a word, his father went outside, and his mom walked into the kitchen. If he thought he felt off-center before, it was worse now. He just hoped his parents weren’t planning on moving in with him permanently.
“Your sister said you’d be at the opening day of the special camp you told us about. How did it go?”
“It was incredible. The camp is everything a child would enjoy.” He watched his mom turn on the coffee pot and take three mugs from the cupboard. She’d been here many times before, but seeing her in his kitchen still felt strange. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
His mom’s hands stilled. “You would have told us not to come.” She looked at him with eyes full of worry. “You’ve been through so much, and I’m worried about you.”
Harrison took his mom’s hand and led her to the kitchen table. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore, Mom. I might not know what I’m doing about the job in Nashville, but I’m happy. I’m enjoying my job and I’ve made some great friends.”
Harrison’s dad appeared in the doorway, holding the handle of a large suitcase. “Do you want us to stay in the usual bedroom?”
“Definitely. The other room’s a disaster. I’ve been sorting through some of the stuff I brought from Nashville.”
His mom’s eyebrows rose. “I thought you would have done that months ago.”
Usually, Harrison would have grinned at his mom and told her that most people weren’t as organized as she was. But the boxes didn’t contain his things. They were Audra’s.
“I said the wrong thing, didn’t I?” His mom placed her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. The boxes are full of Audra’s notebooks and photo albums. I’ve kept a few things, but her parents might want to go through the rest.”
“That’s a lovely idea,” his mom said. “I can only imagine how hard it must have been going through everything.”
Harrison swallowed the knot in his throat. “It wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve done. It’s taken a long time because I keep seeing things that remind me of different places we saw or the things we did.” And each photo and journal made him feel like he’d lost Audra all over again.
His dad wheeled another suitcase down the hallway.
“How many cases did you bring, Mom?”
“Three, but the smallest one’s the same size as a carry-on. You’ll be pleased to know we’re only staying for one night. The tickets were on sale, and we couldn’t turn them down.”
His mom grinned when he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Still the same Harrison,” she said happily.
