“Your son is great, Evelyn,” Zhuri smiles as the night winds down. She takes a sip of her wine as my mom beams at her.
“Well, aren’t you just a sweetheart!”
My stepdad leans closer to Zhuri and jokes, “Blink twice if you’re only saying that because Cameron is next to you.”
“Thanks, Forrest,” I chuckle, “but I promise she’s with me of her own free will.”
“I am.” Z rests her head on my shoulder, and I wrap my arm around hers.
My mom rests her hand on top of Zhuri’s. “Cameron has seemed so much happier lately, and I know you have something to do with that.”
“I won’t take credit for his happiness,” she says. “I think I just helped him see how Ivor’s control was making him feel. Once he realized that, he started taking steps on his own to get through it. I’m proud of him for doing that.”
I rest my head on top of hers, smiling like the lovesick fool that I am. “Your encouragement helped more than you know with that, Z.”
“Thank you, Zhuri.” My mom’s voice is choked, and knowing her, she’s only a few seconds away from shedding tears.
“You don’t have to cry about it, Mom,” Bodhi groans.
“Bodhi James, I know you are not telling your mother that she shouldn’t show her emotions.”
“Of course not,” he mutters, saved by his dad steering our mom away.
“Come on, Evelyn. It’s getting late. Zhuri and Cameron need rest before the season starts this week.”
Ty overhears that and says, “I don’t think resting is what they’ll—ouch.”
Nia shrugs like she didn’t just elbow him in the ribs. “We need to get Nova home, too. Tonight’s a school night.”
“I’m almost thirteen, Mom!”
“But you’re not thirteen yet. Grab your things, baby. You need to get some sleep before school tomorrow.”
Nova begrudgingly gathers her things as I say goodbye to Zhuri’s family. “I’m really glad you all made it tonight. It was nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Hart.”
“Please,” her dad replies, “call us Andre and Harriet. Ty does. You don’t have to be so formal.”
“Okay,” I smile. “Andre and Harriet, it is.”
Harriet leans up and attempts to throw her arms around my shoulders. I have to lean down so she can. “You seem like a good man, Cameron. And Zhuri is so happy.”
“I hope I make her as happy as she makes me.”
Ty claps a hand to my shoulder. “You do. I’ve known Zhuri since she was sixteen, and she’s never been this happy in a relationship.” He removes his hand from my shoulder and instead shakes mine. “Good luck this season, man. You and Z play well together.”
“She’s the best on the team,” I say honestly. “She could totally kick my ass.”
“That she could,” Nia laughs. “It was good to see you again, Cameron. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of you going forward.”
Once Zhuri and I finish saying goodbye to each other’s families, we say goodbye to our own.
My mom wraps me up in a tight hug. “Cameron, I just love her.”
“I love her, too, Mom,” I grin.
“She seems really great,” Forrest adds.
“I’m still not sure how she ended up with you,” Bodhi smirks, “but I guess that’s pretty cool. It’s good to see you happy.”
