Page 92 of Love Unspoken

"I'll have a glass of white wine if you have anything open," Mrs. Westbrook said.

"Ah, there's an open bottle of a Meursault in the fridge," Naya told me, and I grinned. She wasn't showing off; she was being genuine, but I knew my mother would be surprised that Naya, who she probably thought was some ditz, knew her wine.

"That will be fine," my mother announced.

Ann sat down on an armchair across from my mother. "Ah…I'm fine."

"Naya?"

She picked up a glass of red wine sitting on the coffee table next to her laptop. "I'm good."

I walked up to the bar in the nook between the living and the dining room. I poured my mother a glass of wine, myself a scotch, and nothing for Ann.

I sat down next to Naya and wrapped an arm around her. "Well, this is a surprise."

"I was told you're dating someone and…I wanted to meet her," my mother announced.

"And, you, Ann? What are you doing here?" I asked.

She could hear the steel in my voice and recognized it. "I…I came with your mother."

"I'm guessing that Kara called you right after she saw Naya and me together, and you called my mother to tell her how inappropriate Naya is. Am I right?" I sipped my scotch as I looked from Ann to my mother.

"Darling, let's not discuss this in front of others," my mother disapproved with her pursed lips.

"Naya and I live here, Mother. Ann and you are the others," I reminded her.

"You asked her to move in with you?" Ann all but screeched the words. "You wouldn't even let me stay a couple nights in a row, Amias."

"Naya isn't you, Ann. My relationship with her is different from the one I had with you. And you know this because I'm sure Kara also let you know that I'm waiting to propose to Naya." I kissed my Little Warrior's forehead when I could see how difficult this confrontation was for her. She wanted to burrow into me, hide her face but she was holding herself steady under tremendous pressure. My respect for her only increased.

"Waiting for what?" my mother demanded.

"Waiting for her to be ready to say yes. If I asked her now, she'll bolt."

"I won't," Naya hissed.

"Really?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"I'll just say no." She was glancing at her feet now, and I hated that, so I put my hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. Her eyes lifted to me.

"I know, and that's why I'm going to wait until I know you'll say yes."

"Why wouldn't you say yes?" My mother took umbrage that anyone could refuse a Westbrook.

"Ah…we've only been dating since December and…I'm…I'm not ready."

Before she could look away, I squeezed her thigh again. Yeah, baby, just focus on me. The rest of the world doesn't matter. I got you.

"What are you waiting for?" my mother asked surprised.

"I…" she looked at me, and I nodded, "I don't trust him fully yet."

"What?" my mother gasped. "How dare you say that? Do you know my son has never asked a woman to live with him? Do you even know what a big commitment that is for him?"

"Vivianna?" Ann was now shocked that my mother had done a 180.

I knew my mother, and she didn't. My mother had just found out that I was in love, and this was her only chance of me getting married and providing her with grandchildren. And the scars on Naya's legs may be ugly to people like Ann, but my mother would see it as I did, a sign of toughness and resilience.