Page 36 of The Defiant Curse

“Hey, Mom,” he said, that Scottish accent in his voice. When he was nervous, or angry, it came out, and he wasn’t the latter in this case.

Without hesitating, she kissed him on the cheek.

“Oh, Michael, your husband is so very handsome. You have the most beautiful green eyes, Graham. I am so glad I finally get to meet you in person. I already love you.”

And his heart hitched.

Those words…

Graham hadn’t heard them in a damn long time. When he came out at eighteen, his parents stopped loving him.

Hell.

He stopped loving him. If they couldn’t find value in him, how could he? But now, here was this woman, and she had given him all of that back with a simple four words.

He already loved her too.

Immediately, his heart felt less heavy, and the last part of it was open again.

He had a mom.

FINALLY.

At her genuineness, the ice was broken between them, and around his heart.

“And I know where my lad gets his good looks,” he said, knowing that wasn’t possible, but who cared.

She laughed.

“Oh, the flattery. Be careful. I’ll never leave if you keep it up,” she teased.

Michael headed their way, and he dropped his arm over his husband’s shoulders. He knew this was a defining moment for Graham. All day, since getting the call from Gene, he’d been anxious. More than a few times, he asked him one thing, and one thing only.

What if she didn’t like him?

And each time, he told him that wasn’t possible, but it took this moment for Graham to see that he’d not been exaggerating.

Elizabeth was pure love once you were let into her world.

“I love his eyes,” he said.

But she didn’t miss a beat. Elizabeth being Elizabeth called him out on his bullshit.

“Oh, I’m sure that’s your favorite part of him,” she teased. “I know you so well.”

That was all she had to say.

Graham laughed.

“No comment. He’s a pervert, but I wouldn’t have him any other way.”

She smiled.

“He also gets that from me,” she added. “He is his mother’s child.”

Graham immediately wanted to make her comfortable. Michael had told him how rough it had been, and she looked worn down and put away wet.

There was no doubt she’d had a trying journey to not only survive chasing a killer, but getting here.