Mr. Handsome A Billionaire Romance(50)

“You’re too much.”

We had a few hours to kill before we had to show up at my mother’s house so I left the suitcase at the bottom of the stairs and then scooped Christina up and ran upstairs with her. We killed two hours in bed, and on the floor, and against the wall, then we took a shower and got ready to go to visit my mom.

She lived on the Upper West Side so it wouldn’t be too much of a drive, but then again I had to account for traffic so Christina and I were probably up for a long drive. Christina dressed up to meet my mom. She wore dark skinny jeans and a sheer white top that buttoned down the middle, underneath she also wore a white tank top.

She wore silver jewelry and diamond studs in her ears. She actually left her hair to fall down her back and around her shoulders in a curly mane. Christina looked too good to let out of the house and she was definitely going to be a distraction for me.

We reached my mother’s brownstone and just seeing the outside of the house brought back fond childhood memories. I held on to Christina’s hand as we walked up the steps and I used my key to let us in. I could smell my mother’s cooking from the front room. She had made fajitas, my favorite dish by her.

“Oh, you’re going to love dinner, too,” I said to Christina as she curiously peered around me to the short hallway that led to the family room, dining room, and kitchen. I led her down the hall and called out for my mom.

“I’m in the kitchen of course, come on in.” My mother’s warm voice called us into the direction of the kitchen. I passed through the family room with Christina and we walked into the open concept kitchen.

My mom was on the shorter side, only five-foot-tall and witty enough to make up for whatever difference in height she lacked compared to others.

She had bright green eyes and dark brown hair. She was still beautiful, even in her late fifties. We shared some features, like the almond shape of our eyes, our high cheekbones and fair skin. My mom had thinner lips than I did, but a huge smile to make up for it.

“You must be my future daughter in law!”

I closed my eyes in embarrassment briefly as my mom gushed over Christina. Thankfully, Christina laughed, as if it was a joke…though it sort of wasn’t. Whenever my mom met someone new that she was interested in, she tornado gushed. She grew super excited and complimented that person to death. Christina seemed to be withstanding it, though, and I had to give her props.

“You can call me Mama Lola, come tell me about yourself, Christina, my son has told me so much about you. He’s in love, you know.”

Christina’s eyes widened and she glanced back at me, with a smirk.

“I didn’t know that yet,” Christina said with good humor in her voice.

My mother kept at it, she pulled Christina close for a moment to whisper something conspiratorially. Christina laughed and I went to sit at the island bar across from them. My mom enlisted Christina’s help in finishing up some fajita veggies. I felt like the odd man out as my mom whispered and snickered with Christina. I was sure they were gossiping about me.

“I’m sitting right here, you know. Can you guys speak up?”

Christina shot me a look over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at me.

“We’re having girl talk.” my mom said and they went back to chit chatting and laughing. I rolled my eyes and then pulled my phone out to invite Victor and Vanessa over. I needed someone to be on my team. Victor texted me that they would be right over.

“Mom, I invited Victor and Vanessa over for dinner, did you make enough?” Lola usually made enough food for a village when only one person was coming over.

“Of course, you can invite a third of the city and there would be enough. Get another Tupperware of skirt steak out of the fridge and a few more bell peppers and onions.”

I followed my mother’s directions and helped the girls make the extra fajitas. The doorbell rang and I washed my hands quickly to go get the door. I greeted both Victor and Vanessa and invited them back to the kitchen.

“Mama Lola, your fajitas smell divine!” Victor always charmed my mother and she absolutely loved the attention from her “second son.” I simply shook my head at the two.

I heard Christina’s soft laugh and I glanced over at her, she was looking at me with a private smile and I slid over to her so that I could press a kiss to her lips.

“Well, that fajita is certainly going to be one of yours now that you kissed all over it.” My mom shooed me away from the kitchen and told Victor to keep me company in the family room while the girls had their time. I noticed Vanessa started to put the salad together as my mother directed her. I went into the family room with Victor and turned on the TV for Thursday night football.

“So you and Christina are doing pretty well then, huh?” Victor gestured towards the kitchen with his chin. I smiled and then nodded. We were trying, she was what made me happy.

“I love her. Sometimes she can be really insecure and it hinders her from letting herself feel what she already feels for me,” I said with a sigh. Christina’s insecurities had never been a real issue for me. It simply made me want to protect her and cherish her that much more.

“Maybe you just have to show her how you feel in a way that she can’t over-analyze and second guess,” Victor suggested.

The man was a genius, he really was.

“Like a romantic gesture, but how? What the hell do I do to convince her?” I asked him.