The Guy Named Harrison: Book Two

77

"Hey mom."

"Hi Carrie."

Carrie came around the couch to see her mother and Riley watching Trolls. She plopped down beside the two, and immediately stole Riley off her mom's lap.

"Hey sweetie! Mommy missed you!"

Riley was babbling something in response to her mom. "What are you telling me?"

She cradled Riley against her chest. "I'm sure you had much more fun with Grandma Debbie today than you would've had with me. Mommy was in a really tiny room with a bunch of people."

Riley babbled something back to Carrie. A few days ago, she'd started to babble. After that, she was talking up a storm. Of course, what she said wasn't decipherable to her parents, but Riley loved joining in on their conversations.

"It's amazing how fast she's growing up," Debbie said from beside Carrie and Riley.

"Tell me about it. My two month old was having a conversation with her doctor last week."

Riley was growing up so fast. Most babies didn't smile until late in their first month or early second. She smiled the first week. Most babies didn't start babbling until they were four to six months. Riley just turned two, months October 13th, which wasn't that long ago.

"What did you think about that house mom?"

Today, Debbie and Riley checked out the house one last time before Debbie made her decision. "I'm paying one of the down payments tomorrow."

"You're really moving here?"

"I'm moving here."

Carrie picked up Riley. "You hear that Riley? Grandma's going to be here all the time now!"

➄➈

Harrison had been in the shower for a while now. Carrie put Riley to bed after her mom left only a few minutes ago. But he'd been in the shower since before she even got home.

She quietly closed Riley's door and walked back down the hallway towards their bedroom. Quickly, she grabbed a change of clothes and opened the bathroom door.

He was still in the shower. But he wasn't washing himself. Harrison was standing under the water while leaning against the shower wall. She didn't know how long he'd been standing there for, or if he'd been standing there all along. He had to be cold. It was going to be really cold the next few days here in Charlotte. Carrie could already feel the cooler air making its way into the house.

She quickly undressed and stepped into the shower with him. He didn't even seem to notice her come in yet.

"Harrison?"

His eyes opened and he slowly looked over his shoulder. "Carrie?"

Carrie placed both arms around him from behind. "You okay?"

Harrison rested his hands on the backs of hers that were around his waist. "I'm fine," he answered quietly.

"You don't seem fine," she countered. "You've been in here for a while. Tell me, let me help."

He didn't say anything right away. "I know you probably feel like I'm poking and prodding you for answers. Let me in. Let me help."

"Today sucked," he mumbled.

"I know. It wasn't your fault. There wasn't anything you could've done differently."

Harrison nodded. "It just sucks to lose on a penalty like that."

"What about your knee?"

"It's fine. I had a MCL sprain a few years ago. My knee had been sensitive to turf ever since. That's why I don't like playing on turf."

"You're sure nothing's wrong?"

"I'm sure. You would've known already if there was."

Carrie reached around him and found his shampoo. "Bend down for me."