Harrison, page 1
Harrison
The last thing she is looking for is romance, but now she’s met Harrison…
A sexy BBW, over 50s romance by Katie Dowe of BWWM Club.
Fifty-two-year-old Summer runs a women’s shelter, using her past experience of surviving an abusive relationship to help others.
She has little or no trust in the opposite sex, and was certainly not looking for romance, especially at her age…
But she never counted on meeting Harrison!
Billionaire Harrison is a confirmed bachelor whose main interest in life is work, but as soon as he sees the gorgeous plus size Summer, he falls in love!
And they begin a whirlwind romance that Summer never thought possible!
But she is still haunted by her abusive past, and finds herself only pushing Harrison further away the closer they get…
Can Summer find the courage to fall in love again, despite all that she has been through?
Or will it take a tragedy to make her understand that she can love again?
Find out in this emotional yet sexy romance by Katie Dowe of BWWM Club.
Suitable for over 18s only due to sizzling hot sex scenes that will make you gasp out loud!
Tip: Search BWWM Club on Amazon to see more of our great books.
Free: Get Jason from the Members From Money series where YOU'RE the star!!
Hi there. As a special thank you for buying this ebook, for a limited time I want to send a copy of Jason free of charge directly to your email! It's a personalized story, meaning you'll add a few details about yourself (these won't be shared with anyone else) and you'll become the star of the story!! :D
You'll be emailed a new chapter once a day for 7 days. You can get it by clicking the cover below or going here:
Direct link: www.afroromancebooks.com/personalized-jason-members-from-money
This book is so exclusive you can't even buy it. As well as sending daily emails with the story, I'll also send you updates when new books like this are available.
Copyright © 2023 to Katie Dowe and AfroRomanceBooks.com. No part of this book can be copied or distributed without written permission from the above copyright holders.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Get Another BWWM Ebook Free
BWWM Book Of The Week
More Hot BWWM Books You'll Love
Chapter 1
She was supposed to be happy. And in some small way, she supposed she was. No, that wasn’t entirely true. It was much more than that.
She had found her niche and was doing something she loved. On top of that, she was helping women to secure a much needed second chance. Of course, she was happy. It was just that there were times when she looked back on her life and regretted the time she had wasted.
And there were times like this, when she saw women who were happily married, with adult children of their own., It kinda made her feel incomplete. Was that the word she was looking for, she wondered idly, as she plucked at the loose thread of her wool sweater?
Here she was, sitting in the small diner waiting for her brother to show up, and she couldn’t help feeling worried. Something was up with Brian. He wasn’t doing well. He had lost his wife a few years ago and his only son was estranged from him.
She had spoken to Michael and tried to convince him that it was time to bury the hatchet and make up with his dad. That life was too short and uncertain.
Ignoring the admiring looks being cast her way by the two male diners, she concentrated on the folders she had carried in with her to go over while she waited. Others, friends of hers, had wondered how she could go on doing what she did.
“It’s so depressing,” Marge had been vocal in her opinion. “All those women grouped together in one place, bitching about the men in their lives. It must get to you.”
“You’re forgetting that I’m one of those women,” she had pointed out.
“Honey, I’m sorry. Sometimes my mouth gets away from me.”
“It’s not depressing as much as heartbreaking. Those women have been stripped of their humanity, their self-esteem, their confidence has been eroded by men who believe it’s a given to use their so-called superior strength to control another person.”
And she had been talking from experience.
She looked up as a tall and slightly stooped man made his way towards her table. He looked old, she thought with a pang.
Brian was fifty-six but could be ten years older. His low-cut dark hair was sprinkled liberally with gray and his mahogany skin was loose in the facial area. His smile didn’t quite reach his dark eyes and he looked as if the weight of the world had fallen onto his shoulders.
“Don’t get up sis.” He came around to kiss her upturned face before taking his place across from her. “You’re looking great as usual,” He squinted at her. “And your hair looks different.”
“I decided to get rid of the braids.” She touched the springy dark curls threaded through lightly with grays, a little self-consciously. She had been wearing braids for so long that it had been a surprise to her staff and the women at the shelter when they saw her changed appearance.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought you’d found yourself a man,” her assistant, Marlene, had teased.
“But you know better.”
“It makes you look like a teenager,” her brother stated.
“That’s stretching it somewhat, but thanks.” Her wide smile came and the twin dimples popped into her cheeks, transforming an already lovely face into one of dazzling beauty. The two men nearby certainly sat up and paid attention.
Summer was not a traditional petite beauty. In fact, she was a size twenty, five-foot eight female with a winning personality and a slight sadness in her large dark brown eyes.
“Honey, you are a beautiful woman,” her brother said wistfully as the waitress came over to take their orders.
“What for you, sugar?” Molly popped her gum and gave them both toothy smiles. “Same as usual?”
“Coffee and wheat toast with marmalade for me,” Brian told her with a slight smile.
“And for you Sum?”
“The same.”
“I am going to include our to die for pecan pie. Just made it this morning. Will be right back.” Tucking the pencil, she’d used to take their orders behind her left ear, she sauntered away.
“I think she’s sweet on you,” Summer teased her brother as they both watched the owner of the diner stopping at the next table to say something to the couple.
“And she would be wasting her time.” Brian reached for the water and took several sips. “I’m not over my wife.”
“I’m sorry.” Reaching across the table, she placed her hand over his. “What’s going on honey?”
“I’m tired, Summer.” He took another sip of the water, before putting the glass down. “Just plain tired. I’m also making a hell of a lot of mistakes at the firm.”
“Why do you think that is?”
He shrugged, dark brown eyes wandering around the room with little interest.
“Have you been to the doctors?”
“For them to tell me that I have a debilitating disease?” he scoffed.
“To make certain that everything is okay with you.” She hid the hint of impatience in her voice. “I need you. Michael…”
“Doesn’t need anyone except that damn fool woman he’s hooked up with,” he snapped.
Summer waited until Molly had brought their meals and placed them on the table.
“Holler if you need anything else.” The woman touched Brian’s arm lightly before tripping off to fill more orders.
“You can’t choose for him.” Summer reached for her coffee and inhaled the caffeine.
“You don’t like the damn girl,” he pointed out with a growl. “She has piercings all over her body and her hair is pink, for crying out loud.” Taking up his coffee, he took several sips before putting the cup down. “She’s not right for him. His poor mother must be turning over in her grave right now. We brought up that boy in church.”
“And he has gone his own way. I spoke to him.”
“When?”
“Just yesterday. He’s still upset with you honey. That scene at the house a few months ago is still stinging. You more or less disrespected the young lady right there in front of him and you had people over.”
“I couldn’t help it,” he muttered, angrily slathering marmalade over the crisp toast. “She showed up in a skirt masquerading as a napkin and had all those tattoos over her body. I almost died of embarrassment. My neighbors saw her.”
“And it isn’t a reflection on how you brought him up,” she said patiently. They had been having this conversation ever since the incident and she wasn’t getting through to him. “Michael is still the same young man who left home. He has no piercings and is just as neat as ever.”
“Then what the hell is he doing with that woman?”
“It might just be a phase.” Cradling her cup, she took another hearty sip. It was cold outside, but that was normal for this time of year. February had come in with sleet, snow storms and wind chills that were out of this world.
“He is twenty-five fricking years old.” Brian stabbed the butter knife into the marmalade jar and slathered it over the toast. “When is he going to grow out of that damn phase? He’s breaking my heart. The boy is good-looking and has a damn good job. Surely, he can find someone better than that?” Swallowing his distaste and ire along with his toast, he lapsed into silence.
They continued to eat in silence for a few minutes before summer spoke. “I think it’s time to mend fences.” She had finished her toast and was tackling the pie, which was surprisingly good.
“I just spoke my mind,” Brian muttered. “I’m a grown ass man and am entitled to do so.”
“He’s also an adult and you are both too alike to get along.” She shook her head at him. “All I’m saying is that you should be open-minded about this. I guarantee you that he is going to change his mind about her one day.”
“It can’t come soon enough,” he sighed and reached for his coffee. “Grace would have known what to do.” He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I miss her every damn day of my life.” He gazed at his sister. “Sometimes I think you had the right idea. Remain single,” he broke off a curse at the look on her face.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Me and my big mouth. For you it wasn’t a matter of choice.” Scooting forward, he took her hands in his. “That asshole is winning honey. Every damn day that you go through life alone, you are allowing him to have the upper hand.”
He sighed when she pulled her hands away, but not before he noticed the slight tremors. Back then, he’d been so damn wrapped up in his own marriage that he’d failed to notice what was going on with his sister.
He’d been in his thirties, and life had been wonderful. He was with the woman he’d loved since high school and they had their beloved son.
Grace had expressed some concern about the bastard Summer was with, and he’d felt in his gut that he was not who he pretended to be.
They had planned on getting married, and had in fact been engaged. Brian had been concerned that they were living together instead of tying the knot, and had finally said something to her about it.
“You’re not the shacking up type. What’s going on?”
She’d told him something appropriate and he had ended up dropping the subject. It wasn’t until the bastard had almost destroyed her peace of mind with his taunts and sly innuendos that left her shattered and afraid of her own shadow, that she had found the courage to kick him out.
He hadn’t lifted a finger to her, but words could do much more damage than anything physical. His usually vivacious sister had become a shadow of her former self and it had pissed him off enough to confront the bastard and beat the shit out of him.
But it wasn’t enough – he wanted back the years the prick had taken from her. After that, she had healed yes, but had never been in another relationship, which to him was a damn sin.
"We’re not talking about me," she told him coolly, the shield slamming automatically shut over her emotions. The incident had occurred almost twenty years ago, but was still fresh in her mind. She’d gone through therapy, extensive sessions, but the hurt and pain were still there.
She had loved him, or thought she had, and blamed herself for allowing the man to put her through so much. She had people coming in to counsel her ladies, as she liked to think of them, but she had slammed shut that part of her life and sealed it tight. She didn’t trust the opposite sex as far as she could spit.
She had been in a few relationships after him, but her heart hadn’t been involved. She had decided to stop hoping. Besides, she was in her fifties now and considered it too late for her.
“Honey…”
“No.” Reaching for the pie, she dug in and tried to ignore the tightening of her chest. Letting out a breath, she glanced at him. “I’m sorry Brian, but I’m not open to discussing the past.”
“Okay, alright.” He held up his hands in defeat. “I just can’t bear the thought that he’s still pulling the strings.”
A smile ghosted her lips as she tasted the pie. “I would like to think it is me kicking his ass by not giving him a thought. He called the other day.”
Brian’s eyes glowered. “I told that son of a bitch never to contact you again.”
“He wanted to make amends.” She shrugged. “Told me he’s been in therapy and wanted to know if we could meet.”
“You said no, of course?”
She nodded. “I told him that I was happy he had gotten help, but seeing him would bring all the nastiness back.”
“Good for you. I would have told him to go screw himself,” her brother said, darkly.
She smiled again. “I wanted to say that, but he was being very polite and subservient.”
“It’s a damn trick. He wanted to see if he could get back into your panties.” He shrugged as she arched her brows. “Telling it like it is.”
“How did this discussion become about me?”
“My excellent powers of diversion.” He grinned at her. “We are a pair, aren’t we? I’m here pining after my dead wife and you are…” he waved a hand. “I don’t know what the hell you are.”
“Single and content,” she supplied as she sipped some more coffee. It was far from the truth, but he didn’t have to know that.
“Are you?” Of course, she had underestimated how much he knew her.
“I am,” she insisted. “Now back to you and your issues.”
*****
Harrison scanned the documents and made several notations. He was aware of his siblings’ expectations and did not allow that to sway him from his task. They were still trying to prove themselves to him and it was bothersome as hell.
He had indicated to them time and again that if they hadn’t been up to the task, he would not have placed them in key positions in his company.
“Well?” Jonathan, the second eldest and most impulsive blurted out. “We did a thorough investigation and our due diligence. The building is rock solid, the foundation firm. We just need the go ahead to start proceedings.”
