Page 18 of Mr. Green (Mr. #2)
Lana
I ’m hanging on a beach at a table under an umbrella the next morning with Paige and Scarlett. Scarlett’s not an early riser, so I got a run in before we decided to lounge around all day.
“How did it go with Grant?” Scarlett puts her hands under her chin and leans towards me from her lounge chair.
“How did what go with Grant?” I ask with a furrowed brow.
“I heard him ask you to go on a whale watching trip, Lana!” Paige butts in. “You know what we’re talking about.”
“You were asleep.” I look at her, wide-eyed.
“Was I?” Paige lifts an eyebrow in response.
“That’s bullshit! You can’t be sneaky!” I retort.
“Lana, stop avoiding the question. How’d it go?” Scarlett asks with a serious tone.
“It was pretty nice. Grant is full of swoon. Is swoon a word? If it is, his picture should be in the dictionary.”
Paige screams and Scarlett claps her hands together, reminding me of a seal.
“But there were weird moments.” I can’t just give in to Grant. “He called me crazy, which is rude. He mentioned Josh. I’m positive he’d never be attracted to me in a relationship kind of way, so there’s that.”
“Did he say that or are you making assumptions?” Paige squints her eyes at me.
“Why is it weird he mentioned Josh? They used to be friends and he’s your brother.” Scarlett blinks at me. “It’s nice he asked you about him. What else was weird? ”
The girls wait for more information. When I don’t provide anything else “weird,” an ice cube hits me.
“You’re totally falling for him! Thank God! I thought you’d never get over Ryan. Still thinking he was the most amazing person on the planet is the biggest crock I’ve ever heard.” Paige rolls her eyes.
“I’m not falling for Grant Green!”
“You’re blushing!” Scarlett protests. “You’re absolutely in love with him! I hope you catch the bouquet at my wedding! You’ll be next to get married.”
“I’m not getting married to him.”
“Why?”
When I can’t find a reason, I get up and head towards the water. “I hate you guys!” I shout over my shoulder as I storm off.
“We know you love us!” Paige shouts at my back.
The nerve of those hoes, trying to get me married off to a crazy person.
I’m not a crazy person and therefore, shouldn’t be married to one.
Even though he’d be sweet, funny, and caring.
It’d probably be really nice to lay on his broad chest in his big arms. Share my hopes and dreams with him as we went to bed.
Fuck!
Stop thinking of Grant! He isn’t going to want to stay with someone who is his friend’s little sister, has no idea what to do with her life, who doesn’t look like a model, or who is still getting over their ex. No one would want that.
I make my way towards the waves. The water is cooler than the air, but not uncomfortable—just refreshing. The saltwater helps wash away any feelings of doubt within myself as I submerge beneath a wave. The bright blue color encompasses me, putting me at ease.
Until my foot gets stabbed. I don’t have my glasses on and must’ve stepped on something.
I grab my foot and start hopping up and down like a kangaroo. My mouth starts cursing with no end in stop. I think I just got stung by a stingray. Motherfucker!
Before I know what’s happening, I’m being carried bridal style in someone’s big arms. The familiar scent of forest surrounding me, blocking out the salt air.
My head turns up with a look of bewilderment. “Grant! What are you doing?”
“Are you okay? I’ve gotten stung by one of those before. It hurts like a mother. I know what to do. I’ll bring you back to my room to help.”
“I’m sure you can just tell me what to do. Or I can go to a lifeguard.” I pause, thinking about the cure for a stingray sting. “Oh, God! Are they going to tell someone to pee on me?”
He chuckles. “No, they’re going to tell you to relax in hot water. Our hotel is right here. We’re already at the elevator, Sunshine.”
He’s right. I hadn’t realized he took three strides and got us back to our hotel quicker than the speed of lightning. That doesn’t change the fact that I don’t need him to take care of me.
“I can take care of this myself. Just take me to my room.” Then I hiss as my foot throbs in pain.
“Lana, just let me take care of you. I was a volunteer lifeguard at the community center when I was younger.”
“Of course you were,” I mumble while trying to grab my foot.
“I know what to do. You can have a soak in my bathroom. It comes with a view. You’re going to need to submerge the wound in hot, hot water. I can take out any remnants of the stinger and I’ll leave you alone to soak until the pain goes away.”
That sounds nice, but I should under no circumstances go to Grant’s hotel room. Sex happens in these places all the time. It’s like the most romantic place on Earth.
“Can you just take me to my room? I can handle this myself.”
“I’d like to help. I have a first aid kit in my suite.”
“You’ve already helped. You told me what to do and are taking me to my room.”
“Lana, I’m not leaving you no matter what room we’re in. Those stings hurt. If you have an allergic reaction, someone needs to be around to take you to the hospital.”
“Then go get Paige or Scarlett. They’re on the beach.”
“They left to get brunch.”
“Without me?” I whine.
“They said they texted you so you’d know to join them after you were done in the water.”
“Those hoes.”
The elevator pings. “What’s it going to be, Sunshine? A tub with a nice view or me waiting in your room?”