Page 43 of Mr. Green (Mr. #2)

Lana

I wake up to Grant cuddling with me. His strong arms wrap around me tight, making me not want to leave. The alarm goes off and he holds me tighter, instead of letting go.

I smile. I’m weak. Grant and his cute, bossy attitude are making me want to give in, so I do. I take in this moment of him holding me, his scent, the security.

After a few minutes the alarm signals again. We get up for a run and then get dressed. He takes us to grab smoothies on the way to the airport. In less than thirty minutes, we’re in the lot staring at the private plane.

He turns to me. “You can stay another day.” He pauses. “Or week, if you want.” Another pause. “Even a month.”

I laugh. “Scarlett’s wedding will be here before we know it. I have to go into the gym Monday.” I give him my pity smile and unbuckle my seat belt. “Thank you for having me and for picking me up. It’s only a few days and I’ll see you again, right?”

He nods while stroking his beard. “Right. Stay there, I’ll get your door.”

“I can—” He’s out and around to my side before I can protest. Queenie isn’t putting up a fuss about staying, so that’s good news. It must mean she likes me.

Grant embraces me in a hug, surrounding me in a timberland dream. I want to stay with him, but it’s only been two weeks. If I stayed, I’d be in love with him by the end of the week. I’m not sure I’m ready. So I let him hold me as long as he wants. Then his lips touch the top of my head.

“Okay, Sunshine. You’d better get going before Emmy tries to chop off my balls. ”

I laugh and give him a kiss. He kisses me back with his tongue conquering my mouth. He breaks away eventually. Then drops to a knee to say goodbye to Queenie and the sight tugs at my heart. He really wants us to stay.

“Bye, Queenie. I’ll see you and your mom soon.” He pats her.

He’s up and kissing me one more time. Then he sends me off with a slap to the butt.

“See you soon, Sunshine. Call me as soon as you get home.”

I nod and give a small smile. “Thanks again. See you soon!”

If I didn’t know better, I’d say my feet were attached to cement blocks. It’s so hard to walk away from this guy. I have to do it, though. I have a life I have to get back to. I can’t just be his sex doll at home, waiting up for him to get home while I cook in his kitchen.

Actually...

Lana!

That sounds like a nice life, but it can’t be my life right now. I have to get myself together. I have a business and a marathon I need to get ready for. Focus.

I ascend the stairs with Queenie right behind me. I wave one last time at the top of the steps, then I make myself sit down before I run out to him and jump in his arms.

~

After a boring flight, I’m home. Andrew drops Queenie and I off at my apartment. I take my time walking up to my place. Being here doesn’t feel like home anymore, which is strange. All I want to do is go back to Grant’s house.

Scarlett’s wedding is this coming weekend so I’ll be seeing him soon enough. It’s only four days. I can get back to my life. My life where I don’t eat out. I run, and weightlift, and work at the gym. Yeah, I have things to do, places to be. I don’t need to be a needy little girl right now.

I walk into my apartment with renewed purpose.

Since I already ran with Grant, I don’t need to go on another one.

I do need to call my mom. She’s going to see I have a date with someone at this wedding.

Since Scarlett has been like a second mom to her growing up, my parents are invited.

That’s a whole other thing I don’t want to think about, but at least they already know Grant.

It’s been a while since they’ve seen him, but they know him.

I dial her number as Queenie watches me on the couch. I go sit by her and pet her. Emotional support to get through this phone call. I’m sure she’ll ask me when we’ll be having kids. I roll my eyes at the thought.

“Hi, my little one!” she answers.

“Hey, Mom. How’s it going?”

“Good. Your dad and I just got back from a new restaurant. You’d love it! You’ll have to come with us next time.”

“Oh cool, cool. So, I wanted to give you a heads up. That guy I told you I was talking to...”

“Yeah?” I can see her clasping her hands together getting ready to jump.

“We’re going to the wedding together.”

“He proposed?”

“What?” I pinch my eyebrows together. “No. I don’t think you understand the process of talking to someone, Mom.”

“You said you were talking last time and now you’ll be each other’s date. Wouldn’t the next step be to get engaged?”

“No. The next step would be to become official and not date anyone else.”

“Why would he date anyone else? He has you.”

“It’s just a game people play when they’re older now.”

“I don’t want you playing that game. Tell him it’s marriage or no deal.”

I scoff. “I’m not going to tell him that.”

“Fine. Who is it?”

“You know him, actually.” I play with a strand of my hair coming out from my messy bun. “It’s Josh’s old friend, Grant. You know, from high school.”

“That cute little boy you used to watch from the window?”

Yes. “No. I never watched anyone from the window. I never cared what Josh and his friends were doing.”

“Huh. I could’ve sworn I saw you numerous times watching them play. You always tried to go with them too.”

“Nope. That must’ve been another one of your kids.”

“Well, he was lovely. He has a good head on his shoulders. Much more mature than Josh ever was. I heard he’s a successful businessman now.

Is he still cute?” I don’t know what to say to that.

Luckily, she answers her own question. “Of course he is. You wouldn’t be going as his date if he wasn’t cute.

This is exciting! Make sure to bring him over at the wedding so we can say hi.

You’ll also have to bring him over for dinner one night! ”

I’d rather die. “He doesn’t live here, Mom. We’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“Oh, okay. Listen, Janine is scoping out our property in her car. I need to go talk to her so she doesn’t write a citation on our house.”

I hear my dad in the background. “Rose! That snake is out front again!”

“I know, Paul! I’m on the phone. I’ll be right there.”

I start laughing. They should move. The HOA over there sounds like they’re being taken over by a dictator or something.

“Don’t laugh, Lana. This is serious. We love you. See you this weekend.”

“Love you. Bye, Mom.”

After I hang up with her, I can’t seem to sit still. I tidy up my place, which I never do unless company is coming over. I also put the things in my suitcase away. That’s crazy—what I packed for Hawaii was still packed until I was invited to Texas and needed my luggage again.

I look around for something else to do, when I see my phone light up.

It’s Grant !

Shit! I was supposed to call him.

“Heeeeyyy!” I’m playing this off casually.

“Hi, Lana. I didn’t get a call.” He’s using my name? This can’t be good.

“I know, I know. Sorry about that. I got here and it was so strange because it feels empty and it distracted me.”

“You need to call me as soon as you land. Andrew called me before you did.”

“Sorry, sorry! I’ll make it up to you.”

“You’d better. What are you doing right now?”

“I think I’m going to the gym.”

“Oh, okay. Didn’t mean to keep you. Call me the minute you walk through your door.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

“Lana, I’m serious.”

“Why are you calling me Lana? What happened to Sunshine or baby girl?”

“Those are for good girls. You’ve been bad.”

I’m grinning ear to ear. “What do bad girls get?”

“Nothing you’ll want, so be a good girl and call me when you walk through the door.”

“Okay.” I laugh. “Bye, Grant.”

“Bye, baby.”

I pat Queenie and grab my things. I’ll go do a workout at the gym. I can’t stay here right now—alone.