Page 3 of Whatever Lola Wants (Odyssey #2)

L ola sat back from the table with a sigh. “ That hit the spot.”

Grant eyed the pile of kabob sticks on her plate. “ Sure you got enough?”

“I like red meat,” she told him, unoffended. She’d always had a hearty appetite and a high metabolism, but it had kicked up a notch in the six months she’d been training with Marcello .

Anna rose to clear the table. “ I hope you like cherry pie just as much.”

“If she doesn’t, I’ll take hers,” Simon put in, savoring his third beer.

Lola narrowed her eyes at him. “ Hands off my cherry.”

He choked on the beer while Grant roared with laughter.

“Perverts, every last one of you,” Anna admonished with a mock glower as she gathered up plates.

Grant snorted out a laugh. “ I think you’re forgetting that everyone around this table knows exactly how kinky you are.”

Anna stuck her tongue out at him, then shrieked when he snagged her hand and yanked her down to his lap. “ Hey !”

Lola rescued the pile of plates from Anna’s hands while the dog slipped out from under the table in search of falling food.

Hands freed, Anna used them to try to wriggle free while Grant wrestled her into his lap. “ I have to go get the pie.”

“In a minute,” he told her. “ I think we need to work out some of this bad girl first.”

Anna thrashed as Grant flipped her face down in his lap. “ You can’t spank me outside!”

“Says who?”

“It’s a local city ordinance,” Anna said, giggling, then howled when Grant’s hand cracked on her jeans clad butt. “ Ow !”

“We’ll get the pie,” Lola offered, pitching her voice above the slaps and squeals. She piled silverware on the plates and jerked her chin at Simon . “ Give me a hand, Hastings .”

He set down his beer and rose. He grabbed a couple of empty bowls and followed Lola into the house, closing the door before the dog could follow them in.

He set the dishes on the counter and looked around. “ Where’s the pie?”

“Got it,” Lola said, already pulling it out of the oven where it had been waiting on warm.

He leaned over her shoulder to sniff. “ That smells good.”

“Can you find some forks and plates?” Lola asked, and he turned to hunt through the cupboards.

He found the forks easily enough, but the plates proved more difficult. He opened every cupboard with no luck. “ No plates.”

“They have to be here somewhere,” she muttered, then looked at the unpacked boxes stacked against the wall. “ Like in that box says ‘dessert plates’.”

Simon eyed the box, sitting on the bottom of a stack that reached halfway to the ceiling. “ I’m not digging through all that.”

“Me neither.” The pie in her hands, she headed for the door. “ Grab the forks.”

He opened the door for her, and she strode out onto the patio. Suppressing a snicker when she saw Grant and Anna had moved from spanking to making out, she set the pie carefully on the table, then resumed her seat.

Simon sat next to her and handed her a fork. The dog, hoping for his share, bellied under the table as they dug in.

Lola had her mouth full when Grant finally stopped kissing Anna and spotted them. “ Hey , save some for me.”

“Grab a fork,” Simon mumbled and passed him one.

Still on Grant’s lap, Anna had twisted around to frown at them. “ We have plates, you know.”

Lola swallowed. “ Still in a box,” she said reasonably and stabbed her fork into the flaky crust. “ Found the forks, though.”

Anna rolled her eyes as Grant reached out to grab a fork. “ Do you know how long it took me to get that lattice crust perfect?”

“No,” Lola admitted. “ But it’s delicious.”

“Agreed,” Grant said and popped a forkful of pastry and fruit into his mouth.

Anna picked up the last fork. “ I expected better of you, Lola .”

“Why?” Lola asked, genuinely perplexed.

“God only knows,” Anna sighed and turned to Grant . “ Are we sure it’s a good idea to ask these two?”

Grant chuckled and shifted her on his lap so he could continue to eat. “ Well , it won’t be boring.”

Lola paused, her fork poised over the pie, and shot Simon a look. “ Do you know what they’re talking about?”

He shook his head and continued to eat. “ No clue.”

Lola turned back to Anna and Grant , her eyes narrowing at their goofy grins. “ What’re the two of you up to?”

Grant pressed a kiss to Anna’s cheek. “ You tell ‘em.”

Anna’s smile went brilliant with joy. “ We’re getting married.”

Simon choked on his pie and Lola clapped her hands together. “ I knew it!”

Anna blinked. “ You did?”

“No, but I could see it wasn’t going to be long.” She dropped her fork and bounced out of her seat, circling the table to drag Anna off Grant’s lap for a hug. “ I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.” Anna’s arms tightened around her. “ I’m happy for me, too.”

“You’re a lucky man,” Lola said to Grant over Anna’s shoulder.

Grant leaned back in his chair. “ I know.”

Lola narrowed her eyes. He was looking entirely too smug. “ Make her happy, or I’ll make you unhappy.”

Simon barked out a laugh and Grant winced, no doubt remembering the swift kick to the balls she’d delivered the last time Anna had been unhappy. “ I believe you.”

“Did you just threaten my fiancé?” Anna wondered.

Lola gave her friend a last squeeze, then eased back. “ Of course, I did.”

Anna nodded. “ Just checking.”

Grant scowled. “ Who’s side are you on?”

She resumed her perch in his lap. “ Yours , my love. Always yours.”

“That’s more like it,” Grant decided and aimed a smirk at Lola .

Lola just rolled her eyes and resumed her seat, darting a glance at Simon . He was watching Anna and Grant , an odd look on his face. A little thoughtful, a little contemplative, and something that might have been envy. “ Congrats , man.”

“Thanks,” Grant said. “ Want to be my best man?”

Anna huffed out an annoyed breath. “ You don’t ask someone to be your best man like…like you’d ask if he wants another beer.”

Grant frowned, but Lola could see the impish sparkle in his pale blue eyes. “ Why not?”

“I could use another beer, actually,” Simon put in.

Anna scowled at her fiancé. “ Because it’s important.” She turned to Lola . “ Lola , would you do me the honor of standing up for me when I marry the love of my life?”

Lola eyed Grant , assessing. “ You sure he’s the love of your life?”

Anna shot the man in question a dark look. “ The last two minutes notwithstanding, yes.”

“Then I’d be thrilled.”

“And that’s how it’s done,” Anna announced.

“I’ll do it my way, you do it yours.” Grant turned to Simon . “ So ?”

Simon looked thoughtful. “ Do I get to plan the bachelor party?”

“Yes.”

“Cool. I’m in.”

“See?” His smirk disappeared with an oof when Anna jabbed an elbow into his ribs, and his eyes darkened. “ You’re just asking for a rough night, aren’t you, sugar?”

His fiancé stared him down, her eyes narrowing at the challenge, and Lola snickered. Anna’s reputation as a smart ass masochist—or SAM —was well earned.

“And on that note,” Lola decided, rising to her feet, “ I need to get going. I have some work to finish tonight and an early meeting tomorrow.”

Grant lifted Anna off his lap and stood. “ You’re not driving, are you?”

She shook her head. “ I came from the gym, so I grabbed a ride share.” She pressed a kiss to Anna’s cheek, then turned to hug Grant . “ I’ll get another home.”

“I can give you a lift,” Simon said, and she turned to look at him.

“Thanks, but I’m good.”

He shrugged, the glittering gold of his eyes shadowed. “ Suit yourself.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Grant laid a hand on Lola’s back, then glanced at Simon . “ Another beer?”

“Sure,” Simon said, his shadowed eyes still on Lola .

She sent him a wink. “ See you later, Big Dick .”

Grant huffed a laugh as they strode into the house. “ Do you call him that just to make him pucker up?”

“Why else?” Lola returned. She shot him a glance. “ Does it piss him off or just annoy him?”

Grant shrugged. “ Probably depends on the moment. Why ? Does it matter?”

It was her turn to shrug. “ I don’t mind being annoying, but I draw the line at true hostility. At least in this case.”

They reached the front door, Grant reaching past her to pull it open while she scooped her gym bag from the bench in the entry. As they stepped out onto the stoop, Lola spotted a passing taxi. She brought her fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle, and the cab screeched to a stop.

“Nice trick.”

“Thanks.” Lola jogged lightly down the walk, Grant following to open the taxi’s rear door for her.

She tossed in her bag, then turned in the open door. “ Grant , can I ask a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Can you contact Michael at Odyssey for me?”

Surprise flared briefly in his eyes, followed by curiosity. “ Sure . What am I contacting him for?”

“I’m thinking of joining, but I have some questions first.”

Grant tucked his hands in his pockets. “ You know you can just come with us as a guest, right?”

“I know, and I appreciate the offer. But I have some questions, and I’d rather ask them in private.”

“About being a switch, or liking sharp, stabby things?”

Her lips twitched. “ Both . You’ll give him a call?”

“Sure. I? —”

“Hey lady, are you getting in or not?”

Lola rolled her eyes at the cabbie’s ill-tempered grumble. “ Keep your pants on, I’m coming.”

She turned back to Grant . “ I better go. You can give Michael my number. Thanks , Grant .”

“Anytime,” he told her as the cab door closed.

She settled into the seat, and the driver put the car in gear. “ Where we headed, sister?”

She gave him her address and sat back, a hand pressed to her stomach. It didn’t calm the butterflies, but then, she didn’t expect it to. After so many years away, it was reasonable to be nervous and a little uncomfortable at the idea of dipping her toes back in the scene. But that was okay.

In her book, comfort was overrated.

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