by D. Camille
She fanned a hand at him. “Boy, be quiet.” Ms. Wells smiled. “You know it’s more than just one.”
He laughed along with Dina and Lana.
Derek showed Lana into his mother’s living room at her orders. Lana walked around seeing pictures of Derek as a boy. She turned to him with a smile.
“You wore glasses?”
He groaned. “Yes, glasses, braces…the whole nerd gamut.”
Turning back to the pictures, she touched one of the frames. “You were still so cute, though.”
“Yeah, okay…”
She looked at the photo with him and four other girls. “You’re the only boy.”
“And the youngest, “he confirmed. “Hence, the Baby Boy tag.”
“I knew you had four siblings, but I didn’t know you had all sisters.”
“It was like having five Mommas,” he told her. “Which is why I was ready to get the hell out of Dodge.”
Lana turned to him. “They clearly love you a lot, according to Dina.”
“My sisters used to kick ass. They’d beat up boys over me.”
She thought about Dina. “I can see that.”
Laughing he joined her at the mantle. “Then I learned how to kick ass all by myself because I got tired of my sisters taking up for me.”
“The whole Wells family was dangerous, huh?” Lana asked.
He nodded. “My sisters aren’t like the sweet Sable sisters.”
“I don’t know…we’ve had a share of scrapes.” Lana confessed.
“Really, with who?”
She shrugged. “Kids in town. We were those black girls that lived in a hotel and didn’t have a Momma.”
Derek turned to her. “They harassed you?”
Lana bit her lip and nodded. “We were teased about our hair, our skin, our home, everything…”
“Daddy eventually got us a tutor and we homeschooled, before we fought all the kids and he killed all the parents. I got so accustomed to being at the Inn, it became my safe place, and the place where I knew that everyone I loved was also safe.”
Derek took her into his arms. “Aww, baby…”
Lana laid her head on his chest and breathed. She’d never voiced how she felt about the Inn to anyone before, but she’d wanted Derek to understand her connection to the place she loved. He lifted her face and saw the tears shimmering in her eyes.
Derek kissed her forehead then looked into her eyes. “I love your hair, and your beautiful brown skin. I’ve even found that B-cups are pretty nice…”
Lana smiled through her tears. “I love you…”
Derek wiped her cheeks and kissed her softly. “You’re going to make me want to start working on Lavender’s vision.”
“A little boy…” Lana whispered.
“I swear his name won’t start with an ‘L’. Y’all got too much of that going on.”
Lana laughed softly. “I can agree to that.”
Dina entered the room. “Did you see Derek in his little glasses?” she asked.
“Yes, I did.” Lana answered. “He was so cute.”
“Yeah, okay…” Dina replied.
Derek frowned at her. “But look at me now,” he told her.
She nodded. “That plastic surgery turned out well.”
Lana looked at Derek and he glared at Dina. “Real funny…don’t hate because I turned out the finest.”
“You all right,” Dina told him. “I mean, I’ve seen better.”
He wrapped his arms around Lana. “All that matters, is what this pretty woman thinks.”
Lana stared up into his handsome face. “Sorry Dina, he wins this one.”
Derek laughed and kissed Lana while Dina smirked. “See, I thought we was going to be cool, Lana.”
“I can’t lie…” Lana protested.
“Yes, you can.” Dina told her. “Wait until you meet the others, we’ll help you with that.”
They all laughed as Ms. Wells joined them. “Okay, you two…scram! I need to sit down with Miss Lana.”
Derek looked concerned as Dina hid a smile.
“Uh, Momma…” he began.
His mother turned to him. “Uh, Momma what?”
He checked his watch.
“That means nothing to me,” his mother told him. “But that is a nice watch.”
Dina grabbed her brother’s arm. “Come on before she pulls out the belt.”
Derek looked at Lana and she gave him a nod of approval. Like a little boy, he frowned and left the room with Dina following.
“Fix your face!” his mother called after him.
The two women took a seat on the sofa and Ms. Wells studied Lana. “I know you have to be more than a pretty face, so tell me about yourself.”
Lana smiled slowly. “I run our family-owned Inn back in Grayling, Michigan. I have a degree in Hospitality. I’ve lived on our land my entire life and I have two sisters and my father.”
“Your Momma?”
Lana looked down. “She died after my youngest sister was born. She had cancer.”
Ms. Wells reached over and touched her hand. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“My sister Lorna is very into natural health. She’s determined to keep all of us healthy and alive. Lorna’s in charge of food and she uses all locally sourced ingredients at the Inn.”
Ms. Wells nodded. “That has to be quite a draw.”
Lana thought about it. “We really don’t harp on that point.”
“In this day, with this healthcare debacle going on, people are looking for healthier alternatives because our insurance may be taken away at some point,” Ms. Wells told her.
“I’ll have to talk to my sister, Lena, when I get back. This may be some great marketing for her and now I even have more ideas.” She smiled at Ms. Wells then reached over and hugged her. “Thank you so much!”
Ms. Wells looked confused. “Okay, I don’t know what I did, but I hope it helps.”
“No wonder your son is so amazing,” Lana told her.
“He is and I’m so proud of him,” Ms. Wells told her. “We try to keep him humble though.”
“I see,” Lana laughed.
Ms. Wells smiled. “Derek is so strong and talented. What’s he’s done, at his age, a black man in politics… is remarkable.” She glanced out of her window. “All these little boys that used to tease him for being smart, look at him now like a King.”
Turning back to Lana, she continued, “He never succumbed to the pressure and has always had his own mind. Derek is needed to do the job he does, and I hope you will let him do it,” Ms. Wells finished.
Lana looked at the woman who’d raised the man she loved. “To be honest, Ms. Wells, until I got here yesterday, I didn’t even realize how important Derek is. He never portrayed himself as someone on his level. He went fishing with my Daddy and helped me clean up spills at the Inn.”
“Derek was raised. He may not have had a father in the home, but he was taught.”
Lana smiled. “He says he had five mothers.”
Ms. Wells laughed. “Yes, he did and he’s our prize.”
“Don’t you miss him, living in another place and traveling all around?” Lana asked.
“I have to let him be the man he was designed to be,” Ms. Wells answered. “He always knows where home is.”
Chapter 18
After dinner, Derek announced that he and Lana needed to get back to the plane, then his mother looked at him with a frown.
“Why didn’t you plan to stay overnight? I have room.”
He smiled. “I know Momma, but Lana is only here for a week and I want to show her around D.C.”
“D.C. my ass…” his mother told him and he smiled broader. “You make sure to bring her back to stay for a while, understand?”
Derek nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
Lana smiled at the conversation as Ms. Wells directed her attention over to Lana. “You make him bring you back, okay?”
“I’m not going anywhere, Ms. Wel
ls and thank you for the invitation. Your hospitality has been so wonderful and the food was delicious.”
Ms. Wells beamed at Derek. “She’s so polite.”
“Her whole family is like that,” Derek told his mother.
“Well I have to meet them all.”
They began to clear the table when Dina spoke to her brother. “Hey, let me catch a ride to D.C. with you.”
Derek frowned. “What are you coming to D.C. for?”
“My best friend lives there. You know, the one who is your personal assistant?” Dina reminded him.
“She has work to do,” Derek complained, walking into the kitchen.
Dina followed along with Lana and his mother. “I can’t get a seat on your charter?”
Derek paused. “How long are you staying in D.C.?”
“Boy, nobody is trying to block your groove with your woman.” Dina told him. “Besides, you’re not the only man in D.C. that I know.”
He turned to her. “You’re coming to D.C. to see a dude?”
Dina walked to the sink. “I’m the big sister.”
Derek joined her at the sink. “Who?”
“Can I get a ride or not? Otherwise, I’ll just drive.”
He folded his arms. “Who Dina?”
She turned to their mother. “Momma, can you get him?”
Never having a brother, Lana found this dynamic completely fascinating.
Derek glared at his sister. “Who the hell are you coming to visit in D.C.?”
Lana lifted a brow in surprise and Ms. Wells interjected. “I think you two need to finish this away from our guest and watch your mouth, Derek.”
“Yeah, Dina, let’s discuss this outside.”
Dina wiped her hands on a rag. “I’m cool.”
“Oh, so you and Gina can be all in my business, but now you want to clam up?” Derek challenged.
Dina stopped and turned to him. “It’s nothing Derek. We’re just friends.”
Derek rubbed his beard in agitation. “I swear, you’re about to make me act up.”
Lana and Ms. Wells watched in silence, still holding dishes in their hands.
“Fine, it’s Brian.”
Derek tilted his head. “Brian who?” His brows furrowed. “Because I know you’re not talking about the Brian that works for me?”
Dina walked over to Lana. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Have a safe trip back to Michigan.”
Derek watched as Dina kissed their mother then walked out of the kitchen. He immediately followed and both women watched him go.
Ms. Wells walked to the sink. “Get used to those two, the oldest and the youngest. Love each other to death and will kill for one another.”
Lana joined her at the sink. “Brian is nice. I met him yesterday.”
“I hope that girl finds somebody. Her whole life has been focused on Derek and supporting him.” She turned to Lana. “But he has someone to do that now.”
Derek returned and kissed his mother. “We’re taking off. I’ll call you on my scheduled day.”
“Where’s Dina?” his mother asked.
“She’s flying back with us.”
Ms. Wells smiled. “I figured she would.”
“I’m not about to let her drive and I know she would,” Derek complained.
Lana hugged his mother. “I’ll see you again soon, I promise.”
“I’m holding you to that,” Ms. Wells said with a smile.
In the car, Dina sat in the back with her arms folded and Lana looked back at her as Derek went around to the driver’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, thanks for asking.”
Derek entered, started the car and took off. While he drove, he glanced in his mirror at his sister. “You’re leaving your car at Airport Parking?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m stopping back down to see Momma before I go back.”
Derek took Lana’s hand. “You like circuses right?”
Lana smiled. “That was tame.”
He brought her hand to his lips. “You want to go out dancing tonight?”
“We’re going to get off a plane and then go out?” Lana asked.
“By the time we get back, it’ll only be around elven. The parties don’t even really start until midnight,” he explained.
Lana shrugged. “I’m game.”
Derek slid her a look. “Or we could stay in…”
Dina rolled her eyes in the back seat.
Lana gave him a look in return. “I’m game for that too.”
“I’m in the damn car!” Dina objected.
“You wanted a ride, so chill out.” Derek told her.
“I don’t want a freak show,” she replied.
Lana laughed at the pair and thought about her own sisters. While she missed them, it wasn’t like she’d missed them in the past.
Derek looked over at Lana. “So, are you going to let me…do that thing that we did in the mirror this morning?” he said in a sexy tone.
Lana knew he was talking about taking pictures, but Dina choked.
“Boy are you serious?” Dina yelled.
Laughing, Derek drove to the Airport Parking before they headed to the hangar with Dina’s luggage. On the plane, he turned to his sister.
“Tell Brian to be in my office first thing Monday morning.”
“Don’t make something out of nothing, Derek. We’re just going to hang out.”
He nodded. “I’ll see him Monday.”
Dina turned to the window and Derek turned back to Lana.
“You don’t like Brian?” Lana asked.
“In business, yeah…” he answered.
Lana touched his face. “What if I had an overprotective brother?”
“Baby, you have a whole damn town.”
She smiled. “You took care of that.”
“And if Brian wants to ‘hang out’ with my sister, then he needs to take care of it too.” Derek said firmly.
“There’s the campaign manager,” she teased.
He shook his head. “I don’t play about the women in my life. Come correct or exit.”
“Is that what my Daddy told you?” Lana questioned.
“In no uncertain terms,” Derek confirmed.
She stroked his face. “And you’re still here.”
“I told you that I’m not going anywhere away from Lana Sable,” he told her.
Lana held his gaze. “I think I’d like to stay in tonight…”
******
On Monday, Derek dressed for work as Lana stood in his walk-in closet. “Do you really wear all of these clothes?” she asked from inside.
“Not all at one time,” he answered and she appeared with a smirk.
He walked over to her and looped his arms around her waist. “I swear you’re so country sometimes.”
“Don’t talk about my country,” she warned.
“It’s cute,” he kissed her softly. “I like it.”
Derek inhaled her twisted out hair.
“You ready to go into the big city?” he teased. “See all those tall buildings?”
Lana swatted at his shoulder in his tailored suit. “Keep playing.”
He pulled her close. “After I stop into the office, we can go sightseeing.”
“I don’t want to interrupt your schedule.”
“Don’t say that again,” Derek told her.
Lana hugged him. “I can’t wait to see your offices.”
“Don’t pay any attention to Gina. She’s Dina’s best friend and just as annoying sometimes,” he informed her.
“She’s your assistant?”
“Allegedly,”
Lana laughed. “She has to do a good job, if you keep her on.”
“She gets the important stuff done,” he admitted.
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
At Derek’s offices, Lana was first impressed at the size and the number of people he employed. The constant greetings to Mr. Wells was overwhelming. She thought she managed a large st
aff, Derek’s office staff nearly doubled her Inn employees.
They reached his office and Gina stood smiling at the pair. “Well, look at this…” she said with a smile.
“Gina this is Lana. Lana this is Gina, I told you about her.” Derek said plainly.
Gina smiled some more and came around the desk. “I’m so glad that you are here. This boy was about to lose his damn mind.”
Derek put a hand on Lana’s back before she could respond. “Thanks Gina, no calls please.” He steered Lana into his office and closed the door.
She looked around the massive space that looked out on the D.C. monuments. “Wow…”
Derek led her to his chair then sat and pulled her down on his lap. “Your view is amazing,” she told him staring out of the large window.
“It’s why I picked this location. Plus, it’s close to the Capitol,” he explained.
Lana looked down at him. “My man is a boss.”
He kissed her slowly. “My woman is too.”
“So what do you do in this impressive office?”
“When I’m working with a candidate, lots of strategizing and planning. Once the campaign starts, I’m working directly with the candidate on image and platform. If it’s local, I’m setting up and attending promotional events with the candidate. Otherwise, I’m in districts and localities that will be served by that particular candidate, tracking polls and watching media,” he explained.
Lana blinked. “That’s interesting. Do you have another candidate yet?”
He shook his head. “The phones are ringing off the hook, but my instinct hasn’t picked one yet.”
“Do you go by your instinct a lot?” she asked.
Derek nodded. “It led me to you.”
She put her arms around his neck. “Then that’s some damn good instinct.”
“I think so,”
The phone on his desk buzzed and Derek reached out to push a button. “No calls Gina.”
“Brian is here. He says that you wanted to see him,” Gina’s voice came through the line.
“Send him in.”
Derek helped Lana to her feet before he stood. “This won’t take long.”
“You want me to wait in your lobby?” Lana asked.
“No, you can have a seat.”
Brian entered with a smile. “Hey, Derek!” Looking over he saw Lana and went to shake her hand. “Hey, Lana. Good to see you again.”