“Well, I guess that could do it. Look, Lanie, your mom loved you. She’d be pretty upset right now seeing you crying over her.” I nodded.
“Why don’t we let Grant talk to Lanie right now? Let’s give them a minute alone.” Jennifer grabbed Joe and Jack by the elbows and pulled them into the house.
As soon as we were alone …
Chapter 24
Are You Willing to Double Down
… Grant pulled my face up to look into his.
“Lanie, tell me.”
“Dane, he took, he—It wasn’t his to take. He—” I burst into tears again. Grant grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close to him. He dug his face into my shoulder and neck and rocked me. We stayed like that for several minutes before he pulled me back to look at him again.
“Lanie, I’ve been waiting for this. You were handling it all way too well. What’s in the past can’t hurt you anymore. It can’t—the memories can hurt you, but only if you let them. That’s up to you. I won’t let anything hurt you now. Not ever again.”
I stared into his eyes and swear I could see his soul. They told me to trust in him, that he was explicitly mine for anything I needed. They told me everything was going to be fine from now on.
“But how could he do that to me?”
“In your mind, this whole time, you’ve thought there was more, yes? That Dane couldn’t do that, wouldn’t do that. We’ve known him our whole lives. I am sure there is more. I think it’s time I had my chat with him, don’t you?”
“I’m scared, Grant. I know you want to hurt him. I know it’ll end up in a fight.”
“Lanie, we can’t keep going on pretending things didn’t happen. Why are you protecting him?”
“I’m not protecting him. I’m protecting you.”
He pondered this for a moment. I could see him weighing his next words quite carefully.
“I’m not going to kill him, you know. I’m going to talk. If it leads to blows, so be it. It’s coming. I’m sure of it. But I promise you; I won’t be the one to make that first move. Do you understand?”
I nodded. Actually, I wanted him to kick the living shit out of Dane. He deserved it. And Grant deserved to be the one to do it. It was his right. I wouldn’t stop him if it were going to happen. I just didn’t want it to go so far that one of them ended up seriously hurt or in jail.
“I do, Baby. Just, please wait for the right time. Now is not that time.”
“Now pull yourself together for me. We are fine, you and I. And we’re getting very close to this facade being put to rest. I can’t wait for it, actually.”
“Your mom knows.”
“I know she does. And she’s a very good ally. Not that I think we need one. I think your fears about us are unwarranted. I truly believe everyone, including your dad, will be more than thrilled.”
He pulled me to my feet and gave me another hug. I would have been happy just staying like that for the rest of the day. I loved the feel of his body against me. But I opted to head home and have my father give me pitiful looks for the rest of the day.
Speaking of the clueless devil … “Hey, everything okay out here?” he said.
“Yes, Jack, everything is fine now. I think Lanie just needed a moment.”
“I guess I just got overwhelmed with everyone being home and Jennifer giving me Mom’s message. It was a bit more than I had anticipated.”
“Well, okay then. You want to head back home with me?”
“Sure, Dad.”
I gave Grant a soft touch on his cheek once Jack had turned to head out.
“I love you, Lanie. Remember that always. I want to be with you forever and nothing is going to stop that from happening. Not anything or anyone,” he whispered into my ear.
* * *
I sat on my bed thinking of what to wear for tonight’s festivities. I wanted to wear something that would make Grant drool without making everyone else in the room think I was an exhibitionist. I wished I still had Grant’s boxers and shirt from our first night together, but we had thoroughly scoured our houses for anything that would be a dead giveaway we were together.
I decided to go cute and threw on a pair of black leggings and a cami with little black hearts all over it. I grabbed my black Uggs and threw them on too. I pulled my hair into a loose bun on the top of my head, letting a few stray tendrils fall. I topped the outfit with some vanilla perfume. I headed downstairs to get Jack and head over to Grant’s for Chinese and cards.
“Hey, Lanie, you look cute.”
“I do? Thanks, Dad. Um, you too.”
He was wearing the matching pajama pants and shirt with bass caught on hooks all over them that I had given him for Christmas five years ago. Guess they never made it into his luggage when he moved. Couldn’t blame him. They were hideous. They had actually been meant as a gag gift.
“Thanks, I think. I feel stupid.”
“Where’s your sense of fun?” I giggled. I grabbed a bottle of tequila and headed for the door.
“Hanging out in my pajamas is not my idea of fun, Lanie.”
“But you look so cute, Dad.” He just shook his head.
The Voights were walking past and we joined them.
“So, Lanie, I see you brought some libations. I’ll go shot for shot with you.” Dane was right by my side.
He reached over and put his arm around my shoulder. I pushed him off and he just bumped me playfully like everything was good.
“Really?” I said while shooting him my best bitch-face.
“Hi, Lanie, ready to have some fun tonight?”
I turned toward Lori and almost dropped everything I was carrying. She was wearing a little pink, somewhat sheer on the bottom nightie with her boobs hanging out the top. She had a matching short robe on and feathered high heels as slippers. She wore her blond hair down and it cascaded in curls across her shoulders. I looked like I was doing laundry tonight compared to her. Jack did a shocked double-take and I heard him clear his throat loudly. Jeff just made a whistling noise, not meant as a compliment. He and Jeff shared a look and shook their heads.
“Do you like my pajamas? Dane bought them for me just for tonight.”
I shot Dane an evil look and my mouth dropped open. I couldn’t think of anything to say. Then he mouthed ‘game on’ and I could feel my face scrunch up into a tight scowl. I gave him my best bitchface. I bit my lower lip and pushed past him to catch up with Haley.
“Did you get a look at what that girl is wearing? What does she think is actually going to happen tonight?” She was pissed. I was, too.
“How can you not notice it? Everything is right out there on display. Apparently there is no accounting for good taste.”
“Were you referring to Lori or Dane?” she said, shaking her head in disgust. “Why would he hook up with that—that whore?”
“I honestly have no idea what he’s thinking lately,” I said. I shot a glance back at the two of them, laughing together.
I couldn’t believe them. This was taking things a bit too far for a family fun night. I couldn’t wait to get to Grant’s and grab Samantha and Chelsie for some help. I didn’t want her dressed like that for Grant to see. I could feel myself heating up the closer we got. I was fuming by the time I got to the door.
We entered the house and I made a beeline for the kitchen and began slamming things around. Grant was immediately by my side.
“What on earth is wrong?”
“Oh you’ll see.”
“Hi, Grant,” Lori purred at him.
He turned toward Lori and I saw his eyes get huge. He looked Lori up and down. I took my finger and closed his mouth with a hard push.
“Like my pajamas?” she cooed.
“I … uh … they’re quite nice,” he said, and then turned and focused his eyes on me. “Personally though, I prefer something that allows my imagination to work on its own.” And he spanked my butt. I quickly smiled at him and leaned my body into his and gave him a little rub with that recently
spanked butt. He gave me a double-eyebrow salute and let a little moan escape his lips. I felt his hand brush my sex. I smiled deviously at him. He had shut Lori down with a simple comment, so she turned and focused her attention on Steve, who had just entered the kitchen.
“Hi, Steve.”
“Don’t even think about it, Bitch.” Chelsie stepped in front of Steve, putting herself right between them.
“I was just saying hello, Chelsie. You can’t be that insecure.”
“Insecure is coming to a family dinner dressed like someone just picked you up on the side of the road for say, a twenty?”
I giggled, turned my attention back to Grant, and we began to rapid fire puns at each other.
“I’m looking forward to cards later tonight. You?”
“Yes, I do love a good game of cards.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing your action.”
“Are you willing to double down?”
“I’m not afraid of going down.”
“I’m sure we’ll both be holding our own.”
“I’ll do my best to make you raise your anti. The stakes are going to be amazing.”
“No limits. I promise my unit will be high.”
“Not even a spread limit?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy my hand.”
“I’m sure I will.” He was giving me the sexiest smile and I couldn’t help but give it back. I was ready for one hell of a game. This was the game I was interested in.
“How long are you two going to do that?” said Dylan. We both turned to look at him.
“Do what?”
“Make sexual blackjack innuendos? I’m ready to surrender now and we haven’t even started playing yet.”
We smiled sheepishly and returned to setting things up for dinner, all the while, still flirting with each other. I heard a cell phone go off. We all reached for our pockets. It was Dane’s.
“Hello? Yes, this is he. I’m sorry, who is this? What? I’m not sure what you’re talking about. What note …
Chapter 25
Ouch
“… on a napkin?”
Grant and I immediately looked at each other and began to giggle. I looked at Dane and mouthed ‘game on’ and gave him my best smug smile.
“Dane, Honey, who is that?” Lori asked as she tried to listen in.
“Shhh,” he said, annoyed with her.
“I’m sorry, where did you say we met? No, I haven’t been there before, I think someone played a bit of a prank on us both.” He shot Grant and I a glance.
“I want to know who that is, right now!” Lori seemed to be getting upset. She actually stamped her foot. I had no idea why since she obviously didn’t really care about being with him.
“What did you say your name was again? Lisa? Well, nice to talk to you, too, Lisa. You do sound familiar. Yes, I did send them champagne. Oh, I guess we did speak that night on the phone.” He continued talking with the red-headed super model waitress. I had to wonder what she actually called for. I hoped we weren’t getting him mixed up with yet another whore. Who actually calls for a threesome?
Lori was getting increasingly pissed. She liked to be the center of attention and apparently that included everyone in the room with a dick and a pulse. Dane was her meal ticket and she wasn’t going to let him go without a fight unless she had someone else lined up. Her plans of getting her paws on Grant were not panning out.
She tried to grab the phone out of Dane’s hand, but he pushed her away. She stormed out of the room.
“Listen, I would enjoy chatting more, but I’m in the middle of a family dinner. Yes, that would be great. So I’ll talk with you then.” He hung up the phone. He gave us a sideways glance and then proceeded to give Lori chase. Why he did was beyond me.
Within moments they returned to the room with bags of Chinese food. Guess they got as far as the front yard and the deliveryman showed up. Bet he enjoyed the view. Still, Lori didn’t look happy and Dane didn’t acknowledge her at all.
Everyone started to pile their plates with food and grab chopsticks or forks and find a spot on the floor or couch to eat. I planted myself next to Grant and snuggled close. I honestly was growing tired of hiding things and it wasn’t unlike he and I to be off in a corner somewhere together. We’d done that since we were kids.
Dane came over and planted himself on the other side of me. I shot him an incredulous look and he just smiled and started shoving food into his face. I looked at Grant and he shook his head. I felt him tense slightly and he wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me even closer to him.
Then I felt Dane put his arm around my waist and pull me closer to him. Grant turned and glared at him and then grabbed me and pulled me back. Now they were taking turns trying to get closer on either side of me.
“If you two don’t cut it out, I am going to throw up. Dane, stop it.” He was being pretty brazen. I grabbed my fork and jabbed his hand with it.
“Ouch. Lanie, why did you do that?”
“I’m not on the menu, Dane. Keep your hands to yourself or I’ll put it straight through next time.”
Grant had won and I was neatly tucked in beside him with a pillow now wedged between Dane and I. Lori had been sitting quietly in the corner, watching us. She was clearly out of her element and we all ignored her. Even Dane.
Around eleven o’clock, the parents all decided it was time to head home or upstairs to get some sleep. The men were going fishing in the morning, so they thought it best to call it an early night.
All of us remaining straightened up and discussed what game would be fun to play.
“Definitely a drinking game; how about quarters?” Samantha chimed.
“Too noisy.”
“Blackjack?” Dylan said, smiling at Grant and I.
“I got it!” Steve jumped up and ran to the kitchen to grab some sticky notes and pens.
“We’ll play guess who you are.” He scribbled something down on one of the notes and plopped it on Chelsie’s forehead. It said Betty Boop. We all giggled and started to grab the sticky notes and write names down. I grabbed one, scribbled on it and then slapped it on Dane’s forehead. It said Pinocchio. Everyone laughed but Lori. Samantha got Cleopatra from Dylan. Grant got James Dean from Samantha. Chelsie wrote one out and placed it on Steve. It said Pee Wee Herman. We all laughed again.
We were all having fun just writing and then finally Lori whined, “Someone do me!”
This made us all laugh even harder. She turned red in the face and then Dane grabbed the pen and scribbled something and placed it on her forehead. We all just stared. You could hear a pin drop.
“Dane, that’s kind of mean,” Samantha said.
“I think it’s quite fitting.” Chelsie smiled and pulled Lori to her feet and led her over to a mirror.
We all just watched as Lori looked. I could see her turn bright red now, but not from embarrassment. She was pissed and all hell was going to break loose. On her sticky note Dane had written, Leave!
She turned to look at him. She glared in fact, and then she screamed. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Leave? You want me to leave? After everything I helped you do? After everything, that’s what I get? Leave? You want me to leave. Fine! I’ll leave! But not before I tell Grant and Lanie how the whole shower thing was all your idea! That’s right; Dane came up with the whole thing, all to get in your pants, Lanie. Not that I wouldn’t have minded a night with Grant, but for some reason everyone wants you, you little flat-chested bitch.”
“Get out.” I heard from behind me. It was Dane. He was extremely angry and all the veins in his neck were popping out. His fists were clenched and he was getting ready to charge her. Dylan grabbed his arm and Dane pulled away. He started heading towards her and Steve stepped in.
“I don’t think so, Dane. She’s not a lady, but she’s still a female. And I can’t let you touch her. Even if she deserves it.”
“But I can,” I
said and I got up and headed toward Lori. I walked up to her and started poking her in the chest so hard she couldn’t keep her balance on her heels.
“You came into my world and fucked with my guys and me.” Poke. “I don’t take kindly to that, Lori.” Poke. “I let you get away with fucking me over in high school, but like hell am I going to let you fuck with me now.” Poke. “I’ve let too much happen already.” Poke. “Do you hear me? You will not ruin what I have.” Poke. “Get the fuck out of this house.” Poke. “Get the fuck out of my life and don’t let me ever see you near any one of us or this cliff again.” And with that, I grabbed her by her hair and swung her toward the door.
The Cliff Page 19