“Great, I’ve loved everything you shared.” Lance smiles.
The waitress clears our plates and brings the check. I take it and give her my card before Lance can offer to pay. He turns and looks at me with a raised brow. “Lunch is my treat,” I tell him.
“Thanks.”
We stand, and I get a look at Lainey’s body and feel my cock twitch in my pants. She always had great legs, and now they’re even more spectacular. I always loved how tall she was. She grew two inches between our freshman and sophomore years, and if she wore heels, I didn't have to bend over to hug her.
It also made wall sex easy and really, really, good. She was my first, and I was hers. Even knowing that she deserved better, I wanted to be her last.
I shake off those thoughts as we reach the hostess stand, and Lance excuses himself, leaving us alone.
Lainey turns away from me. “Please look at me. How are you?” I want the chance to ask for forgiveness—to explain why I did what I did.
“I-I don’t think there is anything we need to say to each other.” She turns to look at me. “Please don’t make me regret coming home.” I watch Lainey walk out the doors, and it takes so much effort not to follow her outside.
That didn’t go like I wanted, but we’ll be spending plenty of time together, hopefully. After Lance comes back from the bathroom, I ask him the question I’ve been dreading. “Knowing I have a history with your sister and that she’s home, is that going to create a problem?”
“I don’t think so. In case you couldn’t tell, I didn’t have time to tell my sister you were the person we were meeting. It’s been ten years; I’m sure you can both be adults.” If only he knew what I did to her.
“Of course. I’m here to help make your winery the best it can be.”
Lance nods. “That’s all I need.”
“I’ll stop by Friday and would love a tour,” I tell him. “Maybe Lainey could take me on it?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he says as we step outside. I look around and find Lainey standing on the beach’s edge, staring out at the water. Everything inside me says to go to her, but I don’t. It’s too soon, and she wouldn’t be receptive to anything I have to say.
I head over to my SUV and climb inside. I start it but don’t pull out yet. Lance walks over to his sister and throws his arm around her shoulders. They look out over the ocean, and I wish I knew what they’re saying.
On the other hand, I probably don’t want to know.
I’m putting together the proposal for another account we’re trying to snag. All afternoon, after my lunch with Lance and Lainey, I’ve had trouble concentrating. I keep thinking about her. I also think about that night…
A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. I find Catherine standing in my doorway. “Do you have a minute?”
Oh shit, this can’t be good. “Sure, come on in.”
I stand up as she comes inside, and she closes the door behind her. Fuck, I’m getting fired, I know it. I lead her over to the chairs in front of my desk, and both of us sit. “Sorry to interrupt you while you finish up for the day, but I wanted to check in with you. You’ve been with us for almost a month now and just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”
“Everything is going great. Again, I can’t thank you enough for welcoming me to your team.” We’ve gotten to know each other well. “I thought maybe you were coming in here to tell me that we lost the Coastal Crush Winery account.”
“Oh really, how is that even a possibility?”
I give her a brief rundown. “The owner’s sister and I dated all through high school. We broke up the summer after our senior year, right before I left for the Navy.”
“I feel like there’s more of a story there, but you don’t have to get into it. I trust that you can keep the personal stuff out of it and be professional.”
I nod. “Absolutely. Lance and I have talked, and we’re on the same page about everything. I’m looking into recyclable bottles and labels for him, which will go great with their organic grapes.”
“Let me see if I have any contacts for you. That’s great for marketing purposes.” She smiles at me. “Well, it sounds like you’ve got it under control.” She stands up, giving me a wide grin before she walks out of my office.
I finish what I was working on and then pack up for the day. When I get home, I change into my workout clothes and take off in a run. I start out slow to work out the stiffness in my hip before I start running just a little bit faster.
By the time I get home, I’m drenched in sweat. I let myself inside, stripping out of my clothes before climbing into the shower. I let the hot water flow over my sore body. After I wash and rinse off, I step out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist.
I head out to the kitchen and make myself a protein shake and chug it down. Back in my bathroom, I grab the CBD gummies and pop two in my mouth. I swallow them down, and then I grab the CBD cream and rub it into my hip.
The scar isn’t as angry as it used to be, but the pain is sometimes unbearable—not often, but often enough that I try to stay ahead of it. The CBD therapy has been life-changing.
I was in a bad car accident four years ago, while I was still in the Navy, and I broke the neck of my femur. They had to use screws to fix it, and there were complications. Now I have an ache that will be there forever.
I climb on my bed and lean back against the stack of pillows. I turn the TV on and flip through the channels, stopping on The Office. As the show starts, my mind wanders to Lainey.
Our legs are intertwined as we lie in bed. Lainey and I just had sex for the first time, and words can’t describe how amazing it was. I know I hurt her at first, but I’ve gotten great at making her feel good.
We’re only sixteen, but I’m going to marry this girl—even though she deserves someone a lot better than me. I’m going to spend the rest of our lives, making her and all the babies I give her happy.
I wake with a start. “Fuck!” I whisper. I’ve thought about Lainey a lot over the past ten years. But I’ve never dreamt about her, about the past. Maybe once we talk and get closure, then I can move on.
Chapter Five
Lainey
I check myself in the mirror one more time before the doorbell chimes. Lance, always the peacemaker, invited our parents over for dinner tonight to spend some time together since we didn’t end up visiting with them when I first arrived. His hope is that we bridge the gap between us.
I’m wearing a light blue gypsy floral maxi dress and tan strappy heeled sandals. The sleeves and length of the dress hide my ink, and maybe that’ll help. Yes, I should just be me, but I’m doing it for Lance—no, he didn’t ask me.
My bleach blonde hair hangs past my bra strap in loose waves. I look pretty good, if I do say so myself. I head out into the hall and find my family on the patio. Dad and Lance stand as I step outside.
“You look beautiful,” Lance says as he hugs me.
I step toward my father and give him a semi-awkward hug. My mother tips her head back for a cheek touch. “You look … nice, dear.”