21. Dane
Chapter 21
Dane
When we were kids, Lennox and I always cleared the table after dinner. Elle usually begged off with homework as an excuse, but I didn’t care if he was there to help me. Doing chores with him made them less about work, and more about hanging out.
Like most times with Lennox, we slipped back into our old roles effortlessly as we cleared the table from dinner. My father had grilled steaks and chicken, determined to keep Lennox on his high-protein training diet. My mother’s contribution was a wide variety of trainer and dietician approved sides that would fit his diet.
“Dad, can I go swimming?”
I ruffled Daniel’s hair as he peered up at me. “Yes. Go change, but let’s give it about 30 minutes to let your food digest.”
My son looked up at me with the same expression Camile used when she called me out on my bullshit. “Researchers have proven that’s a wives’ tale.”
I tried not to laugh. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean you won’t swallow some water and puke in the pool. Just ask Lennox about blowing chunks in the water. He used to do it all the time.”
His face scrunched up as he giggled. “Ewww. That’s gross.”
“Exactly. And you’d have to get out and wait 30 minutes for the pool to be sanitized. So why not call your mom, then change. The time should be about right be then.”
I handed him the cordless phone from my parents’ landline in the kitchen. “Here ya go. Put it back here when you’re finished.”
“What did Lennox do?” he asked as he carried in the last of the dishes.
Daniel was quick to tell on me. “Dad said you blew chunks in the pool when you were a kid.”
A smile crossed his face as he rinsed the dishes under the water.
“I’m not so sure that was me.”
I grinned. “Oh, it was, Lenny-boy, it was.”
He burst out laughing again. “Touché.”
“Call your mom, kid,” I said. “Your swim time is on the clock.”
Daniel took the phone and ran up the stairs to my old bedroom, leaving us alone.
He moved closer to stand in front of me where I was propped along the counter. The sexy grin I’d loved since we were teenagers, spread across his face. “I don’t remember it that way. It was you who puked in the pool.”
I shrugged, unable to hide my smile. “Whatever.”
Lennox leaned in, but I walked away before he made me hot and bothered.
Heading back to the patio table, I took a seat back in the chair across from my parents. Lennox took his seat and thanked them for the meal.
That’s when my father started in on his favorite subject.
Football.
When I decided before college not to pursue a career in the NFL and not play college ball, things changed between us. We didn’t share the same interests, and we rarely talked about football.
He didn’t understand my passion for aviation, and I didn’t understand why he couldn’t be happy with my choice.
But now that Lennox was back, he could talk about all the football he wanted.
“So, Lennox, what’s the inside scoop? How’s training camp really going?” my father asked.
“Good. My backup will probably be the rookie they drafted from Cal State. It’ll all come together by the time the season starts.”
My father nodded in approval.
“What about the defense? I read the injury report. What are they going to do about losing Flannery?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Damn, Dad. Have you been studying up on the Storm?”
He chuckled. “I have. Lennox’s career is important to this family.”
And as if he’d forgotten something, he added, “Just like yours.”
Lennox looked at me, then placed his hand on my thigh under the table. He turned to look at my parents.
“Did you know he took me up in his jet?”
My mother’s eyes widened as she glared at me. “No. But I’m glad you boys were able to mend your friendship.”
He gazed at me with a lustful glint I was sure my parents would pick up on.
“We had a misunderstanding. That’s all.”
Lennox laughed. “There you go, underselling it again.”
I turned to him. “How would you describe it then, genius? We were stupid kids. That pretty much sums it up.”
I was prepared to slap my hand over his mouth if necessary because I knew Lennox did things to get a rise out of people.
“Well,” he said, moving his chair closer to me. “I agree for the most part. But there’s something you both should know.”
Oh god. He was going to tell them.
I shook my head no, but Lennox just gave me that shit-eating grin that said he was going to dive off the cliff and take me with him.
“What’s that?” my father asked.
“Nothing,” I quipped. “Nothing at all. He’s just being Lennox. Making a big deal out of nothing.”
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. I knew I’d fucked up. And when he started laughing, I knew I’d metaphorically thrown lighter fluid on the fire. But before he could let loose with the intimate details, I gave him a stern look and one word.
“Daniel.”
Lennox smirked.
“… is in the house,” he replied softly. “I know what I’m doing, Dane.”
I scowled at him. Not convinced in the slightest that he knew what he was doing. “Are you sure? It’s only been a week.”
He reached over and took my hand as I kept my eyes on him. “I’m a thousand percent sure. Aren’t you?”
How couldn’t I be when he looked at me like that?
“Of course I am. But there are so many things that could go wrong. I don’t want to jinx it.”
Lennox just smiled, all confidence and bad ideas. “We’re not going to jinx anything. It’s meant to be.”
He tapped my chest over my heart with two fingers. “And you know it in here, Lieutenant. I thought we settled this.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him if I tried.
“We did. Most of it, anyway. But there are things we have to address before we go announcing everything to the world. We have no practical experience, and neither of us have ever tried anything like this before.”
Lennox sighed, but my father cut in before he could respond.
“Are you two opening a business together?”
I turned my attention to my parents, who sat staring at us. They were confused. As I replayed our conversation in my mind, I could see how they might come to that conclusion.
Lennox chuckled. How he found things like this funny was beyond my comprehension. But I guess that was the way he’d learned to deal with stress.
I shook my head. “No, we’re not…”
“We’re together,” Lennox added, muddying the water.
My father’s brows pulled together as he looked from Lennox to me, only to land on my mother. And when she didn’t have the answer, he looked at us again.
“Of course, you’re together,” he said, extending his hand toward us. “You’re sitting right there.”
Laughter bubbled up from Lennox’s chest until he was laughing hysterically.
I found it horrifying. But sweet. And when he caught his breath, he wiped away the tears and turned his head to look at me.
When our eyes met, he held my gaze and wrapped his fingers around my neck. I knew what was coming, but I was helpless to stop him. And I didn’t want to.
Lennox smiled like I was his favorite thing in the world. Then he kissed me.
My hands went to his face as he deepened the kiss. I was lost for a moment before he pulled away and kissed my forehead.
Lennox’s mouth pulled up on one side as he glanced at my parent.
“That’s how we’re together,” he said, smiling at them. “And we’re getting married.”
My head whipped to the side to look at him. “No, we’re not.”
“Not what?” My mother asked. “Together or getting married?”
“Dane, baby,” Lennox said casually, “you and I both know it’s inevitable. So why wait?”
My mouth fell open as my mother squealed in delight.
“You boys hated each other six months ago. How did this happen?” my father asked.
“We didn’t hate each other,” Lennox drew out, then glanced at me. “Okay. Maybe he hated me. But I never hated him. I was really in love with him and didn’t know it.”
I pressed my fingers to my wrist to check my pulse. I was pretty confident I was going to stroke out right here.
“Oh my god! I have a wedding to plan with my favorite sons. You boys are perfect for each other. Just perfect. I knew it all along! Didn’t we, Roger?”
My father was as stunned as I was. But not Lennox. He sat there like the shit-stirrer he was and ate it all up.
And when he wrapped his arm around me and kissed my cheek, I just let it go. There was no fighting the natural disaster or phenomenon that was Lennox Sanders.