Page 157 of Crazy for this Girl

She came to California for me.

She searched for me. That shit has to mean something.

Laynee’s got me fucked up in ways that are worse than when we were kids sitting on her father’s dock and listening to punk bands bitch about love. We’re adults now, grown as fuck, but I still feel self-conscious about how this is going to ruin what’s already screwed up in the first place.

“Cal,” Laynee’s dad, Ryan, chimes in at the head of the table. “Beatrice tells me you run your father’s business now?”

I look up from my plate of potato salad, potato chips, and my half-eaten burger. “Yes, sir.”

“Impressive. I’m sorry to hear about your father. He was a good man.” He was if you want to take out the overly ambitious characteristics of him wanting to get rich quick, and illegally forcing his kid into the military.

“Thank you, sir,” I reply instead, picking up my burger so I don’t have to talk more about him, the business, or all the years I’ve spent without my girl at my side.

“Is it a hard business, Mr. Harper?” Ellie asks me. “Running so many branches and dealing with so many departments. I’m sure you have your hands full.”

“I do, but I’ve had a great support system. My cousin was a tremendous help with it for a very long time when I couldn’t be there. And, please, call me Cal.”

“I have to call you Mr. Harper,” Laynee mutters whiningly at my side like a brat. She knows why she has to call me that, she’s not an idiot. It’s boils down to professionalism, and respect.

“Not for long,” I answer back, dropping my voice and turning my head so only she can catch my next words. “You can call me daddy, baby, sweetheart, lover, or sexy motherfucker. I’m not picky as long as it’s me and my dick inside you.”

I see a crimson blush flush over her face, but she’s quick to comeback with a smartass response. “How about short dick man?”

I quirk a knowing brow at that because, hello, that’s a lie. “So destitute for a reminder? Just say the word, Laynee. I’m so fucking ready when you are.”

“We’ll have to stay at one of your hotels,” Jonah chimes in between Laynee and my famous back and forths, saving his sister from me coming up with some sort of bogus excuse to get her out of the room. “I’d love to see what you got going on there.”

I scoop up another biteful of potato salad to keep my itching hands for the woman at my side to myself. “Consider it paid for. I’d never let the brother I never wanted pay for one of my rooms.”

Jonah and Ellie laugh, but Laynee remains quiet. Has been for the most part ever since we sat down.

I know I said too much to her, but it all came out and I’m not sorry. Years of pent-up words that I always wanted to tell her erupted into one creepy and aggressive recording that Laynee just had to be a little shit about.

Maybe she’ll tone it down a notch now, but I doubt it.

At least most of my cards are on the table.

“Do you get to travel a lot?” Ryan asks. “I know Laynee loves it.”

“We just got back from Detroit, actually. I’m in search of a new chef for my Chicago location, and she suggested a few places.”

He chuckles, looking at his daughter with nothing but amusement and love in his eyes. “You found the perfect girl, then. I remember needing to double stock on the snack food when the two of you were around each other. Now I’m glad you both can afford to feed yourselves. My bank account is loving it.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” Jonah adds, looking over at his girlfriend. “I ran to make my dinner plate before these two came into the kitchen because I knew I’d never get seconds.”

Ellie’s eyes widen, then fall onto Laynee. “Really? I need you to bottle up some of your metabolism because you look fantastic.”

I ping-pong my eyes between Jonah and his girl and notice that they make a really attractive couple. Ellie is pretty, with long mahogany hair and an oval face that holds a turned-up nose, hazel eyes, and full lips. She seems to hold an interest in knowing about Jonah’s family, including them in the conversation. She’s been nothing but kind since I walked in and has shown interest in what I’m all about.

Which would be great, if she wasn’t traipsing in on my Laynee time.

“You’re gassing me up way too much, El,” Laynee retorts with zero appreciation in her tone about her looks. “Mom says I could lose ten pounds.”

My jaw tenses as I steer my attention to her mother so I can smother her with my glare.

“When you say it like that,” Beatrice transmits, clearly annoyed that she just got called out and ignoring the faces of shocked expressions around the table. “It sounds like I called you fat.”

“You’re not fat,” Ryan grounds out as Ellie protests as well.

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