Page 45 of Starlight Bay

I laughed, shaking my head. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I really, really like you.” I paused, my heart pounding hard in my chest. “And I might regret saying this in a second, but you’re the first guy I’ve been with in a long time that I could see a future with.” I licked my lips, my stomach roiling with nerves.

Grant exhaled, long and loud, then squeezed my hand. “That wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“Oh gawd, I knew it.” I blew out a breath, my chest squeezing tight.I should have kept my stupid mouth shut.

“No, not in a bad way. At all.” He locked his eyes on mine, clear blue and serious. “I feel the same way. But I didn’t want to scare you off by getting all deep on you.”

I leaned over, kissing him on those irresistible lips. “I really, really like you, Grant Thomas.”

“As do I, Lana Jones,” he said, his thumb tracing down my cheekbone, then running across my lower lip. “And this is probably not the done thing anymore, but seeing as how I am ancient Grant—and I have a kid to look out for, so I can’t mess around—I need to ask you something.”

I drew back, blinking, and my heart skipped a beat. “Yes?” My voice came out all breathy.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

I exhaled, smiling hard. “Yes, I will most definitely be your girlfriend. Officially.” I bounced out of my seat, taking his handsome face in both my hands, and kissed him hard on the lips.

“I like the sound of that,” he said, his lips curling into a smile against mine. He pulled me down into his lap, wrapping his arms around me, and we sat like that for a long time, both of us happy to be together.

SOS.

A text from Bethany at 11 AM, then another at 11:01:

Bethany: Where are you? Come home.

Then another at 11:02:

Bethany: Lana. SOS. I repeat, SOS.

At 11:05, I had a missed call. And a second missed call at 11:15.

By 11:20, the texts became more urgent.

Bethany: Lana! Get home NOW.

Bethany: Lana, come the fuck home.

“Grant, I have to go,” I said, shoving my phone into my purse. It was already 11:30; I had no idea what was going on with Beth, but I did know she’d be pissed. “Could you drive me?”

“Sure. Everything okay?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I just need to get home.”

I shot off a quick text to Bethany, hoping to calm her down:

Lana: On my way.

Grant grabbed his keys, but I was already out the door. He double-timed it through the light traffic on Main Street, dropping me off in my driveway.

“Thanks. I had a great time,” I said, leaning over and popping a quick kiss on his lips. “I’d invite you in, but I’m not sure what’s up. Talk later?”

He nodded. “That’s fine. Hope everything’s okay. Keep me posted.”

“Will do,” I said, slamming the car door. I flashed him a quick wave, then ran up the path.

“Beth, I’m home,” I called out, bursting through the screen door, letting it swing shut behind me. A faint murmur of voices drifted down the hallway from the kitchen. Live voices, not the canned, tinny voices from a television.

WTF? Who’s in our house?Bethany didn’t have a boyfriend and friends didn’t just stop by to visit her. I inched down the hall, my heart thumping in my chest, then froze in the doorway to the kitchen, recognizing the voice.

---