Page 12 of Regancy & Savior
“Tap dancing around the room and tearing others to shreds? Of course, I do. I wish I hadn’t given it up to be a wife.” Shelaughed to herself. “I never want you to follow in my footsteps, finding a man that fake supports your dreams, when, in reality, he wants you to be a trophy.” She was referring to my father, who she was still married to. She loved him, but it was no secret that she had some type of resentment for him.
I nodded, taking in her words.
“Believe me, I miss it all, but I made peace with my decisions, and believe it or not, I actually love your father.” She shook her head. “However, that doesn’t mean I like Sabastian for you. He’s too much like your father. Too safe. You need someone who challenges your conservative side. You know, someone who refuses to ride on the training wheels their entire life.”
I just looked at her. She was filled with so much wisdom that I could sit and talk to her forever. The funny thing was, my mama was always right.
“Don’t be like me, Lane. Be better. Find somebody who loves what you do almost as much as you. It’s all so simple, baby girl.”
I chuckled. “You make it sound so simple, but it’s the complete and utter opposite.”
She shook her head. “You’re completely right. It’s nowhere near an easy process. However, you have to love yourself enough to choose what’s for you and shun what’s not, but you’re worth it.”
I nodded, looking her over as I sipped from the glass of water in front of me. She was right indeed, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. She and I sat and talked for a while longer over a meal before it was time for me to make my way back to my office. I opted for the walk, considering my eating habits as of late and the weather was simply freaking beautiful, so why wouldn’t I enjoy it? The vibration from my phone in my hand made me flip it over and look at the name calling me. Involuntarily, a smile rushed my face as I double tapped my AirPod and continued my walk.
“How can I help you, Mr. White?”
His laughed filled my eardrums before he spoke. “You could tell me why you’re walking yo’ ass around like this ain’t Chicago and it ain’t dangerous as fuck for women like yaself.” His baritone was sexy and inviting. It made me wanna know where he was with his stalking ass.
“You wouldn’t happen to be stalking me, would you, Mr. White?”
Again, he chuckled. “Nah. I just have a knack for knowing where you are and that you’re safe.”
“And why is that?” I had to ask.
“Why don’t you come to dinner with me tonight and find out?”
I buried my teeth into my bottom lip as the smile I was attempting to conceal broke free. “Now you know I?—”
“I don’t give a fuck about your boy, Lane. For now, that’s on you, shorty.”
“For now?” I found myself asking.
“You finna get yo’ pretty ass in this car or stand there and bite a fucking sore in ya’ lip?”
Immediately, I stopped walking and began to look around. I mean, where the fuck was he that he saw me from anywhere? As if he were reading my mind from across the line, he hung the phone up. I turned toward the street, and there he was, parking and getting out of his car.
“So. what you say?”
“I already ate, so?—”
“So nothing. Come get in the car, Lane.” By the time he finished his sentence, he was holding the door open and waiting for me to get in. He was so forward and commanding that I felt like I had no choice. He was an alpha. It was all in his tone and energy.
“Why are you so demanding?” I walked over and stood in front of him and the open door with my arms crossed.
He laughed. “C’mon now, Lane. You want me to get a ticket because you asking questions that you already know the answer to, or are you up to go enjoy the rest of ya day?” He studied me a moment longer before walking back around to hop into the driver’s side.
I didn’t know what I was doing until I climbed into the car and closed the door. Of course, he had that knowing look on his handsome face, but I forced myself to look elsewhere. It hadn’t even been two days, and I had already spent more time with him than my own fiancé.
“You over there thinking too much. Stop that shit and tell me ’bout yo’ day.” We were a few minutes into the ride when he finally turned his loud ass music down and spoke.
I glanced in his direction. “I had brunch with my mama, and now I’m here kidnapped by you.” The smile on my face was sarcastic. “How about your day, Mr. White?”
He shook his head and focused on the road. “You must like my last name.”
I smirked. In no way could I deny my attraction to him because I was highly attracted to him, but there was surprisingly a line that I couldn’t cross, no matter how many times I found myself engulfed in this man.
We ended up at a park just walking and talking in the spaces where the sun wasn’t beaming. He was so easy to talk to, and he paid attention to my words. I could tell by the slight expressions in his face. Finally, we took a seat on a bench in front of the Buckingham Fountain, and I just gazed at it. I’d been in Chicago my entire life and seen this fountain a million times, but never had I ever been brought there with somebody who just wanted to get to know me.
