sun _ rays peek through the sides of the blackout curtains, illuminating Lana with a morning glow. If he could, he would spend the whole morning here with her. Sneaking out of the bedroom before Cami wakes up is pure torture. As if every cell in my body was protesting against moving, making every step away from her impossible.
“I should go before Cami wakes up.” Even though Cami caught us kissing, we don’t want her to assume something else is going on. I look forward to the day when I don’t have to sneak around my own house, hiding my feelings because of a six-year-old.
Lana’s only response is to burrow deeper into my chest.
I try to untangle her limbs from mine, but she holds on. “What if we tell him?” she murmurs against my chest.
“He said that?”
“That we’re dating.”
I pause. “Is that what you want?”
“She’s starting to ask me questions anyway.” “Like what?”
“I wanted to know when he is going to have a little sister.” I choke on my inhalation. “That?”
She looks at me. “Don’t you want children?”
“Of course.” Spending time with Cami made me realize how fun kids can be.
“Are you sure? You’re going to have to invest in a lot more swear jars.” A smile tugs at his lips.
“I’d better stock up on a few hundred then.”
She smiles in a way that not only reaches her eyes but her soul .
I can’t resist kissing her at that moment. To steal a little of that happiness from me.
“Mommy!”
Wait a second, I’m lying in bed. The next, Lana pushes me off the mattress with an inhuman strength I never thought she possessed.
I land on the ground with a push. “Shit.”
She peeks over the edge with wide eyes. “Oh my god. Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”
I raise my hand and give him a thumbs up.
The doorknob rattles before Cami runs in. “Good morning!”
Lana intercepts her before she catches me hiding. “Go there. Look at your hair! Let’s do something about it before breakfast.
The door closes behind them with a soft click, leaving me alone, wondering how the hell I’m going to survive hanging around much longer.
 |
Aside from visiting Rowan’s house at the back of the Dreamland property for a company Christmas party, I’ve avoided the park since my mom passed away, so Cami’s first park experience might as well be mine .
Our first stop is at the Magic Wand Salon. Beauty chairs and plush vanity mirrors make up one side of the salon, while the other half is an entire store designed like a princess’s closet. Hundreds of girls peruse the racks, browsing ball gowns and accessories fit for royalty.
Cami leaves for the store, leaving Lana and I behind with Rowan and Zahra. Compared to my brother’s simple navy suit, Zahra wears a bright yellow dress that complements the brown tones of his skin and hair.
“California!” Zahra hugs me.
Lana looks at us both with raised eyebrows.
I clear my throat. “Hey. Long time no see.”
“Iris and I have missed you the last few lunches. This is a complete bore. She nods at Rowan. Rowan looks at her, which only
makes Zahra laugh.
“Is this Alana?” Zahra’s brown eyes shine as he looks at Lana. I present to you both.
Zahra pulls Lana into a hug. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” “You have?”
Zahra moves away. “Oh yeah. Put a few mimosas in Cal’s system and he won’t stop talking about you.
My cheeks get hot. Lana stiffens, the muscles in her back going rigid.
“Mimosas?” She looks at me, a storm brewing behind her eyes. “I’m not sure there are many more mimosas in my future.” I offer Zahra a tight smile.
Rowan, feeling the need for a change of subject, thank goodness, offers his hand to Lana. “Nice to see you again after all this time.”
She shakes him with a wrinkled nose. “Yuck. Still suffocating as always, Galahad.
Zahra’s wide eyes bounce between Lana and my brother. “Does she know your middle name?”
“Oh, I know a lot more than that.” Lana laughs.
Rowan blushes , and it’s quite a sight. She would like to have it on camera solely for entertainment purposes in the future.
Zahra leans forward. “I would love nothing more than to pick your brain and learn all about baby Rowan.”
My brother gives me a look. “Tell your girlfriend I can revoke those VIP passes as soon as I turn them in.”
“I’m standing here, so feel free to tell me yourself.” Lana greets with a small smile.
Damn. Having Lana turn me on by putting my brother in her place is a new level of fucking, and I’m dying for more. Even Rowan’s eyes shine at his comment. If there’s one thing my brother respects more than submission, it’s those willing to stand up to him when he’s wrong.
“Iris is going to love you completely.” Zahra points her finger at Lana before bursting into laughter.
“Look what I found!” Cami runs back to us, balancing two different tiaras on her head, holding three princess dresses in her arms, and wearing two different plastic heels on her feet.
“You can only choose one outfit.” Lana takes the dresses from her hands and holds them up for her to choose.
I rush to steal them from Lana’s hands and pass them to Zahra, who is going to do Cami’s makeover. We’ll take them all. “Have the store send everything Cami wants to our room.”
Lana gives me a look. “You’re spoiling her.”
“And I love every second of it.” My smile widens.
She rolls her eyes. “You can’t buy her everything she wants.”
“Why not?” Cami smiles as she, not so surreptitiously, adds a third pair of costume heels to the growing pile on Zahra’s arm.
“Camila”. Lana puts her hands on her hips.
“Mommy.” Cami agrees with her mother’s position, earning laughter from everyone except Lana.
Cami sees something out of the corner of her eye and runs off to the jewelry area, dragging Zahra behind her. Rowan busies himself behind the check-in counter, leaving Lana and me alone.
Lana lets out a long sigh as she watches Cami from across the room.
I wrap my arms around her from behind and pull her body against mine. “I plan to spoil you much later,” she whispered in her ear. “All night if you want me to.”
She shudders. “Is that a promise?”
“It depends if you’re going to let me treat Cami to whatever she wants today.” She pouts. “You are not fighting fair.”
“I’d rather not fight at all.” He tucked her hair behind her ear before running my fingers along the slope of her neck. “Especially when I could fuck you instead.” He kissed the sensitive spot under her ear before letting her go.
We only have a minute before Cami and Zahra return to drag Lana away. She gives me one last look over her shoulder before Zahra pulls her in the direction of the beauty salon, leaving me alone.
Lana places Cami on one of the chairs while Zahra holds the different dresses against Cami’s torso. I laugh at the extra two the clever girl added to the selection.
Rowan walks next to me. “So, are you guys dating again?” “Yeah.”
His cheek sinks from how hard he bites it. I give it a review. “Spit it out.”
He lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m worried about you.” My head tilts. “Because?”
“I know she’s the reason you started drinking again last time.”
My muscles turn to stone under my shirt. “I’m not going to blame her for my problems, and neither should you. If I choose to relapse from her, it is up to me, not her.”
“I don’t blame her, but I can’t help but be worried either way about the possibility of you two getting back together. You were never the same after you returned to Lake Wisteria two years ago.
My hands clench into fists. I never talked about going there in the first place, so Rowan had to find out from someone. “Who told you?”
Her eyes dart to the salon chair where Zahra is standing behind Cami, curling her hair. Declan.
“He knew?”
His Adam’s apple pops out of his thick drink. You know what he is like. “An overprotective ass with no concept of privacy?” “It comes from a good place.”
“Does he do it? Because it feels quite invasive and oppressive from my point of view.” All my life, Declan has done the same thing.
He sighs. “At the time, Declan was desperate to find out what was wrong because he wanted to fix it for you.”
I mock
“Why do you think he had an established buyer to buy the house?” Rowan’s question comes out of nowhere.
“Because I didn’t think I could sell the lake house.”
“No. He wanted to save you from any pain you would experience having to return to Lake Wisteria after last time. It was his way of trying to help you .”
My lips part.
“It’s the same reason he threatened Mom’s trust in you and forced you into rehab the first time.” Rowan shakes his head with a sigh. “If you stopped for a second to ask him why he does things, instead of assuming the worst about him, you would both spend a lot less time fighting.”
“He’s still an idiot who says stupid things.”
“Of course he is. But I also know that he’s working on apologizing, which he never used to do before he married Iris. So maybe you should give him a chance to learn from his mistakes instead of ignoring him out of spite.” I take a breath. deep. “Did he say something to you?”
“Not in so many words. “You know Declan isn’t the type to open up and talk enthusiastically about his feelings.”
Damn. He must be really upset if she talked to Rowan of all people.
I’m sighing. “Fine. I’ll call him after this weekend.” Rowan shudders. “About that…”
Shit. Rowan was the smelliest secret keeper, right after Lana. “You told him he was here, right?”
“Surprise?”
My eyes roll. “When is he coming?”
“Tomorrow night. Zahra and Iris are planning an early birthday dinner for you.”
Shit.
 |
Cami leaves the Magic Wand Salon with an infectious smile on her face. She looks adorable in her glitter-covered blonde curls and purple princess dress, with the sparkly material changing color depending on the amount of sunlight peeking through the clouds.
“Thank you from both of us.” Lana kisses me on the cheek before running after Cami, who is stumbling towards the castle in her plastic heels.
“Are you guys joining us for dinner tomorrow?” Rowan tilts her chin in his direction.
We three.
I really like the sound of that.
“I need to check in with Alana and see how she feels first. She may not be up for something like that. Not that she would blame her. My family is a bit much, especially when we’re all together.
“Text us anyway,” Rowan says before he and Zahra leave.
It’s easy to spot Cami and Lana in the crowd with the way the rhinestones on Cami’s tiara sparkle in the bright sun. Her plastic heels click against the cobblestone path that leads to Princess Cara’s castle. Lana grabs Cami’s sneakers with her other hand, ready to replace the heels once Cami’s feet hurt.
I pull out my phone and take a photo of Cami and Lana holding hands before walking over to them. Cami doesn’t hesitate to grab mine and the three of us head off to the first activity I have planned.
In the middle of the park, hidden between the rose bushes and tall hedges, there is a small table occupied by none other than Princess Marianna herself. While her dress is the same shade and style as Cami’s, her hair is similar to Lana’s dark locks.
Even when she’s next to the princess of Dreamland, my girl looks like a million dollars, especially with the smile on her face.
My girlfriend.
The term never sounded more correct than at this moment.
Cami’s combination of screams and screams quickly becomes my new favorite sound.
Lana blinks, rubs her eyes, then blinks again. “Tell me you didn’t do it.
“Okay, I won’t.”
Some waiters come out in costume, carrying trays with cups of tea and sandwiches. Cami claps her hands and jumps in her chair as Princess Marianna whispers something in her ear.
Lana shakes her head. “I will never be able to get over this birthday.” He grabbed her hand and spun her in a circle, making her laugh. “Sounds like a fun challenge to me.”
“What’s next? A trip to Africa to see wild animals?”
“That can be arranged. I helped Iris plan her honeymoon there, so I know all the good places.”
He wipes the disbelief from his face. “This is not real life.”
I throw it against my chest. “Maybe if you let me take care of you two.”
He flashes me a smile that rivals all the beauty around us. Get sober and I’ll leave you.
