After dinner, Derek announced that he and Lana needed to get back to the plane, then his mother looked at him with a frown.
“Why didn’t you plan to stay overnight? I have room.”
He smiled. “I know Momma, but Lana is only here for a week and I want to show her around D.C.”
“D.C. my ass…” his mother told him and he smiled broader. “You make sure to bring her back to stay for a while, understand?”
Derek nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
Lana smiled at the conversation as Ms. Wells directed her attention over to Lana. “You make him bring you back, okay?”
“I’m not going anywhere, Ms. Wells and thank you for the invitation. Your hospitality has been so wonderful and the food was delicious.”
Ms. Wells beamed at Derek. “She’s so polite.”
“Her whole family is like that,” Derek told his mother.
“Well I have to meet them all.”
They began to clear the table when Dina spoke to her brother. “Hey, let me catch a ride to D.C. with you.”
Derek frowned. “What are you coming to D.C. for?”
“My best friend lives there. You know, the one who is your personal assistant?” Dina reminded him.
“She has work to do,” Derek complained, walking into the kitchen.
Dina followed along with Lana and his mother. “I can’t get a seat on your charter?”
Derek paused. “How long are you staying in D.C.?”
“Boy, nobody is trying to block your groove with your woman.” Dina told him. “Besides, you’re not the only man in D.C. that I know.”
He turned to her. “You’re coming to D.C. to see a dude?”
Dina walked to the sink. “I’m the big sister.”
Derek joined her at the sink. “Who?”
“Can I get a ride or not? Otherwise, I’ll just drive.”
He folded his arms. “Who Dina?”
She turned to their mother. “Momma, can you get him?”
Never having a brother, Lana found this dynamic completely fascinating.
Derek glared at his sister. “Who the hell are you coming to visit in D.C.?”
Lana lifted a brow in surprise and Ms. Wells interjected. “I think you two need to finish this away from our guest and watch your mouth, Derek.”
“Yeah, Dina, let’s discuss this outside.”
Dina wiped her hands on a rag. “I’m cool.”
“Oh, so you and Gina can be all in my business, but now you want to clam up?” Derek challenged.
Dina stopped and turned to him. “It’s nothing Derek. We’re just friends.”
Derek rubbed his beard in agitation. “I swear, you’re about to make me act up.”
Lana and Ms. Wells watched in silence, still holding dishes in their hands.
“Fine, it’s Brian.”
Derek tilted his head. “Brian who?” His brows furrowed. “Because I know you’re not talking about the Brian that works for me?”
Dina walked over to Lana. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Have a safe trip back to Michigan.”
Derek watched as Dina kissed their mother then walked out of the kitchen. He immediately followed and both women watched him go.
Ms. Wells walked to the sink. “Get used to those two, the oldest and the youngest. Love each other to death and will kill for one another.”
Lana joined her at the sink. “Brian is nice. I met him yesterday.”
“I hope that girl finds somebody. Her whole life has been focused on Derek and supporting him.” She turned to Lana. “But he has someone to do that now.”
Derek returned and kissed his mother. “We’re taking off. I’ll call you on my scheduled day.”
“Where’s Dina?” his mother asked.
“She’s flying back with us.”
Ms. Wells smiled. “I figured she would.”
“I’m not about to let her drive and I know she would,” Derek complained.
Lana hugged his mother. “I’ll see you again soon, I promise.”
“I’m holding you to that,” Ms. Wells said with a smile.
In the car, Dina sat in the back with her arms folded and Lana looked back at her as Derek went around to the driver’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, thanks for asking.”
Derek entered, started the car and took off. While he drove, he glanced in his mirror at his sister. “You’re leaving your car at Airport Parking?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m stopping back down to see Momma before I go back.”
Derek took Lana’s hand. “You like circuses right?”
Lana smiled. “That was tame.”
He brought her hand to his lips. “You want to go out dancing tonight?”
“We’re going to get off a plane and then go out?” Lana asked.
“By the time we get back, it’ll only be around elven. The parties don’t even really start until midnight,” he explained.
Lana shrugged. “I’m game.”
Derek slid her a look. “Or we could stay in…”
Dina rolled her eyes in the back seat.
Lana gave him a look in return. “I’m game for that too.”
“I’m in the damn car!” Dina objected.
“You wanted a ride, so chill out.” Derek told her.
“I don’t want a freak show,” she replied.
Lana laughed at the pair and thought about her own sisters. While she missed them, it wasn’t like she’d missed them in the past.
Derek looked over at Lana. “So, are you going to let me…do that thing that we did in the mirror this morning?” he said in a sexy tone.
Lana knew he was talking about taking pictures, but Dina choked.
“Boy are you serious?” Dina yelled.
Laughing, Derek drove to the Airport Parking before they headed to the hangar with Dina’s luggage. On the plane, he turned to his sister.
“Tell Brian to be in my office first thing Monday morning.”
“Don’t make something out of nothing, Derek. We’re just going to hang out.”
He nodded. “I’ll see him Monday.”
Dina turned to the window and Derek turned back to Lana.
“You don’t like Brian?” Lana asked.
“In business, yeah…” he answered.
Lana touched his face. “What if I had an overprotective brother?”
“Baby, you have a whole damn town.”
She smiled. “You took care of that.”
“And if Brian wants to ‘hang out’ with my sister, then he needs to take care of it too.” Derek said firmly.
“There’s the campaign manager,” she teased.
He shook his head. “I don’t play about the women in my life. Come correct or exit.”
“Is that what my Daddy told you?” Lana questioned.
“In no uncertain terms,” Derek confirmed.
She stroked his face. “And you’re still here.”
“I told you that I’m not going anywhere away from Lana Sable,” he told her.
Lana held his gaze. “I think I’d like to stay in tonight…”
******
On Monday, Derek dressed for work as Lana stood in his walk-in closet. “Do you really wear all of these clothes?” she asked from inside.
“Not all at one time,” he answered and she appeared with a smirk.
He walked over to her and looped his arms around her waist. “I swear you’re so country sometimes.”
“Don’t talk about my country,” she warned.
“It’s cute,” he kissed her softly. “I like it.”
Derek inhaled her twisted out hair.
“You ready to go into the big city?” he teased. “See all those tall buildings?”
Lana swatted at his shoulder in his tailored suit. “Keep playing.”
He pulled her close. “After I stop into the office, we can go sightseeing.”
“I don’t want to interrupt your schedule.”
“Don’t say that again,” Derek told her.
Lana hugged him. “I can’t wait to see your offices.”
“Don’t pay any attention to Gina. She’s Dina’s best friend and just as annoying sometimes,” he informed her.
“She’s your assistant?”
“Allegedly,”
Lana laughed. “She has to do a good job, if you keep her on.”
“She gets the important stuff done,” he admitted.
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
At Derek’s offices, Lana was first impressed at the size and the number of people he employed. The constant greetings to Mr. Wells was overwhelming. She thought she managed a large staff, Derek’s office staff nearly doubled her Inn employees.
They reached his office and Gina stood smiling at the pair. “Well, look at this…” she said with a smile.
“Gina this is Lana. Lana this is Gina, I told you about her.” Derek said plainly.
Gina smiled some more and came around the desk. “I’m so glad that you are here. This boy was about to lose his damn mind.”
Derek put a hand on Lana’s back before she could respond. “Thanks Gina, no calls please.” He steered Lana into his office and closed the door.
She looked around the massive space that looked out on the D.C. monuments. “Wow…”
Derek led her to his chair then sat and pulled her down on his lap. “Your view is amazing,” she told him staring out of the large window.
“It’s why I picked this location. Plus, it’s close to the Capitol,” he explained.
Lana looked down at him. “My man is a boss.”
He kissed her slowly. “My woman is too.”
“So what do you do in this impressive office?”
“When I’m working with a candidate, lots of strategizing and planning. Once the campaign starts, I’m working directly with the candidate on image and platform. If it’s local, I’m setting up and attending promotional events with the candidate. Otherwise, I’m in districts and localities that will be served by that particular candidate, tracking polls and watching media,” he explained.
Lana blinked. “That’s interesting. Do you have another candidate yet?”
He shook his head. “The phones are ringing off the hook, but my instinct hasn’t picked one yet.”
“Do you go by your instinct a lot?” she asked.
Derek nodded. “It led me to you.”
She put her arms around his neck. “Then that’s some damn good instinct.”
“I think so,”
The phone on his desk buzzed and Derek reached out to push a button. “No calls Gina.”
“Brian is here. He says that you wanted to see him,” Gina’s voice came through the line.
“Send him in.”
Derek helped Lana to her feet before he stood. “This won’t take long.”
“You want me to wait in your lobby?” Lana asked.
“No, you can have a seat.”
Brian entered with a smile. “Hey, Derek!” Looking over he saw Lana and went to shake her hand. “Hey, Lana. Good to see you again.”
Lana shook his hand. “It’s good to see you too Brian.”
“Let’s talk in the conference room Brian,” Derek told him and Brian lifted a brow at his tone.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
Derek shook his head. “No, I just want to talk with you about a few things.”
Brian paused. “Dina?”
“That’s on the top of the list,” Derek told him.
Brian nodded. “She came in town and we hit some spots. The last time she was here at the office, we chatted it up and I told her whenever she was in town and didn’t want to hang out with her little brother, I’d be glad to be her escort.”
“Nothing more, nothing less. She’s your sister,” Brian told him. “You think I don’t know you by now?”
Derek listened and stroked his chin. “That’s not a line you want to cross.”
“I know that.”
“Okay, let’s talk about the fundraiser later, because I’m taking Lana sightseeing today.”
Brian smiled. “Have a good time. The dinner went fine, I’ll fill you in on the details later.”
Derek held out his hand. “Good work Brian.”
“I work for the best.”
Lana watched Brian leave the office and stood. Derek turned to her and sighed. “I’m glad I didn’t have to beat his ass. That’s not good business.”
She came to him. “You have a good rapport with your staff. Brian knew exactly what you expect of him.”
“I sure as hell don’t expect you to be sleeping with my sister behind my back,” Derek told her.
“I’m sure he understands that.”
Derek placed a hand on her waist. “Are you going to let me take you sightseeing today?”
“It wasn’t my fault that we didn’t go out yesterday,” Lana reminded him.
“We’ll call that our rest day,” Derek told her.
Lana smiled. “But we didn’t rest…”
Derek laughed softly. “I know. Come on baby, let me show you your Capital.”
He opened the door and she followed. “We can skip the White House,” she told him and he laughed.
“I agree, no need to go up in there.”
The couple stopped again at Gina’s desk where she was on the phone. “You can tell Dina I’m taking my baby out on the town and Brian is safe…for now.”
“How do you know I’m talking to Dina?” Gina asked.
He shook his head. “You’re always talking to Dina.”
Gina smiled. “She says have fun!”
They exited the building and hit the city. Derek took her to the well-known tourist spots before they stopped for dinner in an upscale restaurant.
The host greeted Derek by name. “Mr. Wells, good evening. Would you like your regular table?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He walked behind Lana as they followed the host to a table with a view. Once they were seated, Lana looked over at him.
“Your regular table?” Lana asked lifting a brow.
“I have lots of meetings and I use the window as a way to tune out when the conversation gets too boring,” he confessed, then reached for her hand. “But tonight I don’t need that distraction.”
“I’ve had a wonderful day. Thank you,” Lana said softly.
Derek held her gaze. “I want to make every day wonderful, baby.”
“It’s going to be so hard to leave you,” she confessed.
He sighed. “Let’s not think about that yet.”
The waiter arrived to take their drink orders then discretely disappeared, leaving the pair alone to soak in each other.
“So what do you think of D.C.?” Derek asked.
“I actually liked it,” Lana answered. “It’s very historical.”
He nodded. “We’ll visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture this week.”
“I can’t wait for that,” Lana said excited. “I have to take souvenirs back to my family.”
Derek watched her for a moment. “I imagine that it’s hard running a black-owned business in that area of Michigan.”
Lana agreed. “You don’t even know. My grandfather was able to stay open primarily because a lot of the people down in Detroit would come up for holidays and family reunions. Now with the city being built up so much in that area, there’s really no need for anyone to drive over three hours to get to us for a weekend.”
She smiled at him. “But your mother has given me some really good ideas.”
“My mother?”
Lana nodded.
“How did my mother help you?”
“She talked about the healthcare crisis that we’re going through and how people will be looking for healthier alternatives.” Lana explained. “We already use only locally sourced, organic foods but I realized that we could do so much more.”
He agreed wholeheartedly. “The people in charge in Congress don’t give a damn about healthcare, not when their rich buddies are on their asses for tax cuts and their own healthcare is guaranteed,” he added. “People fought tooth and nail against the Affordable Care Act and now that they realize it was almost the best thing that could have happened to some of them, it’s a one-eighty, with no apologies to the originator.”
“That creates a very precarious situation for many people and their well-being is in the balance. Lorna talks all the time about how our people must take control of our own health by eating better and working out. That was one of the reasons that I put in the pool, so that the guests could also get some exercise while at the Inn.” Lana explained.
Derek smiled. “I appreciated the pool, very much. Especially the time I spent there with you.”
“Other guests don’t get that, but they can put in a few laps.” Lana laughed.
“Are you putting in a gym or something?” Derek asked.
Lana shook her head. “I don’t know, because people normally don’t have very long stays at the Inn. You were the exception.”
“I was going to stay as long as necessary to get your attention.”
Lana gave him a look. “Baby, you had my attention when you interrupted my book club.”
Derek kissed her hand. “And I want to keep it.”
“What I’m thinking is to maybe host some health camps. Open the Inn up during the week for groups that want to come and learn about health and healthy eating. They can enjoy the outdoors for their physical health, and the peace for mental health. I’m going to contact some massage therapists, yoga instructors, and meditation specialists to provide different types of wellness.”
“Wow baby, that’s amazing!” Derek complimented and she beamed.
“We can only accommodate twenty-five occupants at a time, but I think it’s a start,” she said with a shrug.
“I think that’s brilliant and I can’t wait to see you put it in action,” Derek told her.
Lana held on to his hand. “Although your mother gave me the health aspect, it was really you who inspired me to even think bigger and outside of Grayling.”
Derek smiled. “You do a great job and I’m so proud of you. Pretty soon, people will be flying into Michigan just to visit the Sable Inn.”
Lana blinked back tears. “I hope so. This is our legacy and I never want to lose it.”
“I promise you that the Sable Inn will still belong to all of Lloyd Sable’s grandchildren,” Derek told her.
Lana’s eyes popped wide open.
“What’s wrong?” Derek asked.
Lana scratched her head. “Lavender also said that you’d protect the Inn. I was worried that you would do something that would hurt your reputation.” Lana told him. “Are you still keeping tabs on Robbie?”
“Of course I am,” Derek admitted easily. “And when he makes the wrong move, I’ll be on his ass.”
“What is he doing?”
Derek sat back. “He’s even more determined to hurt you and your family. I’ve learned that his investor partners are really upset with him because he’d promised it would be easy to gain control of the Sable Inn, so he’s in deep to them.”
Lana shook her head. “How do you know all of this?”
“I have a P.I. on my payroll,” he told her. “People don’t always tell me the truth, so I need to have a mechanism to find that out on my own.”
Lana lifted a brow. “Did you investigate me?”
He smiled. “No baby, there was no need.”
“You didn’t know me. I could’ve been someone planted to frame you or something,” she pointed out.
Derek leaned forward. “I pursued you. You pushed me away at every turn.”
“Maybe I was playing the game,”
He laughed. “Once you served the chocolate buffet, it was quite evident that you didn’t have ulterior motives.”
“Do you trust women that serve buffets that easily?” Lana folded her arms.
“I’ve never had a buffet like that.”
Lana frowned. “So it was the sex?”
He pinned her with a stare. “The sex is incredible because the connection is out of this world and has been since I first heard your voice.” He told her quietly. “I trusted you because you are an honest person and my instinct told me that from the beginning.”
“If I had to have you investigated, then you wouldn’t be a woman that I should’ve even considered giving my heart to,” he stated. “Tell me if anything I’ve said is wrong.”
Lana unfolded her arms and placed her hands on the table. “I can’t argue with that, but you really should be more careful.”
“Well since I won’t be meeting any more women to give my heart to, I’d say that’s a done deal.” He said plainly.
“Your heart nor anything else,” Lana corrected.
Derek leaned across the table. “Why not?”
She held his gaze and met him in the middle with her lips inches away from his. “Because it’s all mine,” Lana whispered.
Derek touched his lips to hers for a moment then sat back watching her, as she did the same. “I’m going to make you tell me that again later.” Derek said slowly.
Lana licked her lips as she kicked off her shoe and ran it up his leg underneath the table. They continued to watch each other as she slid down slightly in her seat to get a better reach to his lap. When she felt what she sought, she pursed her lips and blew him a kiss before licking out her tongue.
Derek continued to watch her, as her foot massaged his lap. “You know that you’re going to get it,” he told her.
“I’m ready…” she whispered.
The waiter returned and sat their drinks down before looking at the couple.
“Would you like to order now?” he asked.
Derek looked at him and felt the foot in his lap. “We’re ordering this to go.”