Derek stood checking his phone in front of the glass looking out at the people who were entering and exiting the airport. He looked up as Lana approached after checking her bag, and could see the sadness in her eyes.
“I’m done,” she announced softly.
“You know I could’ve gotten you a charter and you could’ve skipped all of this,” Derek told her.
Lana put a hand on his chest and caressed it gently. “I already had my ticket.”
Covering her hand with his, Derek said, “Next time, you’ll let me know and I can arrange everything.”
“Then I can’t surprise you,”
Derek held her gaze. “I don’t like you traveling alone, until you become more familiar with it.”
Lana smiled. “You’re so protective.”
“With everything that I love,” he affirmed and they both went silent.
“I should get to the security line,” Lana whispered sadly and looked away.
He lifted her face back to his. “Don’t do that.”
She closed her eyes. “I hate goodbyes.”
“It’s not goodbye, baby…it’s just ‘see you later’,” Derek told her softly.
Lana blinked back tears. “It feels the same.”
Derek took her into his arms and held her close, inhaling the scent of her hair. “I promise that I’m working on not making this a common occurrence.”
With her cheek against his heart, she snuggled closer. “I’ll do my part, because I don’t like this.”
“I know, and I don’t either.”
Lana pulled back and stared up at him. “Tag, you’re it…”
Understanding her meaning, he nodded. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
She lifted her face to his and he kissed her, lifting a hand to cradle her face. Sliding an arm around her waist, Derek pulled her firmly against him. Showing her how much he was going to miss her, he continued to pleasure her mouth until she couldn’t breathe.
Lana smiled and licked her lips. “I can’t wait.”
Derek took her hand and walked her as far as he was allowed to go. “Let me know as soon as you land,” he requested.
“I will,”
Touching her hair, he said, “I love you, Lana.”
“And I love you, thank you for this week.”
Lana kissed him one last time before heading to the long line of passengers waiting to be checked. Derek stood watching as she moved forward, and they would lock gazes until it was time for her to move again. Lana reached the front of the line and waved before she disappeared out of his sight, while Derek remained in the same spot.
A few minutes later, he turned and walked out of the building to his car. Inside he sat quietly for a moment reflecting over the last seven days he’d spent with the woman he loved. They’d toured the African American Museum, in addition to a boat ride along the Potomac. Lana had refused to eat out each night, so they’d made a few meals together and eaten in his dining room, or in bed.
Derek knew he’d never sleep in his bed the same again, without Lana there. She’d left her mark on both him and his home. He wanted to see her hair spread out on his pillows and her brown skin against the white sheets.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Hey Derek,”
“Hey Brian, I’ve decided to meet with the two black candidates so have Gina make us arrangements to go to California and Georgia over the next two weeks. I need to put something solid in place,” Derek told him.
“Okay that’s cool,” Brian responded. “How’s Lana doing?”
Derek sighed. “I just dropped her off at the airport. She’s on her way back to Michigan.”
“So how is that going to work?” Brian asked.
Derek stared out of the window. “That’s the problem I need to solve.”
******
On the plane, Lana looked out of the window and told herself that she would see the man she loved again soon. The past week had been like a dream and she’d enjoyed every minute of it. Along with Derek’s bed, she’d fallen in love with his home.
Once she’d gotten over the initial shock of his lifestyle, she’d found that his ‘connects’ served a wonderful purpose. From dinners, to shows, private cars, and boat rides, everything had been amazing.
Being with Derek, sharing his home, bed and his life, had felt so right. Lana sat back in her seat as the attendants asked for all devices to be shut off. She reached for her phone just as a message came through and she began to read…
I’m still sitting in my car at the airport because I can’t get myself to leave. Girl, I love you so much. I’m on my grind to get to you, but I won’t come until I have a solution to this dilemma of being separated. I know you hate goodbyes and I’m starting to hate them too, when it comes to you. I miss you already and I can’t wait to wake up next to you and take a picture of your beautiful face, my pretty country girl.
“Miss, I’m going to need you to power off your device,”
Lana looked up as a tear slid down her cheek. She swiped it away quickly and responded, “Sure, I’m sorry.”
Lana wanted to respond to Derek’s text, but instead shut her phone down and held it to her chest. “I can’t wait to wake up next to you, my city boy,” she sniffed and said to herself.
A short time later, Lana landed in Michigan and was met by her sisters. “Lana!” they yelled and she ran over to them.
“Hey Sis!” Lana hugged them both. “Did you miss me?”
Lena shrugged. “Nope, there was nobody bossing us around.”
Lana smiled at her. “Well I’m back, and bossier than ever.”
Lena laughed and hugged her sister again. “You know we missed you Moe.”
“Okay Curley,” Lana responded. “And what about you, Larry?”
Lorna smiled and hugged Lana. “You know I missed my big sister.”
Lana looked at Lena. “See, that’s how you greet somebody.”
The three walked to the waiting van where Willie stood at the door.
Lana looked at her sisters. “Is the whole town here?”
“Nah, they’re getting ready for the fish fry,” Lorna told her and Lana paused.
“We’re having another fish fry?”
Lena laughed. “You know Daddy and a fish fry. His daughter is home so we have to celebrate.”
“I was only gone a week,” Lana protested.
“For the first time in forever,” Lena pointed out.
“Did you have a good time?” Lorna asked as they neared the van.
Lana smiled. “Yes, I did. Derek is a wonderful man.”
“Hey boss!” Willie greeted as he came to take her bag. “Welcome back!”
“Hi Willie, thank you.” Lana patted his arm. “I missed you guys.”
He smiled. “We missed you too. Glad you’re back to get things in order.” He glanced at Lena, and Lorna laughed.
“Well, I’m here now.” Lana told him, glancing at her sister.
Lena frowned. “Anyway, back to your trip…”
The women climbed inside and took seats on the benches. They huddled together so that Willie couldn’t eavesdrop.
“So what happened?” Lena questioned.
“Everything…” Lana answered softly. “If I had any doubts about being in love with Derek before I left, he’s erased all of them.”
Lorna smiled. “What is his place like in D.C.?”
“It’s incredible. Derek rides around in private cars and chartered planes. He has a huge walk-in closet filled with clothes. His home is professionally decorated and his bed is heavenly.”
Lena smiled. “I bet it is.”
Lana gave her a look. “It’s very comfortable.”
“So are you planning to move there?” Lorna asked.
“I can’t move there,” Lana answered. “I’ve come up with an entirely new vision for the Inn and I need to be here to implement it.”
Lorna looked confused. “So what are you two going to do? Is he coming here?”
Lana sighed. “He’s working on a solution.”
Lena lifted a brow. “While you’re doing what?”
“I have to work, Lena,” Lana protested.
“So does he Lana,” Lena rebutted. “And if he lives the way you described, it’s pretty lucrative. Is he supposed to come to Grayling?”
“What’s wrong with Grayling?” Lana questioned.
Lena shrugged. “What’s wrong with D.C.?”
“Derek isn’t even always in D.C., he travels all over, depending upon his candidate,” Lana submitted.
Lorna looked between her sisters. “Lana could go to D.C. while Derek is there and stay in Grayling while he’s away working on a campaign,” she offered, happy with her scenario.
Lena looked at her. “Campaigns take months, sometimes a year, even I know that.”
Lana looked away. “We’ll work it out, every problem has a solution… sometimes, it just takes a minute for the solution to materialize.”
“Right now I’m focused on the Inn,” she finished.
Lena looked out of the window. “Of course you are, Lana.”
******
Derek smiled at the text he’d received from Lana saying that she was safe back at home and she’d call later that evening. In his home, he sat having a drink to help him relax when his phone rang.
“What’s up Dina?”
“Hey, how are you?” his sister asked.
“I’ve been better,”
She sighed. “She’s gone back to Michigan?”
“Yeah,”
“When is she coming back?”
Derek took a sip of his drink. “Don’t know.”
“Are you going to see her?”
He stared into the glass. “Not until I can promise her when and how we can be together.”
“That must be your idea,” Dina told him.
“Yeah,” he answered. “Why?”
“Because it sounds like your spoiled ass,”
Derek frowned. “First of all, I’m not spoiled. You all made sure of that. Secondly, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Why are punishing her?”
“I’m not,” he defended. “Lana hates goodbyes and I’m not going to keep putting her through that.”
“So you’re just not going to see her at all?”
He sighed. “I said, until I could tell her for certain how we can be together.”
“So it’s only your choice? This is all contingent upon your decision?” Dina challenged.
Derek remained silent.
“Baby Boy, this isn’t a campaign. You can’t run everything. Lana’s not your candidate, she’s the woman you love,” Dina told him.
“So break it down for me,” Derek prompted her.
“You live in D.C.,” Dina began.
“That’s my address,” Derek corrected.
“You have a home there. A very nice home that I helped to decorate,” she said firmly. “Are you ready to give that up? And your D.C. life?”
He frowned. “No, I’m not. Not completely.”
“Okay, so let me hear your plan?” Dina asked. “Because I know you have one.”
“I’m meeting with some potential candidates over the next few weeks. One in Georgia and one in California,” he explained.
“How are either of those going to solve your problem?” Dina questioned.
“I have to work Dina,” Derek protested. “Although, I can select where I want to go and who I work with, I won’t compromise my values to be in a certain location.”
“Are you going to ask Lana to move to either of those places?”
“No, I can’t do that.” He shook his head. “Those are even further from Michigan than D.C.”
“Ask her where she wants to be,” Dina told him.
Derek took another sip, then answered slowly. “I already know that. It’s Grayling.”
“Well little brother, you might find out that she only wants to be with the man who loves her. No matter where that is,” Dina said quietly.
“I won’t make her choose.”
“You shouldn’t make her, that’s not what I’m saying,” Dina corrected him.
Derek threw his head back. “Then what are you saying, Dina?”
“Talk. To. Her.” Dina said slowly. “What was all that damn education for?”
He laughed softly. “Okay, big sister. I’ll talk to Lana.”
“Good, now don’t mess up because Momma has already claimed her as another daughter. She might even get one of the weekend days to check in,” Dina said laughing.
Derek ended the call with his sister and decided to take her advice since Dina had never steered him wrong, from what college to attend, to what he should major in to which house to buy. He loved her to death and would fight to the end for her and all his sisters. He and Dina had a special relationship, and although she wasn’t really that older than him, he’d always looked up to her, and she’d always taken care of him. That’s why he wasn’t about to let her get hurt, by anybody…but especially not by a dude on his payroll.
That night when Lana called, Derek was lying in bed. He answered with a sexy smile and she returned it automatically.
“Are you in my bed?” Lana asked searching the screen.
“Yes,” he answered. “And it’s not the same without you.”
“I left my mark,” she teased.
“You sure did, baby.”
Lana stared at his bare chest then back to his face. “I’m glad it was me calling.”
“Well I wouldn’t have answered like this if it was someone else.”
She lifted a brow. “I should hope not.”
“Girl, what are you doing?”
“I’m home, sitting outside on the porch. I’m too restless to go inside.”
Derek turned serious. “I need to ask you something.”
Lana looked concerned. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” he assured her. “I just want to talk to you.”
“Okay, I’m here.” Lana felt her palms begin to sweat.
“I have two possible candidates lined up, one in Georgia and one in California. How would that affect our relationship?” he asked candidly.
Lana stared at him. “I don’t know. Both of those are pretty far from here.”
“What about D.C., if I choose something here, how would that work?”
She frowned. “I thought that you didn’t like the person there.”
“I don’t like him, but I love you.”
Lana shook her head. “Now that’s something I’d never ask you to do, is compromise your principles.”
“So help me out baby, tell me what you want.” Derek requested softly.
She looked around her land and at her home. Lana could see the Inn in the distance and swallowed. Turing her attention back to the screen, she looked into his eyes.
“I want my Inn. I want my land.”
Derek sighed and nodded slowly. “Okay, I hear you.”
“But more than anything…I want you, baby.”
******
The next day, Lana was in her office putting together the preliminary notes of her ideas to present to her family. Last night’s conversation with Derek had gone well with both of them committed to doing whatever it took to be together as a solid couple.
Gathering her things, she stood just as the phone on her desk rang.
“This is Lana Sable,”
“Lana, hi…I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”
Reclaiming her seat, Lana frowned. “No, how may I help you?”
“This is Beth Crowder of Crowder Travel, we met while you were here in Grand Rapids a few weeks ago. We run the travel agency you visited.”
Lana blinked. “Oh yes, I remember you.”
“Well, we just got the opportunity to look over your materials and we’d like to consider adding you to our list of preferred Inns for rest and relaxation.”
“That would be great!” Lana said with a smile.
“Can you tell me a little more about your amenities?” Beth asked.
“Currently we have a pool and spa area. Our menu is all locally sourced and organic and we’re in the planning stages of adding more wellness aspects, like massage, meditation and yoga.”
“That’s sounds amazing!” Beth exclaimed. “Our clients would love that.”
“Well I’d love to have them here,” Lana replied. “You can come and take a tour of the grounds. I’d love to show you around.”
“That would be great. We didn’t even know anything about you guys. I’ll need a lot more brochures and anything else you have for marketing when I come to visit.”
Lana smiled. “I’ll be happy to have those for you Beth.”
“Thank you so much Lana. I look forward to doing business with you. I’ll call you later in the week with some dates for the onsite tour.”
“Me too. Thank you, Beth.”
Lana ended the call with fist pump in the air. “Yes! Yes!”
Picking up her paperwork, she looked at the flowers on her desk and smiled. “Thank you Derek.”
******
Derek returned to his building and walked past Gina’s desk.
“Good morning,” she said cautiously.
He stopped. “Good morning, Gina. How are you?”
“I’m good, but Dina said…”
Derek lifted a hand. “See, I was trying to start the day off right.”
Gina stood. “Everything will work out because you deserve the best.”
He smiled. “Thanks Gina.” Derek turned toward his office and she called his name.
When he turned back, she said, “I know I give you a hard time, but you know that I appreciate this job and I’ve always got your back.”
“I know Gina,” he turned again. “That’s why you’re still here.”
She laughed as he disappeared into his office. Derek stepped inside and saw a familiar box on his desk. Taking his seat, he slid the package toward him and sat staring at it for a moment, knowing what was inside. Gina buzzed his office and he reached over to press the button.
“I see the box,” he told her.
“I figured you would, since it was on your desk. That’s not why I’m calling,”
Derek shook his head. “Yes, Gina.”
“Mayor Brandon Williams of Detroit is on the line.”
“Okay, put him through.”
“You’re welcome.”
Derek rubbed his temple and waited until Brandon came on the line.
“Brandon, how’s it going Mr. Mayor?” Derek greeted him.
“Very good, how are things with you?”
Derek laughed. “Man, I’ve got to tell you. I was on my way to check up on you a month ago, but I decided to stop into that Inn that you told me about, because I needed a break from all this election chaos.”
“I can imagine,” Brandon agreed. “No one could’ve predicted this. I mean some of the signs were there, but this is unbelievable. One of us could never get away with that.”
“Hell, only one of us has ever even been there,” Derek added. “Anyway, I just wanted to unplug from everything for a while.”
“So how was it?” Brandon asked. “Lance and his wife raved about it.”
Derek sat back in his chair. “I fell in love with one of the owners.”
“What?” Brandon asked surprised. “Mr. Campaign Manager fell in love? You gave me hell when I fell for Mackenzie.”
Derek laughed. “Because you were in the middle of a campaign and she was the Police Chief. By the way how is Chief Green?”
“Chief Williams,” Brandon corrected.
“My bad,” Derek said with a smile. “How is Chief Williams and baby girl Williams?”
“Both of my Baby Dolls are doing just fine,”
Derek smiled. “Congratulations.”
“You too. So are you relocating to Michigan or is your lady moving to D.C.?”
“That’s up in the air, right now…”
“So it’s a long distance relationship right now?” Brandon asked.
Derek nodded. “For the time being, I’m waiting for a solution to present itself so that we can be together in one spot.”
“The reason that I’m calling, may be able to help you with that.”
******
Lana looked at the faces around the table after she presented her ideas about improving the Inn.
“Well, what do you all think?” she asked hesitantly.
Lloyd looked at his other two daughters, then at Lana.
He smiled. “I think my daughter is brilliant.”
“Really, Daddy, you like it?”
He stood and walked over to her. “It’s incredible and it’s just what we need.” Lloyd hugged her tightly before she turned to her sisters.
“Okay, your turn. This is your Inn too, so if you don’t like it, I’ll go back to the drawing board.”
Lorna smiled. “I love it Lana! It fits in with our health message perfectly. We may have to connect with another urban farmer to handle the increase, but we can do that easily.”
Lana grinned. “Thank you Lorna. I know I’m increasing everybody’s workload.”
Lena looked at her. “Isn’t that the point? More work means more people, which means more money! Great job Lana!”
“We’ll need a new marketing plan and everything,” Lana told her excitedly. “And since you’re so good at it, I know it’s going to be off the charts!”
Lena nodded cockily. “And you know this.”
Lana turned to her father. “Also, a travel agency in Grand Rapids is considering adding us to their list of Preferred Inns.”
Her sisters beamed. “Wow, Lana, you’re getting it done!” Lena remarked. “I guess your new muse is responsible for all this?”
Lana flushed. “Actually, yes, he is. Derek has been nothing but supportive in helping me enhance and grow the Inn.”
“He’s a good man,” Lloyd commented.
“Yes, Daddy, he is…he reminds me of you.”
Lloyd stared at his daughter. “Lavender told me her vision.”
“And?” Lana asked softly.
Her father smiled. “I can’t wait to see him.”
“Who?” Lorna asked.
Lena grinned. “Our nephew.”