“Honed right into the taking the cab part, did you? Yes, the woman I loved accepted a check and left me.” His big hand dig into the bag pushing popcorn onto my lap.
“You think your father was going to offer me money to get rid of me?”
“I do.” He shoved the handful of popcorn into his mouth.
“You told him I wasn’t important so he wouldn’t contact me.”
Anderson watched me pick kerns of popcorn off my lap. “I did.”
“Did you wonder if he had offered me money when I left?”
He blinked. His words came out in almost a whisper, “I didn’t.”
“Good.” I popped a kern of popcorn in my mouth and let it dissolve.
He grabbed the bag out of my hand. “Did he?”
“Did your dad offer me money? No,” Shifting in the chair, “I left because I was scared.”
“Scared that I wasn’t serious?”
“Yes and no,” I rubbed my hands up and down my thighs in frustration with myself. He took my hands into his, “I’ve been wrong about how a guy feels about me before. One thing is for certain, I’ve never felt like this about anyone else. When I heard you on the phone, so flippant in your conversation–” Anderson tried to interrupt me, but I held his hands in mine to get him to listen.
“When I heard you say that this was just for fun, that made more sense to me than you actually having feelings for me. I’m so used to getting hurt or letting guys that aren’t good for me treat me poorly that it made sense. That says so much about me.”
“It says that you thought you had found a safe place, and I let you down.”
“Well, it said a lot more than that, but that’s it in a nutshell, I guess.”
“Jurnee, I’m going to spend the rest of time making sure you have a safe place with me.”
“Maybe we should practice being each other’s safe spaces after the game.” My poor attempt at wiggling my eyebrows was more funny than seductive. Anderson laughed and took me onto his lap.
“I would love to play ‘explore each other’s safe spaces,’ but we have a party to attend.”
“Party?”
“Yes, Ma’am. And as soon as you give us the green light, we are out of here.”
“Wait, what? Party? What time’s the flight?”
“The party isn’t until eight, and the plane is on standby for my call.” My mouth fell open.
“That’s another thing we are going to have to work through.”
“What?”
“The money thing. I have a lot. Dating me comes with some very nice perks,” He watched my eyes fall to his lap. “Not really the perk I was talking about, but I love you for thinking so highly of him.”
This time I didn’t blush as he continued, “You need to accept that I will do things that make your life simpler. I will respect your wishes, but part of being with me is allowing me to be me. For example, I have a party to attend tonight that I would like you to accompany me to.”
He held his hand up for me to let him continue, “I have a plane waiting, I have arranged a few dresses to be waiting for you at the hotel, and I’ve arranged for someone to come and help you get ready.”
Before he could say another word, I leaned into him and kissed him gently. He wrapped his fingers in my hair and pulled my head back as he deepened our kiss.
The clearing of throats made me end the kiss to find his best friends standing with mine. I whispered, “This is where I’m supposed to let you be you, huh?”
44
Anderson
Bryan thanked Jurnee twelve times on the way to the airport. Faith texted all of us before the game started to warn us that there was questionable weather coming in and to get in the air soon. Jurnee made everyone promise to return next year for the Michigan v Michigan State tailgate.
Otis called Michigan State Michigan by accident and was wide-eyed by the time my girl read him the riot act.
He even offered to buy her tickets to the other team’s game, which she flat refused. “I have never stepped foot into, nor would I ever step foot in the Big House.”
“Are you telling me that you tailgate in Lansing and skip going to the game?”
“Yes, in fact, that is exactly what I’m telling you.”
“This team has some sort of power over you, Jurnee.” Otis declared as he accepted