your mom would be mad, but I also knew she wouldn’t have the nerve to kick me out.”
“Grandma wasn’t fooled.” She giggled. “She knew we were more than friends. She always said we made a good couple.”
They just stared at each other.
The waiter, setting their meal on the table, interrupted their connection.
“Your grandma was a very wise woman.” They both started laughing.
“Yes, she was. If she were alive, I would’ve never given up Alanie.” She thought for a second. “So, tell me, what have you been up to the last ten years?”
He studied her and smiled. “You already know, Lanie.”
“Come on, play along.”
He gave a deep chuckle. “I joined the Navy, graduated from college, and traveled around the world with my beautiful, loving, sweet daughter. The daughter I had with an amazing woman.” He gazed at her.
“Awww, that’s so sweet. Who is she?”
“I’m looking at her….” He kissed her hand, making sure his lips lingered.
She pulled her hand back slightly. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Did you ever marry?”
“Almost did.”
“What happened?”
“She just turned out to be one of those women looking for a military man to support her. I’m not sure why civilians think we make so much money. She wasn’t with me for me. It was all about my status. Thank God I realized it sooner than later.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
“What have you been up to?” he asked. She raised her brow. “Remember, play along.”
The corner of her lip curled up. “Well, I went to college, became an accountant, but I’m still the same Malanie, with more scars and baggage than before. I had a baby with my high-school sweetheart, but I made terrible mistakes that I wish I could take back.”
“I’ve learned not to regret anything in my past, because it can’t be changed. We just learn from our mistakes.” He removed a strand of hair from her face. “I missed you, too.” Leaning forward, he started tracing the side of her face with his fingertips.
“Jeremy!” Someone called out to him. They both turned to the voice. “Jeremy….” Briana called from across the restaurant.
She was in her Navy working uniform, strolling over to their table. “They told me you left for lunch, and I knew I would find you here.” She sat next to him without waiting for an invitation.
“Excuse me.” Malanie glared at her. “I need to powder my nose. I’ll be right back.” She got up and walked to the bathroom.
“What’s her problem?” She rolled her eyes. “I called you. Why didn’t you call me back?” Briana asked, grabbing his hand.
“Briana, I’m in the middle of something right now.” He pulled his hand away.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said sarcastically. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your date.” She jumped up and glared at him, apparently waiting for him to deny what she’d just said.
“I’ll see you at work,” he said, between focused bites of his lunch.
“Whatever, Jeremy!” she said, almost running into Malanie.
“Excuse you!” Malanie said with a little attitude, and pushed past her.
Briana left the restaurant in a huff.
Jeremy stood up when she came back to the table.
“She didn’t have to leave,” Malanie said softly.
“I’m here with you.” He shrugged.
“Thank you, Jeremy. You don’t know how much I needed this.” She held his hand.
“I’ll be here any time you need me.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Your mom is coming over for dinner and movie,” he said, washing each of the dishes and handling it to Alanie to dry.
She got serious. “Daddy, do you think she’ll mind if I call her mom?”
“Why don’t you ask her?” He passed her the last dish, observing her.
“Daddy! You didn’t answer my question. You answered with another question.”
“Princess, you’re her daughter and I know she’ll love it if you called her mom. Now what do you think? Should we make her favorite?”
***
Malanie pulled up to their driveway
“Grandma wasn’t fooled.” She giggled. “She knew we were more than friends. She always said we made a good couple.”
They just stared at each other.
The waiter, setting their meal on the table, interrupted their connection.
“Your grandma was a very wise woman.” They both started laughing.
“Yes, she was. If she were alive, I would’ve never given up Alanie.” She thought for a second. “So, tell me, what have you been up to the last ten years?”
He studied her and smiled. “You already know, Lanie.”
“Come on, play along.”
He gave a deep chuckle. “I joined the Navy, graduated from college, and traveled around the world with my beautiful, loving, sweet daughter. The daughter I had with an amazing woman.” He gazed at her.
“Awww, that’s so sweet. Who is she?”
“I’m looking at her….” He kissed her hand, making sure his lips lingered.
She pulled her hand back slightly. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Did you ever marry?”
“Almost did.”
“What happened?”
“She just turned out to be one of those women looking for a military man to support her. I’m not sure why civilians think we make so much money. She wasn’t with me for me. It was all about my status. Thank God I realized it sooner than later.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
“What have you been up to?” he asked. She raised her brow. “Remember, play along.”
The corner of her lip curled up. “Well, I went to college, became an accountant, but I’m still the same Malanie, with more scars and baggage than before. I had a baby with my high-school sweetheart, but I made terrible mistakes that I wish I could take back.”
“I’ve learned not to regret anything in my past, because it can’t be changed. We just learn from our mistakes.” He removed a strand of hair from her face. “I missed you, too.” Leaning forward, he started tracing the side of her face with his fingertips.
“Jeremy!” Someone called out to him. They both turned to the voice. “Jeremy….” Briana called from across the restaurant.
She was in her Navy working uniform, strolling over to their table. “They told me you left for lunch, and I knew I would find you here.” She sat next to him without waiting for an invitation.
“Excuse me.” Malanie glared at her. “I need to powder my nose. I’ll be right back.” She got up and walked to the bathroom.
“What’s her problem?” She rolled her eyes. “I called you. Why didn’t you call me back?” Briana asked, grabbing his hand.
“Briana, I’m in the middle of something right now.” He pulled his hand away.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said sarcastically. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your date.” She jumped up and glared at him, apparently waiting for him to deny what she’d just said.
“I’ll see you at work,” he said, between focused bites of his lunch.
“Whatever, Jeremy!” she said, almost running into Malanie.
“Excuse you!” Malanie said with a little attitude, and pushed past her.
Briana left the restaurant in a huff.
Jeremy stood up when she came back to the table.
“She didn’t have to leave,” Malanie said softly.
“I’m here with you.” He shrugged.
“Thank you, Jeremy. You don’t know how much I needed this.” She held his hand.
“I’ll be here any time you need me.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Your mom is coming over for dinner and movie,” he said, washing each of the dishes and handling it to Alanie to dry.
She got serious. “Daddy, do you think she’ll mind if I call her mom?”
“Why don’t you ask her?” He passed her the last dish, observing her.
“Daddy! You didn’t answer my question. You answered with another question.”
“Princess, you’re her daughter and I know she’ll love it if you called her mom. Now what do you think? Should we make her favorite?”
***
Malanie pulled up to their driveway
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