Chapter 25
Daniel and I quickly settle into a routine, one that involves him spending the majority of his time at my house instead of his apartment. That doesn't mean that life after the confrontation with my mom is all sunshine and roses, though. Today is the first time I’ll see Lanie and Maggie with Daniel as my boyfriend instead of just the guy who mows my lawn, and I have a feeling things won’t go very smoothly. It’s confirmed when Lanie starts in on me as soon as she walks in.
"Are you nuts?" asks Lanie, her voice almost squeaking it goes so high.
Shaking my head, I give her a dirty look. "No, I'm not nuts, but thanks for that."
"I'm serious, Genny! It's one thing to have sex with the younger guy, but to publicly date him? What are you thinking?" She's looking at me like she's not sure she ever really knew me, which kinda hurts. I expect this kind of thing from my mom, but not my best friend. "Do you really want everyone to think you're a cougar, or his sugar mama?"
I open my mouth to let her have it, but Daniel's voice cuts me off as his arm wraps protectively around my waist and I relax into his body. Even with my friend acting like someone I don't know, he makes me feel safe and protected. "You know, I'm getting really tired of people who supposedly want the best for Genevieve, the people who are supposed to know her better than anyone else, thinking that there has to be an ulterior reason I'm with her. Why can't any of you see the woman that I see?"
He tugs me further into his embrace as he continues to blast my friend. "Gen is an amazing person and any man, young or old would be lucky to have her. I can promise you now that I will never take her for granted and I will always do everything I can to be what she needs." Lanie's eyes widen at his words, and her eyes fill with tears when he tells her, "If you can't respect her or our relationship, please leave."
I'm speechless. No one has ever seen me the way he does, and it's a heady feeling. My friends are staring at him like he's sprouted an extra head, and they aren't sure how to respond to his words. Neither one of them can really argue with him. I melt at the way he protects me, and so do my friends.
Then, Lanie's eyes meet mine, and I can see the sadness in them. She rushes over to throw her arms around me, burying her head in my shoulder and whispering, "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking! You know I love you more than anything, right?" Daniel doesn't release me at first, and I appreciate that he's trying to protect me, but this is a girl I've been friends with since we were kids.
"It's okay," I comfort Lanie, hugging her back tightly as Maggie comes over to hug us both. Daniel finally lets me go so that I can hug it out with the two people I'm closest to, after him.
He leaves the living room, giving us our privacy. Once the three of us have cried, apologized, and reiterated that we love each other dearly, he walks back in holding a bottle of wine and three glasses. He pours us each a glass before kissing me sweetly.
"I'm going to give you some time with your friends, baby. Call when you're ready for me to come back, okay?"
God, I love this man! I kiss him, assuring him we’ll be ready soon. After all, I'm not going to spend the whole night with my friends. I want to see him, too. He's been busy with school this week, so we haven't spent as much time together.
The three of us watch him leave before Lanie turns to me and squeals, "Okay, now that he's gone, I seriously need details!" Grabbing me by the arm, careful not to spill the freshly poured glass of wine she handed me, she drags me over to the couch and pushes me down, sitting beside me. "How long has this been going on, Genny?"
"About two weeks." I cringe, knowing she's going to shriek any minute. Lanie doesn't disappoint, her squeals are almost deafening in their intensity.
"What do you mean, two weeks?! Why didn't you say anything?" Maggie sounds hurt.
When I look over at her, I raise a single eyebrow. A blush blooms across her cheeks. "Oh, yeah, I guess tonight is why."
"Partly," I nod. "I was afraid you wouldn't understand, but I also wanted to just keep it to myself for a little while." I tell them about my mom’s reaction, and how I was at the bar Daniel had been working at the night my car was almost stolen. I hadn't told them that I'd gone to see him, or that he'd been the one to give me a ride home.
Lanie snickers, "I guess he really did give you a ride, huh?" My face flames at her words and I swear I can feel the blush all the way down to my toes as I smack her in the arm.
"Shut up, Lanie! Jeez." I can't stay mad at these girls, it's downright impossible—and has been that way since we were little.
We spend the rest of the night talking about Daniel, our getting together, and my mother's reaction, which makes Maggie laugh. "I knew she would freak if y'all worked things out! Your mom is so crazy!"
At one point, Lanie leans forward to ask me, "So, now you have to tell me—did Mr. Handyman teach you how to screw?" Maggie and I both spit out our wine at her ridiculous question. When we both look at her in shock, she shrugs. "Hey, I was there that day when we ogled him putting up the new chandelier. The guy knows how to screw, I just want to know if he taught you anything new!"
Maggie and I both collapse into the couch, laughing at her serious expression. The girl is absolutely crazy. When I don't answer, she glares at me. "What?" I ask, even though I know exactly what she wants to know.
"Are you going to answer me or not? Inquiring minds want to know!" She's getting ticked now at my lack of answers, so I decide to take pity on her.
"He's definitely taught me some things. Did you know that young guys have some serious stamina? It's amazing." Honestly, it's been so long since I had sex that I probably wouldn't know if he did have more stamina than a guy my age. I just want to see her face at the revelation. Lanie does not disappoint.
Her mouth drops open and her eyes glaze over. "Really? Does Daniel have any friends he can hook me up with?"
Maggie's husband comes to pick them up around ten, and just as they are getting ready to leave, Daniel gets back. Walking past him, Lanie cups his cheek in her hand, leaning up to say something in his ear. He smiles at her and nods before she kisses his cheek and follows Maggie out the door.