I stood next to Harper at the counter of the local café while she ordered her lunch. Today was a girl's day. It was much needed, too. Since the surprise phone call from Ayden last week, we've been talking semi-regularly. We also decided that emailing was better, and more covert, than writing letters. And the response time was a lot faster. He still said he had a surprise letter for me but he wanted to wait to give it to me. 

"What do you want to eat?" Harper asked me. 

I pushed air between my lips as I looked at the menu. "I'll have a Cuban with everything. Uh, water for the drink, please." 

Harper had an odd expression on her face. "Thank you," she said to the cashier as she paid for our food.

We started walking over to a corner table where Danielle was waiting. Danielle didn't know about the whole Ayden thing since I was trying to keep it under-wraps. I trusted Danielle; I was just terrified about jinxing myself. After all, this was a lot to process.

"Hey, girls!" Danielle greeted us as we sat down. "How are you?" 

I took a sip of my water. I really missed these girls' days we used to have. "I'm good. Missing Nate like crazy. I talked to him a few days ago. It's always hard when we hang up." I glanced to Harper. "So, did you make up with Jackson?" 

Harper's cheeks heated and she ate some of her soup. "Yes. A lot."

Danielle sat down her coffee cup and had a confused look on her face. Clearly, she was out of the loop. "Wait, you and Jackson were fighting? About what?" 

My cellphone chimed with an email notification. I checked it while Harper explained the issue between her and Jackson. "Well, my mom's been trying to reach out."

"What?" Danielle asked with surprise. 

I couldn't hide my smile as I saw Ayden's email. 

Ayden Sawyer: Hey, Goddess. How are you today? What are you up to? 

Lanie Jenkins: Hey, yourself. I'm okay. A little more tired than usual. I'm having lunch with Danielle and Harper right now. How are you? 

I sat my phone down as Harper continued. "Yeah, she called me a few times and I let it go to voicemail. Jackson didn't like that." 

Danielle scoffed. "He knows what she did." 

"That's what I said," I agreed. 

Harper wiped her hands with her napkin. "Yeah, of course, he knows. But he kept saying that if he had the chance to talk to his mom again, he would take it."

Danielle took a sip of her coffee and gave Harper a look. "Okay, from what Ryan told me, Jackson's mom was a sweetheart. Your mom isn't like that."

 "That's what I said," I agreed again.

Chime-Chime

Ayden Sawyer: I'm good. It's dinner time here. I ate a PB&J. Now, I'm sitting outside under the stars. Thinking of a beautiful woman who likes spaghetti and bad movies.

"So, what happened next?" Danielle asked curiously. 

I scoffed and looked up from my phone. "Next, they argued and Harper came to my house after work. Then Jackson showed up looking for her. And groveling." 

Lanie Jenkins: Oh, really? A beautiful woman, huh? Lemme guess. Blonde, blue-eyed, and leggy? 

Harper let out a long breath. "Yep. We made up. Lanie suggested we compromise. So, I agreed to take baby steps with my mom. We talk on the phone sometimes." Harper sat her drink down and fisted her hands. "I just have so much anger towards her. For everything she did. Is that wrong?" 

"No," Danielle and I both answered. 

Chime-Chime

Ayden Sawyer: On the contrary. I'm thinking about the last woman I had in my bed. Brunette, amazing green eyes, witty. Has the softest skin I've ever felt. 

"Exactly!" Harper exclaimed as she tapped her finger on the table. "Well, we'll see how this goes. She keeps trying to butter me up, but it's not going to work." 

Danielle laughed. "Yeah. Good luck with that." 

My eyes were glued on Ayden's message. A rush of heat went through my body. The past few nights, I've laid awake thinking about the way it felt when he kissed me. When he touched me. Whenever I felt his fingers brush against my skin, it was like lightning. Ayden set fire to my body the way no man ever has. From the few times we were together, he seemed to know exactly what I wanted. What I was feeling. 

I realized that if I didn't say something quick, Danielle and Harper were going to ask what I was up to. "Harp, I think you're doing the right thing. Take small steps and see how it goes. Are things with your father better?" 

Harper perked up instantly. "Yes, actually. He didn't know about the whole job resignation thing. He apologized about the arranged marriage and the contract." She took a bite of her yogurt and made a little squeak sound. "He even had dinner with me and Jackson. They seem to get along."

"That's great!" Danielle said with a smile. "I'm glad it's going well with your dad, at least." 

I laughed under my breath. "I'm surprised he enjoyed dinner with the Greek God."

I quickly typed my reply. My very honest and outspoken reply. After all...I'm Lanie-fucking-Jenkins. I'm not shy and timid. 

Lanie Jenkins: I definitely remember being in your bed, Sergeant. I've been thinking about it quite a bit actually. Especially the last few nights...when I'm in my bed...alone.

"Lanie, who are you texting?" Danielle asked with an annoyed tone.

Oh...Shit. "Huh? No one. I'm not texting." I sat mt phone on the table and took a bite of my sandwich. I didn't need to even look at Harper to know what her face looked like. She already knew who I was emailing.

Danielle rolled her eyes and gave a short laugh. "Come on, I totally saw you. For the last ten minutes that's all you've been doing. Occasionally you'll say a comment to make us think you're listening to what we're saying." She gestured towards my phone. "Tell me who it is! Is it a guy?"

I made the mistake of looking to Harper for assistance. She gave me a sympathetic look and said, "You know Danielle won't give up until you tell her. She won't say anything, Lanie."

That just made Danielle all the more curious and adamant to find out. Her eyes were as big as balloons. "A secret affair! Tell me!"

I let out a long breath before I leaned forward and rested my elbows on the table. "Okay, but don't say anything to Ryan. Or anyone."

She rushed me with her hands. "Just tell me!"

"Fine. You remember Ayden? Nate's Army buddy?"

Understanding shown her face and she covered her mouth with her hand. "I knew it was more than a kiss!" By the guilty look on my face, she knew it was definitely a lot more than a kiss. "You ate the whole candy bar didn't you?"

I embarrassingly buried my face in my hands. This was so mortifying. I knew these were two of my closest friends, but I hated it when they were right. Not only that, we were in a public place for crying out loud.

Harper laughed before she interjected, "Not only did she eat the whole candy bar, but you went to the store and bought a whole box full of candy bars after that."

"Harper!" I looked around the cafe, hoping nobody heard her. It was just like these two to gang up on me and tease me. But that's what bestfriends did, wasn't it? "Keep your voice down!'

"Sorry," Harper giggled and looked at Danielle. "Lanie hates talking about it."

Danielle was quiet for a moment. "So, are you guys together, together?"

My automatic response was yes, but that wasn't the case it. That fact alone scared me to death. "No. We're just getting to know each other right now. We send e-mails back and forth and we talk on the phone. Nothing's official, or anything."

When Harper and Danielle shared a look, I asked, "What? What's that look for?"

Harper cleared her throat and sat up straight in her chair. Well, this wasn't going to be good. "Lanie, we're just worried. I know you said you and Ayden are taking this slow, but think about it. You've never done anything like this before."

I knew exactly what she meant. I've never done something that wouldn't knowingly upset or hurt my brother. It was very out of character for me and I couldn't disagree with them.

"I know, Harp. I'm being careful. I have to." Under no circumstances could I let myself fall in love with Ayden Sawyer. It just wasn't an option. Even though I agreed with him about this being our business, there was still the little issue of something happening to him over there.

That was one of the main reasons I tried to push him away in the first place. Other than Nate, I refused to get involved with someone that could potentially die on me. I knew accidents happened everyday, but with someone like Ayden...its a bigger risk.

"Look," I said to the both of them, "right now, I'm just going to get to know him. Once he gets discharged from the Army,  and he's back on American soil, he and I can see where we're at. Until then, I'm just going to--"

Chime-chime

Danielle scoffed. "Until then you're going to keep sexting your own personal Greek God?"

"That's not what we're doing," I said with a glare. Then I read his email...

Ayden Sawyer: In that case, Goddess, you can expect a call from me tonight. That way you can tell me everything you "think" about late at night. 

Without even looking at the email, Danielle and Harper gave me a knowing look. "Yeah, sure," Danielle said with a laugh. 

Yeah...okay. Maybe we were. Either way, there was no denying the excitement and anticipation for his call later tonight.