Writing Lanie - Forbidden Heart Series

24| Secrets & Emails

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 don'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 hung 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 Swayer: 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. "Yeah. 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?"