You Belong With Me (24 page)

              She stretched her arms and flexed her sore feet and smiled. And the best surprise of all was Michael and Stella. And now that Ashley was out of the picture, she and Michael could work on getting to know each other better. That part, she was looking forward to.

              A loud, frantic banging on her bedroom door had her sitting up in surprise.

              “Layla! Open up, hurry!” she could hear Jane yelling.

              Layla groaned as she stood up, whisking all of the bubbles off her arms and legs. “I’m coming! Just give me a minute!”

              “Hurry!” Jane yelled again.

              Laya grabbed a towel to dry off and then slipped on her robe. She ran for the door and yanked it open. “What’s going on?” she demanded, expected a fire, a burglary or some other disaster.

              Jane shook her head, grinning. “Come downstairs right now,” she said, grabbing Layla’s hand and pulling her quickly after her. Layla ran down the stairs in her bare feet, as Jane half dragged her.

              “
Jane
! Slow down for the love of . . . ,” she said, fading out into silence as she walked into the front store of the bakery and immediately saw five large bouquets of dozens and dozens of long stem roses. One vase was filled with bright red, another with pink buds, one with white, one yellow and one a sunset orange.

              “Oh my,” she whispered, shaking her head. She’d never in her life been sent flowers by a man before.

              Jane grinned at her expression and pushed her toward the first vase. “There are cards in each vase.”

              Layla swallowed and tightened her sash before picking up the first card. She opened it quickly and pulled out the plain white stationary.

             
Stella and I would love to have your delightful company this evening from seven to nine for a               gourmet meal and fine company. RSVP to Michael Bender.

              Layla grinned and hurried to the next card.

             
By the way if I haven’t mentioned it, you are beautiful
.

              Layla grinned to herself, enjoying the romance of the gesture as much as any woman would. She picked up the next card and slid the smooth paper out.

             
I would also like to state in writing that I love you. I can get this notarized if you want me to, but               I’m hoping you’ll just believe me.

              Laya shook her head as she grabbed another one. She read the next three and they were just as funny and romantic and silly. She picked up all the cards in her hand and then leaned over to breathe in the full sweet smell of the roses.

              “If this is love,
I want it
,” Jane said walking from bouquet to bouquet.

              Layla touched a velvet petal and couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her. “It’s lovely,” she said softly.             

              Jane walked over and hugged her older sister. “Oh Layla, I’m so glad you’re happy and in love. I was so worried about you last year. I was worried I’d never have my sister back again. Love is the best cure ever.”

              Layla hugged Jane back. “That and sisters. Being with you and Kit has been the best thing that has happened to me in a very long time,” she said pulling back and smiling down into her sister’s face.

              Jane nodded. “For me too,” she said, and sniffed a little, turning around quickly.

              Layla laughed and shook her head. “Help me carry some of these into the kitchen and upstairs. We’ll leave three here so our customers can enjoy them too.”

              Jane helped her lug the heavy vases to where she wanted them and then she flopped on her bed before dialing Michael’s number. She smiled at the pale pink buds sitting on her dresser and turned over on her back.

              “Did you get my flowers?” Michael asked before he even said hello, his voice sounding cheerful.

              Layla grinned and turned on her side. “Michael those are the prettiest blue carnations I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a carnation that specific hue before. It’s almost fluorescent in a really pretty way. I’m so touched Michael. I had no idea you were so romantic.”

              Layla covered her mouth with her hand as she heard nothing but silence for almost a minute. “Michael? Are you there?” she finally asked, biting her lip.

              Michel cleared his throat. “Did you say you got a bouquet of bright blue
carnations?
”

              Layla pulled the phone away as she snorted into her pillow. “Yeah, the guy just left them on the front porch. There wasn’t a note or anything with them, but I knew they were from you. Those six little carnations had your name written all over them. Thanks Michael. I knew you were romantic, but
this
. . ., I hate to admit this, but it’s the first time a man has sent me flowers.”

              Michael said something that sounded pretty close to a swear word. “Yeah, nothing says romance like six blue carnations,” he said, his voice so stiff and tight with either anger or disappointment that Layla gave up and laughed out loud.

              “I’m teasing you! But honestly Michael,
six!
Six bouquets of the most exquisite roses I’ve ever seen. You’ve now ruined me for all other men,” she said theatrically.

              Michael laughed sounding relieved. “That was the point. You’re done looking Layla. I’m the only man for you.”

              Layla smiled and rolled her eyes at the phone. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. No jumping the gun Wesley. Remember I mentioned something about giving me space. I think it was just yesterday.”

              She could actually hear the grin in Michael’s voice when he spoke. “I never said I’d play fair. So will you come to my house for dinner tonight? Stella is picking out her prettiest dress right now.”

              Laya kicked her legs up behind her and sighed happily. “Now you’re just manipulating me.”

              “Well, is it working?” he asked.

              Layla squeezed her eyes shut. It was working amazingly well. “Well, in spite of the flagrant use of emotional manipulation, I will gladly accept your dinner invitation,” she said in a very dignified voice.

              Michael laughed. “Did you read the card on the red roses?” he asked softly.

              Layla felt her cheeks turn pink as she grinned. “Yes as a matter of fact I did, why?”

              “Because it’s true. You make me happy,” he said simply and hung up.

              She hopped off her bed and hurried to her closet. She had a date.

Chapter 20 – Landon

              Michael picked her up a few minutes before seven, dressed in a suit and tie and carrying six bright blue carnations in his hand.

              She laughed before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. “You really are romantic. Who else would give me blue carnations?” she asked stepping back.

              Michael pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her back and bending her backwards slightly.               “You really had me going there. I just about burst a blood vessel wondering where all your roses had ended up. You’re in trouble Miss Kendall for being naughty,” he said before leaning down and kissing her cheek.

              “Okay, this isn’t going to get really mushy is it? Because I can clean the bathrooms or something,” Kit said, grinning at them from behind the counter.

              Michael stood up, grimacing in embarrassment. “Hi Kit. Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

              Kit nodded her head firmly in agreement. “And that’s the reason I’m totally on your side. You never see anyone else but Layla when she’s in the room.”

              Michael grinned at her, nodding his head in respect. “Thank you, I won’t take your approval for granted.”

              Kit raised an eyebrow. “Good. I’m a little sad Layla isn’t going to dinner with me at The Iron Skillet with Rob’s mom, but since you brought her carnations, I’ll let it pass,” she said laughing at Michael’s scrawny bouquet.

              Michael grinned as Layla plucked the flowers out of his hand and went around the counter to grab a small vase. She filled the vase with water and gently placed each flower in the perfect position. She then took the vase of bright blue and sat it next to the gigantic bouquet of Amazonian yellow roses.

              “Eclectic,” she said tilting her head to the side. “You’re the artist Kit, what do you say?”

              Kit looked at the flowers with soft eyes. “I say it’s incredibly sweet and I’m very jealous.”

              Layla kissed her sister on the cheek and then walked around the counter to grab Michael’s hand. “Tell Jane I said good bye. I’ll see you later,” she said and they were on their way.

              When they got to Michael’s house, he walked her up the front steps to his home, opening the door for her.

              “Where’s Stella? She didn’t stay here all by herself, did she?” she said, looking at him askance.

              Michael looked at her out of the side of his eyes. “Social worker,” he whispered and then pulled her into the kitchen where a man and a woman in their fifties were hard at work putting the finishing touches on a brightly colored salad. Stella was sitting on a high stool trying to fold a napkin in half. Layla immediately went to her and gave her a quick hug.

              “Hi Layla! Do you like my dress?” Stella asked, trying to fold her napkin again just right.

              Layla nodded and smoothed her hand down Stella’s hair. “I’m so excited you invited me to dinner Stella and I think you look gorgeous. I love the green color. It matches your eyes.”

              Stella beamed at the compliment and smiled at her dad. “Did you like the flowers Daddy got you? I helped pick out the orange ones.”

              “I love the orange roses. Your dad went crazy and gave me a rainbow,” she said grinning at Michael.

              Michael’s eyes glinted at her mischievously as he turned to the people he’d hired to prepare their meal.

              “Hey Mom and Dad. Dinner ready?”

              Layla felt her heart stop as her eyes went wide. She took back every nice thing she’d just been thinking about Michael.
The snake never even warned her
. Total surprise attack.

              She turned and smiled at Michael with cold, wide eyes. “What a pleasant surprise Michael. You never mentioned your
parents
were making us dinner.”

              Michael stepped closer, grinning down into her eyes. “
Remember the blue carnations
?” he whispered in her ear.

              Layla winced and then laughed softly before allowing herself to be led first to Michael’s mom Carrie and then to his dad, Nathaniel. Carrie was a fit, compact woman with a sharp, geometrical light brown bob and the same blue eyes as her son. Nathaniel looked like a typical Northwestern man. Silver goatee, fit, muscular build and an easy going attitude. Layla liked them on the spot.

              “I hope you like stuffed mushrooms?” Nathaniel said, pulling a fragrant tray of sizzling mushrooms out of the oven.

              Layla walked over to the stove and closed her eyes as she breathed in deeply. “Hmmm, is that pancetta and maybe cilantro?”

              Nathaniel smiled at her, looking so like his son she caught her breath. “Wow, you’re good.”

              Layla helped them carry covered dishes and trays to the dining room table and then sat down between Michael and Stella with Nathaniel and Carrie facing her. This was a completely new and alien experience for her. If she was guessing right, this was where Michael’s parents now grilled her to see if she would make the cut. She spread her napkin over her lap and then turned and helped Stella do the same. Michael’s mother said a quick prayer and then Michael began passing the bowls her way.

              Layla sliced a stuffed mushroom in half and took a good size bite. She chewed slowly, closing her eyes, not wanting the experience to end too soon.

              “Well, what do you think?” Carried asked, looking at her with a smile.

              Layla shook her head. “This is
amazing!
It’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. No lie,” she swore emphatically.

              Carrie blushed with pleasure and then looked at her son. “I like her Mike. Mess this up and you’re dead.”

              The table burst out into laughter and Michael grabbed her hand under the table. “I already messed it up once. I’m going to be very careful from here on out.”

              Nathaniel glanced at his granddaughter with a sad smile for a moment before turning to Layla. “Michael’s filled us in on everything that’s been going on. That’s why Carrie and I insisted on meeting you. Anyone willing to give Mike a second chance in spite of everything is a woman we need to know.”

              Layla was touched and looked at Michael. “That’s so sweet Nathaniel. But I’m sure Michael has completely exaggerated everything. He probably left out the part where I told him over and over to leave me alone and fix . . . um, fix the situation.”

              Carrie nodded her head. “No he told us that. That’s what intrigued us. Anyone that would put our granddaughter’s welfare above her own is someone incredibly special. Layla, we’re grateful and we’re also very glad that things have turned out the way they have. Michael’s right. You are beautiful, kind, and intelligent.”

              Layla had to look at her lap for a moment as she covered her mouth with her napkin. It had almost felt for just a moment as if her own mom had been sitting there in front of her telling her those things. When she could talk she said, “Thank you Carrie. That means a lot to me.”

              Michael put his arm around the back of Layla’s chair and leaned forward. “Now cool it guys. She’s told me she’s going to think about being in a relationship with me for a week. I’m not supposed to pressure her. We have to give her space.”