“I’m serious. You were funny, smart, not to mention gorgeous. How could I not be in to you?”
“Were?” I said, raising an eyebrow.
Drew just laughed and leaned back in his chair. “You aren’t going to make this easy on me, are you?”
“It’s hard to believe that playboy Drew Collins was into any one girl back then.” I shrugged.
He looked at me across the table for a moment. “Did it ever occur to you that maybe I played with those other girls because the one that I wanted didn’t want me?”
I set my wine glass down and narrowed my eyes. Was he serious? I kept waiting for him to show me something, for him to give me some indication of what he wanted from me. Now here he was confessing to liking me back in college.
“Why didn’t you ever make a move?” I asked, calling his bluff.
“Because you needed me,” he said, his voice low as he took a sip from his wine glass.
“What?”
“You remember the day in the park near your hometown?” he asked, leaning across the table.
I nodded. I could never forget the day we scattered my parents’ ashes. I was a wreck and he was there. I knew, that day, that I could always count on him. Maybe I even loved him then, but I needed a friend more.
“I told you that day that you weren’t alone anymore, that I would be your family. That is what you needed, so…” He let the words hang in the air.
I was stunned. What can you say to that? I stared at him as tears welled in my eyes. The feminist in me wanted to say that I could take care of myself, but that was total bullshit. What Drew did for me that day saved me. I don’t know where I would have been if he hadn’t brought me back to life.
“For the record,” he took my hand, “you are still funny, smart, and even more beautiful than the first time you poured beer over my head.” He brought my hand to his lips and smiled.
I laughed as the tears spilled down my cheeks. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
This was, by far, the best first date I had been on in years. The food was amazing. We ate happily and offered forks full of food to each other when we found something particularly delicious.
When it was time for dessert, Drew pre-ordered a chocolate soufflé that was so decadent I moaned with every bite. I ate the whole thing. He was lucky to get the crumbs.
“You have some…” he said, leaning in close. “Here, let me.” He kissed the corner of my mouth, licking the chocolate from my lips. It was the sexiest thing anyone had ever done to me. Well, in public.
We finished our wine. Drew paid the check and we headed for the elevator. He hit the call button and just as the light lit up, the door opened and out stepped Peter and Bitchface? It figures. This night was too perfect. Of course, something crazy would have to happen.
Drew stared daggers at them. I was considering knocking Peter and Gwen to the ground and bolting for the elevator. Gwen clutched Peter’s arm, but pointed her cannons at Drew. To his credit, he pretended not to notice. Atta boy!
“Well, look who it is, babe,” Peter said with a grin.
Babe? Were they dating? Talk about a match made in hell. Oh, the beautiful, if not crazy and pretentious children they will have.
Peter raked his eyes over me and licked his lips. “Nice to see you, Alex.” I shivered and Drew’s grip tightened around my waist. I needed a shower after that. I felt dirty.
“We were just leaving,” Drew said, guiding me around them to the elevator.
Gwen grabbed a hold of his arm. “Can’t you stay for one drink?” she asked with a pout. She probably thought it made her look sexy, but she had so much collagen in those lips she ended up looking like a fish.
Drew pulled his arm from her grasp. “I already made that mistake,” he said. I bit my lip, trying not to smile. She was fuming. Her whole face turned bright red as Drew ushered me into the elevator.
“Hope you enjoy my cast off,” she called to me as the doors began to close.
I just looked her straight in her Botox frozen face. “Ditto.”
When the doors closed, Drew and I burst into a fit of laughter and high-fived.
***
We headed back and Drew pulled up outside his building. He came around, opened my door, and helped me out of the car. We walked hand in hand across the square, toward my apartment.
When we reached the bench between our homes, he stopped, pulled me tight against him, and kissed me. I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck. It never ceased to amaze me that we always fit so naturally together. We never had to think about where to put our hands or which spot to kiss to turn us on. With us, it was just instinct.
“What was that for?” I asked when we broke the kiss.
“I just couldn’t hold it back anymore,” Drew said, softly touching his lips to mine.
“You have me quickly reconsidering my no sex on the first date rule,” I said against his lips.
A lazy smile spread across his face. “Wouldn’t want that, now would we,” he whispered as he kissed me in our place.
Chapter 21
Drew (Then)
I walked into the back room of the church to find David pacing the floor and biting his nails. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me. “Is it time?”
“No. Dude, you need to chill.”
I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket for the flask I hid there. I held it out to him and he paused for a moment before finally grabbing it and taking a long swig.
He handed me back the flask and dropped into a chair next to the door. “Fuck, this is torture.”
“What is with you? Cold feet?” I asked, taking a pull from the flask.
“Fuck no,” he said, his head snapping up to face me.
“Then what is your deal?” I leaned against the desk behind me.
“There are a lot of people out there. What if I mess up the vows? What if I say awful instead of lawful?” He ran a hand over his face.
“Millie will marry you awfully or lawfully, dude. Besides, that’s just a funny story you can tell your kids one day.”
David smiled. “Yeah.” His eyes glazed over as he thought about their future together.
“Come on, you lucky son of a bitch. Stand up.”
He did as I said and got to his feet. I brushed off his shoulders and straightened his tie.
Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” I called.
The door pushed open and Mom came in. She wore a light blue suit with a white rose corsage pinned over her heart. Her short brown wig made her look like Jackie Kennedy. She looked beautiful, but her eyes were tired. The stress of the day was already taking its toll.
A smiled spread across her face when she saw us together. “Look at you,” she said as tears filled her eyes. “My boys are all grown up. You both look so handsome.”
“You look pretty good yourself, Mom. Taking Jackie out for a spin?” I asked, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
She patted her wig, looking a little self-conscious. “Does it look okay?”
“Are you kidding? You’re a knock out!” I said.
She giggled.
She stepped toward David and held out her small, delicate hands to him. “You chose well, David. Millie is everything I could have ever wanted for you. Take care of her and remember…”
“You don’t deserve her,” we chorused.
She smiled. “I’m so proud of you both. My boys have grown into such amazing young men.”
“Some of us more than others,” David said, shooting me a look. I let out a small, silent laugh and focused on the floor.
The door opened and Papa Jack stuck his head in. “You ready? It’s time.”
David stood up straight and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Let’s go.”
The music started and David started down the aisle with Mom and Papa Jack on either side of him. I waited for my cue and followed. I walked down the aisle, nodding to friends and family I recognized and hadn’t seen in a while. I saw Red sitting in the second row. I winked at her as I passed and she just shook her head.