He laughed. “You do what you feel you have to do, and I'll do what I feel is necessary.”
His words were more than threats—they were promises, and I knew it.”
Clayton stormed off toward the stadium, and my gut churned with what troubles lay ahead. But I didn't care, Eliza loved me and there was nothing that our love couldn't overcome.
“I'm sorry that you were dragged into all of that,” I said to Riley as he stood there speechless.
“No, man, it's alright. I just can't believe that he won't let this go. Why does he hate her so badly?”
“I was hoping that you could tell me the answer to that question,” I replied. “She's done nothing to him except try to be nice.”
“Drew, will you tell Eliza that I am sorry. Clay and I were horrible to her when she served us at The Pour Pauper. I didn’t even know the girl. I was merely going along with Clayton, and I feel like an idiot for letting him control me for so long. He’s a fucking bully. I really am sorry.”
This was the first I’d heard of this. But it wasn’t my place to my apologies for Riley. He was a grown ass man, as was Clayton, and that would be his fault to make right.
“We’re not at boarding school anymore, Ri. Time to man up. Be your own self. I appreciate the thought of you apologizing to Eliza, but it’s best if you relay that message yourself. It would mean more, don’t you think?”
Riley shook my hand and then hugged me, patting me on the back twice. “Go get her, man, and be happy. That's what life is all about.”
“Thanks, chap,” I said. I practically ran to my car and dialed her number as fast as I could.
“Hello,” her sweet voice answered.
“Hey, sweetheart. I want you to listen to me very carefully and do as I say with no questions.”
She giggled. “Alright, what is it?”
“I want you to pack a small bag and wait for me.”
“A small bag? With what? Are we going somewhere?” she asked.
She wasn't sure about what to say or do.
“Yes, a small bag with just your toiletries, some pjs, and a change of clothes for tomorrow,” I instructed. “I'll be over to get you in about an hour.
“Okay … I mean, I guess.”
“Eliza, don't guess, just do. I love you, and I want to take you away.”
“Alright, I'll be waiting.”
I hung up my phone and immediately called Mum. “Hey, I need the plane for this evening,” I said as soon as she answered.
“Oh Drew, where on earth are you going?” she exclaimed.
“I want to go to our island, and I'm bringing a guest with me.”
“A guest? Of the female persuasion?”
My mum had no idea that I had been seeing Eliza, but she was about to hear all about her. “Yes, Mother, it's a girl. I'm in love with someone, and I want to take her away.”
I knew there would be a hundred questions as to who she was, how we met, and how serious we were about each other, so I indulged her as I drove home. By the time I was finished I felt that Mum was satisfied with my answers, and she agreed to have the plane and pilot waiting for us.
“There's one condition, Andrew,” she said before we hung up.
“Yes?”
“I must meet this young lady before you fly off to our island.”
I knew that was going to be the condition, and it was fine with me. I wanted her to meet Eliza anyway because I knew she would love her as I did. “That's perfect, Mum. I've been wanting to tell you and Edward all about her. She's the sweetest girl I've ever met.”
“That's nice, darling, but I will decide for myself. I'll see you around four?”
“Yes, Mum. That will be fine. I'm headed home to grab a bag and then over to pick her up at her flat.”
Everything was falling into place now. Eliza and I were back together, I’d confronted Clayton, and Mum was going to meet the love of my life for the first time. Life couldn't be better.
Chapter 22
Eliza
By the time I hung up with Drew, my hands were shaking. An overnight trip for just the two of us? When I had woken up that morning, I had no idea that the day would end with me and Drew going away together. I thought that we would wind eating pizza and finishing off the bottle of wine I had gotten. Wow, life sure had its ups and downs where he was concerned, but I was determined to make more ups than downs from that point on.
I went into my closet and got out my small suitcase. It was really an overnight bag, but it would hold everything he told me to bring. This was to be my first vacation, and even though I had no idea where we were going, I was elated, nonetheless.
When I was growing up, the only place we ever traveled to was to visit my grandparents. Sometimes the other kids at school would talk about trips they had taken, but I could never join in because we didn’t seem to have the money to go anywhere. This trip with Drew was going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.
I was so happy that I caught myself humming as I tossed my comb, makeup, toothbrush, and underwear into my bag. “Oh, wait a minute,” I said to myself. “I can't forget to take my new dress.”
I walked over to the bed and got it out of the bag. Taking the tags off of it, I held it up and smiled. “Oh Drew, you're going to love this.”
I tossed it in and put the bag on the couch. As I sat, I grabbed my phone from the table.
“Hello,” my mum's gentle voice answered.
“Mum,” I could hardly contain my excitement.
“Eliza, what is wrong? You sound out of breath,” she asked.
“Nothing is wrong. Everything is right, finally.”
I wanted to jump up and dance around the room. I wanted to scream it out the window that I was finally happy.
“Yes, dear, I know. You already told me.”
I laughed. “No Mum, I know I did. But Drew just called and said that he's taking me away on a trip, just the two of us.”
“Oh? Where are you going?” she asked.
“I'm not sure. It's a surprise. He just said to pack some clothes and my toiletries.”
“Eliza, does this mean what I think it means?”
I knew what she was thinking, and I hated to tell her it did. “Mum, you know that we are in love.”
“I know, but I also know that you're saving yourself for your husband, honey.”
I held my breath and debated whether or not to confide in my mother that I had already had sex with Drew.
“I know, and I am still saving myself.” I lied to make her feel better because there was no way I was going to get into a conversation with her about sex and protection when I was waiting for Drew.
“I'm glad to hear that. So you'll have separate rooms then?”
“Yes, Mum. He already knows how I feel about all of that.”
I heard my door buzz as I was talking to her, and my heart started to race fast with excitement.
“I have to go, there he is at my door. I love you, and I'll text you and let you know where we are.”
“Okay, be careful and have fun,” she said as I was practically hanging up on her.
I buzzed Drew up and when I opened the door, there he stood with a dozen long stemmed red roses. My breath caught in my chest as I realized just how romantic he was.
I took them in my hands and began to cry. “No one has ever brought me flowers before. Thank you, Drew, they're beautiful.”
He stepped inside the door and took me into his arms. He gently kissed me, slowly and lovingly. “Eliza, I love you very much, and I can't wait to show you where we're going.”
“I can't wait either,” I said.
“So, if you're ready, right this way.” He moved aside and allowed me to exit first. “Your chariot awaits.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” I said as we both laughed.
This was the man that I wanted to spend my life with. He was fun, sweet, and kind, not to mention gorgeous; Drew Harrington had it all.
Once we got to his car, I re
alized that I had never ridden with him before. “Wow, this car is really nice,” I said as I looked around at the wood grain dash and felt the soft leather seat beneath me. I was certain that it had cost more than both my parents had ever earned together in their entire lifetimes.
“Thank you. It was a gift from Mum when I graduated.”
Wow, all I got when I graduated was my dad's thirty-year old clunker that he pretended was the Holy Grail of automobiles. I thought he'd cry when he gave it to me. It was so beat up and the paint had chipped so badly that I was almost ashamed to drive it. But I figured it beat riding my bike everywhere, especially in the winter, so I gladly took it.
“So, where are we going?” I asked, hoping he'd share with me.
He looked at me and grinned. “Oh no, you're not getting that out of me. You'll just have to wait and see.”
I sat back and smiled as he drove. “Drew, aren't we headed for the palace this way?” I asked when I realized that he was taking me by his home.
“Well, yes,” he said. “I have to make a pit stop to see my mum.”
His mum? The freaking Queen of England?
“What? You're going to see your mum?”
“Yes, why?”
“Oh, I just didn't know that you had to stop here,” I said. My hands were beginning to shake. The closest I'd ever gotten to the palace was when our school took a field trip one day and our bus drove past it as the tour guide told us who lived there. The palace wasn’t somewhere that you just casually drove past each day. No, there were huge gates and guards all around, so this was going to be interesting.
Drew drove past them nonchalantly, as if they meant nothing to him. No stopping, no questions—nothing. But I had forgotten that this was his home. To me and the rest of the country, it was the Royal Palace and off limits, but to him it was home and nothing more.
“Okay,” he said as he put the car in park inside a large garage. “Mum wanted to meet you before we leave.”
“What?!” I exclaimed. “You mean the Queen of England wants to meet me?”
I was in shock and felt as though I would stop breathing.
“Look, don't think of her as the Queen; think of her as my mum,” he said easily, as if it was just an everyday meeting.
“But, Drew, she is the Queen, and there is a certain protocol that I must adhere to.”
I was still beyond believing that I was about to meet the Queen.
“Yes, but it's not that strict since you're meeting your boyfriend's mother. Just roll with it, okay?”
“I'm glad that you're so causal about this because I can feel my legs already shaking.”
About that time, the side door to the garage opened, and a petite woman stepped out. “Drew, your mother asked that I escort you and your guest to the study,” she called out to us.
“That's Patricia, she's my mum's right hand and secretary. She's been with Mum since she's been Queen. She's super nice, and she will love you as much as I do.”
“But, Drew, I don't know what to do. I mean, do I curtsy? Do I bow? What do I do?” I was stumbling over my words.
“Do whatever you want; it's just my mother.”
He was taking this far better than I was. I was about to go inside of the palace and meet the fricking Queen!!!
As we stepped inside of a kitchen, I felt a little more at ease. I didn't know why, but I expected to see some opulent throne with a woman wearing a crown of diamonds sitting high above us. It was silly, I knew, but it was the image that all children grew up with in England. The Queen was an untouchable persona who radiated power and strength. She wasn't someone whom you simply walked up on and said hey to.
We walked through a corridor and into what looked like the library from The Beauty and the Beast. The walls were lined from floor to the vaulted ceilings with books, large leather sofas framed a seating area, and centered before the large bay window was a mahogany desk.
“Your mother will be right in,” Patricia said. “Eliza, it's nice to meet you,” she said as she shook my hand. “Don't be nervous; she’s just Drew's mum today, and not the Queen.” She laughed and winked as she said it. She was trying to calm me down, but it wasn't helping at all.
I heard footsteps outside of the door, and my stomach turned over to the point that I was afraid I was going to throw up right then and there.
“Mum,” Drew said as he stood and hugged her. “This is Eliza Noble.”
My mouth was so dry that I could barely utter hello. I curtsied and mumbled something about it being nice to meet her. My head was spinning. Oh my God, I wished my mother could’ve see all of this.
“Eliza, it's so nice to meet you. I can't say that Drew has told me all about you, but it's still so kind of you to come and meet me today.”
She was sweet and very beautiful. Her blonde hair was just at her shoulders, and her skin was like porcelain. She was just as she looked on television, regal and royal. Even though I was meeting Drew's mother, she was still the Queen.
“Thank you for having me, Mrs...Your... Ma'am...” I was stumbling because I had no idea what to call her.
Everyone laughed loudly, including the Queen. “It's alright, dear, no one seems to know what to say at such informal meetings.
I was so embarrassed that I felt my face was burning hot. My cheeks had to be the color of crimson. I tried to smile, but honestly, I couldn't say whether or not I did because it felt as if I was having an out of body experience by that point.
***
After some small talk and a cup of tea, I could feel myself relaxing as we sat there. No longer did I feel as though I was with royalty, but instead, I was with my boyfriend's mom, Mrs. Harrington.
When it was time to go, Drew stood and hugged her. It was wonderful to witness the bond that he had with his mum, and I admired him for that. Losing his father probably helped him cling to his mother while he was growing up.
“It was nice to meet you, Eliza. You must come by again and visit,” she said as she hugged me.
I was surprised that she reached out and embraced me as she did. “Thank you, it was the most awesome experience meeting you as well,” I said.
As we left, I was still in awe of the fact that I had been sitting in the palace. Never in a million years would I have believed that I would be drinking tea with the Queen, or dating her son, for that matter. But there I was, with both of them. My life had taken a surprising and wonderful turn.
Chapter 23
Drew
The look on Eliza's face when she saw my mother standing in front of her was one that I would never forget. I was certain I had seen her knees buckle for a second. I realized that meeting the Queen of England was an enormous deal, but to me, she was just Mum. I guessed I was too close to the situation to truly grasp what it meant to those who were outside of our circle. But it was a hoot seeing her eyes glazed over, stumbling over her words, and shaking so terribly that, at one point, I wasn't sure she would be able to hold the teacup without spilling it. She was sweet and innocent, and I loved her for that. She didn't try to put on any act around my mother; she was just herself.
“So,” I said once we were seated in my car. “Did you have fun?”
She looked at me, still with the deer in the headlight gaze, and she managed a smile. “Yes, it was great.”
I laughed and took her hand, which was still shaking a bit. “You were wonderful. I could tell that my mother was taken by you. I think she really likes you.”
“Really? You think so? Because I was so nervous that I don't remember half of what we talked about, to be honest.”
She took a deep breath and leaned her head against the soft leather seat.
“Eliza, I love you. You were kind to my mother, and she saw that. Trust me, that's all a mum is looking for in her son's girlfriend. She wasn't trying to test you on your knowledge of Royal life. She was just wanting to see how you came across as a human being, and you did wonderfully well. You were your true self, and that's what counts.”
<
br /> I kissed her hand softly. “I'm proud to call you mine, Eliza. I've never known anyone else who has a gentle heart for others as you do. That means everything to me.”
“Thank you, Drew. It means so much to hear you say that. I feel that you have that same heart as well. I see the way you treat people who are not on your level in life, and it's touching that you care so much for those less fortunate. You don’t love me any less because of where I come from. You love me for who I am.”
She laughed as if she were uncomfortable.
“Eliza, you must get out of the habit of speaking about your lot in life and feeling down on yourself because of where you came from. You're no more to blame for that than I am for being born into royalty. We are given our stations in life, and we must deal with it the best we know how.”
I turned toward her and caressed her soft cheek. “When I think of you, I don't think of your lack of wealth or material things. I think of the wonderful woman you are who is gentle and kind and who will be a great mother to our children one day.”
“Children?” she said suddenly.
Hearing her voice question my statement caused me to wonder if I had said the wrong thing. I suddenly felt like I wanted to take it back. Was I moving too quickly for her?
“Uh, yeah ... don't you ever think about that kind of stuff?” I was tripping over my words.
She smiled. “Well, yeah, but I didn't think that you did. I mean, girls think about things like weddings, babies, and married life from the time we're little. But I didn't think that boys gave it too much thought.”
I shrugged. “Well, I don't know about any other “boys” as you put it,” I said. “But this man has and does think about it.”
Resting my head against the seat, I looked into her eyes. “I have fallen madly in love with you, Ms. Noble, and I think about living a long, happy life with you.”
She smiled, and a tear crept out of her eye and rolled slowly down her cheek. “Oh, Drew, that's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard.”
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