by Lola West
I let my eyes move in the direction he suggested, and I saw Joe. My mind took in his sign, Real men, like Drew Scott, wear lavender. Normally I would have laughed but instead I struggled to breathe because I knew if Joe was here, so was Lu.
The crowd shifted a bit and Lua stepped forward from behind Joe. The candlelight flickered across her face. Her look was earnest and determined; her nostrils were flared, her brow pinched. She was holding her sign down so I could only see the back where the poster board was glued to the wooden stem. When her eyes finally locked on mine, the chanting slowed, then stopped, until there was total silence and it felt like it was just her and me.
She looked beautiful, standing there in her element. Her hair was loose, and she was wearing leggings and boots and one of her flirty peasant blouses. I wanted to run down the steps and wrap her up in my arms but even with her standing there, looking soft and sweet and kind, I wasn’t sure what her intentions were. I knew Lua wouldn’t hold a grudge, but I wasn’t certain that she’d want to love me the way I wanted to love her.
Still, I smiled. I smiled just because I missed her face. My smile crashed into her like magic, a spell that made her demeanor shift from serious and focused to bright and relieved. I thought she’d speak, but she didn’t. Instead, she just lifted her sign.
It read, Drew Scott is love is love is love is love is love is love.
I should have run to her, but I was literally frozen with relief. It flooded through my chest and limbs, making it impossible to function. I closed my eyes and sucked air in through my nose. She still loved me. Lua Steinbeck loved me.
Joe’s voice cut through the fog that had descended over my being. As usual, he delivered a nugget of reality in a tone that was light and bubbling with sarcasm. “We’re fucking drowning here, dude, like a whole crowd of people is holding their breath. Whatcha got for us?”
Like a switch flipped, I moved, racing down the stairs, crossing the lawn, my eyes locked on hers. When I was inches from her, I took her face in my hands and I kissed her. The crowd around us broke into a surge of cheers. I felt her smile press against mine, and then her mouth opened, and she let me in, back where I knew I belonged.
52
Lua
Five months later…
Ms. Scott, Drew’s mom—who was actually in the process of changing her name back to McKenzie—came through the door in a whirlwind. She was on the phone and talking to her assistant and her campaign manager at the same time. I spent the summer working for her as an intern, she was running against her ex-husband, trying to take control of his seat in the senate. And so far, she was winning.
After Drew’s public shaming of his father, things in Drew’s personal world went topsy-turvy in a way he never imagined. Hours after I realized that we belonged together and made sure he knew it too, I was snuggled against his chest when he admitted to me that as much as he was glad to have me back in his arms, he was terrified about his family and his future. He thought his father would disown him, and he ached considering what that meant for his siblings and his mom. But it didn’t go down that way, at all.
Turned out, Drew was the catalyst for a lot of good.
Apparently, Ms. Scott, soon to be McKenzie, watched her son condemn her husband on television, and then when her husband screamed and threw his phone against the wall, she saw his violent response through new eyes. Watching her son stand up to her husband was the final straw. She couldn’t let the senator hurt her or her children for one more second. She told me she thought if Drew could be brave, she could too. Then, a few days later, she changed the locks and served Senator Scott with divorce papers. To her credit, after decades as his wife, she was armed with a lot of ammunition.
So, all the things Drew worried about didn’t come true. I mean, his father disowned him. But that was more symbolic than anything else. Drew’s mother had full custody of his siblings and she insisted that Drew continue Hamilton with her footing the bill. She wasn’t even surprised when he said he wanted to change his major to architecture. She just smiled and hugged him and said, “Of course, you do. That’s always been your passion.”
Strangely, switching his major was less work than Drew expected. His lack of investment in his political career meant that he spent much of his first two years of college focused mostly on fulfilling his liberal arts requirements, so yes, he had to play catch-up but not terribly. If he added courses every semester and went to school during the summers, then he would only be a year behind. However, attending the summer semester meant we’d been apart for the last ten weeks. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. He came to visit his mom and me over Fourth of July weekend, but all and all it was a lot of late-night phone calls. Side note: Late-night-call Drew was crazy hot, like anyone-got-a-fan-because-I-might-pass-out hot.
Steamy phone calls aside, I was initially a little weirded out about Drew using nepotism to get me an interview to work on his mom’s campaign. Sure, I was absolutely qualified. My credentials were as good if not better than the other interns. And Drew’s mom saw me as an asset because of my background in social justice because despite her history as a conservative senator’s wife, she was running on a liberal platform. She was very public about Senator Scott’s abhorrent behavior and actively campaigning for women’s issues. Drew and I had extensive debates about whether I was profiting from his privilege, but his mom made it clear that the interview process was extensive, and she wanted me. Once I was on the campaign trail with her, I realized that she was doing all the things a strong liberal candidate would do, and hiring me was part of that.
Honestly, it was an incredible summer. I learned so much, and I was starting to think that maybe Joe was right. Maybe I wasn’t destined for behind the scenes life. Maybe. Maybe not. I’d have to wait and see. I was willing to let the future unfold as it may, with one exception, Drew. Nothing, not anyone, anything, or any idea was ever going to separate me from him again.
Don’t get me wrong. Drew was still infuriating, frustrating, flabbergasting, and downright annoying sometimes. But he was also funny, generous, sweet, and achingly sexy. I’d grown fond of debating everything with him. He kept me sharp, and he kept me smiling. And I was absolutely dying to see him. Dying, like I was a physically inferior version of myself because so much of my mental capacity was dedicated to counting the minutes until I could be surrounded by the scent of him again. Currently, I was looking at six hours and forty-seven minutes.
My return to Hamilton was a surprise. Drew was expecting me on a plane tomorrow night. But I had changed my flight. I was literally jittering with excitement as I sat patiently waiting for Ms. Scott, almost McKenzie, to finish up her multiple conversations so that I could say my thank yous and see you soons.
Finally, the room cleared, and she hit end on her phone call, and then her arms were spread, and she was closing in on me. Drew’s mom was a tall, thin woman, and she always wore heels. Hugging her felt a little like hugging a palm tree, but at the same time she was warm and busting with affection for me. I knew she and Drew had a turbulent history and finding his way back to trusting her was going to take time, but the version of her I knew was strong, bold, and notably sober. I respected her. Watching her repair her life, put on her armor and set her sights on doing better than her ex-husband, it was inspiring.
With me still crushed against her, she said, “I can’t thank you enough, Lua. And not for all the hard work you’ve done here this summer, although I appreciate that as well.” She leaned back, dropping her arms, but catching both my hands in hers and crouching a smidge to look me in the eye. “Thank you for shining your light on my son. Thank you for helping him when I failed him.”
Emotion caught in my throat. I shook my head. “No, I…”
She interrupted me. “In a way you made us both better, Lua. And if there is anything you ever need, anything, do not hesitate to come to me.”
My cheeks felt hot like I might cry. I hoped like hell I could keep that from happening. Kindly, I said, “
You know I asked for this meeting because I was supposed to be thanking you.”
She hugged me again and said, “Well, you’re very welcome, but then again, I’m pretty sure that even if we’re only talking about your internship, the one who benefited most was me.”
I laughed and sniffed back the tears that were still threatening to fall.
Releasing me, she turned and moved so she was standing behind her desk. Her phone rang, but she silenced it before asking, “What time do you get in?”
“Seven. I think I’ll get to the apartment around eight.”
She smirked at me. Drew had her smile. “And he has no idea?” she asked.
I shook my head no.
Delighted, she said, “What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall…”
I didn’t say it, but nope, that was absolutely not a good idea. I was one hundred percent sure that the last person who should be in the room when I finally saw Drew, was his mom.
Closing the door to the Uber, I felt nervous. When the semester ended, Drew had decided to move off campus. With his mother’s blessing, he rented a little house. It was just a couple blocks from school, a tiny arts and crafts cottage within walking distance. It wasn’t fancy and the rent was reasonable. I was actually surprised when he chose it. I'd gone from rental to rental looking with him, and there were many of them that were more modern and more sophisticated, but he said he liked it because it felt like a home, albeit a small one. I actually loved it. It was well built, and the owner had refurbished the original details rather than replace them, while still adding modern elements like ecologically sound appliances. I hadn’t really been here to help him or even watch him decorate the space, so I wondered what it was going to look like inside now that he’d been living in it for two months.
Taking a deep breath, I rolled my suitcase up the driveway, past his Land Rover, and approached the door. I could hear music playing inside. It sounded familiar and reminded me of Bonnaroo and that fateful day a little over a year ago when I stumbled across a handsome stranger in trouble. And then picturing him in that first hour of our connection, all the nervousness I was feeling burned away, like fog in the sun’s rays, because behind the door in front of me was Drew and I was dying to see him.
There was a doorbell but a little like a madwoman, I banged on the door. He didn’t come instantly, so I banged again and rang the bell. Finally, without even asking who’s there, he swung open the door. At first there was annoyance in the tightness of his features, and then realizing it was me, glee, so much glee.
“Crunch?” He smiled, showing me all his pretty white teeth. His eyes scrolled down the whole of me. I was wearing an outfit I’d thought he’d like. A little flirty sundress that was short and sleeveless. It was summer, and it was hot, so it was appropriate. I’d worn a cardigan on the plane, but I’d also forgone it on the way here. I’d also forgone my bra. The straps showed and looked dumb and also not gonna lie, I was planning on naked, quick. Eyes hot and breathing quickened, he added, “What are you doing here?”
I didn’t answer. I just jumped into his arms. Apparently, my libido couldn’t even wait until I was thoroughly through the front door. My legs wrapped around his waist and my lips found his, and then it was like a torrent, all the pent-up days, all the distance, all the late-night dirty phone calls, culminated into one badass fiery kiss.
Taking a step back, Drew kicked the door shut with his toe. And then he stepped forward, pressing my back against it. His mouth was all over my face and neck, kissing and clawing, making it perfectly clear that my need for him was reciprocated in equal measure. Holding me up with one hand and his hips, Drew pawed at my breasts, tweaking and pulling my nipple beneath the cotton of my dress, as he bit his way down my collarbone.
“Tell me this dress doesn’t matter, Lu,” he snarled.
My head fell back, smacking against the door with a thump as I moaned, “Nothing matters but you. You on my skin. You inside me. Soon.”
Drew groaned, and then the spaghetti strap on my dress was in two pieces and the rub of the fabric against my nipple slipped away, replaced by the searing heat and suction of his mouth. Ricochets of pleasure burst through my body and I started to whimper and twist, already wet and ready to feel him between my legs.
I don’t know if he could sense my desperation or if having my little hard and aching peak in his mouth made Drew insane, but suddenly he was fumbling with his belt and freeing himself from his pants. We’d gotten tested at the school clinic and I was on the pill so there was no need to slow down or be prepared. So he didn’t.
Releasing me from his mouth, he lowered one of my legs so that he could use his hand to pull my panties aside, and then he positioned himself where I needed him to be. Lifting me again, he snapped his hips hard, pushing himself inside in one fell swoop. The first instant our joining was so loaded with sensation that we both called out, “Fuck, yes.” The sounds weren’t perfectly in sync, his was more guttural and mine was more whiny. But the fact that we said the same thing made us both laugh breathily.
And then he added, “I missed you.”
Since I was lifted up, I kissed the part of him nearest to my lips, his temple, and then I said, “I love you.”
He tilted his head so his mouth could find mine. He kissed me gently, more soft lips than anything else, and then he lifted one hand, and holding my face and looking in my eyes, he started to fuck. He spoke as he drove himself into me over and over again. His words were rough, punctuated by his efforts and his pleasure but his sentiment was unyielding. “You are the air in my lungs. You are the blood in my veins. You are the reason I am happy to walk the earth. I was made to love you, Lua Steinbeck, and whether you want me to or not, I will love you from now until the day I die.”
I felt tight and swollen all around him as I cried out, “Yes, me too. Always.”
With my feet back on the ground and my boob tucked into my torn dress, I watched him fumble with his pants and belt. He struggled getting redressed because he was too busy dopey smiling at me.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” he blurted in a way that felt completely unguarded and sweet.
“I kinda got that,” I teased.
He rolled his eyes at me. “Oh don’t even. You jumped my bones, Crunch. I was just along for the ride.”
I huffed at him incredulously. “All I did was kiss you. You were the dress tearer.”
His eyes widened with snark. “Yeah, sure, but only after you said you wanted my cock.”
“I did not say that.” I giggled.
“Semantics.” He scoffed, turning and heading toward his little living room.
Leaving my suitcase by the door, I followed him from the front hall, or the foyer as he called it. I was looking down and teasingly grumbling at him as we moved. “You know, a gentleman might offer his lady something to eat or at the very least a drink, when she has traveled a long way to see him and bedded him at the door.”
He stopped, turned to me, and laughed. “You cannot use bed in that sentence. It absolutely doesn’t work.”
I looked up, seeking his smile, and caught sight of a banner lying on the back of the couch. Across the top it read, “Welcome Home, Lua” and then just below that, “Whaddah ya say, wanna live in sin with me?”
My mouth went dry. My eyes tracked from the banner to Drew’s face. He didn’t look nervous, but he shifted his weight between his feet. “I was still working it out,” he said evenly. He turned away from me, pointing toward the banner and the mess left behind by his banner making. There were markers and a scissors and shreds of paper all over the floor. “That’s the third attempt. I know it’s stupid, but I just wanted it to be silly and warm.” He sighed. “Fuck it.” He turned back. I watched him take a deep breath and then he said, “I want you to live here. I know you’ve already registered for a dorm room and there might be some complications in that arena, but I don’t care. I want to live with you, Lu, in this little house that I know you love. It will be our fir
st house together, the one we reminisce about to our kids.”
I stared at him, wondering how we’d gotten to here, to this moment. How did brooding, moody, messy broken boy who stole my heart at Bonnaroo become this man who bought crafts in an attempt to sweetly ask me to move in with him while nonchalantly mentioning our future children in the same sentence? Quirking my head like a hound dog, I stayed silent. If he were anyone else, my silence might have kicked his nerves up a notch, but not Drew. He was cocky till the end.
Smirking at me, he added, “I say we order Thai takeout and then take the celebration of your new address to the next level by tearing at your clothes some more.”
I was absolutely moving in with him, but because I was relentlessly stubborn when it came to Drew, I smiled at him, went to the couch, flopped down, and crossing my arms over my chest, I said, “I haven’t agreed to live here yet.”
Drew took my stubbornness as foreplay. “Well then, I’ll just have to convince you.” He was on top of me in seconds and suffice it to say that he was very persuasive. We never got around to ordering that Thai food. Instead, we stood in our kitchen, him in his boxers and me in his t-shirt, eating cold leftover pizza, knowing that we’d never live apart again.
Wondering what a crazy hot phone call with Drew is like? Click here to read more.