by Beth Rinyu
I nodded and looked away as his eyes burned into me once again. There was something about this guy that I didn’t like at all.
“I just want to get out of here,” I whispered to Drew.
“Okay, just get the papers and we’ll be on our way.”
I immediately stood up as he re-entered the room. “Here you go, Miss Keeton.” He grabbed my hands as he placed the envelope in them and stared into my eyes. “You are a very beautiful girl. Have you ever considered modeling?” he asked, still grasping tightly to my hands.
I could feel my face burning. My nerves were getting the best of me. “Umm, no I haven’t. Thank you for the forms, Mr. Simms. We really need to be on our way.” I quickly removed my hand from his and wrapped my arm around Drew as his eyes moved from me to Drew.
“You are a very lucky man,” he said to Drew as he looked down at my arm wrapped tightly around him.
“Thank you, sir. I know I am.” Drew stared back at him as if they were having a standoff. Mr. Simms was finally the first one to look away.
“If you ever decide that you want to give modeling a try, Miss Keeton, I have a few connections in the field that would kill to have a beauty like you working for them.” He shot Drew another quick gaze.
“Come on, Becca, let’s get going,” Drew said. He didn’t have to tell me twice, I was practically running out the door.
“It was nice meeting both of you,” Mr. Simms shouted as we exited. “You make sure you take care of that beautiful woman and be good to her or someone else will scoop her up in a heartbeat.”
Drew stopped in the doorway and turned around to face Mr. Simms once again. I wished that he hadn’t. I just wanted to get out of there. “Oh you don’t have to worry about that ever happening, Mr. Simms.” I had my head down, staring at the ground before finally looking up at Drew, who was glaring at Mr. Simms. I could feel myself trembling. Was he crazy? This guy had a whole security team that I was sure were armed. Not to mention the fact that something about him seemed a little off. I knew that Drew was only trying to be noble and stand up for me, but it really wasn’t necessary. The best thing that he could do for me at the moment was get us out of that house…..quick!
My hands were trembling as I turned the key in the ignition. “Hey, are you okay to drive?” Drew asked.
I nodded. I just wanted to get as far away from the property as possible. “That guy just freaked me out. I don’t know, I’m really good at reading people and there was something weird about him and then you had to go and challenge him.”
He began to chuckle. “I didn’t challenge him. I was just trying to get him to ease up with flirting with you. You’re my girl and no one else can have you.” He placed his hand on my leg. I took my eyes off the road for one brief second and gave him a smile. “That’s better,” he said, smiling back.
“Hey, I forgot to ask you, what are you doing Saturday night?”
“Nothing that I know of.”
“Well, my mom is having a little barbeque and she would like for you to come so she can get to know you better. If you don’t want to, I totally understand.”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” he said without hesitation.
“Okay, great.” I went on to tell him what had happened with my brother, making sure I left out the part about my parents knowing that we had sex. I didn’t want him to feel awkward when he came over Saturday night, even though my dad would probably go out of his way to make sure that he did.
“Hey, I want to show you one of my happy places,” I said once we had gotten closer to home. I pulled off down the familiar long dirt road and into the little makeshift dirt parking lot. We got out of the car and I took his hand, walking through the wooded area until we finally reached the old abandoned stable that was still standing.
“Wow this is making me ecstatic,” he teased.
I playfully smacked him on the arm. “Keep walking, wise guy!” We trekked through another wooded area before coming to the beautiful crystal clear lake. A smile instantly stretched across my face while I was remembering all of the happy memories this place held. I took a seat on a hollowed out log while Drew looked around and out at the water before sitting down next to me.
“This is really beautiful. Betchya you can catch some good fish out there,” Drew said.
“Chestnut and I would come here once a week.”
“Who’s Chestnut?” he asked.
“He was my horse that I used to have when I was younger. He was a beautiful Arabian. I used to ride him in competitions. He lived in that stable back there. Back when Mr. Roberts owned this property. I would come here once a week for my riding lessons. The last twenty minutes were free time, so Chestnut and I would sneak out to this lake. I would capture pretty pictures in my mind, whether it was the beautiful autumn leaves or the Blue Heron that would come here each year to nest. Each week this lake gave me a new image to store inside my head and then when I would get home I would draw it out on paper.”
He looked at me and smiled. “Do you still have all the drawings?”
“Yup, I do. My favorite one was the one I drew of Chestnut. I have that one hanging in my room and will keep it forever.”
“What happened to him?”
I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. I couldn’t believe that after eleven years I still got so emotional over that darn horse. “I was riding him one day and he got spooked and I fell off him and broke my arm. He didn’t mean to do it, but my dad didn’t see it that way. He sold him right away. Didn’t even let me say goodbye or anything.” I wiped the teardrop that was flowing down my face. “I begged him to let me keep him, but he told me it was too dangerous. He didn’t care that I loved that horse more than anything. Just told me I would get over it.” I sighed heavily and looked out at the water. “He always made my feelings seem so insignificant. Still does.”
“Have you ridden since?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I think my parents actually brainwashed me somehow into being scared to death to ever ride a horse again. I tried doing it a few years ago and I just couldn’t.”
“Well, you know the only way to face your fears is to climb back up on that horse again.”
“Yeah, I know. Maybe someday I will.” I looked at him and smiled. “Thanks for coming with me today and for listening to me reminisce.”
“Anytime.” His face came closer to mine until our lips were finally touching. The only sound that could be heard was the water gently lapping and trees blowing in the warm breeze. I jumped when my phone began beeping with a text message from my pocket.
“Your phone has the worst possible timing ever,” Drew joked.
I giggled and pulled it from my pocket to find a text from Krista:
Do you care to meet Brad and me for a quick bite to eat?
I looked at the time on my phone and was shocked to see that it was almost six. “Hey, do you feel like meeting my friend Krista and whoever Brad is for dinner?”
He shrugged his shoulders and was a little hesitant before answering, “Yeah, that’s fine. I guess.”
I texted her back and we decided on the place and time.
“Ready?” I asked Drew.
“Yup,” he responded, getting up first and taking my hand and pulling me up.
I looked out at the water one last time and smiled before looking into Drew’s eyes. “Can I tell you a little secret?”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“I liked being here with you just as much as Chestnut and I got lots of pictures in my mind to put on paper.”
“Oh yeah?” he smiled. I looked up at him and smiled back. “Is one of those pictures this?” He took my face in his hands and kissed me. It was his best kiss yet. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was feeling it with every ounce of my being as I tried to capture the moment forever, or if it was really that good.
“I don’t need to paint a picture to remember that, Drew. Some things don’t need to be displayed to see them clearly. Some things are b
est seen if we just close our eyes and look inside our hearts…. and that kiss will remain in mine for the rest of my life.”
“Over here!” Krista shouted as we made our way into the crowded restaurant. Krista planted a kiss on my cheek once we finally reached her. She looked at Drew as if she was surprised to see him. “Oh, hey Drew,” she said quickly, looking away and then down at the ground.
“What’s up?” he responded.
“They said about a fifteen minute wait. Of course that was about twenty minutes ago,” she said as she rolled her eyes. I looked up at the big muscle head guy standing beside her, waiting for an introduction. “Oh, Becca and Drew, this is Brad.”
“Sup?” he said with a wave of his hand.
Sup? What the heck? Where did she find these guys? I could tell right away that what he had in brawn he certainly lacked in brains. Krista acted as if he weren’t even standing there, jumping into conversation right away with Drew, asking him a million questions about Ashton. Just hearing that name suddenly made Mr. Muscles seem a lot more likable. I was so happy when we were finally seated, hoping to now get Krista off the dreadful topic of Ashton.
“So Brad, how did you and Krista meet?” I asked.
Krista interjected right away almost as if she were embarrassed for him to speak. “At Kendall Layne’s party.”
I was trying to think up more conversation with him just as Drew excused himself, walking outside to take the call that was coming through on his phone.
“I gotta use the men’s room,” Brad finally spoke. Krista slid out of the booth to let him out. I watched as he walked away before turning my attention back to Krista.
“Okay, what’s up with Muscles Mcgee?” I teased.
She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “I don’t know; he’s kind of cute, don’t you think?”
“Krista, he has the personality of a rock.”
We both began to giggle. “Sweetie, his personality doesn’t matter in the bedroom. As long as he knows how to use it the right way, then I’m fine with that!”
“Oh my God, is that all you think of?”
“Look who’s talking. I think you and Mr. Hottie out there have been gettin’ pretty busy by the sounds of it.”
I turned around and looked out the window at Drew, who was still talking on his phone. “I seriously think I’m addicted to him. Oh my God, Krista, everything you told me about sex was true and even better with him.”
She busted out with laughter. “See what you’ve been missing all these years! That’s because you’re still in the new phase; everything is perfect when you just start dating someone. Then once the newness wears off, it just becomes dull.” I looked straight ahead. Maybe that was true but I couldn’t ever imagine anything with Drew being dull. “You’ll see once you get back to school and start experimenting with other guys.” I furrowed my brows at her. I didn’t want to be with any other guys. I just wanted Drew. “Oh come on, Becca, you don’t seriously think that he’s going to be the first and last guy that you ever sleep with, do you?”
“Well, I don’t know. You never know.”
“Sorry about that,” Drew said as he came back to the table.
I smiled up at him. “No problem.”
A wry smile stretched across Krista’s face. “So was that Ashton? What’s he up to tonight?” Krista asked.
“Nope it wasn’t, and I have no clue,” Drew replied. He seemed to be short with Krista since we arrived and I didn’t know why.
“How do you have no clue what he’s up to? The two of you are buddies,” Krista said.
Drew shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Y’all think I keep up to date on his schedule or something.”
Krista and I both stared at him at the same time and began to laugh. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Y’all?” Krista giggled. “I thought Becca said that you were from California?”
“Oh, yeah well, my grandfather was from down south so I picked it up from him,” he said as he nervously cleared his throat.
“I think you sound cute with your little southern drawl,” I said, squeezing his hand under the table.
We all looked up when Brad returned. Drew and I did our best to make conversation with him throughout dinner while Krista continued to ignore him. He really wasn’t a bad guy, just totally not my type, but then again neither was Ashton and Krista seemed to be pining away for him, big time.
After dinner, Drew and I went back to his place and it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t checked in with my mother all day. I decided to shoot her a quick text, telling her that I was having dinner with Krista. She didn’t need to know that I had already had dinner with her and was now at Drew’s. I was feeling a little relieved when I saw her text back, letting me know that she and my father were out to dinner with friends. At least now I knew that my dad wouldn’t be holding a grudge toward me for not showing up for dinner tonight. “Are you getting sick of me yet?” I teased Drew as we sat in the lounge chair in each other’s arms, looking up at the sky.
He kissed me on top of my head. “How could I ever get sick of a beautiful face like yours?”
I looked up at him and smiled before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “How many stars do you think are up in that sky tonight?”
“Lots,” he replied. “Are you cold?” he asked as I shivered.
“A little.” He got up and went inside, coming back out with a blanket. “All better?” he asked while covering us both up.
“Much.” I snuggled closer to him and breathed in his cologne.
I looked up at the star filled sky again and smiled, creating another perfect painting to store in my mind. As he rested his lips on my head, I thought about what Krista had said earlier about what we had fading away once the newness wore off and I was back at school. It was a thought that scared me half to death. I had never been more content than when I was in his arms and even though it was the first time that I had ever been feeling this way for a guy, I knew that there was something different about him. I hugged him tighter and closed my eyes, still seeing all those beautiful stars in my mind. I didn’t want to think about going back to school and leaving him in a few months. I didn’t want to think that maybe Krista was right and this was just the effects of being with someone new. All that I could think of for the moment was how at ease I felt when I was with him and if what we had together was truly meant to be, then time, distance, and nothing else would ever be able to separate us. As long as we could both look up at the night sky and see the same stars, the same moon, and the same beauty in it all…..we would always be together.
The week flew by and before I knew it, Saturday had arrived along with my mother’s barbeque. My father was talking to me once again, but I could still sense disappointment each time he looked at me. I was happy that I didn’t have to do anymore running around for Mrs. Barrett all week, instead I spent two days buried behind my laptop, inputting the benefactor information into a spreadsheet. Drew helped to input a lot of them as well when he saw that my eyes were going cross from it. I made sure that I rewarded him for all of his hard work, which actually was more of a compensation for both of us. I was finding that I couldn’t get enough of him and it was scaring me. Besides my parents, I never felt like I needed anyone in my life. But I was finding that I wanted to spend every waking minute with him. I wasn’t sure if it was normal to be feeling this way or if it was borderline obsession. But I never thought about it when I was with him, I just knew that he was the only person that I wanted to be with and I would blow off anything or anyone for him.
I tried my best to keep myself busy while waiting for Drew to arrive. I was a bundle of nerves, so afraid that my father was going to do or say something to make him feel uncomfortable. My heart dropped when I heard the doorbell ring, nearly falling over my own feet to answer it. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face when I did. I had just seen him last night, but to me it seemed like it had been years. I threw my arms around his neck and snuck in a sexy li
ttle kiss, knowing that all of the other guests were already outside and this would probably be the only chance that we had to be alone for the rest of the night.
“Hey there, my handsome guy!”
“Hey!” He smiled, sweeping his hand across my face. I took his hand and led him through the house and out onto the patio. My mother turned her attention to Drew and me when she saw us walk out the door. My father was deep in conversation with Dr. Barrett and didn’t even notice, of which I was kind of grateful.
“Well hello!” my mother exclaimed as she approached us, finally getting the attention of my father who turned around to see whom she was addressing.
“Mom, this is Drew,” I said.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Drew.”
“You too, Mrs. Keeton.”
My stomach dropped when I saw my father approaching us while eyeing up Drew questionably. “Drew, you remember my dad, right?” I asked, finally pulling it together to form a coherent sentence. The look on my mother’s face almost matched the anxious one that I was sure was plastered all over mine.
“How are you, Dr. Keeton?” Drew extended his hand to my father.
“I’m well, thank you,” my father replied, shaking his hand back. I started to let out a little sigh of relief and was so grateful when Mrs. Barrett came over to help break up the tension.
“Drew! It’s so nice to see you, Honey,” she said, placing a kiss on his cheek. “Now if you could only get my Ashton to find a nice sweet girl like Becca, I’d be a very happy mom!” Drew smiled and looked down at the ground. “I told Ashton that you were going to be here tonight, so hopefully he will come by.”
I sighed a little louder than I probably should have at that thought and I was hoping that Mrs. Barrett didn’t realize why.
“So Drew, when are you headed back to school?” my father asked.
“My classes start up again at the end of August.”
“Becca will be going back at the end of July,” my father said.
I furrowed my brows in confusion. “What!? No I’m not. I’ll be going back at the end of August as well!”