Drew’s large hand covered the nape of my back. Breathing had pretty much become an option to me thanks to his mere closeness. His thumb slid across the fabric of my t-shirt sending delicious heat coursing through my veins.
“You’re expertise would be appreciated, Bill. We’ll stop by the garage later, Wyatt, so Mr. Evans may have a look.”
“Thank you, sir,” Wyatt replied, stepping past us, closing the front door behind him as he left.
“This way,” Drew exclaimed, dragging me toward the staircase.
As he pulled me up the stairs, I caught a glimpse of the living room below. Looming to the west side of the room was an elaborate fireplace. In front of the marble fireplace was a large, plush area rug that covered the beautiful hardwood floor. Two fancy white sofas with winged arms and backs were placed strategically around the rug. A dark wood coffee table was settled between the couches.
“Where are we going?” I asked, running as fast as my legs could carry me up the stairs.
“My room. I want to show you the view of the gulf from there,” Drew said, stopping at the top of the third floor. My parents appeared behind us, both breathless.
Unlike the floor below us, I counted only two doors. “How many rooms are up here?” I inquired.
“Only two. My room and the music room.”
“Music room?” Mom asked, catching her breath.
“My mother forced me to learn how to play the piano when I was a boy. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with it.”
“A man of hidden talents,” I mused.
“You don’t know the half of it,” he stated, wiggling his brows. Drew squeezed my hand and opened the door, escorting me inside. Heat sizzled through his skin into mine.
God, I hope I don’t get sweaty palms, I silently prayed.
“Maybe you could play for us, sometime,” Mom suggested.
“I don’t play in public,” Drew admitted.
Crown molding bordered the taupe walls and ceiling. Hardwood floors, stained just a shade darker than the crown molding, creaked as we walked around the room.
In the corner was a sitting area complete with loveseat and coffee table. An oversized bed, covered by a blue comforter with a tan blanket thrown across the middle, rested against the wall. The bed faced a wall of French doors and paned windows.
I released Drew’s hand and stepped toward the doors, in awe of the beautiful ocean view. Just below the balcony, an infinity pool appeared to be drifting off toward the ocean. A beautiful cabana house was nestled between the house and trees.
Drew stepped up behind me, and placed his hands on my shoulders. His warm breath cascaded over me like the air of a warm spring day. I pressed my back against his chest, feeling the heat of his body burning through my thin t-shirt.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” he murmured softly in my ear.
“Truly,” I whispered.
“It’s even more so at night when the moon shines in.”
“I bet.”
A soft meow and a furry head nudging my ankle pulled me out of my Drew induced coma. I looked down to see a white cat with large black spots, butting my leg.
“I was wondering where you were, ol’ boy,” Drew said, releasing me from his grasp. He knelt down and picked the giant fur ball up, cradling it in his arms like a child.
“And who might this fella be?” I asked, scratching the cat’s oversized tummy.
“This is Wicket,” Drew announced, scratching the cat behind the ears. “He’s my old man. I’m sure Chewbacca is around here somewhere. When one appears, the other‘s not far behind.”
“Wicket and Chewbacca,” I chuckled. “A true Star Wars fan.”
“If you only knew the extent of it,” he said. Before I could ask him what he meant, another purr caught our attention. “Speak of the devil,” Drew said, nodding toward the cat sliding between my parents’ legs. The bright orange and white feline, resembling a Creamsicle, marched up to me. He rammed his head into my ankle, almost as if he was demanding me to pick him up.
Following orders, I picked him up. He was much lighter than he looked.
“You must be Chewie,” I said to the cat. He bumped his head against my chest, purring louder.
“Hmm, someone likes you,” Drew chortled, petting Chewie behind the ears.
“Such a pretty kitty,” I cooed.
Drew was so relaxed holding the animal in his arms. He rubbed his nose to Wicket’s and purred at the creature.
“I never took you for a cat person,” I said.
“These cats are my babies.”
Drew placed Wicket back on the floor, who decided that my legs would be a great rubbing post. He twisted his hefty body around them, nearly toppling me and Chewie over.
Catching me by the arms, Drew looked at me with a huge smile on his face. “They rarely take to someone so quickly. They really like you.”
I rocked Chewie in my arms, staring into his huge black eyes. Why I started to sing was a complete mystery, but the words started to pour from my lips. “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur, happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.”
The roars of laughter that decanted from my parents and Drew caused me and Chewie to both jump out of our skin.
“That was too cute, Mickie,” my mother cackled.
Dad snorted hard then cleared his throat, glancing around the room.
I leaned forward and placed Chewie back on his feet, who protested his release by bumping his head against Drew’s leg.
“Later, you spoiled fur ball,” Drew told the cat. Satisfied with his master’s acknowledgement, Chewie turned around and marched out of the room, followed by Wicket.
“Let’s head back downstairs, shall we?” Drew suggested, extending his hand before me.
I followed my parents out of the room with Drew walking close behind me. The bedroom door closed with a soft thud, and Drew placed his hand against the nape of my back leading me downstairs.
Drew led us to the kitchen were an older, heavyset woman was caterwauling in front of a stove. Her mousy grey hair was piled on top of her head, and her extended hips danced in time with her off-tune singing.
The marble countertops were accented by amazing copper fixtures. Cabinets circled the length of the kitchen. Lodged between the cabinets were various kitchen appliances, paneled to look like the cabinets.
A horseshoe shaped bar, in the center of the kitchen, had six copper barstools stationed around it. Above the bar was a vaulted ceiling with a quaint ceiling fan twirling at a low speed. In the center of the bar sat a plate of white frosted cupcakes.
Drew’s eyes grew big and an evil smirk twisted his lips as he tiptoed closer. He lifted a finger to his mouth, indicating we needed to be quite when suddenly he yelled, “Yoink,” and yanked a cupcake off the plate.
The large woman turned around, with a wooden spoon in her hand. While I’m a firm believer in the laws of physics, I swear this woman had a super power. Because against all odds, she was across the kitchen in the blink of an eye and smacked the snot out of Drew’s hand.
“Andrew Wise, those cupcakes are for the birthday girl,” she scolded him.
“But…but,” Drew whined, placing the cupcake back on the tray.
“You told me to make her favorite. Now, you don’t get one until she does.”
“You had her make cupcakes for me?” I asked, surprised.
“Awe, you must be the birthday girl. I’m Ruby Greenwood,” the large woman introduced herself, extending her plump hand toward me.
“McKenzie Evans,” I replied, taking her hand.
“Carrot cake with cream cheese icing,” Ruby informed me. “Mr. Wise said they’re your favorite.”
“Yes, they are, but you shouldn’t have gone through all this trouble for me.”
“It’s no trouble at all. This is an old family recipe. Please, take one.”
I looked back at my parents to see them both smiling, and Drew dancing beside me like a child who needed to pee.
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“Take one, Mickie, so I can have one,” he bellyached.
“I think I’ll wait ‘til after dinner to eat one,” I teased.
Drew’s mouth dropped, and drool nearly dribbled down his chin. “You wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”
I crossed my arms over my chest, staring at the plate of cupcakes. Sure, I wanted one bad, but seeing Drew acting childish over a cupcake was far more entertaining than feeding my own craving.
“I believe I just might.”
His eyes grew big, and his lips started to tremble. “Fine. I can wait,” he moped.
Seeing him pout was more than I could bear. I grabbed two cupcakes from the plate. “Here ya go, Andy,” I said, holding one out to him. His eyes lit up and his smile returned as he opened his hand, accepting my gift.
He pulled back the wrapper and delved into the scrumptious treat. Each savory moan that fell from his lips twisted and turned my insides, making it damn near impossible for me to enjoy my own cupcake.
Drew had just swallowed down his third cupcake when my Dad asked, “So, Drew, how about that fishin’?”
“Mhm, yes, sir. Let’s go fishing.” He thumbed toward the back door. “Oh, and ladies, the cabana house is just outside. There are dressing rooms in there. Make yourselves at home.”
My eyes were glued to Drew until he disappeared with my father in tow. He winked at me in the process of closing the door behind him. The corners of my lips pulled into a smile.
Once the men were gone, I looked up to my mother who was leaning against the bar with a smug smile on her face.
“What?” I asked; my tone abrupt and defensive.
“You got it bad, little girl.”
“I do not!” I waved her off, my heart fluttering in my chest.
She shoved off the bar and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Sure you don’t, sweetheart,” she laughed, leading me in the direction Drew had indicated. Behind us, Ruby had returned to cooking and singing the same tune as before.
Being on a private beach was different than being on a public one. Besides the boat, which was anchored in the water, and the occasional Jet Ski gliding by, the beach was empty. Mom and I relaxed as long as we could before Drew and Dad got tired of catching nothing. They put up their fishing poles and joined us on the beach.
Bored with the idea of sunbathing, Drew suggested a game of beach volleyball. Surprisingly, both my parents agreed to play without any argument. Drew and I ended up as teammates which was fine with me.
The game was pretty much a fiasco. Never in my life had I felt like such a klutz. Normally, I was pretty good at volleyball, but in Drew’s presence, I fell all over him and myself. At one point, we ran right smack into each other, in a mad dash for my mother’s poor excuse of a spike ball. Why we didn’t see each other, God only knows, but we ended up tangled together, falling backwards in the sand. I swear for a full minute I lost the ability to think, let alone breathe, as Drew scrambled to untangle our limbs from one another.
By some miraculous, or maybe divine, intervention, we won.
After the game, we ate a delicious meal, poolside. How Drew didn’t weigh a million pounds was beyond me. Ruby was a magnificent chef. And just when I thought the meal was over, she brought out another course.
Sick to my stomach from overeating, Mom and I decided to relax by the pool while the men went to check out the garage. Dad had been antsy to see Drew’s car collection all day.
The sun had set over the water, and in its place hung a sliver of the moon. While the rest was pitch black, the stars in the sky illuminated the missing portion of the moon so it could be seen. A cool breeze blew in off of the gulf, chilling my skin.
“Sweetheart, I think we might want to consider going home soon,” Mom suggested, pulling her arms inside her t-shirt.
“Yeah. This is why I wanted to bring my car,” I complained.
“I know, honey, but you lost,” she chuckled. “Now, go get the men. I’m exhausted.”
I got up from the lounge chair, kissed my mom on the top of her head, and trotted off toward the garage.
Gravel crunched under my shoes. Bright florescent lights brightened the area around the six bay-door warehouse. All the port doors were closed. Light flashed from a side door that seemed to be cracked open. As I approached the door, I could hear the two men talking inside.
“No, what I’m askin’ is, what are your intentions with my daughter?” Dad’s gruff voice echoed.
“Mickie is a wonderful woman and a great friend,” Drew responded with an attorney’s vigilance.
“I don’t deny that, but you’re avoiding my question, son,” Dad continued. “I know that you’re in a relationship with Olivia. My wife and daughter have made that perfectly clear to me. That’s why I’m askin’ what your intentions are. I refuse to see my little girl suffer again. She’s endured enough.”
My heart clenched. Throughout my miscarriage and breakup with Nate, my father had remained silent. It was my mother who pleaded with me to seek help, but to hear that my dad had been just as worried crushed me.
“She deserves to be loved proper, and while I like you, son, I see you as nothing but heartache for her.”
“May I be frank with you, Bill?”
“By all means,” Dad encouraged.
“There are things in my past that I’m not proud of. Things that if Mickie knew…” Drew’s deep sigh was harsh and ragged. “When I started dating Olivia, I was in a bad place. I’d lost someone that I loved very dearly, due to my own fault. After that, I swore I would never love again. And I stuck to that promise until recently,” Drew paused. I pushed my ear closer to the crack in the door, hanging on Drew’s every word. “Then things changed. Everything I thought I wanted didn’t make sense anymore. I met this gorgeous woman who’s smart and funny, and she challenges me. In truth, she’s better than anything I ever could’ve imagined. I wasn’t looking for love, but love found me.”
I stepped back from the door, my heart shattering into a million pieces. It had been silly for me to think Drew could love someone like me. He came from a world of riches and class, and deserved a girl that understood that world. It was obvious he had been in love with Olivia this whole time, and I was only imagining that he had any sort of feelings toward me.
Humiliated and distraught, I covered my face, willing myself not to cry. I didn’t deserve tears. My heart was broken due to my own stupidity. Forgetting the reason why I had come to the garage in the first place, I turned around only to run smack dab into a looming figure.
Wyatt’s large cold hand clasped my shoulders to steady me. “Can I help you, Miss Evans?”
Caught off guard, I screamed. Embarrassed by my own reaction, I cupped my hands over my mouth certain I woke the dead with my shrill scream.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Did you need something?” Wyatt looked at me through kind eyes.
“I was just looking for Dad and Drew,” I squeaked.
“They’re inside. Follow me.”
He pushed the door open, walking ahead of me. I tiptoed inside, blood burning through my skin, knowing that Dad and Drew had heard me scream.
“Is everything okay?” Drew asked, seeing Wyatt and me.
“Oh, yes, sir. I just startled, young miss. It was my mistake.”
“No harm done,” I muttered.
Dad cocked his head. “What’s up, Mick?”
“Mom sent me to get you guys. She’s ready to go.”
Drew’s smile dropped, as he glanced at his watch. “I guess it’s about that time.”
Dad and Wyatt shook hands. “Thank you for the tip on the Tonka toy,” Wyatt said, nodding toward the neon green Smart Car.
At a glance I noticed a white Mazda RX-8 parked next to a bright red Shelby Mustang GT 500 with white racing stripes, and a silver Rolls Royce Phantom. There were two empty spots next to a bright orange Honda CBR600RR. A blue ’69 Camaro was up on a lift, and a slate black Porsche Boxster S was par
ked on the other side. Being the daughter of a car man, I grew up learning far too much than any girl should know about cars and bikes.
“Anytime,” Dad replied.
“You okay?” Drew breathed in my ear.
“Um, yeah. This is some collection you have,” I pointed toward the vehicles.
“Thanks,” he breathed against my skin.
Dinner wasn’t settling well in my stomach. I felt clammy and wanted to get away.
“I’m ready when you are,” Dad said, turning to leave the garage.
“After you,” Drew said, extending his hand out to me. I followed suit, stepping around my father to keep my distance from Drew. I couldn’t even look him in the eye.
Thirty minutes later, Drew had delivered my parents to their hotel room at the Helmsley, and we arrived back to my apartment. Hardly a word was spoken between us as we drove back. The idea of talking only brought pain to my chest.
Drew parked the Rover and escorted me to my door. Unable to look at him, I fumbled with my key trying to get it in the lock. “Thank you for a wonderful day, Andy. It was more than I deserved.”
“You’re welcome, Mickie.”
I managed to push the key into the door. The heat of Drew’s body engulfed me, as he hovered over me. With the click of the lock, I twisted the knob.
Drew placed his hand over mine, preventing me from opening the door. “Mickie, I think we need to talk,” he whispered.
His fingers wrapped around my shoulders and he turned me to face him. He tilted my head up and instantly I was caught in his aqua pools. Drew’s lips twitched, sending my heart into overdrive.
“About what?” I swallowed hard.
“About what almost happened this morning.”
His tongue darted out over his delicious lips. Oh, how I envied his tongue for being able to touch those lips.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I forced the words from my mouth, choking on each syllable.
Drew cocked his head to the side, taking in my expression. His jaw clinched tight and his nose flared.
“Really? Because, I think there is.” He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. Nervous energy radiated off of him. “I was talking to your father tonight, and I realized–”
The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga) Page 21