by Natalie Ann
“Pretty much. So tell me about Cassandra.”
“That bitch,” Hailey said.
“Never mind. Your reaction to the name tells me what I need to know. Lisa was probably spot on. Does your family always do that? Keep things private?”
“It’s not like that,” Hailey said. “Drew was embarrassed. Any guy would be. It’s not that she played him for his name, but she left him for a woman. Or cheated on him with one. Any guy would have an issue with that. Or have an issue with other guys giving him shit over it.”
“I guess so,” she said.
“Let’s go back in. It’s cold out here.”
They went in together and she saw Drew over getting another drink. So much for him changing his behavior for the rest of the night.
It was eleven thirty and she was trying to figure out how she was going to get home. Hunter and Kayla had left a few minutes ago. She supposed she could ask Hailey for a ride since she knew she wasn’t staying here much longer.
Lisa was probably telling more of the truth than anyone else had in the family. If Drew was still drinking then she didn’t want to be around him.
“There you are,” Bode said. “Here.”
She looked down at the keys in Bode’s hand. “What’s that?”
“Drew’s car keys. I took them from him a bit ago. He’s staying here tonight. But I know you will want to go.”
“Thanks. I think I’ll leave now. Will you let him know?”
“Yep. I think it’s for the best tonight. I’ll get him back tomorrow. Sorry the night turned out this way.”
“Don’t be sorry,” she said. “It’s not your fault but it was eye opening.”
“I know. Give him a chance to at least explain though. Can you promise me that?”
“Yeah. Happy New Year, Bode.”
“You too, Cookie Lady.”
At least she got one laugh out before she left.
31
Clear Enough
The next morning Drew rang the doorbell to Amanda’s. This wasn’t how he wanted the new year to start and he couldn’t take it back.
But he could apologize and grovel a bit if he had to.
It didn’t help any that Bode came in first thing this morning ringing a bell to get his ass out of bed.
As if he hadn’t had enough to drink to begin with, when Bode said he’d given Amanda his car keys and she’d left last night, he went right back to the keg and drowned his sorrows.
He didn’t have long to wait before Amanda pulled the door open. “People are sleeping here and you’re going to wake them.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I knew you’d be up.”
It was barely eight, but she was an early riser. He’d like to be in bed himself right now, but all his plans for the day went out the window like sand on the beach during a riptide.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I’m sure you slept well.”
“It’s easy when you’re shitfaced,” he said back. “Can I come in and get some coffee while we talk? Bode pulled my ass out of bed and all but threw me in the car to bring me here.”
A smile tried to reach her lips, but she must have thought better of it and stopped the motion. “Coffee is made.”
“Thanks,” he said, following her to the kitchen. He’d kept his jacket on for fear she’d kick him out but he still needed his keys. He finally took it off and put it on the back of the chair when she pulled out two cups.
“How’s the head?” she asked. “Need aspirin?”
“I wouldn’t turn any away.”
She opened a cabinet and grabbed a bottle and put it in front of him, then reached for a pan and some eggs out of the fridge. Wow, he was getting breakfast too. Guess he didn’t mess up too bad.
“No reason to take them on an empty stomach. Toast with it?”
“Sure,” he said. “Don’t go out of your way.”
It must have been the wrong thing to say. She turned and leaned against the counter, her arms crossed.
“Let’s make this clear. We need to talk. I’m feeding you so you don’t toss your cookies on my clean floor.”
He laughed and wished he didn’t when the motion made his head hurt even more. “Either way, I appreciate it. So I should start by apologizing.”
“What exactly are you apologizing for?” she asked while she cracked the eggs in a bowl.
“My behavior last night was less than desirable. I’m not in the habit of drinking a lot. I’m sure you noticed I don’t hold my liquor well.”
“Nor beer,” she said. “That’s all I saw you drinking.”
“It was high alcohol content, but yes. I’m usually much better about limiting myself and didn’t.”
“Why?” she asked. “You were drinking more than normal before that idiot started to hit on me. Which, by the way, wasn’t that big of a deal. No, I didn’t tell him who I was dating because it was exactly as I said, he didn’t give me a chance to. He asked for my number and I said I was in a relationship.”
“And then his hand went to your thigh.”
“It did. I moved away from it and was ready to stand up and leave when you grabbed him by the shirt. And if I haven’t been clear enough, I’ll talk slower. I don’t need a man to fight my battles. I don’t need one to fight for me or act all big and tough. I’m not sixteen and I’m not some catty woman that thinks it’s a turn on. It’s a turn off. It’s immature and uncalled for.”
Maybe it went back to everyone saying she was like the mother of the house. Something she felt came naturally to her in life. Which also meant there was no way she wanted to deal with immature behavior.
“It was uncalled for,” he admitted. “I saw him touching what was mine and all I saw was fire.”
“I’m not yours,” she said firmly. She didn’t need a man to lay claim to her either.
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Fine. I realized that too. You are your own woman and I should have known that by now. I started drinking early because I’m frustrated about our relationship.”
“Why?” she asked, not knowing where this was going. “I thought things were fine. Better than fine.”
“They are. But I wonder if I think they are better than you do.”
“You’re going to have to explain that to me because from my point of view—yesterday excluded—we’ve been getting along great.”
“I think I’m looking into the future faster than you.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again. “We’ve both been burned, Drew. I’m not one to stick my hand by any fire too fast now.”
“I get it. Bode pointed out how fast it was, but I told him we are thirty-two, not twenty-two. It’s different.”
It was. She’d give him credit for that. “But we also should know proper behavior at this age too.”
“Touché,” he said. “What are you looking for?”
“In a relationship?” She put the scrambled eggs she’d been cooking on a plate and realized she’d forgot to put the bread in the toaster and did that now.
“Yes,” he said back.
“I want a mutual respect between two people. I want someone I enjoy spending time with and can’t wait to see them again but who also understands I’ve got a life and friends too.”
“I do understand that. I’ve never said you can’t be with your friends. I’m not controlling.”
“You haven’t been, but I know it bothered you that I didn’t spend Christmas morning with you. Or the day after.”
“It did, but I know the type of person you are too and you’d never let someone else be alone even if it meant you gave up something you wanted.”
“Exactly.”
“I do respect you. Even if I didn’t act it yesterday. I’d like to think you enjoy time with me and look forward to spending more.”
“I do,” she said. “I’ve told you I’ve been alone for a long time. My family life wasn’t like yours. I’m still adapting to what you’ve
got here on this island.”
“And you’re doing a great job with it.”
“Now you are pacifying me.”
“Which you don’t like?” he asked.
“No.”
“I wasn’t doing that but rather complimenting you on the fact that I realize it’s a challenge to understand our family dynamics and you’re doing great.”
“Speaking of which…I had a conversation with your cousin Lisa last night on the deck.”
“Lisa?” he asked. “Lisa who?”
“Wayland,” she said. Had she been played a fool? Though Hailey never denied anything.
“Oh, her. She’s a very distant one at that. God, she’s so far removed from me that she’s not even really a cousin. Aside from being jealous of the Bonds, I’ve almost felt she liked me.”
“Liked, as in liked liked? That wanted to date you?” she asked, frowning. She pulled the bread out of the toaster oven and put butter on it and placed it in front of him. “Go ahead and eat.”
“I was waiting until you were done so we could eat together.”
Manners. Even at a time like this when he was still looking a little green he was waiting for her to sit down and join him. In this day and age she hadn’t experienced much of that with men and kind of gave up on it.
She pulled out a chair and sat. “Eat now. Back to Lisa. What did you mean?”
“I mean she went to the same college as me. We both lived on the island growing up and she was a few years behind me. She knew where I went to college and I always felt she followed me. I just got the feeling she had a crush on me for some reason, but she’s a bitch. Even if she weren’t, I’d have nothing to do with her.”
“Because she is from William’s side of the family?”
“No,” he said. “If you go back in history far enough we are all related. She’s just a jealous, petty, catty woman. She’s always been that way.”
Which was exactly what Amanda figured last night with the exception of Lisa having the hots for Drew.
“Be that as it may, she had a few things to say about your college days.”
He put some eggs in his mouth and chewed slowly, then picked up his coffee. “I’m sure she couldn’t wait to tell you all about Cassandra.”
“I’m pretty sure she delighted in it. But when Hailey came out she didn’t deny anything.”
“Hailey talked about what happened?” he asked.
“No. I wasn’t specific with what Lisa said in terms of everything, but she verified the important things.”
“That Cassandra had a girlfriend? I’m sure Lisa said I got drunk and trashed my college room, which of course was a big thing back then. My parents had to clean up that mess and stop me from being expelled.”
“And Cassandra managed to convince you that she wasn’t using you? That someone made it all up?” she asked.
“Guess I was a fool more than once during that time. But yes. I fell for it because I was stupid. I was in love and I thought I managed to find the woman I wanted to be with on my own.”
“Your mother had really been setting you up for years?”
“Not setting up but introducing us to girls left and right.”
“So she needs to approve who you boys end up with?” she asked but felt like Helena liked her well enough.
“She’d love that and I would too, but it wasn’t that as much as she just felt everyone should be happily in a relationship. My mother never cared for Cassandra and I should have taken that into consideration, but I didn’t.”
“So Cassandra convinced you that she wasn’t out for just your name. And then you found out she had a girlfriend.”
He pushed his unfinished plate of eggs away from him and reached for the toast. She wasn’t sure if his stomach was churning with the hangover or the conversation.
“I’d always thought in the back of my head that she still just wanted the name and money. Too many things were making sense thinking back. But if she loved me enough and I loved her, then I didn’t really care. But knocking on her apartment door and having someone answer it half dressed, yeah, that was overkill.”
“It could have been a roommate,” she said. “I’ve got three of them. Do people think we are all lesbians?”
“I think it was mentioned at one point to me when I was coming here to do the visit. Bode brought it up.”
“What did you think when you left here that first time?”
“Since I knew Kayla was engaged to Hunter, that wasn’t the case. But I knew you weren’t. I could tell by the way you were looking at me.”
She laughed. “How was that?”
“That you liked what you saw. Now I’ve got to figure out a way to beg your forgiveness for my sins. I want to be honest with you. I don’t want secrets. This really wasn’t one to begin with, so ask me what you want. I don’t like secrets.”
She was pretty sure her own face might have turned a bit green, but she pushed it back. “Lisa mentioned something about a bet? Was there one?”
“I have no idea. I’d heard that too. I asked but she wasn’t going to admit it I’m sure. And back to Cassandra’s girlfriend. I would have thought it was a roommate if when Cassandra walked in they didn’t kiss. Michele, that was her name. I won’t forget it. She’d put me in the living room and didn’t let Cassandra know I was there. When Cassandra came in, Michele hugged and kissed her, felt her up and made a comment about sneaking into the room that she was horny.”
“Yikes. Nothing like throwing it in your face. Did Michele know who you were?”
“Yeah. She did. She’d seen a picture of me and she wanted to make sure that Cassandra chose her over me. By the time I left I couldn’t have cared less what happened to them.”
“I’m sorry, Drew. It’s a shitty way to find out.”
“Cheating is cheating,” he said. “I’m not sure if it would have been worse if it was another man as I would have wondered what the guy had that I didn’t. With it being a woman, there was nothing to compete with.”
“That’s true. Here’s the deal. I like spending time with you. I like what we’ve got and maybe I want some more, but I’m taking it slow. Age or not, it doesn’t matter, I’m still taking it slow for my own reasons.”
“And you aren’t going to share them?”
“Does it matter what they are?”
“It does if it hinders us,” he said, standing up and moving toward her.
“The only thing that hinders us is our own behavior,” she said. “I’m sorry if I left without telling you, but Bode knew.”
“And I gave him shit about telling me after the fact.”
“Why? Were you going to try to stop me?”
“It had been my plan, but I’m sure it would have just caused a worse fight.”
“Probably. We both learned something last night.”
“That I can’t hold my beer well and I’m jealous?” he asked.
“That. Also that you care for me more than I realized. Or maybe I realized it and that is why I’m slowing down. I’m not stupid. I’m not putting the brakes on, but maybe I should have at least clued you in too.”
“You’re doing it now. You’re letting me know. Why are you slowing down?”
“Because I’m scared. For a number of reasons but most of all for the way you make me feel.”
“That’s good enough for me,” he said, kissing her lightly on the lips. “Happy New Year. The year ended shitty but I’d like to say it’s going to start out better now.”
“Definitely.”
32
One Big Step
Two weeks later Drew made his way to the Retreat for Hunter’s wedding. He’d love to be sitting with Amanda but that wouldn’t be happening since she’d be at the head table with the rest of the bridal party. Hunter’s cousins Skyler and Roark were in the wedding party with Amanda and Hailey.
Family. That was always the way it fell it seemed. Though Amanda wasn’t really Kayla’s family by blood, he knew she was like a sis
ter on a stronger level.
He and Amanda had made up and were back to what he’d like to consider normal.
They hadn’t really slowed down like she said she wanted to do but they weren’t stepping on the gas either. More like cruise control on a Sunday drive.
“Don’t get any ideas,” Coy said to him when they were seated, waiting for the ceremony to take place. There was a church on the island. Several of them actually. But Kayla didn’t want a big wedding. She didn’t want to be in a church. She wanted to get married where she first met Hunter and he was willing to give his future wife anything she wanted.
“Ideas on what?”
“You’ve got a look in your eye that you want be at the altar instead of Hunter and Kayla.”
“Get over yourself,” he said. He might have been moving fast in his mind, but he really wasn’t thinking of diamond rings...yet.
There were too many things he didn’t know about Amanda and until he got a better handle on them he wasn’t sure he could take that next step.
But he knew he was just a few steps from the top landing. Maybe just one step. And that was one big step that he had no intention of tripping on.
He’d been there and done that and when he was finally ready to ask a woman to be his wife he was going to know everything about her he could.
No more surprises. No more blindsides.
“Just wanted to make sure,” Coy said. “It’s too early even for you. Even for Mom, regardless of what she is saying.”
“What is she saying?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Coy said. “Quiet. They are starting.”
The music began to play and everyone hushed as Roark walked Nicole down the aisle. Skyler was already waiting there next to Hunter. When the music changed, heads turned and Hailey walked down, followed by Amanda.
Yeah, his breath caught in his throat just like he thought it would. She looked absolutely stunning in her dark gray dress. It was fitted in all the right places, hit the floor but had a slit up to mid-thigh. His eyes were going there with every step she took.
When she passed by him, she winked, and shook her head as if she knew exactly what he was looking at.