“I have a solution to that problem.” I watched as Drew reached into his back pocket, pulling out his cell phone. He was going to ask for my number, I knew it before the question could even come out of his mouth.
I held my hand over his that was clutching his phone and looked into his eyes. Confusion dawned on his face as he looked at where my hand was.
“Drew.” Sucking in a breath and then letting it out, I gave it my all with how I was going to turn down his offer. “You didn’t ask for my number yesterday.”
I took my hand off his and placed a finger over his lips as he tried to open his mouth to what I believed to be a protest.
“Let’s not pretend you’ll actually use my number once this weekend is over and you’re back in Maryland and I’m back in Georgia.”
I lowered my finger, waiting to see what he would say. Instead, he looked down at his phone, shrugged, and then put it away, before stepping away from me. The space was a loud scream to my heart that maybe I had just fucked this whole thing up.
That was until Drew finally opened his mouth.
“No worries, bug.” My heart thumped at the nickname coming out again. “If it’s meant to be, then we’ll see each other again.”
He gave me a wink before bending down and kissing my forehead, like he knew that he would see me even though the odds weren’t in our favor. He walked away like a breeze in the wind and I tried to hold on to it, but it slipped through my fingers as he drove away. I knew deep down, though, that even though I could see his taillights, I would be seeing his headlights later today.
I went inside after a few more seconds. I had enough time to get ready for the day and the girls would never know I’d left my room. At least, I thought that.
“And where have you been?” Celeste asked as I opened the door to my room. She and Monica were plopped on my bed, already dressed for the day.
“Nowhere.” I walked into the small bathroom and started the shower.
“Spill,” Monica demanded when I walked back into the room to grab a change of clothes.
A sharp laugh escaped me because for some reason I thought I could keep this from them. But I knew my friends and should have known they would find out some way or another.
“It’s nothing really. Guy from the bar yesterday.”
“What guy?” Monica asked in surprise, but Celeste was calm when she started her questioning.
“Do you even know this guy, Tabs?” The look on her face was one that told me I should know better than to run around at night with men I didn’t know. But it didn’t feel like that with Drew. It felt like I knew him from the moment I laid eyes on him and started drawing every feature I could get down into my notepad.
“What guy?” Monica whined this time.
“Some guy that was hitting on her at the bar yesterday.”
“His name is Drew. He’s from Maryland. We drank wine and laid out in the bed of his truck all night on the beach.”
“That sounds”—Celeste ran a finger over her chin, clearly trying to find the right word here—“romantic?”
“Is that a question?” I laughed and grabbed for a pair of shorts and an off the shoulder crop top.
“It’s because I would’ve never pegged him for someone who would take you to a beach with wine.”
“And watch the waves and sleep under the stars.”
“Yeah, that too.” She waved her hand at my additional comment and continued to ponder. “What does he want?”
“I honestly have no idea and I’m okay with that.”
“You.” Monica stood finally and walked over to me. “Miss I’m saving my virginity for the right man, are okay with him not knowing what he wants?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged, holding my hands in the air like I’d been caught doing something wrong. These two never had relationships, so the one time I decided that hell, I wanted to just have fun, I got reprimanded.
“I’m down.” Monica shrugged back and pulled Celeste to her feet. “You need to get laid and get that cherry popped, babe.”
“I’m here to celebrate my birthday and be with you two.”
