“And I’m happy for that, but I also want you to get laid.”
“As much as I hate to agree, she’s got a point.” Celeste pointed to Monica and I think both of us went into shock. Celeste never agreed with Monica. Even though we were all friends, those two butted head the most. When you get two Geminis together, it’s bound to happen.
“I’m going to get showered and dressed before an apocalypse happens.”
I shoved the two out of my room before either could say another word. My mind wondered back to last night again and Monica’s comment about getting my cherry popped. The girls had tried to set me up on many dates throughout the years, but none had ever felt like when I was with Drew. I was all but willing to give him my virginity last night, but then he surprised me. He held back and held me in his arms.
Not just that. He was ultimately holding my heart right now, and the binding around it was tightening with each passing moment of us being together. The daunting thought of Sunday morning coming tomorrow, though, was like a bucket of cold water against me as the steaming hot water poured out of the shower.
I couldn’t think about that right now, because for all I knew, Drew didn’t want to have sex with me. He probably didn’t want some twenty-one-year-old clinging all over him. He also probably had no idea I was a virgin, and why would he? I walked around in minimal clothing and spoke my mind. I was probably one of the girls guys looked at and thought I’d be down to fuck at any moment.
I shook my head and finished getting ready to meet the girls. I’d seen a few brochures down in the lobby and one of them was for the botanical gardens just down the coast. I needed a break from this area and a quiet place that I could work and try to get Drew out of my mind.
“And off we go!” Monica led the way out of the small house after I shoved the botanical gardens brochure in her hand.
It wasn’t a long drive before we got there and Monica jumped out of the car with her camera, taking as many photos as she possible could. I followed behind her, taking a few with my phone for references later. Celeste was off on her own, probably with a new book. This was who we were as friends. We could be together, but didn’t have to be, and still enjoy the same experience, just in our own ways.
I found a small path leading toward the back of the gardens where the trees started to hang low and the moss almost hit you in the face, unless you ducked and walked around it. There was a small bench, just big enough for one person in the clearing, and I took a seat, pulling out my sketchpad and pencil. I lined out the trees around me and tried to concentrate on the branches and their curves, but my mind kept wondering back to other curves.
Drew’s jaw line came to mind and my hand instinctively flipped to the next page in my notebook. Lines formed from my pencil to paper without a thought and before I knew it, Drew’s face was staring back at me with the same look when he left me this morning. I studied it closer, paying more attention to the way the edge of his mouth was tipped up in a slight smile. Not a smirk, no, just a smile that he knew how he affected me, but wasn’t cocky about it.
I wanted to see him again, but I had no idea if it would happen. I’d made sure to not give him my number this morning, but from the look he gave me, he was almost sure fate would bring us back together. We were too far away from the beach for him to find me here, but once we went back into town, the game would change. It would be like cat and mouse, except the mouse was in plain sight and the cat was the one hiding, just waiting to pounce.
“We’re going to head back to the beach a little early.” Celeste was standing in front of me and by the look on her face, I could tell she had probably been trying to get my attention for some time. “Monica got a call to shoot out on a private sector of the main beach, so she’s jumping at the chance.”
“That’s awesome. I’ll pack my things.”
I mindlessly put my sketchbook and pencil away and then pulled myself up from the bench, but Celeste hadn’t moved from where she was standing.
“You’re thinking about him again,” she said with a smile plastered across her face.
“Nope.” The single word popped out of my mouth as I passed by her, toward the exit of the gardens. Monica was already waiting in the car with the air cranked to full blast when Celeste and I got in. She was bouncing in her seat texting someone.
“This is going to be the game changer, guys,” she said as she pulled the car out of the parking spot.
“Who’s it with?”
“Italian Vogue.” She paused for effect and then jumped back in before Celeste or me could say anything. “Talon is in town to shoot for them and they want to do a spread for plus-size models. He recommended me, showed off some of my photos, and they were hooked.”
“Talon, isn’t that the guy who chased you through Germany when we were visiting last year?” Celeste questioned her and she turned a deep shade of red. Lucky for Monica, she was pulling up to the beach in that moment. Who I assumed was Talon was standing along the sidewalk in front of the parking spot and the red that was on Monica’s face before was now spreading across her body. Clearly there was more to this Talon guy than even I knew.
“Ciao, splendore!” Talon’s thick accent could be heard from the car as his arms wrapped around Monica. We watched as they broke away from us, walking toward the large rock formation off to the side. There were lounge chairs lined across the sand, where Celeste and I took our spots after getting comfortable.
Celeste had pulled back out her book as she lay there basking in the sun next to me, while I was propped up, lying with my sketchbook. Somehow between drawing Drew’s face on the bench in the gardens, to now, I had started to draw what I remembered from his hands and then his arms. It was like my mind was trying to commit it all to memory.
I was shading his bicep when a shadow cast over me and half of Celeste. I looked up with a hand over my eyes, trying to see who was there, but couldn’t make out who with the blinding light of the sun coming from behind them. But the second the words came flooding out of their mouth, I knew exactly who it was.
“Clearly it’s meant to be, bug.”
“Are you a serial killer?”
“What?” I’d sat up more to clearly see Drew’s face, which was set at a deadpan while he was looking at Celeste after she asked her question.
“Celeste,” I admonished her, smacking her arm.
“What?” She shrugged. “You’re interested in my best friend. It’s a valid question.”
It was clear that Celeste had pieced together who Drew was and was going to get to the bottom of what I hadn’t told the girls about this morning.
