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“Well, if you haven’t seen her around lately, I think you have your answer.” Mallory says, pinning me with a knowing glance. “And the family thing could be awkward … but what if it ended up being great?”
I smile and glance back again at Drew. He’s looking this way and our eyes meet across the restaurant.
He smiles at me and I feel like I’m melting from the inside out. Maybe my heart is beginning to thaw after all.
The next day, Samantha and I are chilling in our apartment. Samantha is playing while I sit on the floor and prep things for this next week of class. I’ve gotten all of my papers graded, and I laminated some number cards for a math game I’m doing with my class this week.
Sam runs across the room from where she was playing with her dollhouse and sits in my lap. “Mommy, can I have a snack?”
I glance at the clock on the stove and see it’s almost noon. “Oh yeah, I guess it’s lunchtime! You want mac and cheese?”
“Yeah!” She beams.
I hear my phone ping and walk over to the table to pick it up. My heart flutters when I see a text from Drew.
Drew: I grilled for lunch if you gals are interested in eating something that didn’t come out of the microwave.
I laugh and type out a response.
Sophie: How do you know I haven’t been baking up a feast all morning?
Drew: Well, seeing as your apartment doesn’t have an oven, that doesn’t seem likely.
Sophie: Is it a bad sign that I didn’t even realize there wasn’t an oven down here?
Drew: Yeah, that’s pretty bad. Come up and eat with us.
Sophie: Alright, if you insist.
I grin at my phone. He’s never texted to invite us over casually like this. It’s usually only a question about Penny or him telling me he got called in. He’s probably just being nice since he knows I don’t cook much … and apparently don’t have an oven.
“Hey Sammy girl, you want to go up and eat with Drew and Penny?”
Instead of answering, she jumps up and down, then runs toward the door that leads to the stairway.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” I chuckle as I unlock the deadbolt and take Sam’s hand as we walk up the stairs.
Once we’re at the top of the steps, Samantha takes off in a run toward the kitchen, where she finds Drew. She hugs his leg, and he hoists her up for a hug. He’s wearing his white apron and seasoning something with one hand while he holds Sam with his other arm. Samantha is giggling and Drew has a big smile on his face. Dan and Shay’s newest album plays from the Bluetooth speakers and an overwhelming sense of happiness fills my heart. I think I’d be perfectly content to spend every day with the three people in this room.
“Sophie!” Penny exclaims as she runs toward me from the kitchen. “I didn’t know you guys were coming over today!”
Drew sets Samantha back on the floor and replies, “I thought they could come eat lunch with us.”
Penny smiles up at him, then grabs onto Samantha’s hand. “Come on, let’s go play!”
They run down the hallway together toward Penny’s bedroom.
Drew chuckles. “I love how well they get along.”
“Me too.” I smile. “So, what’s for lunch?”
“I grilled some pork chops and zucchini.”
I narrow my eyes. “Sounds very healthy.”
He slides a container across the countertop in my direction.
“Don’t worry, we baked cookies too.” He winks and my stomach does a little flip.
