by Sherri Hayes
His thoughts began drifting into X-rated territory when he heard his phone beep. Digging it out of his pocket, he checked the message he’d just received. His heart skipped a beat when he saw it was Beth. He hadn’t heard from her since they’d spoken on the phone the week before, and he hadn’t been able to make it to the club on Saturday. When he hadn’t heard from her again, he’d debated calling her, but had hesitated. He was trying to let her set the pace.
I hope I didn’t cause you any problems with your friends. - Beth
Drew quickly typed out a response.
You didn’t. I was happy you called.
Okay. - Beth
Her reply didn’t give him much to work with, but he wasn’t willing to end their conversation yet—even if it was only via text.
The café is closed today, isn’t it?
Yes. - Beth
He took a deep breath, and plowed ahead. She’d made first contact. He was going to take a leap of faith.
Do you have plans?
Not really. - Beth
Did you want to catch a movie?
She didn’t answer back immediately.
Together? - Beth
Yes.
There was another extremely long break in the exchange, and Drew was thinking he’d put his foot in his mouth again.
Friends? - Beth
He released a loud sigh of relief.
Of course.
All right. What time? - Beth
Drew was shaking with excitement. He could barely type his response back to her.
I just got home. Let me check movie times, and I’ll text you back. Anything you want to see?
I hate to admit this, but I don’t really know what’s out right now. Been a while since I’ve gone to the movies. -Beth
Okay. I’ll put together a few options.
As quickly as he could, Drew finished putting away his groceries, and then went to the bedroom to retrieve his laptop. It took him a few minutes to pull up movie times for nearby theaters. He wanted to give Beth as many options as possible, so he chose a location that boasted twenty-four screens. They had five different movies all starting within a half hour of each other. He figured he and Beth could find something suitable to watch from the choices.
He texted her back with the movie names and times.
Did you want me to pick you up?
She answered almost immediately.
No. I’ll meet you there. What time? - Beth
Now? LOL
Didn’t you work last night? Don’t you need to sleep? - Beth
I can sleep anytime.
You need your rest. 2? - Beth
Okay. I’ll see you at 2.
Sleep well, Drew. - Beth
I will. Now.
By the time Drew plugged his phone into the charger on his nightstand and slipped into bed, he felt as if his face would fall off from grinning so much. He had a date with Beth. Okay. Not a date. It was two friends going to see a movie together. Still, he was going to be spending time with Beth outside her work or the club. He couldn’t see a downside.
Unfortunately, his enthusiasm for his afternoon with Beth made for a restless sleep. Thank goodness it had been slow at work the night before or else he might have found himself dozing during the movie. That was unacceptable. Drew would have begged on his hands and knees for this time with Beth. He wasn’t going to waste it.
The entire time he was getting ready, he kept telling himself that he needed to calm down. They were going out as friends. It wasn’t a date.
That was true enough. He also knew that if the outing didn’t go well this afternoon, then the chances of him ever getting her to agree to go out on an actual date with him were slim to none. Talk about pressure.
Drew threw on a nice pair of faded jeans and a T-shirt. He had thought about stepping it up a little, maybe nice khakis instead of jeans, but decided that might not be the best idea. He couldn’t do anything that would suggest they were on a date.
After swiping his keys, he made the short drive to the movie theater. Getting out of his car, he saw her already waiting on a bench not far from the main entrance. She was beautiful, but she always was. Her hair was down, and for the first time he saw how it looked as it framed her face. He wanted to run his fingers through it and see if it felt as soft as it appeared.
He made it halfway to where she was before she saw him. Drew picked up his pace and crossed the parking lot. “Sorry I wasn’t here sooner. Did you have to wait long?”
She smiled, but it seemed off somehow. “No. I got here a few minutes ago.”
They stood in awkward silence for a moment.
“Should we go inside?” he asked.
“Yes. I mean, no. I mean . . .” She shook her head and huffed. “I hate feeling so out of sorts.”
Disappointment began to take hold. “Did you change your mind?”
“No. I agreed to see a movie with you, and that’s what I’m going to do. But we’ve agreed this isn’t a date, correct?”
“Correct. It’s just two friends going to see a movie together.”
Beth nodded. “That means I pay for my ticket, and you pay for yours. I don’t need there to be any blurred lines.”
Although the notion of him not paying for Beth’s ticket rubbed him the wrong way, he agreed, and motioned toward the ticket counter. “Shall we?”
She looked up at him with a much more relaxed expression. “You know, I was thinking maybe that action flick. You like action movies, don’t you?”
“Come on. I’m a guy. Of course I like action movies. What’s not to like? Fighting? Guns? Explosions?”
Beth laughed, and Drew felt a warmth spreading through his chest. So far so good. He had one goal for the day—to make sure Beth had a good time—and he was going to do everything he could to make that happen.
Chapter 9
Beth didn’t know what to expect when she’d accepted Drew’s invitation. All she knew was that when he’d asked, she really wanted to go. So throwing caution to the wind, she’d texted him back agreeing to meet him at the theater.
It turned out to be a very good decision. After getting their tickets, Drew had guided her over to the concession stand saying that they had to have popcorn. He’d gotten a large bucket—insisting he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast—and a large soda. She’d ordered herself a drink, and tried to get him to let her pay half for the popcorn as well, but he was adamant that it wouldn’t be fair since he’d most likely eat the majority of it himself. Short of arguing with him in the middle of the cinema, Beth let it go. Sometimes Drew didn’t act very submissive.
While they were waiting for their movie to start, they munched on popcorn and commented on the theater ads that were showing. It was laid-back and natural. After a while, Beth started to relax.
The movie turned out to be pretty good. As advertised, there was a lot of action. What she hadn’t expected, however, was the tearjerker ending. The credits began rolling on the screen, and Beth was sniffing and wiping tears off her cheeks. How utterly unattractive.
“You okay?”
Beth nodded and reached into her purse for a tissue. “Yeah, I’m fine. I don’t know why they always make these movies with endings that make me cry.”
Drew shrugged. “They probably figure they’ve gotten the men with all the violence, so they need to appeal to the women as well with something emotional.”
She chuckled. “That’s rather sexist, you know.”
“Or honest.”
Beth had to give him that. And he was probably right in any case. Ninety percent of the movie was all about killing and blowing things up. While she had nothing against an action-packed movie, Beth preferred if there was a little more to it—a little heart. Which, of course, explained the tears she was currently wiping off her face.
They waited until everyone else had exited the theater before leaving. It gave her time to pull herself together and get rid of any evidence of her emotional outburst.
As they left the cinema, the bright sunlight nearly blinded Beth. Her eyes were extra sensitive after spending such an extended time in the dark. She had to blink several times before her vision returned to normal.
Drew stayed close by her side, but made sure he kept a friendly distance. While there was a part of her that wanted to close that gap, she was pleased that he was respecting her wishes. Maybe he wouldn’t make such a bad sub after all.
“Um.” He cleared his throat. “I’m still kinda hungry. That popcorn didn’t really fill me up. Did you want to grab a bite to eat?”
Here they were on shaky ground once more. “What did you have in mind?”
He released the tension in his shoulders, and she realized he must have been anxious about asking her. “There’s a burger joint around the corner?”
“It’s a little early, but I could probably eat.”
And there was that smile of his again—the one that had her stomach all tied up in knots the other night. It was having a similar effect now.
“Lead the way.”
Drew didn’t waste any time guiding her the short distance to a restaurant that looked as if it had been transported through time from the 1950s. There were even little jukeboxes on the tables. A sign right inside the door indicated that customers were to seat themselves. He paused for a moment, taking in their options. “Booth or table?”
“Booth.” Beth was impressed he’d asked.
They settled into a booth along the back wall, and a server came over to get their drink orders and give them menus. After the woman returned with their sodas, Beth and Drew put in their orders. Listening to him rattling off what he wanted to the server made her realize he hadn’t been exaggerating about being hungry. Even if she were starving, she wouldn’t be able to eat everything he’d ordered. Not by a long shot.
“Are you really going to eat all that?” she asked.
He grinned. “Probably.”
They both grew quiet for a few moments. There was an awkwardness hanging between them, and Beth knew it was mostly her fault. She’d placed parameters on their relationship, and now they were both trying to figure out how to navigate without overstepping.
Beth took a sip of her water. “Do your parents live in St. Louis?”
Drew shook his head. “They live on a farm about an hour away, but I have a brother that lives here.”
This was the first time Beth had thought to ask about his family, and to say she was interested was an understatement. “Is he a firefighter, too?”
He laughed. “No. Seth is ten years older than I am, and he enjoys his comfy job at his law firm.”
“So he’s a lawyer?”
“Yeah. Corporate law, mostly. He’s tried to explain it to me, but to be honest, I usually end up tuning him out. While I don’t mind the paperwork that comes with my job, I couldn’t imagine weeding through pages of contracts looking for loopholes and technicalities. Seth loves it, though.”
They both leaned back as their food arrived. Beth had kept it simple ordering a turkey club and fries. In contrast, three plates were set in front of Drew—each completely full. She guessed she had to hand it to him that at least one of those plates contained a salad, even if it looked as if lettuce was a minimal ingredient.
For the next several minutes, they both concentrated on their food. When the conversation resumed, it was Drew who broke the silence. “What about you? Do you have any family in the area?”
“No. I grew up in Ohio, and my parents still live there, along with my brother and sister.”
Drew took another bite of his burger and swallowed. “Are you the oldest?”
Beth nodded.
“What brought you to St. Louis?”
She swallowed before answering. “School. I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I applied to a dozen or so schools all across the country. I got into most of them, but the University of Missouri offered me a partial scholarship.”
“So you came here.” His smirk was back.
“So I came here.” She twirled her straw between her thumb and index finger with a glint in her eye. “What about you? Did you go to college?”
“Community college. I knew I couldn’t join the fire department until I was twenty-one, and my parents refused to let me sit around and do nothing for four years.”
Beth chuckled. “Smart parents.”
“They are. And they completely supported my decision to become a firefighter. You should have seen my mom when I was promoted to captain. You would have thought I’d won an Oscar or something.”
It was obvious by the look on Drew’s face that he loved his parents. “She was proud of you. As she should be.”
“Thank you.”
Drew finished off his food, wiped his mouth, and laid his napkin on the table. “Can I ask you something?”
The tone of his voice had her a little worried. “Sure.”
“Does my job bother you?”
She had to admit his question had caught her off guard. “No. Not really, anyway.”
When he gave her a questioning look, she knew she was going to have to elaborate, even though she really didn’t want to. “Yes, I’ve worried a little on occasion, but in the general sense, no. I figure you must know what you’re doing.”
He released a heavy breath. “I do. We’re always training and making sure safety procedures are followed.”
Beth smiled, hoping it came across as encouraging.
“I mean, I didn’t think you had a big issue with it, but I figured it was best to ask. I’ve had women in the past who, while they initially loved the idea of dating a firefighter, the reality of it was too much for them.”
“But we’re not dating.” The statement was said with less conviction than she knew it should.
“I know, but I’m hoping . . .”
Drew let that linger in the air as they stared at each other.
Despite all her reservations, Beth felt that pull toward him she always did. It was getting harder and harder to keep him at bay when there was a voice in her head—that was getting stronger by the minute—telling her to take a leap of faith and go for it.
As much as she wanted to do just that, the fear of another broken heart still made her question whether or not it was smart to get involved. “I like you, Drew. A lot. I really do.”
“Is it because I’m new to this . . . the lifestyle, I mean?”
“No. If anything it helps.” She gave him a weak smile. “I enjoyed today. Maybe we can do it again sometime.”
He gave her a grin that made her heart skip a beat. “How about tomorrow? I’m off for the next three days.”
Beth shook her head and laughed. “You’re incorrigible, do you know that?”
“Is that a yes?”
“I have to work tomorrow.” She was dragging her feet to see what he’d do.
“I can wait.”
Grabbing her purse and the bill the server had left on the table for her food, she slid from the booth, and stood. “It’s good practice for you.”
He picked up his ticket and followed her toward the front of the restaurant. She could tell he was dying to press her, but kept his mouth shut.
Beth made him wait until they were standing in front of her car. “I’ll meet you here at three thirty. Don’t be late.”
Before he could respond, she got behind the wheel and shut the door. Beth spared him a glance in her rearview mirror as she drove away. He looked pretty pleased with himself, and Beth wondered if she really knew what she was getting herself into. And for the first time she considered what would happen if she couldn’t get past her fear. Drew had made his interest in her clear—his desire for a relationship. What would happen if she couldn’t deliver? She’d been so afraid that he’d break her heart, but what if she broke his instead?
***
Drew was humming as he walked joyfully to his car. He had another movie date with Beth the next day. Okay, not a date, but that was a technicality. She was opening up to him, and his mind
was racing with the possibilities.
“Hey, Parker.”
Turning, he came face to face with one of the guys from his crew. His good mood quickly dwindled. Although he normally wouldn’t care, Drew wasn’t ready to share Beth with the guys. They’d want to know everything about her, and well, he was still trying to figure her out himself. “Hi, Baily.”
Baily looked around as if searching for something. “You meeting someone?”
Before Drew could answer, the little girl standing next to Baily spoke up to get her father’s attention. “Daddy, are we going to go see the princesses now?”
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Drew opened his car door. “I don’t want to make you miss your movie. I’ll catch you later.”
“You coming by Romeo’s house tomorrow to help with the pool?”
Crap. He’d completely forgotten about that. “Got something in the afternoon, but I’ll be there for a few hours. You?”
Baily, of course, didn’t let it go. “Got a hot date?”
Drew decided to make a joke of it. He winked at Baily, and slid in behind the wheel of his car. “Something like that.”
The next morning, Drew contemplated the wisdom of showing up to Romeo’s at all. Sure, he said last week that he’d help, but that was before Beth had agreed to spend any kind of time with him outside the club. He had no doubt that by the time he got there his ‘hot date’ would be the main topic of conversation. Drew had to figure out what he was going to tell his crew about the woman he wasn’t actually dating.
Pulling up in front of the two-story house, he could see that Baily and Irwin were already there. Taking a deep breath, he turned off the engine, and made his way into the backyard where he knew they’d be waiting.
