Drew: Book One of the Perfectly Independent Series

by Amanda Shelley

  “Did you get to the coast like you wanted?” Mom dismisses her worries and focuses on her burning question.

  Kathy sighs and walks over to Mom. “Yes, I got to spend a day there. I made the drive to St. George Island, and it lived up to the hype. The white sandy beaches were unlike any I’ve ever experienced. I’d highly recommend you and Marty take a trip there when you retire.”

  “Maybe we can go once Drew’s out of school,” Mom suggests casually to Dad.

  And with one comment alone, the guilt pours in.

  Being on a D-1 scholarship means I can only work during the summer, and I can’t have a part-time job during the school year. My parents are at the prime of their lives and should be close to enjoying a retirement. But with Summer’s sickness and me in school, they’ve been financially strapped for as long as I can remember.

  “Sounds like a great plan,” Dad agrees and by the look he gives Mom, I can tell he’s going to find a way to make that happen. There’s nothing Dad won’t do to make Mom live life to the fullest, now that Summer’s gone. We’ve all taken that mentality and work our asses off to reach the goals we want to accomplish. They’ve nearly recovered from their bankruptcy and once I’m out of school, or at least no longer playing ball, they’ll have a lot more financial freedom.

  “So… Abby…” Mom says in that tone that tells me she’s on her way to her version of the Spanish Inquisition. “How’d you meet Drew?”

  Huh. That’s simple enough. Knowing Mom, there’ll be loaded questions embedded into her version of a casual conversation.

  “We’re lab partners,” Abby offers.

  “You’re a chemistry major, too?” Dad asks as he looks Abby over critically.

  “Yes. I’ve applied to med school and will find out if I’ve been accepted later this spring.”

  “Interesting,” Mom murmurs so that only I can hear, then speaks louder to Abby. “Which schools have you applied to?”

  “You won’t believe it, but she’s applied to a lot of the same schools I have—except Stanford and Baylor are in her top five schools.”

  This time, Dad pipes in as he looks to Mom with an unreadable expression. “Interesting, indeed.”

  “What does that mean?” I rush out defensively. They’re obviously having a silent conversation, and it’s only fair to share it with the room.

  Mom pats my arm. “It’s nothing, Drew. Don’t get your undies in a twist.”

  Could she be anymore patronizing?

  Obviously, she and Dad think something as their expressions have turned smug, but they remain tightlipped. I love my parents, but really?

  “Well,” Kathy gushes. “I think it’s wonderful. You’ll both be doctors someday.”

  Okay, captain obvious.

  “How long are you staying?” Dad asks, all sense of smugness evaporated.

  I look to Abby, who simply shrugs. “Uh… as long as you need me.”

  Dad clears his throat. “Well, since you’re missing class today and have a game Monday, I think it’s best you travel back tomorrow or Sunday.”

  My brows raise in disbelief. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  “No. Of course not.” Mom comes to Dad’s rescue. “We know you have your studies and an important game to get back to… Now that we’re out of the woods, so to speak, there’s no need for you to stay around for us.”

  Uh. They’re still in the fucking hospital. I’m not leaving.

  As if Dad’s a friggin’ mind-reader, he states, “Drew, we’re not invalids. Now that we’re okay, there’s no need for you to fall behind in your studies or miss any game time.”

  Before I can respond, Aunt Kathy interrupts, “I’m off for the next two weeks on vacation. I’ll stay here with them, so you won’t have to worry.”

  I look between the three of them, and it’s obvious they’re a united front. They all have determined looks on their faces, to convince me I’m being ridiculous. “You’ve both just had surgery,” I remind them.

  “Drew,” Mom says in a softer tone. “We understand you’d rather be here to see for yourself, but it’s foolish to sit here and watch us, when we’re perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves. We’re not leaving the hospital, until we’re good and ready—so there’s plenty of people to care for us.” Then she looks to Kathy. “I doubt my sister will leave anytime soon, either. There’s seriously no reason for you to sit and do the same.”

  “But…” I start to protest.

  “No buts, Andrew,” Dad says in finality. “We know you love us and are worried…” He trails off as he takes a breath before continuing, “We’re in perfectly good hands, and your aunt will stick around to make sure we can manage on our own once we’re released. You can stay tomorrow and leave Sunday.”

  I glance to Abby, who only shrugs as if to say, this is between you and your parents.

  When I look around the rest of the room, I can see I’ve met my match. I let out a deep sigh in defeat. “Okay. But if anything changes, and I mean anything at all, you call me, and I’m coming right back.”

  Mom pats my hand in reassurance. “You know we will, son. We love you, too.”

  14

  Abby

  I spend the rest of the weekend getting to know Drew’s family. When we weren’t with his parents, Drew and I did our best to catch up on the classes we missed. With a ten-page paper due next week, I made use of my time away from the hospital. I also shopped with Kathy to get a few of the things his parents will need once they return home, while Drew keeps his parents company.

  Thankfully, by the time we leave, both are up and slowly moving around in their hospital room. We’re all relieved when we’re told they could go home as early as Monday, should they keep progressing. With Kathy insistent that she’ll call if anything changes, Drew’s stress level lowers about returning to school.

  As Drew leisurely drives us back to school, we’ve kept up casual conversation. One thing that’s changed is that he hasn’t touched me or held my hand. I must admit, I miss the way his skin feels against mine as well as the comfort of being in his arms. He must have just been an emotional wreck and trying to hold it together earlier—nothing more.

  Not wanting to make things awkward, I’m doing my best to pretend what we shared hasn’t completely changed the way my body reacts when he enters the room. It’s almost as if I now have a super Spidey sense when it comes to Drew. Instinctively, I feel him enter a room without even seeing him. I recognize his scent from afar, and my spine tingles when he brushes against me casually.

  Yeah. It’s not awkward at all.

  If I just keep telling myself he doesn’t affect me in that way, maybe I’ll eventually believe it.

  “Abby?” Hearing my name pulls me out of my head. “So… are you?”

  “Wha… I’m sorry. I must’ve spaced out. Can you repeat that?” I risk a glance to Drew and see him shake his head, but his lips tip up into the most perfect smile.

  He clears his throat and looks out at the road. “I asked… If you’re coming to the game tomorrow night?”

  Crap. He asked me this before the call from the hospital. I didn’t know how to turn him down before and now that I’ve gotten to know the real Drew Jacobs, it’s hard to disappoint him. As much as I’d love to see him play again, I force myself to go with the ugly truth.

  “We have that huge exam next week,” I remind him but look anywhere but him. One glimpse of those beautiful eyes will be my kryptonite. Add in a smile on those perfect lips, and I’ll combust on the spot. Not to mention, lose my ground.

  Drew remains quiet for an uncomfortable amount of time.

  When I can’t take the silence any longer, I sneak a peek.

  Yep. I should’ve known better.

  With a sly grin, he quietly states, “I have to study, too.”

  When his lips quirk, and his eyes make full contact with mine, I may hyperventilate.

  Is it hot in here?

  I pull on the collar of my shirt, then push up
my sleeves. It doesn’t help.

  He takes my silence as an opportunity to continue, “Why don’t we study together? You can come to my place. I’ll even provide snacks. We’ll study until we feel confident we’ll ace the test. If you’re feeling behind in any other class, we can study for that, too.”

  Why would he do that? It makes no sense. “We can study together, but you don’t need to study unnecessarily.”

  Drew’s eyes light up like I’ve just given him a puppy for his birthday. “So… you’ll come?”

  “Drew, we can study, with or without me watching your game,” I point out the obvious.

  “Angel… you’re killing me.” His tone almost makes me feel sorry for him. Almost.

  “Why?” I whisper.

  “Just say you’ll come,” he practically pleads.

  Why is this so important to him?

  “Drew…” I draw out. “You have thousands of fans—literally—all cheering for you in the stands. You’ll never even know I’m there.”

  He cocks an eyebrow and blanches, as if what I’ve just said is completely ludicrous.

  Drew reaches across the console between us and takes my hand in his, sending electric pulses up my spine. He squeezes my hand lightly and locks his eyes with mine briefly before returning them to the road. “Obviously, I’m asking because I want YOU at my game. Trust me. You could sit in the nose-bleeds, and I’d know you’re there… though why you’d choose to sit that far from the action is beyond me.” Rolling his eyes, he shakes his head in disbelief.

  I chuckle at his antics. “I can’t say Sydney would let me sit in no-man’s land.”

  “I knew I liked Sydney.” He grins as if he’s already won the game.

  “This still doesn’t mean I’m going,” I attempt to protest. But damn. He and I both know, I’ll be at the game tomorrow night.

  When we get to my place, Drew parks and carries my bag to the door for me. He mentions having an early class tomorrow morning, so I know he’s not staying. But when he sets my bag down, he stuffs his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his feet.

  When his eyes focus on his suddenly interesting shoes, I feel uncomfortable. Not knowing what I should say or do, I fiddle with my keys and look anywhere but at him. Should I ask him in? Crap. I have no idea what to do, and my stomach flips as my palms sweat.

  Drew clears his throat, drawing my attention. I stare into his beautiful blue eyes for an immeasurable amount of time. Well, until he clears his throat again.

  Shit. Did he say something?

  I look him over for any signs. No, I don’t think I missed anything.

  Damn. Those perfect lips quirk and form the most perfect smile. Energy zings throughout my entire body, like a live wire that will detonate on touch.

  “Thanks for everything this weekend, Abby. I seriously don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t taken charge. That was…” He stops and takes a big breath before trying again. “That was the first time I’d stepped foot in a hospital…” He shakes his head as if he’s trying to rid himself of his thoughts. “And… I just want you to know how much it meant for you to be there for me.”

  “Drew,” I say dismissively. “It’s fine… really. I’m glad I could be there for you. Once we knew your parents were okay, I had a lot of fun. Who knew you used to like dressing up as superhero characters and wore your costumes in public for days on end?” I add the tidbit of information from his aunt Kathy at the end, in hopes of lightening the mood.

  It does the trick.

  Drew’s eyes widen, and his mouth forms the perfect O. When he finds his voice, he shakes his head in disbelief. “Uh… who do I have to kill for divulging that bit of information?”

  I smile sheepishly and shake my head in denial. “My lips are sealed.” Thank God, I close my mouth before ‘But I’d love to see you dressed up now’ pops out. I bite my lower lip to keep from saying more.

  Thankfully, he doesn’t sense my mind plummeting into the gutter. He rests his one finger on his lips and pretends to think hard about something, then cracks a smile. “Now I’m curious as to what other dark secrets my family shared with you.”

  I narrow my eyes and school my features to be as serious as possible before I deadpan, “You should be afraid, Drew. Very afraid.”

  This earns a deep belly laugh from Drew. “Honestly, you already know more about me than most. I highly doubt anyone had much else to reveal.”

  “If you say so.” I keep up with my teasing. But I’m sure he can see right through my efforts since he lets the subject drop.

  Drew glances at his watch and shakes his head. Then he pins me with his now dark-blue eyes, nearly taking my breath away. “I… uh better get going.” I see him peruse my face once more, and I could’ve sworn his gaze focused on my lips longer than the rest of me. But when I blink, his focus has returned to my eyes.

  Now it’s my turn to rock. My keys jingle between us as I fidget. “Okay, then…” I draw out. “I’ll see you later.”

  He stares for a moment longer then pivots to walk away, causing whatever breath I’d been holding to release. After a few steps, he looks back. “I’ll see you at the game tomorrow, ‘kay?”

  Instinctively, I manage to nod.

  Did I just agree to go to the basketball game?

  Once Drew leaves, I head into my bedroom to change into pajamas. When I return to the living room, I flop onto the couch and put my feet on the coffee table. Sydney’s in the kitchen getting a snack, and Chloe’s curled up on the loveseat next to me.

  “How was your trip?” Syd asks as she enters the room to sit next to me. She hands me a spoon and asks, “Strawberry cheesecake?” as she holds out my own pint of my favorite ice cream and another in her hand for herself. Thank God for great friends and delicious ice cream. They can be counted on to take my stress away.

  I pop the lid and scoop out a healthy glob, then slowly taste my efforts. Ice cream is to be savored, not devoured. Just the taste of sweet strawberry melts my troubles away. “Better than I expected.” I sigh heavily as exhaustion creeps over me. It was quite the opposite. “Drew’s parents are on the mend, and it was nice to get to know his family.”

  My mind lingers on the last of my conversation with Drew. Why would he want me at his game?

  Sydney takes another bite from her spoon and stops mid-lick. She eyes me curiously then shakes her head and returns her attention to the TV.

  But Chloe pipes in, “Are you sure you’re all right? Something seems off.”

  I could lie and pass it off as just being tired. But these girls are the closest people in the world to me. I take a heavy breath and draw out. “So… Drew asked me to go to the basketball game tomorrow night.”

  “Really?” Chloe asks in surprise. “He asked you to go to the game?”

  Um… I just said that. I stare at her as if she’s missing a brain cell or a million.

  “What’s wrong with going to the basketball game?” Sydney asks in a tone that clearly states I should tread lightly and not feed her any of the BS I’m about to flop her way.

  “It’s… It’s just… weird? I mean…” I try to regain my thoughts as they’ve scattered like bugs on a windshield. None of them make sense and lead me to dead ends. “Why would it matter if I’m there or not?” I look to each of my friends, hoping for a better insight on the situation.

  They each stare at me with their mouths agape. They look to each other slowly, then back to me. Then back to each other, before Sydney speaks up, “Oh… you’re serious.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be serious?” My pitch creeps higher, almost defensively.

  “Holy shit. For being one of the smartest people I know, you sure can be dense,” Chloe teases. Well, at least I hope she’s teasing. I look back and forth between my two best friends in the world, and they both have the same mirrored expression, as they roll their eyes.

  “What?” I practically yell when they remain quiet.

  “Abby.” Sydney’s voice is stern, like
when she must cut off a drunk frat guy, or threaten to call the cops. “He obviously likes you.”

  “We’re just lab partners, and I helped him with his family emergency. That’s all,” I say as quick as the thought forms. “He’s never indicated anything otherwise.”

  But then… there was the hand holding…and the hugging.

  But that was just because he needed comfort, right?

  “If you say so…” Chloe shakes her head. “Sydney knows more about the basketball players than me, but I’m sure he wouldn’t have asked you if he didn’t like you. You can live in the land of denial all you want, but I’d bet a pint of Ben & Jerry’s that the guy is into you.”

  I roll my disbelieving eyes because there’s no way a guy who’s got his sights set on a championship—not to mention getting into med school—would think twice about dating someone at this point in the game. His plate’s practically overflowing between basketball and graduating with honors. There must be something else going on. He did say he wanted to be friends. Maybe this is his idea of what friends do?

  “You’re going to the game,” Sydney says with conviction, and I give her a sideeye glare.

  So you say…

  When Syd doesn’t relent with her stare, my shoulders slump in defeat.

  I suck in a deep breath and let it out slowly, as another thought hits me. Seeing Drew in his element is a sight to behold. I won’t even go into how the thought alone has my body lighting on fire. Before the accident, he’d claimed he wanted to be friends. Who am I to deny a friend’s request?

  15

  Drew

  Before heading to the arena for the game, I do something uncharacteristic. Well, for me. I whip out my phone and send a quick text.

  Me: You coming tonight?

  I see my message is instantly read, and I wait for what feels like forever to see those three little dots to tell me she’s replying.