“Uh…yeah, so…I’d really like to…”
“You know, Chelsea is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met!” she said, sounding a bit fierce–and considering she was around the same age as his mother, it made him stand a little straighter and listen. “And the fact that you played such an awful trick on her!” She huffed with disdain. “You need to leave.”
He could argue that he wasn’t playing, but…his mother taught him not to disrespect his elders. That left only one option.
Drew poured on all the charm he had while he explained why he was here and what he wanted to do.
It seemed to take forever–which turned out to only be ten minutes–but at this rate it was ten minutes longer that he was away from Chelsea.
“Will you help me? Please?” he softly pleaded.
She studied him hard, and any minute he expected her to tell him he was grounded and call him “young man.”
Luckily, she didn’t. He saw her features soften as her shoulders dropped a little. “Don’t make me regret this.”
He was behind her desk and hugging her before he could even stop himself. “Thank you! You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
After a brief hug in return, she held up her hand and picked up the phone with the other. “Hey, Janelle, it’s Robyn. Listen, I need your help with something…”
Drew stood back and listened as she gave the Reader’s Digest version of what was going on and then held his breath.
And prayed that whoever this Janelle person was, that she would help.
“Okay, thanks,” Robyn said before hanging up. Smiling up at him, she said, “Chelsea will be out in five minutes. Why don’t you have a seat?” She motioned to the small sitting area, which consisted of a small love seat and two uncomfortable-looking chairs.
“But…”
“Five minutes,” she repeated, a bit more firmly this time.
“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured and walked over to the love seat.
And now we wait…
18
“Drew?” Chelsea asked incredulously. What on earth would he be doing here? Why would he come here?
He stood and she could immediately tell he was nervous. He had a folder in his hands that she could see he had a white-knuckled grip on. In all the time they’d known each other, she’d never seen him like this. For the first time ever, he didn’t seem quite so cocky and confident and…it kind of intrigued her.
“Hey,” he said, his voice low. “Can we…can we go someplace and talk?”
Looking around, she knew she didn’t want to do this in front of anyone. Not that she had any idea of what exactly this was–she just knew talking in private was probably for the best.
“Um…we can use the studio. My producer had to take a call so…” Turning, she made her way back to the room with Drew right behind her. Once they were inside, she left the door slightly ajar–much like Janelle did when Bianca was here.
And that’s when it hit her…
“Oh, my God…did you send Bianca here? Is that why she came?”
“What? No!” he cried. “I had no idea she was coming here!”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared at him.
His shoulders sagged. “She came to my office after she left here and told me about it, and that prompted me to come for myself.”
“Well, you could have saved yourself the trip. It’s the end of the day and I was just finishing up a few things before it was quitting time so…sorry you wasted your afternoon. If you’ll excuse me…” She went to move past him, but his hand on her arm stopped her.
“Just a few minutes, Chelsea. Please. I came all the way here and your producer is on a call…please.”
She let herself truly look at him and her heart ached. He looked sad and tired and so very different from the man she was used to. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment, but she felt like she had to know what else he could possibly have to say to her.
“Fine.” She sat down on her stool and motioned to the other one that was in the corner, but he declined.
“Thanks,” he said before letting out a long breath. “Okay, here it is…no, wait…that’s not how I should start this.”
It was a bit adorable to watch him try to find his words.
He gave her a lopsided grin before he spoke again. “Never in my entire life has a woman left me speechless. But you, Chelsea Cooper, do that to me. At first, it was with your intellect, and then your snark, but then your witty banter drew me in.” He let out a soft laugh. “God, I used to look forward to Friday nights just to see what kind of ridiculous conversation we’d find ourselves in.”
She couldn’t help but laugh too. “Some of them were kind of crazy.”
“And just for the record, I know togas were Roman and not Egyptian.”
The memory of that conversation made her smile.
“Although, you’d still look hot in any ancient attire. And not because the togas hide anything like Bianca said, but because you’d be naked underneath.” He waggled his eyebrows comically.
“Drew…”
“Here’s the thing, Chels, all those things that came before the trip were light and fun, but your honesty is what leaves me speechless the most. And not in a bad way.” Pausing, he took a small step closer to her. “I hang out with a lot of people who talk a lot about themselves, but none of it’s serious and brutally honest, like the way you are. I think of all the conversations Jimmy and I have and they’re mostly stupid and childish.”
Now wasn’t the time to point out how she completely agreed with that.
“I didn’t realize how I needed to grow up or how much I needed someone who didn’t talk to me like I’m an idiot.”
“Well, since you think I’m so honest,” she began quietly, “then I should apologize to you. Because in the beginning, I did talk to you like you were an idiot.”
“In the beginning, I was an idiot. I’d like to think I changed–that during our road trip, I changed.”
She nodded. “You did.”
“I’m so sorry about how that all started. I wasn’t being fair to you and I hurt you.”
“Drew, we’ve been over it. I don’t regret anything about how we ended up in the car together. I hate the way the trip ended, but…” She shrugged. “You’ve explained it all to me and I’m good with letting it go.”
“Okay,” he said, visibly relaxing. “Then…”
“But all the other issues are still there,” she explained. “Bianca came here and apologized and I got a lot of things off my chest but…I’m still not going to want to go and hang out with her. That’s a part of my life that I want to put behind me.” Tears stung her eyes. “You’re part of what I need to put behind me.”
Now he stepped in close, cupping her cheek with his hand. “I love you, Chelsea. I am so freaking in love with you that I can’t function.” Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes. “I don’t want you to put us behind you. Please.”
It was crazy for her to even be considering this. It was complicated and had the potential to get messy, and she hated messes.
“I…I don’t know, Drew. I can’t make that kind of decision right now. It’s too hard.”
She expected him to argue or plead his case a little more, but he surprised her by taking a step back and gripping the folder tightly again with both hands.
“What’s in the folder?” she asked softly, amazed her voice didn’t crack.
He sighed and stared down at it. “I was thinking of getting into some different kinds of media advertising and doing an audio manual for the company. You know, since most people prefer to listen to books rather than reading them.”
“I never said most people prefer it, but a large number do.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that you had said it, but I’ve been doing a little research and thought it might be something to look into to give employees the option.”
“And the folder?”
Lifting it up, he exp
lained, “Oh, I was also hoping you’d consider being the narrator for it.”
Chelsea knew her jaw was practically on the floor. “Excuse me?”
Nodding, he said, “Yeah, I really love the way you read, and your voice is very pleasant to listen to–even when the subject matter is less than thrilling.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Jerk.
“So…I guess this is a little awkward considering our…personal situation, but…would you consider reading it?”
“You can’t be serious right now.” Crossing her arms again, she glared at him. “Why would I want to narrate your business manual? And besides that, there are channels for you to go through first. You can’t just walk in here and ask me to read it!”
“Oh, well…”
“Read what?” Janelle asked as she walked back into the studio. She introduced herself to Drew and he explained his stupid plan to her. Chelsea knew her producer would back her up and then she’d toss him out and solve this problem for her.
Feeling a little smug, she sat back and waited.
“Sure!” Janelle said, smiling. “Let’s give it a test run!”
“What?!” Chelsea cried. “Why? We’re in the middle of our script! You know, the one from a paying client?”
Janelle simply waved her off. “Please, we both know you’re bored silly with it for today and we’re at a good stopping point. Go ahead and give this one a test and then we’ll call it a day.”
“Janelle…”
But clearly, no one was listening. Janelle walked back into her booth and Drew took a seat on the stool in the corner. With no other choice, Chelsea placed the folder on her stand and glared at the two of them.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Janelle said sweetly, causing Chelsea to glare at her harder.
“Fine, whatever. Let’s get this over with.” Opening the folder, she scanned the first few sentences and froze.
It wasn’t a manual.
It wasn’t anything business-related.
It was a letter from Drew to her.
For the life of him, Drew had no idea how he wasn’t throwing up right now.
He finally understood every ridiculous rom-com he’d ever seen–the ones where the hero looks like he’s going to either be sick or cry at the end.
Only those guys were just pretending–he was actually living it!
Those lucky bastards. They had no idea what kind of hell this feeling really was.
“We’re recording, Chelsea,” Janelle said from the booth.
“I…I don’t think I can read this out loud,” Chelsea said, her voice shaking, but when she turned and looked at him, he saw the uncertainty there.
“Read it,” he said quietly. “Please.”
Facing the microphone, she gently cleared her throat and began to read.
“Chelsea, do you remember the night we met? You talked to me about how you had just finished narrating a book about the Pilgrims. I made jokes about the first Thanksgiving and you walked away without a laugh. I swore to myself that night that I would do my best to make you laugh at least once. I accomplished it the following week with my Marco Polo impression, remember? I know you thought I was a complete doofus, but it was worth it to hear you laugh.
We spent every Friday night together for the better part of a year, and I know we didn’t always like each other, but I’ve never been so happy to realize how wrong I was. I hate how we wasted all that time with animosity when there was so much more there.
You’re everything to me. In a matter of a few days, you made me realize all that was missing from my life. I had become so jaded with everything and had little connection to anything or anyone, and after an hour in the car with you, I began to actually feel again. Granted, some of that feeling was annoyance, but again, I came to realize I was wrong.
The first time we kissed, my fate was sealed. You were it for me.
I look at you and see my future. You’re what I want. Everything else–everyone else–is my past. I don’t want to keep looking back–not at them and not at my mistakes. I want a chance at the life I know we can have together.”
Pausing, Chelsea reached up and wiped tears from her face–something Drew wanted to do for her–but he knew she was going to finish reading first.
“I want to listen to you read. I want to start my day to the sound of your voice and end it with you beside me saying ‘goodnight.’ There’s something I never told you, and maybe I should have, but…I’ve listened to every book you narrated. Granted, that was after our trip, but I did read all the books first–and that was all before. Whenever you mentioned what you were narrating, I would read it. I didn’t think I’d enjoy listening to books, but when it’s your voice, I find that I do.
I’m rambling and I’m sorry about that but…please tell me we can try. I miss you so much and I just want a chance. Let me prove that you are my only priority. You’re the one I love, the one I want to come home to and spend time with.
I love you.
Love, Drew”
The room was painfully quiet for all of three seconds. In the distance, he could hear Janelle sniffling and then Chelsea, but he was paralyzed and too afraid to move.
Was she crying because she was going to turn him down, or was she crying because he won her over?
Why was this so hard?
His eyes never left Chelsea as he watched her close the folder and wipe at her face again. He saw Janelle leave the booth and give him a small wave before she walked out of the studio and then they were alone.
Just him and his girl.
Well, hopefully his girl.
She stood and straightened and looked at him and looked completely miserable.
Oh, shit. That’s not a good sign.
Resigned to being rejected, Drew stood and slowly walked over to her. “Chelsea, I…” But he never got to finish. She closed the distance between them and cupped his face in her soft hands and kissed him.
Thank. God.
Her kiss was everything he could want and more. It was sweet and soft and then turned a little frantic and needy. If they were anywhere else, he’d be maneuvering them to the nearest flat surface so he could have his way with her, but…this was clearly not the time or the place.
When they finally breathlessly broke apart, he waited for her to speak.
“Drew Russo, how dare you make me read that out loud in front of Janelle!”
Okay, not exactly the words he was expecting…
“How am I supposed to show my face around here knowing she heard all that? And worse, it’s all on tape!”
“I’m sure she could erase it…or give us the recording…”
“Ugh…you don’t get it,” she said with a small snort. “Now what am I supposed to do?”
“Um…”
“Did you take the train here?”
All he could do was stare at her like she was crazy because–let’s face it–she sounded like it at the moment.
“Uh, yeah. Why?”
“Well, I guess that’s something.”
She stepped away and walked to the corner of the room where she picked up her purse and a sweater before walking to the door.
“What the hell’s going on?” he demanded.
“We’re leaving for the day. Why?”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he silently counted to ten. “Why? Because I thought we were in the middle of something here!”
Her smile was patient and just so…Chelsea. She walked over and patted him on the cheek. “Yes, but the something we were in the middle of was going to require something big and very private to finish.” Then she pressed in close and whispered in his ear, “Like us being naked and in a bed.”
Pulling back, she winked at him and turned toward the door again.
“Wait, so…where are we going? Do you have your car with you?” he asked, trailing after her.
“I do, but traffic will be a beast.” Then she gave him another saucy wink. “I tend to get lost a lot when I
try to drive home from here. Lots of wrong turns. Just think of all the foreplay the ride home will give us.”
Once they were inside the elevator, she kissed him again.
And it was even hotter than the one from minutes ago.
There was no way he was going to survive the long drive–which is what he told her.
Out on the sidewalk, she paused and looked at him. “Sweetheart, there is one very important thing I’ve learned about getting lost while driving.”
“And what’s that?”
“That sometimes a wrong turn can lead you in the right direction,” she said, smiling. “Everything about our meeting and early relationship was wrong. We let other people direct us in what we should do and say. But look where it brought us.”
And damn if that wasn’t the most perfect description of their relationship.
Epilogue
Six months later…
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
“It’s going to be fine.”
“Says you.”
“I also said you were free to change your mind–no questions asked.”
“Okay, I’ve changed my mind.”
“We’re halfway to the airport!”
Sighing dramatically, Chelsea leaned her head back against the passenger seat. “I know! I thought I was going to be okay with it, but…now I’m just not sure.”
“Say the word and I’ll turn the car around and make the call.”
Is that what she wanted? Really?
They’d overcome so many things in the last six months; they could get through this too, right?
“Chels?”
“I’m thinking!” Staring out the window, she watched the unremarkable scenery of the Northern State Parkway pass her by.
This won’t be so bad, she thought. They were in a good place right now. They’d moved in together just last month and were already talking about getting married. And the thought of marrying Drew simply made her giddy with excitement. She couldn’t wait to be his wife and for them to start a family.
Wrong Turn: Road Tripping Series Page 21
