Single, Available, and Completely Attached

by Michelle Brewer

  His heart panged at the site.

  Out of nowhere, he remembered Nana’s words.

  “I’ve seen a heart like yours before, Drew. It’s a good one. Don’t be afraid to let it live a little.”

  Yes, that was exactly the problem, wasn’t it? Drew was terrified.

  Losing his mother had nearly ripped him in half, and he’d been living his life since then doing the very best he could to avoid forming attachments to any one person—even Jeff, to an extent. He’d never let Jeff get as close to him as she had.

  But as he looked down at the photo of Anna and himself, the memory of that night washed over him. How light and airy he’d felt, opening up to her, letting her in—how happy he’d been with her on his arm.

  She was beautiful, and sexy, and funny—and she had good taste in music, and she had this huge heart…hell, she even played video games.

  And she’d been his.

  Well, not quite, he reminded himself. They’d been in a monogamous friends with benefits relationship, but whatever they chose to label it—she’d been his.

  He remembered the first time he kissed her—how everything had faded away…everything except her.

  He wondered if that was what she felt when he looked at her.

  And in that moment, he knew what he had to do.

  ~*~

  Anna had spent the morning at the community center, hanging decorations and finishing up all of the last minute details. Many of the kids had been there to help, and at the center of each table was a drawing, or a sculpture, or a painting, or a picture—each created by those the studio would benefit the most.

  The walls were lined with more art, including the drawings Anna had prepared and various quotes about art inspiring life. Glitter stars hung from the ceiling, all created by the younger kids.

  She wanted everything to be perfect, and she’d stayed for as long as she could before hurrying home to get ready. Alice had already finished with the bathroom, and so Anna had taken her time in the shower, doing her best to squelch the nerves eating away at her.

  She just wanted things to go well tonight, she told herself. It made sense to worry.

  It had absolutely nothing to do with seeing Drew for the first time in weeks.

  After what felt like only minutes, but what she knew to be a couple of hours, she stood beside Alice, ready to go. Her sister had done her hair, and it was braided and curled into a low up-do. She wore a mossy green colored gown of satin, with a modest v-cut in the front and a much lower one in the back, accented with thin gemmed straps.

  She did feel pretty, she had to admit. Alice, too, wore a gown—hers black, and much less modest, but on Alice’s taller, lean figure, it looked gorgeous.

  “Ready to go back to high school?” Alice asked her, and Anna smiled, slipping her arm through her sister’s and heading out to Alice’s car. It was a quick ride, and Anna helped carry her sister’s equipment inside so that she could set up before guests began arriving.

  She was literally shaking with anxiety as the minutes passed. She did her best to focus on the details, but she found she kept glancing over her shoulder to see if Drew had arrived yet.

  “Wow—you look stunning, Anna,”

  She’d almost forgotten about Jonathan. He stood beside her, dressed in a simple tuxedo—looking as wholesome as she’d ever seen him.

  This was what she should be thinking about, she told herself.

  “You don’t look too bad yourself,” she told him, reaching out to pluck a piece of lint from his jacket.

  “Did you need any help setting up?”

  “I think I’m all set here—but maybe you could see if Luis needs anything?” She pointed toward the man setting up various heavy looking speakers and lights. He was the guy Drew worked with, who had volunteered his band to play.

  “Sure thing.” He smiled at her before crossing the gym, and Anna offered a small smile back.

  People were slowly beginning to arrive, and she put on her best happy face and acted as hostess—greeting familiar faces and introducing herself to those she didn’t recognize. Crystal arrived, offering to take over at the door, and Anna accepted the relief so that she could check on everything inside the gym.

  “Hey, Anna—you remember Rachel, my wife?” She turned to find Dave standing behind her, his flame-haired wife standing next to him. They’d met at Drew’s work gathering a few weeks ago.

  “I do; it’s good seeing you again!”

  “The place looks great.” The other woman told her.

  “Oh, thank you. I’m hoping to impress at least a few people tonight.” Anna said with a hopeful shrug.

  “Well, you’re starting off on the right foot.”

  “Thank you, Rachel. I really appreciate that.” She smiled broadly at the woman before turning back to Dave, prepared to part ways. Instead, though, she felt her smile falter slightly. “Hey, have you seen Drew?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt like a desperate fool, begging for just the vaguest word about her former flame.

  “He’s not here yet?” Anna shook her head, trying to force herself to smile. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon—you know Drew. Loves to make an entrance.”

  “You’re probably right.” She told him. “Well, I should go mingle some more—I think I just saw the Mayor come in.”

  The next hour passed in a blur, with Anna so busy talking, she didn’t have time to think. Jonathan finally caught up to her, offering her a champagne glass filled with water. “You could use a breather, I think.”

  “I think you’re right.” She agreed, taking the glass and draining it.

  “Think you’ve got time to squeeze in a dance?”

  “Of course,”

  She let him guide her to the dance floor and they stood at arms length. Anna was reminded of her original prom, when she’d danced with a boy she knew had only taken pity on her because her date had taken off to the restroom with another girl.

  She’d always been attracted to the worst kind of guy, hadn’t she?

  When was she going to learn?

  It wasn’t until their second dance had nearly finished that Anna caught sight of that head of dark, perfectly disheveled hair.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she stared. He was standing in front of her drawing—the one of him.

  Her heart was beating so hard she thought she might pass out.

  As soon as the song was over, she excused herself from Jonathan and crossed the gym, almost running now as she slid through the crowd.

  It took everything she had not to throw herself into his arms. Drew had turned in time to see her approaching, and as soon as their eyes met, a wave of relief washed through her.

  There was barely a foot of space between them, but it felt like an ocean. She longed to melt into him, to let him soothe away her nerves and make her laugh like only he could.

  But she did nothing.

  “I wasn’t sure you’d come,” she finally admitted.

  “And miss your big night?” He took a small step toward her, a half-hearted smile on his lips. “I couldn’t do that.”

  “I’m really glad you’re here, Drew.” The words poured out of her, and she found that her eyes were tearing up.

  “There’s nowhere else I would rather be, Annabelle.” And he’d closed the space between them, his hand resting on her cheek, catching the tear before it ruined her makeup.

  Anna leaned into his palm for just a moment before stepping away and clearing her throat. “Well, I should get back to everyone.”

  “You’ll save a dance for me?” Anna nodded at him before turning away.

  She was so happy just to know that he was here—but as the emotions coursed through her, she knew she shouldn’t be.

  Drew wasn’t a forever kind of guy, she reminded herself.

  ~*~

  It was near the end of the night by the time she heard the familiar chords of one of her most favorite songs—Here Comes the Sun.

  Drew crossed the room
very slowly, and neither of them breaking the gaze even when he reached her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and his around her waist. “Did you put them up to this?”

  “No, Annabelle. This was fate.” She rested her head against his chest, letting herself take it all in. “You look beautiful, you know.”

  “I bet you say that to all the girls.” Anna tried to tease him.

  “I never meant it more than I did just now.” His tone was so sincere, Anna raised her head and looked up at him once more. She longed to say so many things to him, but she was just too afraid to. “You did a good job on that, by the way.” He nodded over his shoulder, toward the area where the drawing of him was hanging.

  “Well, I guess I just couldn’t get you out of my head.”

  “I have that effect on the ladies.” And for the first time that night, Anna’s smile was genuine. She dropped her head as she shook it. “Personally, I think you could have taken a little creative liberty and gone without the wrinkles, but…”

  “Oh, I thought I did.” He spun her away from him then, and she was still laughing as she crashed against his chest.

  “I like this, Annabelle.” He told her.

  “Me, too,” she agreed, resting her head against his chest again. When the song ended, she went to pull away, but he stopped her.

  “One more. I’ve got something I need to tell you.”

  “Oh, fine. You’ve twisted my arm into it.” She settled back in, enjoying the way she fit so well in his arms. She was curious about what he had to say, but she didn’t mind the silence, either.

  The song hadn’t been on for very long when she heard someone clear their throat and she looked up, her surprise written across her face. “Mind if I cut in?”

  “Jeff?”

  Obviously it was Jeff—she didn’t know why she’d spoken his name as a question. He stood just beside them, tuxedo and all. She could smell alcohol on his breath, and all of a sudden, the reality of her situation came crashing down on her.

  “Hey, man, I didn’t know you were coming—” Drew started.

  “Oh, I tried calling, but you left your phone at your apartment.” The light brown haired man smacked the darker haired one in the chest with the sleek piece of technology. “Nice wallpaper, by the way.”

  Anna felt her cheeks burn.

  “Maybe we should take this outside.” She suggested.

  “Why would we do that?” Jeff asked, his eyes looking over her knowingly.

  “Don’t make a scene, man. You know how important this is to her.” Drew’s voice was very quiet.

  “I don’t need a lesson from you on how to treat this girl, Drew. In case you’d forgotten, she and I were together for seven years.”

  “Come on, Jeff.” Anna reached out and took his hand, leading him from the gym. Drew followed, though he kept some distance.

  “So—what’d he say, Anna? How did he convince you?”

  “Jeff, it wasn’t like that—” She started, but Jeff didn’t let her finish.

  “You know you mean nothing to him, right?” The words hit her hard, and she bit her lip. “I mean, he didn’t even want anything to do with you until I asked him to—”

  “That’s enough, Jeff,” Drew warned.

  “How could you let him use you like that, Anna?”

  “He wasn’t using me.” Jeff laughed then, turning to Drew, who’s expression was blank. “Tell him, Drew.” Anna urged him to tell Jeff the truth.

  “Yeah, Drew. Why don’t you tell me all about it?” Jeff shook his head when Drew said nothing. “He played you, Anna. And you fell for it, just like all the others. Are you going to keep lying to her, Drew?”

  Anna glanced toward Drew, who wouldn’t even so much as look at her.

  “He’s right.” Drew’s voice was so low Anna hardly heard him.

  Two words—two simple words, but they were enough to bring tears to her eyes. She tried to remind herself that they had agreed from the very start that it hadn’t meant anything—that what he was saying shouldn’t hurt.

  But it did.

  Because it had all felt so real, hadn’t it?

  “Of course he is, Drew.” She couldn’t bring herself to say anything more, but as she began to walk away, Drew looked up, his eyes begging her.

  And suddenly it all made sense.

  Jeff. It wasn’t about her at all—it was about Jeff. It was about Drew protecting the only person who’d ever believed in him—the guy who had insisted Drew go to college, and had threatened him when he acted out, the one who had probably been more of a parent to Drew than his own father had.

  How could she have been so stupid?

  As she stepped through the doors leading back to the gym, Anna closed her eyes, willing the pain in her chest away.

  So maybe Drew was the forever type.

  But she would never be able to find out.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Drew was sitting at the bar, his tie loose around his neck. The glass in front of him was empty and he held it up, signaling for another.

  He wasn’t sure how many he’d had, but he figured so long as he was capable of rational thought, it wasn’t enough.

  A man sat down beside him and Drew knew without looking who it was. He said nothing, though, instead, picking up the glass that had just been placed in front of him and tipping it back.

  “That’s right, Drew. Run away from this like you’ve done everything else in your life.”

  He remained silent, holding up the glass for another.

  Jeff had every right to be angry. He couldn’t blame him.

  “It must have just eaten you up, watching us together, all those years. I bet you didn’t even wait a week before you started in on her.”

  “I did what you asked me to do.”

  “Oh, I asked you to have sex with my ex-fiancé?”

  “Girlfriend, Jeff. She wasn’t your fiancé.” Drew raised the refilled glass and tossed another one back.

  “Is that how you justified it?” Drew inhaled a deep breath as he pulled out his wallet, tucking several bills under the empty glass.

  “I’m not doing this with you, man.” Drew shook his head and walked away, heading through the door. Jeff was right behind him, following him out into the rainy night air.

  “I thought you had a code or something, Whitman. Shouldn’t messing around with your best friend’s ex be off limits?”

  “Just drop it, Jeff.” His temper was beginning to get the best of him as his best friend just kept egging him on. Drew tried to breathe. He tried to tell himself to let it go—that Jeff was angry, and that it would pass, and eventually, it would all be behind them.

  He thought back to earlier tonight, when things had been so perfect. He’d been right on the verge of telling Anna that he didn’t want to lose her. That he hadn’t been alive until that stupid football game he’d taken her to—that she’d changed something within him, and he knew he would never be the same.

  He wanted to tell her that he’d been just as desperate as she was, that day they’d struck up their friendship on the bleachers, there at the community center. And, if he was being completely honest, he’d felt that way since the very first night he’d seen her at that party.

  But he hadn’t said any of it, and now…now it was too late.

  “How do you expect me to drop it, Drew?” Jeff grabbed his shoulder, turning him around to face him. “You knew how much she meant to me!”

  And before Drew could stop himself, he’d grabbed his best friend by his shirt and shoved him against the brick of the building behind him.

  “Because you did it to me first!” Drew barely noticed the rain as it poured down around them. He gave Jeff a shake. “You did it to me first, Jeff!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I saw her first, or did you forget that? I saw her at that party, and I…I knew. I knew that she was something special. And you took her from me. But I never said anything, because I wanted you to be happy. I knew
she was special, and I knew you were more worthy. So I walked away.” Drew unclenched his fists and backed away.

  “I walked away, so you could be happy. And then she left you, and now I’ve left her, and we’re all miserable.” He laughed at the irony of it all, shaking his head. “Maybe I should have told you, I don’t know. Maybe I broke some rules. But if I did, then you’re just as guilty as I am.” He pointed at his best friend—the one and only person he’d ever been able to count on.

  Until now.

  Drew sighed, walking down the street. Eventually, he hailed a cab, not even bothering to change as he tossed himself on his couch, a bottle of scotch in hand.

  He hadn’t been sitting there for very long when the door opened and Jeff walked in, collapsing in the chair next to the couch. He reached out and took the bottle from Drew, taking a swig before handing it back.

  “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” Jeff asked, and Drew couldn’t bring himself to say the words aloud, so instead, he simply nodded, handing the bottle back to his friend. Jeff took a very long drink before handing it back. “So what are we going to do about that, then?”

  “Well, the smart thing would be to let her go. Let Johnny-Do-Gooder have a chance. I’m sure she’ll get tired of him eventually, but there will be another to take his place.” Drew told him.

  “Who the hell is Johnny-Do-Gooder?”

  “He’s a firefighter.”

  “Oh.” Jeff took another drink and handed the bottle back. “Well, I think we should come up with an alternate plan, then.”

  “Why?”

  “Because. You’re my best friend. If she’s going to make you happy, then she’s where you belong. I’m not saying I want details—I mean, wait, did you guys have sex on this chair?” Jeff stood up. “It might take me some time to get there. But I’m willing to, if it’s what you want.”

  “You mean that?”

  “I’m awfully drunk right now, but I’m pretty sure I do.” Jeff sighed, settling on the couch beside Drew. “You know, I think…I think I kind of knew. I mean, that there might be something there between you two. I remember seeing her and thinking how gorgeous she was—and how, just once—I wanted to be the guy that got the girl. But when I look back…I’m not sure she was ever really in love with me at all. I wanted her to be, and maybe she did too. I convinced myself that she was…but Anna never laughed with me like I saw her do with you tonight.”