by Jae
“Am not,” Drew grumbled. Her feet hurt from being on them all day, but she didn’t want to prove Lynn right, so she nodded at the blonde. “Okay. Lead the way.”
The club’s modest dance floor was crowded. Bright lights flashed from the ceiling. The beat of the music thumped through Drew’s bones as she moved to the rhythm.
Her dance partner—Melissa? Melinda?—shouted in Drew’s ear and used the opportunity to press her body more tightly against Drew’s. “So what’s the story between you and your friend?” She pointed over at the bar, where she had met Lynn.
“Long story,” Drew said. She wasn’t about to break Lynn’s confidence by talking about their relationship with a complete stranger. Lynn deserved better than that.
The woman danced closer. “I’ve got time.”
Drew shook her head. “Let’s just dance.”
“I can do that.” The blonde moved her hips in a sensuous rhythm and swayed back and forth against Drew. “You’re quite the dancer!” Their breasts rubbed against each other. The blonde’s hand slid down her back and her thigh brushed against Drew’s crotch.
Drew’s body reacted with a low burn of arousal, but her mind was elsewhere. “Thanks. You’re not so bad either.”
After a while, the DJ put on a song that Drew found too fast to really dance to. “Let’s take a break,” she shouted at the blonde.
They weaved their way toward the bar.
Drew glanced at her watch. It felt as if she had been here for hours, but it was barely after eleven. This time last week, you were with Annie. The thought was ridiculous, of course. This time last week, you were laid up with the cold from hell, shivering and sweating through a high fever.
Her companion had obviously seen her glance at her watch. She gave her a conspiratorial grin. “Want to get out of here? I’m sure we can find something to do for the rest of the night.”
The offer was tempting. The blonde was attractive and not looking for anything more than one night of fun. Her body, overheated from dancing, tingled in reaction to the blonde’s unmistakable gaze. Just say yes. Blow off some steam before you see Annie tomorrow. But thinking about Annie made her libido spin in a different direction. Going home with the blonde seemed like cheating on Annie. Cheating? Now you’re going crazy. Annie was straight and couldn’t care less if she went home with some blonde. She wouldn’t even know. But I’d know, and it would feel totally wrong. Drew took a step back. “Maybe another time.”
“You sure?” The blonde closed the space Drew had created between them and trailed her index finger down Drew’s chest, stopping just above her bra.
The suave gesture of seduction, so unlike Annie’s blushing naivety, made up Drew’s mind. She stepped back, severing the contact between their bodies. “Yes. I’m sorry. I’m not up for anything more than dancing tonight.”
“Suit yourself.” The blonde turned on her heel, strutted away, and disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor.
Drew watched her retreating back and rested her elbows on the bar. She needed a drink. A big one.
When the bartender walked over to her end of the bar, she ordered a beer, though. She had to drive home later and didn’t want to be hungover when she met up with Annie the next day.
“Strike out with Malinda?” Lynn leaned against the bar next to Drew.
Explaining would be too complicated, so Drew just shrugged. “Something like that.”
“Maybe you should ask Erica to dance. You know she’s had the hots for you for ages.”
Drew groaned. “I’m not interested in Erica.”
“You’re not interested in any woman these days, are you? Well, except for one.” Lynn downed a shot of tequila without even flinching and set the empty glass on the bar. Her tone dripped with bitterness. “I don’t understand why you’re so hung up on Annie.”
“I’m not hung up on her,” Drew grumbled. “It’s just that this ...” She pointed at the dance floor and the women hanging along the bar, checking each other out. “Picking up women at a club for a one-night stand or a short fling ... it’s not what I want any longer.”
Lynn waved at the bartender to refill her glass. As soon as she held the full shot glass in her hand, she emptied it again. “What do you want, then? The U-Haul, the white picket fence, and 2.5 Golden Retrievers?”
Drew looked into Lynn’s tequila-clouded eyes. “One dog would be enough, but otherwise ... yes.”
“Not every woman here wants just a one-night stand, you know?” Lynn’s voice was low and intimate, and the longing in her eyes revealed which woman she was thinking of.
Drew sighed. Over the past year, they’d had this conversation a few times, whenever Lynn drank too much. Drew’s answer was always the same. “I thought we agreed we’re better off as friends.”
“Agreed?” Lynn circled the rim of her tequila glass with one finger. Her gaze followed the movement. “No. You’re the one who made that decision.”
“It wasn’t working, Lynn. You know that. We’re too different.”
“And you and Annie aren’t?” Lynn looked up from her glass. Hurt and reproach mingled in her gaze.
“We’re very different.” But with Annie, the differences provided a nice balance instead of creating problems between them. Well, except for one difference: Drew was gay and Annie was straight. She took a swig of beer. “This isn’t about Annie.”
Lynn set the glass on the bar with a loud clank. “No?” She whirled around to face Drew and stumbled on her high heels.
“No.” Drew gripped her elbow. “Come on. I’m taking you home.”
Lynn leaned against her. “I thought you weren’t into taking women from the club home anymore?”
“I’ll make an exception for you.”
They walked toward the exit and waved at their friends, who were still sitting at one of the tables. Behind Lynn’s back, Drew pointed at Lynn and then held up her car keys to indicate that she would drive Lynn home. “We’re leaving, girls,” she shouted.
Sam and Becky nodded and waved back while Erica just looked at them with big, disappointed eyes.
When they stepped outside, the cool air hit them. Lynn stopped and glanced at Drew, looking more sober. “You’re too good for Annie. What do you see in a wallflower like her anyway?”
Drew glared at Lynn. Drunk or not drunk, no one was allowed to talk about Annie that way. “One more word and you’re walking home.”
“Okay, okay. Jesus. I’ve never seen you so protective of anyone.” Lynn pulled away from Drew and stumbled to the car. “I don’t want to go home,” she said over her shoulder. “Tequila makes me hungry and horny, and since you won’t fulfill one of my needs, you should at least take me to a restaurant.”
“You’re drunk. I’m not taking you to a restaurant.”
Lynn’s lips formed a pout. “I’m not drunk. Just a bit buzzed. And the food will help with that.”
“Okay, okay.”
Lynn seemed more sober as she followed Drew to the car.
While she unlocked the car, Drew thought about the way Annie had kissed her after the Halloween party, when they had thought Jake was watching. “Wallflower, my ass,” she murmured. She opened the passenger side door and closed it after Lynn got in. “You’ve got no idea, my friend.”
* * *
“The band was great,” Jonathan said for the second time.
Annie nodded. The music had been wonderful, and the food was just as good. See? This is nice. That strange attraction to Drew was just a fluke.
After Jonathan ate the last piece of his filet mignon, he laid down his cutlery and pressed the napkin to his lips.
Annie had finished her eggplant casserole ten minutes before. Focusing on her food had kept her from having to contribute more than a short answer here and there to keep the conversation going. She remembered how surprised she had been when her plate had still been half-full by the time Drew had finished her pasta dish during that first dinner together.
“Before I mov
ed to Paso Robles, I started to learn how to play the saxophone,” Jonathan said. “The band’s sax player made it look easy, but believe me, it’s not. Do you play any instrument?”
“I played the piano when I was a child.” She crumpled her napkin as she remembered sitting on the hard piano bench for hours, repeating the same melody again and again under her father’s watchful eyes.
“Piano is a great instrument. So versatile. Why did you stop playing?”
Annie twirled her fork through the sauce on her plate. She didn’t feel like sharing her family history tonight. Oh, come on. You shared a lot of personal information with Drew. Why can’t you do it with Jonathan? “I had absolutely no talent for it,” she said. “And my father ...” She took a large sip of her water, but it couldn’t dislodge the lump of emotions in her throat. “He finally allowed me to stop.”
“That’s a shame,” Jonathan said.
Annie’s fingers tensed around her fork. Instantly, she felt judged, as if Jonathan didn’t approve of her giving up the piano lessons. You’re overreacting. That’s what Drew was trying to tell you—stop making negative assumptions. She tried to relax and enjoy the evening, but she realized that she was constantly on her guard.
Jonathan didn’t seem to notice. Using his hands to demonstrate, he told her everything he knew about playing the saxophone.
Be polite. Listen, Annie told herself, but her attention strayed.
Movement to her right made her look toward the restaurant’s entrance.
Two new guests had arrived and were talking to the hostess.
When the hostess moved to guide them to their table, Annie’s caught a glance at a curvy brunette. She squinted and stared. Was that Lynn?
Without the bunny ears, it was hard to tell, but the person next to Lynn was unmistakable.
Drew. Annie swallowed. What is she doing here? Didn’t she say she would go dancing with a few friends?
Drew placed one hand in the small of Lynn’s back and guided her past the tables near the entrance.
The memory of Drew guiding her like this shot through Annie.
She held her breath as the hostess led them toward the table next to Annie’s, but then the hostess turned left and seated them at another table. Drew didn’t look left or right, her attention focused on her companion.
Apparently, an evening out with friends had turned into a date.
Annie watched Lynn laughing about something Drew said and remembered how often Drew had made her laugh. When Lynn reached for the wine list, Drew shook her head and took it from her. Their fingers brushed.
“... dessert?”
Jonathan’s voice made Annie’s attention snap back to the table. “Um ...” She tried to guess what he had just asked her. “No, thank you.”
“All right. Then should we get the check and head back?”
Annie nodded. The faster they got out of here, the better. Oh, come on. You’re not jealous of Lynn, are you? No, of course she wasn’t. Even straight women could have a crush on another woman. That didn’t mean she wanted to be in a lesbian relationship. She just didn’t think that Lynn was the right woman for Drew.
Jonathan lifted his hand to signal the waiter.
When the waiter brought the bill, Jonathan insisted on paying for both of them. Annie hesitated but then gave in and thanked him.
Would Lynn and Drew each pay their own way, or would Lynn treat Drew in an attempt to get back together?
Annie rolled her eyes at herself. It doesn’t matter. Stop wasting your time thinking about Drew and Lynn and focus on your own date.
When Jonathan stood, Annie realized they would have to walk past Drew’s table to leave the restaurant. Sighing, she let Jonathan guide her toward the exit.
* * *
Lynn plucked a breadstick from the basket in the middle of the table and gobbled it down, leaving crumbs all over her shirt.
“Slow down, or you’ll choke,” Drew said as she watched Lynn reaching for another breadstick.
“I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” Lynn mumbled around a mouthful of breadstick. “The restaurant was too busy.”
So Lynn’s unhealthy eating habits hadn’t changed since they had separated. “You know, you shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach.”
Lynn’s chewing slowed. She glanced up and, still looking at Drew, took a sip of water. “Is this part of your standard lecture, or do you really care about my well-being?”
“Of course I care,” Drew said. “Just because we—” The sight of a blond woman who looked like Annie walking past their table stopped Drew mid-sentence. “Annie? Is that you?”
Annie stopped and turned—and so did the man walking next to her. He was handsome in that bearded-Brad-Pitt kind of way, and Drew instantly noticed how close he stood to Annie.
“Hello, Drew,” Annie said. She nodded in Lynn’s direction. “Lynn.” After a few seconds, she seemed to remember her companion. “Jonathan, this is Drew Corbin, a friend of mine, and Lynn ...”
“Lynn Seabrook,” Lynn said and shook Jonathan’s hand.
“And this is my colleague, Jonathan Poynter.”
So that’s Jonathan the accountant? With his tan and his slender body, he looked more like an athlete. Drew had to admit that he and Annie made a good-looking couple. “You look great, Annie,” Drew said before she could stop herself.
Black slacks emphasized every inch of Annie’s long legs, and the ivory satin-and-lace blouse was less conservative than Annie’s usual style of dress. Pearl stud earrings gleamed on her earlobes. Seems she went all out for her date or whatever else this is. It took some effort to unclench her teeth. What did you expect? She’s straight, so why wouldn’t she go out with a man?
A faint blush rose up Annie’s neck. “Thank you. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“Me neither. Lynn wanted to get something to eat before we head home.”
Annie raked her teeth across her bottom lip.
“Anything you can recommend on the menu?” Lynn asked.
Jonathan’s blond beard parted as he smiled. “The filet mignon is great. Really juicy if you order it medium-rare.”
Drew met Annie’s gaze. He’s raving about his rare steak. Does he even know Annie’s a vegetarian?
Annie shrugged almost indiscernibly, and they shared a secret smile. “Have a nice evening,” Annie said.
“You two too,” Drew answered. “See you tomorrow.”
As soon as Annie and Jonathan walked away, Lynn turned toward Drew. “See you tomorrow?” She frowned. “Drew, she’s got a boyfriend. Why do you keep meeting her?”
He’s not her boyfriend, Drew wanted to say. Instead, she folded her arms and said, “Can’t I be just friends with a straight woman?”
Lynn’s piercing gaze seemed to reach into the deepest recesses of her heart and mind. “You tell me.”
“Of course I can,” Drew said and repeated it to herself for the rest of the evening.
Chapter 14
By quarter to three, Annie was standing by the window, watching the street. The minutes ticked by slowly as she smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from her elegant slacks. She looked down at herself, opened the top button on her blouse, and then closed it again.
She glanced at the street in front of the apartment.
Mrs. Perez’s grandson sat on the bottom stair of their little blue house, smoking a cigarette so his grandmother wouldn’t catch him. A pick-up truck drove past the stop sign without even slowing down. Otherwise, the street was empty.
Still no sign of Drew.
The hand of the clock above the mantel sprang to one minute after three.
Every other time they had met, Drew had been early.
Where is she? Her imagination showed Drew leaving the restaurant with Lynn and then going home with her. Annie swallowed and shook her head to get rid of the mental image. Maybe Drew had just overslept.
The ringing of the phone made her jump. Drew! She rushed to the phone and snatched up the receiver
without looking at the caller ID. “Yes?”
“This is Aaron Cargill.”
Great. Her boss. Not Drew.
“I’m sorry to call you at home on a Sunday,” Mr. Cargill said, “but there’s a problem with the software and we thought ... Well, maybe if you aren’t busy, you could come in and help us fix it?”
Now? Annie glanced out the window. Drew will be here any minute!
“I’m sure it won’t take more than an hour,” her boss said when she stayed silent. “I’ll pay for the overtime, of course.”
Annie glanced back and forth between the phone and the window. Proving herself as competent and reliable was important to her. But saying yes to her boss would mean not getting to spend time with Drew. She paused when she realized how important spending time with Drew had become. How did that happen?
“Annie?” Mr. Cargill asked. “Are you still there?”
“Yes,” Annie said. Her thoughts were racing while she tried to come up with a compromise that would make everyone happy. But this time, there was no compromise. It was either her boss’s needs or her own. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cargill, but I can’t come in. I’m on my way out the door for an important appointment.”
Silence answered at the other end of the line, showing her how surprised Mr. Cargill was by her answer.
And he wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
“Oh.” Mr. Cargill sighed. “Well, I guess the problem will still be here on Monday.”
“I’ll take care of it first thing tomorrow morning,” Annie said. She finished the call and stared at the phone in her hand. Wow. I said no to my boss. She shook her head and grinned at herself. Sarah would be proud. And Drew.
The doorbell rang.
Drew! Finally. Annie set down the phone and hurried to the door to buzz Drew in. After a few seconds, she heard footfalls on the stairs and peeked through the peephole. Her heartbeat accelerated at the sight of Drew walking toward the door, dressed in a gray button-down shirt and faded jeans that clung to her strong thighs.
The knock on the door made Annie jump even though she was expecting it. She ran her palms down her pant legs again and opened the door.
