“I'd say pretty good since you've memorized my truck.”
“Shut up. I am not stalking you. If I had been you wouldn't have been able to sneak up on me in the store.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Ah, but that could have been your plan all along.” There was that flirty tone again.
Drew walked past my car and started loading his bags into the back of his truck. I opened my trunk and did the same, all the while feeling strange. He wasn't watching me, but I could feel him glance over occasionally, as though he wanted to say something but kept rethinking it. I was aware, however, that I could have been imagining it all, so I pretended not to notice his behavior.
Closing my trunk, I looked over to see him leaning casually against his door. “What?” I asked.
“Nothing. I was just thinking about today. Usually I hate shopping, but you made it enjoyable. Maybe we should meet here on a weekly basis.”
“Well that might be tough, I do have several other men I'm tracking at the moment. A set appointment might be tricky,” I teased.
“I guess you do have a point there.” He sighed wistfully and said, “I guess we'll have to leave it up to fate.”
“Guess so.” I paused. I wasn't sure what to say. It felt strange to just say goodbye to him and drive away. Even though I hardly knew him, the situation felt intimate.
Thankfully he spoke, saving me from having to come up with something clever to say. “I guess I should get home, don't want my Twinkies to go bad,” he joked. “I guess I'll see you around?”
“Sounds good. See you around.”
I got into my car and drove away first, relieved to be done with the awkward goodbye. I watched in my rear view mirror as his truck started moving behind me. As I drove home I couldn't help keeping track of him in my mirrors. He wasn't right behind me the whole time, but I kept seeing him move through traffic. I kept expecting to lose him as I turned, but every turn I made, I saw that big truck appear behind me again.
After about ten minutes I knew what he was up to. The stalker becomes the stalkee. I stopped at the last stop sign before I made a right into my apartment complex. I watched as he came to a stop in the lane to my left. I rolled down my window and was about to say I got the joke, when I saw his suspicious stare.
He rolled down his window and inquired, “Excuse me, Miss? Are you really stalking me? How do you know where I live?”
Shocked and embarrassed that he thought I was really out to get him I said, “How do you know where I live?” I tilted my head suspiciously. “This is a joke right? You're just messing around?”
“No. I swear. I live over there.” He pointed to the apartment complex to the left.
I stared as my mouth dropped open. “You live across the street from me? How is that possible?”
He chuckled, mystified. “I have no idea. Do you really live over here?”
I nodded. “Yeah, right there, 106. This is crazy.”
He agreed, “No question.”
I saw a car pull up behind me so I said, “Well, that's my cue. I'll see you around, neighbor.”
Two hours later I decided to take a stroll. I'd never before had the urge; when the only scenery around you is dumpsters, sidewalks and parked cars, it's not exactly invigorating.
For some unknown reason, however, I was full of pep. Unknown-hah! Who was I kidding? There was a very known reason for the pep in my step. I tried to appear casual as I crossed the street that divided our two complexes. In my head I felt like at any moment I would get busted. That someone would be able to tell I didn't live in the complex, that I was there for sneaky, spying reasons.
Following the curve of the sidewalk, I came around the side of a building and immediately saw Drew's truck. It was hard to miss, sitting at least two feet taller than any other vehicle around it.
I paused for a moment, not sure what to do next. Realizing at that moment, unfortunately, that I had no specific plans. I wasn't about to knock on his door. I turned back in the direction of my apartment, feeling like a thirteen year old with a silly crush. I shook my head, embarrassed. What a waste of time, what had I been thinking? That I'd just casually bump into him? It's not like the man had a front yard. I know from experience; people who lived in apartments stayed in them.
I started walking back to my side of the street, silently thanking fate, or luck, or whoever makes these decisions. What if he had been outside? What would I have said? That I often wander through strange complexes, where I don't live and also don't have any friends? Stupid.
“Stella?”
I froze on the sidewalk. What are the odds that there was another Stella around? Stupid, stupid, stupid!
I heard it again, from closer this time, “Stella? Hey, what's up?”
I turned around and plastered a smile on my face. “Drew, hi...” I said with brilliance.
By some miracle, he didn't ask what I was doing there, but nodded his head toward his truck. “Come on over, this thing is heavy.” I saw the cooler he was carrying before he turned around and lugged it back to his truck. I followed him over and tried to think of something to say, something to explain my presence.
Before I could say anything, I was greeted warmly by the most adorable black lab ever. He bounded out from around the truck and jumped up on me, his giant paws landing on my stomach.
“Brillo, Down!” Drew said firmly. Brillo dropped immediately to the ground and Drew squatted to his level. “No jumping. Bad boy,” he scolded. Brillo dropped his head forlornly and to my amusement Drew melted. “Okay, give it a rest buddy, I'm not going to beat you.” He patted the puppy on the head and immediately, Brillo was up again, tail wagging with excitement.
Drew turned to me. “Sorry about that, he's still a puppy, and we're still working on training.” He looked over at the dog. “Brillo's almost got me behaving right, don't you Bud?”
I dropped to the ground and Brillo came right over to get his much-deserved attention. I cooed, “You are just the most adorable thing, aren't you? I bet you hear that all the time, don't you?” The dog flopped down shamelessly onto his back, presenting his belly for scratching.
“What, did you two know each other in a former life?” He teased.
I looked up at him sheepishly. “No. Not that it matters, you never need an excuse for loving dogs.” I turned back to Brillo. “Especially adorable, well-trained ones like you.”
Rolling his eyes, Drew said, “Okay, now you're just buttering him up.” He whistled and Brillo jumped up and stood at attention at Drew's feet. “Get in the truck, buddy. At least then I can keep an eye on you.”
Drew patted the tailgate and the dog bounded in with ease. Once Drew shut the tailgate and Brillo was contained, I felt nervous again. Without the dog as a distraction, I was back to having to come up with a reason my my being there.
Instead of giving Drew a chance to question me, I went on the offensive. “Where are you headed?” I asked, nodding in the direction of the cooler and other camping gear.
“Just out to the lake. I try to get out of here every couple weeks. I actually haven't been able to go in a while, but we're going today, come rain or come shine, right Brillo?”
“Must be nice.”
“Yeah, it's great. If I didn't do it every once in a while, I'd go nuts.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Plenty of room in the truck.”
“For what? For me?” I pointed at my own chest in surprise.
He leaned against his truck, his tone as casual as his posture, “Sure. Why not?”
I felt my face flush as I stammered, “No. I mean-no, I wasn't trying to invite myself along. I just meant-”
He waved a hand at me casually. “You didn't invite yourself, I invited you. And I wouldn't have done that unless I wanted to. What do you say?”
Part of me wanted to ask where his girlfriend was. The other part of me didn't want to know. He was fun. Relaxed. He made me feel relaxed. Why not?
I shrugged my shoulders, hoping to look as casual as he did.
“Sure, I'd love to come. I just need to run back to my place for a couple things.”
“Sounds good. How much time do you need?”
“Twenty minutes sound good?”
He nodded. “Sounds good. I'll swing by and get you. 106, right?”
He remembered my apartment number. “Right.”
I turned away and sauntered toward my apartment building. Once I got around the corner and was out of sight, I broke into a full out run.
Chapter 21
Who was this person wearing my clothes? Certainly not anyone I recognized. Though it had been a while since I'd buried Estelle, it seemed like I might need to replace Stella, because that name didn't do this woman justice. This woman sharing a truck with two males-one human, one canine-that she hardly knew, headed to the lake on a lazy Friday afternoon.
I glanced over at my companions, Brillo in the center of the seat, ears at attention, eyes scanning, nose happily sniffing the fresh air.
And then there was Drew. Right hand at twelve o'clock on the wheel, Left arm propped on the open window. He was leaning back in his seat, on his face were sunglasses and a big old grin. Yes, this was definitely new territory.
He glanced over, aiming that grin right at me. “So, are you a big camper?”
Hmmm...big camper...nope. I'd only been once as a kid. My parents had been talked into going with another couple. It was a long night that included the other couples kid peeing in the sleeping bag we shared. Add to that my mother's complete revulsion of the port-a-potty situation, and it was the first and last camping trip I'd ever experienced. But would it be wise to share all of this with Drew?
“Uh, I've only camped a couple times as a kid.” I peeked over at him. “But I am a big fan of s'mores, does that count for anything?”
He nodded. “That counts for everything, Stella. We all know that s'mores make the camping trip.”
I returned his grin, feeling even more comfortable with him. This was a whole new experience for me, being comfortable with a man so quickly. Maybe it was because I knew he was off-limits? She may not have been physically present, but Ms. Stiletto Heels was right between us.
Drew slowed the truck and pulled into a campsite. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I was relieved to see that he'd picked one that had bathrooms and showers. He pulled into a site near the bathrooms and turned off the engine. “This look alright?”
I nodded, taking in the trees and other greenery, and absolutely no people. “This is perfect. Do you come here a lot?”
He shrugged. “Not too much really, I usually go out and find a place that's private, but I figured you might want to be somewhere with showers and stuff.”
“I do appreciate that, thanks. I hope I didn't mess up your plans though.”
He shook his head. “Not a bit. I'm happy to have some company for a change. Brillo's a good boy, but he's pretty tight-lipped.” He reached out and rubbed the dogs head.
“Well when you're that pretty, you don't have to be witty. Where did you get Brillo, anyway?”
Drew kept rubbing the dogs ears. “He's a rescue. Poor guy was picked up as a stray. He's about a year old, so he's past the cute baby stage, but still enough of a puppy to demand a lot of work.” Drew looked over at me. “I just felt for the guy, being there alone. Figured he'd make a good partner in crime.”
“That's so great. I've always wanted to get a dog, but living in the apartment, I just didn't feel like it'd be fair to the animal.”
Drew shrugged. “I felt like that a little too, but I take him out camping a lot, and he gets lots of roaming time when I'm working at the-” he paused, looking like he'd forgotten something. “Uh, when I'm working.”
“I thought you worked in construction?”
He focused on Brillo. “I do.”
I was surprised he'd take his dog into an environment like that. “Isn't that dangerous? Having him run around all that equipment and everything?”
Drew's tone turned defensive, “No. I'd never put him in a situation where he could get hurt.”
I leaned back a little, surprised by his reaction. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I can see you love him.” This was weird, I felt like I'd said something wrong, but that seemed unlikely, since we were just talking about his dog. I struggled to come up with something to say, something to change the subject.
I had nothing. And now we were just two strangers sitting in this truck with nothing to say to each other. I glanced at him, he was just petting Brillo, looking as uncomfortable as I felt.
“Look, maybe this wasn't a good idea. Why don't you just take me back, then you and Brillo can have your camp out like you originally planned.” I smiled at Drew, hoping it would make the situation less awkward. “I have lots to do at home anyway, so it's probably better if we just go back.”
Drew finally met my eyes, his expression was not happy. “I'm an idiot. I'll take you back if you really want me to, but please don't leave because of me.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I screwed up, I kind of forgot who I was talking to.”
I shook my head slowly, trying to catch on to what he was telling me. “I'm lost.”
“It's nothing. It's stupid.” He eyed me for a long moment. “Are you and Mick really through?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly, trying to figure out what Slick had to do with anything.
“Please don't mention this to him, because if he told my girlfriend I'd be in hot water.”
Now I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the explanation. What was he going to tell me? He was secretly gay? That he wants to break up with his girlfriend? That he loves to flirt with stupid girls, talk them into camping, then decapitate them?
“Drew, if you're going to decapitate me, please let me have a s'mores first.”
He tilted his head and wrinkled his forehead. “Huh?”
I waved my hand, dismissing my comment. “Never mind. I wont say anything to Mick.”
He nodded. “Okay. What I was going to say before, is that Brillo has lots of time to run when I'm working...on my house.”
It took a second for his sentence to soak in. Mainly because I didn't understand why it was such a big secret. “You have a house? Then why are you living in an apartment?”
“Well, it's a house, but it's got a ways to go before I'd consider living in it. I'm working on it a little at a time, and once it's fixed, I'm hoping to live there.”
“Hoping?”
“Yeah. That's where it gets tricky. Trina hates the place, thinks that it should be bulldozed. I'm hoping that once it's all finished, she'll see how great it is and change her mind.” He shrugged. “That's why I was worried about you telling Mick. Trina is pushing to buy a house, and I'm stalling, trying to buy enough time to finish mine. She hates when I talk about the house, thinks that if she keeps taking me to look at houses, that I'll find something I like.” He smiled at me. “It's real estate tug of war, I guess.”
“I get it. So, where is your house anyway?”
He tipped his head toward the driver side window. “About 3 miles that way. It's not right on the lake, but it's got a nice view.”
I knew it was rude, but I couldn't help myself. “Can I see it?”
He looked surprised. “Really?”
Suddenly getting my manners back I shook my head. “I didn't mean to put you on the spot.”
“No, I'd love to show you, I was just shocked that you're interested.”
“Oh, I'm interested, I love houses. I want to buy one day, but that wont be any time soon. That twenty percent takes a while to save up.”
He looked in his mirror as he backed out of the campsite. “I hear ya. I wouldn't have close to what I'd need to buy either, especially a place with a lake view. But, about six months ago my grandpa died. He used to bring me up here all the time to fish and stuff. It was great. I guess he knew I'd love to have the place.”
Ah, the irony.
Chapter 22
I thought that since Drew's house was only a few miles a
way, it would take only a few minutes to get there. Not so. The last mile of the trek was on a dirt road barely big enough for one vehicle. As the truck rocked over deep holes, I bumped up and down on my seat, watching through my window as low tree branches scraped the truck as we passed them.
“Sorry about the rough road,” Drew said, as he tried to avoid the deepest ruts. “I'm going to have it smoothed out, but it's pretty low on the list.
I held onto the handle above my window. “No problem, it's like a mini roller coaster.” I grinned at him.
“I like your outlook, maybe you'll see something good in the house too.”
A few moments later we came around the last bend and the trees opened up to a large piece of open land. Set far back was the house. I wish I could say it was quaint, cozy, charming, or that it had good bones.
It was a mess. The front porch-what was left of it anyway-was sagging on the left corner, most of the paint long since faded away, leaving only the raw wood, grayed from exposure to the elements. I could tell by the few spots that still held paint, that the place used to be cream colored. The windows were cracked and coated with dirt, and the front door, for some reason, was hot pink.
I looked over at Drew and saw his face full of hope, looking right at me. “Well? What do you think?”
I immediately plastered a big grin on my face. “It's great...I mean, I can see it needs work, but the land is beautiful. Is it all yours?”
Drew shook his head. “You're a horrible liar. I can't believe you thought I'd buy that! 'it's great',” he mocked. “It's a pit. But I'm working on it. And yeah, the land is mine too. That's part of the problem. It's worth a pretty good chunk, that's part of the reason Trina wants me to sell it, she says we could put the money towards something nicer.” We climbed down from the truck and walked around to the front bumper. He took my elbow and pulled me forward, while he continued, “And all I want to do is make this place nicer. Come on, you'll see what I mean once we get inside.”
Drew whistled and Brillo came bounding out from the trees as we made our way up to the porch. “Careful where you're stepping,” Drew cautioned. “This whole porch has to be replaced, I have the wood on order.”
The Millionaire Myth Page 10
