Drew spent the rest of the holiday having fun with his family and feeling grateful for everything he had. But as soon as he got home, it was time to make some plans.
After checking his calendar and sending a couple of emails, he decided to call it a night.
He lay in bed and remembered dancing with Lacey on the beach. What started out as a romantic walk down the shoreline turned into one of the best nights of his life. The way her body molded to his, the way she’d giggle when he’d twirl her under his arm, and the wayshe’d rope her arms around his neck, forgoing a formal dance hold. But it was the way she’d smile at him when he brushed strands of her hair off her face that took his breath away.One day,he thought… one day soon she’d be back in his arms.
Chapter 19
Lacey lay in bed, reading her favorite holiday romance novel, about two high school sweethearts who had a second chance at love when they reconnected at their five-year class reunion. They kissed under the mistletoe, and the hero in the book declared his love to the heroine, promising her forever. If only real life could be so easy. How wonderful it would be to have the man she loved at arm’s reach. She let out a sigh and turned the final page. Setting the book down on her nightstand, she rolled to her side and stared at the picture Drew had sent her.
The way he looked at her, the smiles that splayed across both of their faces—it was a picture of two people in love. Why couldn’t she wrap her head around that word? It shouldn’t be hard to tell him that she did indeed love him.
Groaning, she grabbed her phone and stared at it. Opening her photo app, she scrolled through all the pictures she took while on vacation—everything from the airplane she was boarding to the steel drum players in the lobby. If she closed her eyes, she could hear the music and smell the fragrant tropical scents.
Sliding her finger to the left, she came upon a candid picture she’d taken of Drew sitting at the bar talking to Ethan. Just like the day she met him, his baseball cap was on backward, giving him a boyish charm, and his model-worthy smile was on full display. But it was his arms that had Lacey squirming between her sheets. The way they held her made her feel safe and protected. And his lips…God, she missed his kisses.
She thought back to their impromptu dance on the beach. The way Drew took her in an embrace, touched her, and made her feel as though she was the only woman alive. They’d been walking down the beach, relishing their time together as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the world in a pinkish glow. Lacey was savoring the sounds of nature’s orchestra, the melody of the waves, when Drew stopped walking and twirled her in the sand. Everything about Drewwas sexy and carefree… his smile, his body, and most of all his heart.
No matter how much she tried, Lacey couldn’t get Drew out of her head. She thought about everything he did, from his soft touches, his gentle kisses, to the way he stood up to Kevin—that was a major turn-on. And the way he’d lace their fingers together as if he were afraid that he’d lose her if he let go. There were times when she didn’t know where hers ended and his began. It sounded cliché, but it was true. There were more times than not when Lacey had read that in a book or had seen that in a movie, but this wasn’t fiction—it was her reality. Maybe it wasn’t crazy to feel so much for him.
Lacey stared at her phone, gathering the courage to call him. After a few seconds, she found his number and tapped it. One ring… two rings… then three. She was mentally preparing to either hang up or leave a voice mail when Drew answered. “Lacey?” His groggy voice made her heart beat faster. “Are you okay?”
The sound of her pulse pumped in her ears. She wondered if he could hear it through the phone. Doing her best to calm down, she counted to three, inhaled through her nose, and exhaled from her mouth; her heart rate slowed down. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry if I woke you. I can call you in the morning.”
“No, it’s fine, really.”
She could hear his body shift in his bed. “I was thinking about our dance on the beach and wanted to talk to you.”
“I thought about that tonight too.”
“You did?” The fact that they both held on to the same memory gave her even more reason to tell him how she truly felt about him.
“Yes, I can’t wait to dance with you again. Is that why you called? Not that I’m complaining, but there’s something in your voice that sounds off. Are you sure nothing is wrong?”
“No, you’re right. I did want to tell you something.” When Drew didn’t say anything, she continued, “I… I miss you, Drew.” She squeezed her eyes shut; why couldn’t she say what she really wanted?
“I miss you too.”
“Did you have a nice holiday with your family?”
“It was great. I told them all about this wonderful woman who attacked me on the beach.”
Lacey stopped playing with the hem of her pajama top and let out a gasp. “Oh my God. They must think I’m insane.”
Drew chuckled. “Nah, I explained the situation and told them if you didn’t approach me, I would have taken matters into my own hands. There was no way we wouldn’t have gotten together one way or another—your way just sped things along.”
“You told them everything? About being my fake boyfriend?”
“I hate when you say that.”
Lacey knew that; even though Drew had torn down the walls around her heart like a wrecking ball, she still felt the need to guard it. “I’m sorry. It won’t be mentioned again.”
“Good.” He let out a yawn. “Sorry, it’s been a long day.”
“I’ll let you go. I just wanted to hear your voice.”And tell you I think I love you.
“Anytime you want to hear or see me, just let me know. I’m going into the office tomorrow to catch up on some things. I’ll call you when I’m done.”
“I need to work tomorrow as well. Technically, I’m still on vacation, but this presentation can make it or break it for me.”