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8
The universe sentchallenges to make us stronger. That’s what the gurus said. It seemed like our relationship was going to be invincible one day because Drake and I were constantly being forced into long distance.
He had to go back to Seattle this morning. I knew he could cancel seeing his mom. It wasn’t him fulfilling a contract, working or anything like that. But family was important to both of us. That’s why I’d decided that when he woke up I’d tell him I was taking some time off to go there with him.
I could be good with a paintbrush. And I really wanted to get to know his mom better. Nora had only been to LA once before Drake went off on tour, and I’d met her once in Seattle. It would be good to get closer to this woman who I could only assume was a rock star herself having raised such a man.
It was the wee small hours of the morning. Light framed the edges of the blinds in Drake’s room. I only had a couple of hours to sort myself out. I only had yesterday’s clothes with me and had to get back to Malibu and then over to Hollywood by nine this morning.
It wasn’t like Drake to sleep more than a few seconds beyond me opening my eyes, but he was knocked out next to me, in that totally paralytic state of sleep where you knew you’d have to actually nudge the person with an elbow to wake them up.
I aligned my body to his, face to face, and wrapped my arm around his torso. Even the mighty fell. He needed this sleep, and I really didn’t want to wake him. He looked exhausted. His eyelids were dark, and even though he should have slept it off, shadows underlined his eyes even now. His usual glow was gone, and his skin had a grayer hue.
Fuck Jason Fry. I knew that’s what this was. Drake was notoriously relaxed when it came to just about everything but the people he loved. This lawsuit drained him, and it was physically visible.
Drake stirred and muttered with his eyes still closed. “Are you staring at me?”
I giggled softly. “Yeah.”
He seemed to fall in and out of sleep then. As if trying to wake himself up but his body pulled him back down. It wasn’t like him to be this fatigued. But anxiety, stress and, God forbid, depression, had major effects on the body. I wanted to let him sleep. I could always call a…
“Don’t even think about calling a taxi,” he muttered. “I’ll take you home and back to the office,” he said without opening his eyes.
“Babe, you sleep. It’s not a problem.”
With that, his eyes opened, so quickly it startled me. He drew in a breath like he’d been drowning.
“Not today. I want every second with you. I’m off to Seattle, so we need to make the most of it.” He pushed himself up, leaning against the backboard, looking more alert. “Which, even though I adore my mom, I don’t want to go as much now as I did yesterday. Why am I destined to miss you?”
I ran my finger along his chest. “About that. Why don’t I join you two? I just need to give a few days’ notice. Many hands make light work? I’m good with a paintbrush.”
His eyes narrowed. “When did you ever use a paintbrush? No insult intended, but you don’t seem like the DIY type.”
I laid my head on his chest. “I’m no expert but I did volunteer twice in Mexico building houses with a charity.”
“You built houses?” he teased.
I slapped his chest lightly. “Yes. I’m actually pretty good with a hammer, and if you ask me to fetch a Phillips, I’d know what you mean.”
“Impressive. Don’t even think I can remember… that’s the one with the cross, right?”
“See. I’m needed in Seattle.” I smiled.
“Trust me. My mom is such a DIY queen she doesn’t need either of us there for the fineries. She could have her own show. But I’d love you there. I’m sure my mom would, too.”
Suddenly, the pit of my stomach gurgled. I hadn’t really considered what Drake might have told Nora about me and our breakup. “Do you think she’ll still like me? Even though I was an asshole?”
“Why wouldn’t she?” He leaned back to make eye contact. “Just because you broke my heart into a million pieces?”
He paused.
I squirmed.
He chuckled. “Nah. She never believed it was permanent.”
He took me by the cheeks and brought my lips close enough to kiss. “And neither did I.” He nibbled my bottom lip softly. “Not really.”
The feeling of his lips on mine stopped time. He cupped his hand on the back of my head and drew me in closer. Our tongues danced around each other, enjoying the taste of love between us. He reached his hand around my ass to hoist me on top of him by the hips. His body was warm underneath me, his skin soft and smooth.
