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He took in a deep breath.
“’He always had a restless heart. You can’t tame someone like that, you just can’t,’ my mother once said to me about my father. We didn’t know where he went or what he did. As I got older, Mom and I would sometimes guess. We’d make up grandiose stories about what trouble my father could be getting into. To cope.
“’I bet he’s strung up on a flagpole by his underwear,’ she said once. ‘I bet he’s just lost his last dime to a bag of cocaine that’s actually powdered sugar,’ was my suggestion. That always made her laugh. And as long as we could laugh about him being gone, we couldn’t cry.”
His eyes move to mine.“That night, I remember looking down at the floor by the door, feeling my father’s eyes on me. I silently begged him to hug me. To please let me know he loved me.”
A tear escapes my eye. Poor boy. How hard it must have been to go through that not just once but time and time again, never knowing if the man who was supposed to take care of him, love him, would ever return.
“But he didn’t. He barely even said goodbye. And that was the last time I ever saw him. After years of in and out and in and out, he’d finally chosen out.”
His head shaking, he said, “My father was a liar who knew nothing about love. Knew nothing about accepting it. Or giving it, for that matter. The last time he returned, he’d promised and promised that he wouldn’t leave. That he was ready to put down roots. That we’d go on a family vacation. That he’d take my mother on a proper date for the first time in god knew how long.
“Instead, he walked out.
“Mom offered to help me with the model sub. We did finish it. But a week later, I smashed it on the sidewalk. I was so angry at him.”
His head falls down to his chest. “But you know what the worst part is? I was afraid you might think I’m like him, but–”
“No, Drew. Never.”
“Really?”
“Really. If I believed that even for a second, I’d have to believe I’m like my mom, and I know I’m nothing like her. We are better. It’s their loss, but we can learn from their mistakes.”
He massages the ring finger on my left hand. “Good. Still, though, the promise remains. Regardless of what happens between us, I’m here for you. You’ll always be my best friend. And I’ll always be the best father I can be to our child.”
I let him slide the ring onto my hand. “Fits perfect.”
“Meant to be. Maybe. I don’t know.”
I giggle and clasp his hands in mine. “I like the sound of that.”
Drew flushes.
“And…I promise to tell you when things are bothering me. And to trust you first and foremost. No matter what.”
“Good. Because I haven’t had a crush on you for years just to get into a relationship with you and cheat on you.”
I laugh. “Well, that’s good to know.”
Drew kisses my cheek. “If you need me to remind you, just say the word. Because I’ll remind you again…” He kisses my other cheek. “And again…” My chin. “And again…”
Soon enough, he’s peppering kisses across my face, neck, and collarbone. I feel my body swaying toward him closer and closer until I’m off the stool and in his arms, thirsting for his lips to caress me over and over.
“If we moved in together…” I say through a pleasured sigh.
Drew hums against my skin.
“We should move in here. Your place is nicer.”
He laughs and lifts his head, brown hair falling into his eyes. “You want to move in with me, D?”
“I think we could be okay roommates.”
“Roommates, huh?” He laughs and runs his thumb tenderly under my lip. God, he’s sexy. “Then why don’t we go break in your new bedroom, huh?”
Drew throws me over his shoulder; I laugh the whole way up the stairs, back to the bedroom. I’ve slept here many times, been with him in his bed before. But this time is wholly different.
