Page 41 of Pretty

I sighed. “How’d you run off the sentries?”

He frowned slightly and then chuckled in that deep, throaty laugh he had. “Oh, you mean your family? Let’s just say that I have an understanding with your dad and brothers.”

“And what would that be?” I couldn’t imagine anything that would have pulled those pit bulls away from my bed, not to mention my mom. They had been by my side the entire time I’d been in the hospital, even when Drew visited.

“I’ve got them season tickets to the Jaguars games.”

“They’re gonna love that!” I laughed.

“I know. Listen, I’ve got to run by the house to shower and change, but I’ll be back.”

“I’m good, Drew.”

“That’s cool. ’Cause your ass scared the shit outta me for a minute there. They’re supposed to be letting you out tomorrow.”

I had been in the hospital for two days. I had sustained a broken arm, a concussion, and I had some minor back pain.

“Yeah, I heard. I can’t wait to get out of here and back home. I’m sorry I scared you, Drew. Moving next to me is a hazard. I know you probably regret the day you asked me for that screwdriver,” I teased.

He laughed. “That was the second-best day of my life besides meeting you. What the hell were you doing out there to make you fall?”

“Trying to measure the windows so I could replace one of the shutters.”

“Why the hell didn’t you ask?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Didn’t want to bother you.”

“I’m right next door, baby; you’re never a bother. You’ve got my number. All you gotta do is call me.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

He wore a worried look briefly, kissed my forehead, and then he stood. Before he walked out of the room, he declared, “Loving you would be easy.”

Drew didn’t wait for a response or give me time to question him; he simply blew my mind with that confession. Love? Was that what we were doing?

TWO WEEKS LATER (LATE OCTOBER)

When my doorbell rang earlier this morning, I thought it was a delivery. I wasn’t expecting one, but Drew was always surprising me. When I arrived at the front door, there was no package or delivery person there, just a cute little pumpkin, which was odd, because I hadn’t placed one on my porch.

I noticed the top of the pumpkin had been cut out to create a cute little lid. I removed it and found an envelope sealed with a pumpkin sticker inside with my name written on it. Inside the envelope was a little handwritten note that simply read:

Hey, pumpkin,

Dress casually, bring some sunscreen, your favorite bikini, your driver’s license, and your sunglasses. Don’t worry about anything else. This weekend is all about you, so relax and let me take care of you.

Love, Drew

I had giggled at him calling me “pumpkin,” but I took note that he used the word “love” again. He hadn’t mentioned that word since he said it in the hospital two weeks ago, and I hadn’t pressed the issue. I knew that I hadn’t heard wrong, but I wanted him to feel comfortable expressing it to me again.

After getting the note, I had run inside and did exactly what he’d asked of me. I dressed in some cute jeans, a floral colored short-sleeved blouse, and some ballerina slippers, and I grabbed all the items he told me to. In addition to those things, I had grabbed my purse, keys, and phone, and then I dialed his number and told him that I was ready.

He pulled into my driveway about five minutes later, and I ran outside. We stopped for coffee and breakfast and then headed to the airport.

Once we arrived at the airport, he pulled out another envelope, which was also sealed with a pumpkin sticker.

When I opened it, I found a boarding pass with the destination “Sorrel Island.” I squealed with delight, causing other passengers to turn and look in our direction.

When we arrived, we checked into a cute little resort and picked up the keys to our villa.