Blind Side Of Love (2 page)

“Becca! How are you, Sweetheart?” Lynn Barrett said, pulling me into her and giving me a kiss on each side of my face.

“I’m well, thank you.”

“Come on in and sit down.” She led me into the formal living room and we both took a seat on the couch as her housekeeper brought in a tray containing a pitcher of iced tea and fresh fruit. “Your mother told me that you are doing wonderful in school. She’s so proud of you.” She smiled. “So let me tell you a little about this charity.” She lifted up the pitcher and poured us each a glass.

“Thank you,” I said, taking a sip.

“Well, here’s what I was thinking: the name of the organization would be called
Tiny Tears
and it will help raise money for scholarships for children affected by child abuse.”

“Wow, that’s a really great cause. I love that idea.”

“Well, I know that you have a lot of experience working in the women’s shelter—not to mention your legal background will be a tremendous help.”

“Oh Mrs. Barrett, I am nowhere near ready to give any legal advice but I would love to be part of this wonderful cause.”

She placed her hand on my shoulder. “I’m so happy to hear that, dear!  I’m getting together a spreadsheet with a checklist of all the things that need to be done to get this started, so why don’t we meet again next week? Same place, same time?”

“Sounds perfect!”

“I also have another favor to ask?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Well, you know that Edward and I do a lot with the local disaster relief charities.” I nodded. I knew that she and Dr. Barrett were into a lot of charities; I just couldn’t keep track of them. “Well, Saturday night we’re having a formal dinner to raise some funds and holding a bachelorette type of auction. The winning bidder gets to have dinner and a dance with the bachelorette. I’ve got two girls lined up and was hoping that you would agree to be the third.”

Even though I knew it was for a good cause I still couldn’t help but feel like I was being sold into prostitution. But it was only dinner and one dance, how bad could it be? “Sure, count me in.”

“Oh Becca, I’m so glad. Just between you and me, you are the prettiest one. I have a feeling you’re going to be raising a lot of money for us.”
Okay, now that just made me feel like a high class hooker.
I smiled, not knowing what else to do. “So tell me all about –”

“Hey, Mom, what’s going on?” Ashton interrupted as he walked into the living room.

He gave me his shifty smile like he was looking at me without any clothes. I immediately crossed my legs to make sure I wasn’t giving him a free show with the short skirt that I was wearing before shifting my eyes to Drew, who was standing right beside him. His eyes focused on mine and he gave me an adorable little smile, which made me involuntarily smile back even wider.

“Ashton Thomas Barrrett, I would like a word with you in private,” she said through clenched teeth as she got up from the couch. “I’ll be right back, Becca,” she shouted, leading Ashton up the stairs.

I raised my eyebrows and smiled. “Looks like someone’s in trouble,” I said to Drew, unable to hold back my laughter.

He smiled a cute boyish grin. “Yeah, it appears that way. So what are you doing here?” he asked.

“Oh, Ashton’s mom asked me to help out with one of her charities. I love doing this stuff, especially when it’s for a worthwhile cause.”

“What’s the cause?” he asked.

“Abused children. It’s my passion, I volunteer at women and children’s shelters at home and in the city when I’m in school. Mrs. Barrett runs so many different worthwhile charities, this will be really good experience for me if I ever want to start up one of my own someday.”

He nodded, looking like he was deep in thought. “So, Becca, I wanted to ask you the other night. Did you want to go out some time?”

“Oh….umm.” He totally caught me off guard with that question. He seemed like a great guy and he was absolutely adorable, but
he was friends with Ashton
, which caused him to lose a few points in my book. “Actually, I don’t think so. I’m just really busy this summer and –”

“Sorry about that, Becca, my son and I had some business to discuss,” Mrs. Barrett interrupted as she and Ashton came back down the steps.

I got up from the couch, wanting to get away from Ashton as quickly as possible. “No problem. I’ll see you Saturday.”

“Yes! And thank you so much. If you boys don’t have any plans for Saturday, come to the
Oakwood Country Club
and you may be able to win dinner and a dance with Becca,” Mrs. Barrett said to Ashton and Drew.

I looked down as I walked past them, but I could feel Ashton checking me out from head to toe. I briefly glanced in Drew’s direction and gave him a quick smile before walking out the door, praying that Ashton didn’t take her up on that offer. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck having dinner with him. Drew on the other hand…

The week flew by and I was keeping busy making up for lost time; hanging out with Krista, shopping with my mom, and trying to teach my younger brother some manners when it came to girls. I was hoping to spend some time with my dad, but he was so busy with work that our time together had been limited.

I let Krista drag me to another party that I didn’t want to be at, but since it was on the beach at least I didn’t feel like I was trapped in a fish bowl with a bunch of people that I didn’t want to be with. About a half hour into it, things were finally beginning to look up when I spotted Drew. We exchanged quick glances and a few awkward smiles but nothing else. I actually couldn’t believe that I was finding myself getting a little jealous when I happened to look over his way to find a pretty blonde hanging all over him. He immediately met my gaze when I was staring at the two of them a little longer than I should have. I turned my attention to Krista and her latest conquest, pretending that it didn’t bother me, even though deep down inside for some unknown reason, it did. There was no denying that he was good looking and not in the pretty boy way that Ashton was. There was just something about him that made him stand out. It was the little things like the way his t-shirts hugged his broad chest and shoulders and the way he carried himself with confidence but without being over-cocky. Part of me was regretting turning him down for a date and the other part was telling me that I did the right thing. Even though he didn’t exude arrogance, the way Ashton did, I was sure deep down inside he knew that he could probably have any girl he wanted…..just not this one. But the more I tried to convince myself of that, the more I kept thinking about him.

“Hey Becca!” I jumped and nearly spilled the beer I had been nursing the entire night all over myself. I pulled in my bottom lip to try and contain my smile at the site of Drew standing close enough to smell his delicious cologne.

“Oh, hey!” I said, trying to play it off nonchalantly as if he were any other guy and not one that I had been thinking about the entire night.

“So how come you’re not looking up at the stars on this beautiful night?”

“Hmm….guess I really didn’t think about it.” I didn’t want to tell him that I was too busy checking him out instead. My eyes finally broke their attention from him to the star filled sky. “It really is beautiful tonight.” My nerves were getting the best of me and my stomach began to churn. I scanned the area for Krista, who, of course, was nowhere to be found.
I knew I should have taken my own car.

“Looking for someone?” he asked.

“Umm….no. Well, yeah actually, my friend, Krista. I think she ditched me for that guy she was with and she was my ride home.”

“I can take—”

“Drew, there you are!” The blonde that I had seen him with earlier exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. Once I saw her closer up, I recognized her as a girl that I had gone to high school with. I couldn’t remember her name, but I knew that she was a year younger than me. Drew removed her arms from his neck and she glared at me as if I was the reason for it. “Hey, aren’t you Becca Keeton?” she asked, as if I was some wanted convict or something, making me unsure how to answer.

“Yes. We went to school together, didn’t we? But I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”

She let out a loud laugh. “Well, of course you wouldn’t remember a low life like me. I mean, you were Miss Popular that all the boys wanted and could never have. Don’t waste your time, Drew, because she’s not going to give it to you either. Too bad you just turned down a sure thing for that.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes before walking away in defeat.

“Okay, whatever,” Drew said under his breath. His eyes met mine once again and we both began to laugh over the girl’s sudden outburst.

“Don’t know what I ever did to her, but oh well!” I let out a deep, exhausting breath.

“So, like I was saying before we were interrupted, I can give you a ride home if you need one.”

I looked over the crowd of people one last time for Krista, knowing that it could be hours before I found her and that was
if
she hadn’t left without me already. The last thing I felt like doing was standing around this party, feeling more awkward than I already did. “Umm, I really don’t want you to leave on my account.”

“Nah, that’s okay; this party is kind of lame anyway.”

“Oh, well, okay then.”

His single dimpled smile made my knees go weak. I had never allowed this to happen with any guy. I was always in control of the way I felt, but Drew was just different.

“Hey Drew, where you going, my man!?” Ashton shouted as we were heading off the beach. I looked down at the ground, trying my best to avoid any eye contact with him; just the sound of his voice was enough to make me cringe.

“Oh, I’m pretty beat,” Drew replied.

I finally looked up and wished I hadn’t when my eyes locked with Ashton’s. “Oh, say no more.” Ashton sneered, never taking his icy blue eyes from mine.

“I’m just giving Becca a ride home and then heading home to bed. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, right! Whatever you say, bro!” His grin grew wider. “Have fun….
sleeping
.”  He chuckled loudly, looking at me one last time before walking away.

I shuddered just by his mere presence. I detested him with everything I had and the more I was around him, the stronger that feeling grew. “God, I cannot stand him,” I whispered.

Drew and I made small talk during the short drive to my house and I found myself getting disheartened when we pulled into the driveway, not wanting the drive to end. I unclasped my seatbelt and had my hand on the door handle. The butterflies in my stomach were unleashed when I looked past his long dark lashes and into his eyes. “Well, thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime.”