Wrapped in Lace (5 page)

“So? That has nothing to do with me.” I angled my chair away from him.

He leaned forward and bit out, “I didn’t like the idea of his hands on you.”

I was sure my jaw was on the floor. I wasn’t sure what to think. Drew had no claim to me, no right at all. And Rob was his brother, his
married
brother—no big threat there.

His hand slid to my thigh again. “I only want
my
hands on you.”

Ok, so I was trying to be pissed at him for being rude, possessive and jealous, but I wasn’t succeeding. I only wanted his hands on me, too. Feminists everywhere were rolling over in their graves, I was so weak.

“Uncle Drew,” Jack said, holding up his little fingers. “I’m going to be a big brother two times.”

Drew smiled, and I could tell it was real. “Yep, I heard. I know you’ll be a great big brother.”

“I will. Just like Daddy and you.”

The entire room fell silent, and Drew cleared his throat, intertwining our fingers under the table. “When we were young like you, your daddy was the best brother a guy could ever want.”

Drew’s father, Carl, reached over and patted his son on the back. “You two used to get into so much trouble. Remember that, Gwennie?”

She nodded, smiling. “Remember how much you used to love it here?” Gwyneth asked.

“I remember, Mom,” Drew said, but I could tell his smile was forced this time. “It was a great place to grow up.”

“You used to say you were never going to leave,” Gwyneth said. “Said you wanted to live around the corner. It was so sweet.”

Unlike my mother, Gwyneth Landon was as close to June Cleaver as any mom could be, but I knew maternal guilt when I heard it. This was definitely it, and it all seemed to be directed at Drew. His hand tightened around mine, and I knew he needed me. I lightly stroked his knuckles with my thumb.

“Wish things would’ve turned out that way, too,” Drew said.

Rob’s fork hit his plate hard, startling everyone. “Must be terrible to get to live anywhere you want, travel, have your own business and make your first million by age twenty-five.”

“Rob!” Ellie said, touching his arm.

“What?” Rob barked. “I’m just wondering how long he’s going to keep up this
woe is me
crap. It’s getting old.”

“Daddy?’ Jack said quietly. “Why’re you so mad?”

Drew released my hand. “That’s a real good question, Jack,” he said as he stood up and forced his chair back before turning for the door.

“Drew?” his mother, father, and Nana called out in unison, but he simply walked out the door.

I stared at the empty space where he used to be. I had no idea what just happened. Drew and Rob had always been so close. “Should someone go after him?” I asked.

“No, honey,” his Nana said. “He’s got to come back to us. He’s got to find his own way home.”

*

The rest of
dinner was solemn. Everyone tried to put on their best masks, but I could tell it was all for Jack’s sake. I’d obviously missed out on some big drama while I was gone. Aside from me, Rob had been Drew’s best friend, but not anymore. Something had changed—big time.

Granddaddy and I said our goodbyes fairly quickly after dinner. No one likes their family’s dirty laundry hung out for someone else to see. We hugged everyone, thanked them for dinner, and started down the front porch steps.

“Piper?” Ellie called out.

I motioned for Granddaddy to go ahead and get in the car, as it was getting really cold outside. “What do you need, Ellie?” I tried to keep my voice cheery, but Ellie only talked to me when she needed something. I was one of Jack’s teachers, so it seemed like that happened pretty often. The thing is, Ellie and I had been in the same class as young girls. We went to school together for almost ten years, and I don’t remember her even acknowledging my existence back then. Given the size of our town, outright ignoring someone took effort, so I suspected she didn’t like me very much. I know I shouldn’t hold on to those things because people change, but I wasn’t sure Ellie had.

“Must be good to see Drew again?” she asked.

What? She wanted to have girl talk with me now? I couldn’t control my
what the hell?
face. “Sure,” I said, trying to remain neutral. I wasn’t sure what was happening between Drew and me, but I wasn’t about to discuss it with Ellie.

“You two were so close,” she continued, pulling her coat tighter, trying to block the cold. “He never knew any of us other girls were alive growing up.”

“I don’t know about that.” I know my tone wasn’t as cheery this time. I didn’t know what her game was, but I really wasn’t in the mood to play.

Ellie looked back towards the house, the twinkling Christmas lights creating a halo around her, but something was telling me she was no angel. She turned back to me, playing with her braid. Seriously, what woman her age still wears a braid? Maybe to the beach, but this was a family dinner. Come to think of it, I don’t ever remember seeing her in one before. “Looked to me like Drew still has eyes for you.”

Don’t blush, don’t blush, don’t blush. Don’t give her the satisfaction. I couldn’t figure out what she wanted or why she would even care. But I wasn’t about to discuss my personal life with her. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Her normally polite smile looked almost wicked. “Please, he barely looked at anyone but you all night.”

I thought that was probably true, but at least she didn’t realize it was because we were getting frisky underneath the table. Nosy or not, Ellie seemed to know Drew really well, and I realized she could probably be helpful—fill in some blanks for me. I obviously missed a lot the ten years I was gone. “Do you know what that was about in there?” I didn’t think she would tell me but figured it was worth a shot.

She rubbed her baby bump. “Ancient history. It’s cold, so I better go back inside.” She turned abruptly and hurried into the house.

That was the most I could recall Ellie ever talking about anyone but herself. My granddaddy honked the horn, and I turned towards the car. Ellie was certainly acting strange, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The only thing I cared about was Drew. Last night was fun and hot, but he might never want to take it any further than that, although the mutual groping under the dining room table was probably a pretty good indication he wanted to take things further. But in the end, I still treasured our friendship the most. He still held a place in my heart no other boy had ever occupied.

DREW

I looked down
at my old work boots, thankful I always kept them in my truck. I’d been so pissed off at Rob that I’d stormed out of the house barefoot and coatless with no keys, and it was freezing out. I could do without the coat, but I was glad I had shoes. I blew some warm air on my hands then stuck them in the front pocket of my jeans. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been walking, but I knew exactly where I was—Piper Harper’s grandparents’ street. I rode my bike here every day for years.

Looking up at the second story window, I wondered if that was still her room. Just like the rest of McAdenville, the Harper house was ready for the holidays, and I could tell Piper had a hand in the decorations. The house wasn’t decorated in the typical holly and lights. Instead, the house was decorated in red and white stripes like on a candy cane. The wreath was constructed of red and white striped ribbons, and the pillars wrapped in red ribbon. Huge peppermint decorations flanked the front steps. The place looked like a Christmas candy wonderland, and I was sure it had to be Piper’s doing.

I leaned against the old tree in her front yard, watching her window. This was our tree. We used to climb it and sit and talk for hours. Its branches had shaded us in the summer and hidden us when we got in trouble. It was also the spot where we said goodbye over ten years ago. That day was burned into my memory, my very first heartbreak.

“
I wish I didn’t have to leave,” thirteen-year-old Piper said, hugging my neck as her tears soaked my blue t-shirt.

I held her tighter to me than I had in years. We were the best of friends, but I had started to feel strange about hugging her when she got boobs—holding her didn’t seem as natural as it had when we were younger. But I didn’t care on this day. In fact, I wondered why I ever stopped. I could feel her bra strap under my hands, her new breasts against my chest. I cursed at myself for not doing this sooner. But I wasn’t going to chicken out on what I came here to do, what I’d wanted to do for at least a year now.

“I’ll write to you every week,” Piper said, pulling away slightly. “I promise.”

“This is so unfair,” I said, wiping a few tears from her cheek as her mother yelled it was time for them to go. Piper lowered her head, looking at her sandals. I tilted her head up, not wanting to miss my chance. I slowly leaned forward and softly pressed my lips to hers. It was my first kiss, and I was pretty sure it was hers, too. Her full, pink lips felt perfect. I slowly pulled away, expecting her to be smiling, but she wasn’t. Instead, her stiff right hook landed on my arm. She turned on her heel, her ponytail whipping around, and stormed off.

Well, I definitely hadn’t expected that to happen. Rubbing my arm, I stared down at my sneakers, wondering what I did wrong. I’d asked Rob. I’d watched movies. I was sure I did it right. I couldn’t believe this was the way she’d be leaving. “Drew?” Piper called out my name, causing me to look up. She was in front of me in two seconds, not giving me time to say anything. She slid her hand in my hair and pulled me to her mouth. As soon as her tongue touched mine, I realized how sad and lame my kiss was. My toes curled in my sneakers. I was only fourteen, but I was thinking about things I knew I shouldn’t be. I was never going to see her again, so I had nothing to lose. I wound my hand in her ponytail, taking control of the kiss. I heard her release the smallest, sweetest little moan as we stopped. She leaned her forehead against mine and held it there for a few seconds. Our little trance was broken when her mom honked the car horn. I put my hand on her cheek, and her lips turned up in a cute smile. Then she was gone.

But now she was back, just inside. Suddenly, the light in the window flicked on, her silhouette in front of the sheer curtain. I didn’t want her to slip through my fingers again. Bending down, I picked up a tiny pebble and threw it at her window. It landed dead center, so I threw another and another, each landing in the same spot. Jack was right. I did have a good arm.

Piper slid her curtain back and looked down, and I gave her a little wave. I knew I looked like a complete fool standing in freezing weather in just a t-shirt and jeans, but she gave a little smile as she held up her finger for me to wait. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say to her, but I needed a friend, and she’d been one of my best as kids. She stepped out onto her porch in a coat and boots and quietly closed the door behind her. I could barely make out her face, the only light from the twinkling bulbs decorating the house.

“Drew, what’re you doing here? It’s close to midnight.”

“I was just. . . .” I trailed off as I shook my head. I didn’t have a good answer. I turned around to leave.

Piper rushed off her porch and grabbed my elbow. “Come inside, it’s freezing.”

“That’s all right. I don’t want to wake up your granddad.”

She gently rubbed my forearms, and I felt my muscles shake slightly. It seemed my body remembered her somehow. I’d read about muscle memory but never quite understood it until now. My body, my mind, my heart all remembered her. She took my hand and led me up the porch then opened the door and reached inside, pulling out her grandfather’s plaid coat. “Put this on.”

It was freezing out, so I wasn’t about to object. I buttoned it all the way up, knowing I looked like a nerd in an old geezer’s coat. “Sorry about dinner.”

“Which part? Fighting with Rob or fondling me under the table?” Piper asked, sitting down on the front porch swing.

For the first time in hours, I smiled. She was like air—fresh, clean air. “Not the fondling.” She giggled. “You seemed familiar last night in the bar. I wish I’d known it was you.”

“It’s been a long time. I was barely in a training bra last time you saw me.”

I chuckled then looked out to the huge Magnolia tree on the side of the house. “Remember we promised no big, sappy goodbyes? You told me not to even come the day you left.”

“I remember. You didn’t listen,” she said, her head leaning onto my shoulder. I leaned my head down on hers. This was the way we sat together for hours talking. It was so natural to fall right back into that place.

“I was so sick to my stomach the morning you left. I knew if I didn’t say goodbye, I’d regret it forever,” I said quietly. “I pedaled my bike so fast, hoping I hadn’t missed you.”

“You looked frantic skidding into the driveway.”

“I was. I had this whole big speech planned, but then I saw you and couldn’t remember a single word. You threw your arms around my neck, and I could feel your tears soaking my shirt.”

“I didn’t want to go. My mother left me with Grammy and Granddaddy when I was just a baby. I didn’t really even know my mom. Then all of a sudden, she shows back up when I’m thirteen and wants me. My grandparents said I needed to give her a chance. I was so scared to leave here. This was my home.”