Rundown (Curveball Book 2) (29 page)

My
best attempts to figure out his plans for us fail.  The only
information he’ll give me is that Sarah will be staying over with
the kids until Sunday afternoon, and I should wear a dress tonight. 
With those instructions, Drew ices his elbow and I run upstairs,
throwing my things in a bag.  I rummage through my closet and
pick a classy, yet sexy black dress, and slip into a pair of red
heals.  Paired with the necklace from Alexis, I’m pleased that
I actually coordinate. 
Vivian would be so proud.
 
Drew takes my bags to the car while I kiss the kids goodbye and thank
Sarah for once again making it possible for me to have some time
away.

“
Don’t
keep him waiting,” she says, practically shooing me out the door.  
Sarah’s always in a good mood and today’s no different.  If
anything, she’s extra bubbly.  

“
You
know where he’s taking me, don’t you?” I accuse.

“
I
honestly don’t.  It just makes me happy to see you happy. 
That’s all.”  I’m not buying it and she’s not going to
tell me. 

“
Call
me if anything comes up.”

“
We’ll
be fine,” she insists.

“
I’m
just saying…”

“
And
you don’t have to.  We’ll be fine.  Have a great
time.” 

A
short ride later we arrive at Mistral, a French restaurant that
prides itself on serving ‘uncomplicated cuisine’, not that I know
what that means.  The atmosphere is warm and inviting in a
sophisticated and tasteful way.  One look at the menu and I’m
relieved…I know what all of the items are!  Now the
uncomplicated part makes sense. 

 
The
food is exquisite and Drew is in an exceptionally good mood.  He
doesn’t rush me through the meal, yet I can tell he’s anxious to
keep the evening moving.   We talk about spring training
and the possibility of me going back to work.  Seeing Cassandra
last night brought back good memories.  Working full-time is
stressful, but feeling as if you’re making a difference is
priceless.  I miss that feeling.  Soon the kids will all be
in school on a full-day basis.  With Drew traveling and them
busy, it doesn’t make much sense for me to stay home.  

Once
we’ve finished our carrot cake, we settle the bill.  Drew
hands his card to the waitress without checking the bill.  I
begin telling him that he should at least check to make sure it’s
correct, when he receives a text.  Whatever it is must be good
news because he’s losing a fight to hide his excitement. 

“
What’s
that about?” I pry.

“
You’ll
see soon enough.”

The
valet brings the car around and Everett slips into the drive seat. 
Drew pulls something out of his pocket and once we’re in the car he
tells me to close my eyes.  Intrigued, I do as he asks, feeling
a silky fabric cover my eyes. 

“
What’s
this for?” I ask.

“
I
don’t want you to peek.  It’ll ruin the surprise.”

“
I’m
not into kinky shit so you better not be planning on taking me to one
of those places.”

“
I
would never take you anywhere that other people could see what’s
mine,” he vows, grabbing my leg possessively.  “However, I’d
argue that you do like kink.  I’m also very interested in how
you know about those places?” 

“
I’ve
read the same books every other woman in the world has read. 
How do
you
know about those places?”

“
I’ve
never been, so get that thought out of your mind.  I haven’t
read the books either, but I’ve heard enough.”

“
What
do you classify as kinky?” I ask.

Coughing
and the sound of a throat clearing in the front of the car causes
alarm bells to go off. 

Everett. 
Shit.
 

Without
my sight, I allowed myself to ignore my surroundings and forget that
we weren’t alone.

“
Please
don’t answer that now,” I beg Drew.

“
I’ll
show you later, baby,” he whispers in my ear.

A
short ride later, the car not only comes to a stop, but Everett
completely turns it off.  As I’m left wondering where we are,
the warmth of Drew’s body disappears and the car door slams. 
Seconds later, mine opens and I’m being led down what feels like a
cobblestone walkway.  Eighteen steps later and Drew brings us to
a halt.  He carefully unties the blindfold and tells me to open
my eyes.  When my eyes adjust, I’m speechless.  We’re
standing in front of the house we were shown last week and wanted.
 The real estate sign I’m standing in front of is clearly
marked ‘sold’.

“
Oh
my God, Drew.  You bought it?”

“
Only
if you’re sure this is the one.”

I
nod frantically and leap into his arms. 

“
Yes,
I’m sure,” I say brushing my lips against his.  “About the
house and the man that comes with it.  Can we go inside?”

Smiling,
he hands me a key and allows me to lead the way.  I cannot
believe that this five bedroom Victorian, with a spacious yard and a
completely renovated kitchen is ours.  Drew takes my hand and
leads me from the entryway into the sitting room with the fireplace. 

“
I
picture this room filled with overstuffed couches and bookshelves; a
place where you can read and the kids can do their homework,” he
says before leading me back into the entryway.

We
walk down the hallway that leads to the kitchen.  Drew grabs my
elbow, causing me to stop, and flicks the light-switch behind my
back.  Returning my attention to the wall, I’m astonished.
 It’s beautiful; absolutely perfect.

“
When
I was thirteen, I told my parents that pictures were meaningless to
me.  I must have seen a commercial or heard that the experience
is really what mattered in making a memory.  In reality, I was
gangly, moody and awkward as all teenagers are and didn’t feel like
posing every time someone else thought it was important,” Drew
confesses, his eyes focused on the wall of photos he’s hung.  I’ll
have to appreciate them later; right now, Drew has my full attention.

“
Today,
I’d give anything to have more pictures of my family all together.
 I’d kick my thirteen year-old ass if it were possible.”
 Drew’s eyes shift to mine.  “These are my favorites so
far,” he says gesturing to the display.  “I plan to fill
every square inch of this wall with memories—birthday parties,
snowball fights, school plays and games.  I don’t want any
unused space.”

“
I
love it,” I gush, my voice small.  

Drew
smiles and drags me to the kitchen, backing me against the island. 
Looking deeply into my eyes he says, “This is where you’ll teach
me to cook, and if I suck at it then this will be where I watch you
cook for me in really sexy outfits that I rip from your body when the
kids are asleep or at their friends’ houses.”

“
That,”
Drew says, pointing to the corner of the living room not far from
where we stand. “That’s where I picture our Christmas tree.  I
like the idea of being with my parents for Thanksgiving, but I always
want to wake up in our home on Christmas morning.”

At
each room we walk through, Drew describes his vision of the memories
each will hold.  Once upstairs we stop in the rooms that will
belong to the kids before making our way to the master suite. 
Stopping outside the door Drew takes both my hands.  

“
I
never appreciated the saying, ‘a home is where your heart is,’
until I met you.  It’s cheesy as hell, but anywhere you are is
where I want to be.  We can be in this house for a year or
sixty.  As long as I’m with you, I’ll always be home.”

Turning
the doorknob, we step inside and I gasp with appreciation.  “Drew…I
love it!” I exclaim.

Drew
chuckles lightly and lets me explore our completely furnished
bedroom.  “Wow.  Whoever did this, I hope you paid them
well.”

“
I
did this myself, but if it makes you happy I’ll accept any form of
gratitude you deem appropriate,” he winks.

“
You…did
all this?”  

Drew
nods.  

“
When
did you have time?”

“
After
I leave your place, I’ve been coming here.”

“
It’s
perfect, Drew.  You didn’t have to buy all new furniture.”

“
Other
rooms can be a mixture of old and new.  I needed our bedroom to
be just ours.  That’s the bed I’m going to make love to you
in as often as you’ll let me.  I’m going to fall asleep and
wake up with you in my arms because you’re mine and I don’t want
to be apart any longer.”

I
turn to look around the room that has been immaculately decorated and
furnished. 
How did he plan this to perfection?  
I turn back to Drew and find him down on one knee. 

“
The
moment I saw you, I knew I had to have you.  You shook my hand
and I swear I felt it in my soul.  God, I love everything about
you, Breanne.  From your feisty words and your eye rolls, to
your giving heart and devotion.   You challenge me and make
me laugh.  I’ve become a better version of me because I have
you in my life…because you are my life.” Drew pauses taking a
deep breath.  “We’ve survived the unimaginable but I
wouldn’t alter any memory that has to do with you.  I’d
change my last name to Keaton and disappear into the witness
protection program to get you alone; get bitten by a snake to wake up
with you straddling me. I’d go to hell and back if it meant
spending the rest of my life with you, because that’s exactly what
I want—you forever.  Let me be the only man who gets your
cookies and I promise to give you my nuts.  Will you marry me?”

“
Yes!”
I exclaim without hesitation.  “Yes!”

I
fall to my knees so that we’re on equal ground.  He grabs both
sides of my face and kisses me passionately.  When he pulls back
I’m disappointed, but not for long.  Drew takes a black velvet
box from his pocket and holds it in front of me.  “Would you
like your ring?”

I
nod and nearly faint when he opens the box.  The cushion cut
diamond is stunning, and it fits.

“
Breanne
Scott,” I say as he slips the ring on my finger.

“
I
like the sound of that.”

“
Me
too,” I agree.

For
the next hour and forty-seven minutes Drew and I break in our new
bed…and the bathroom.  Not only are we sated to the point of
paralysis, I’m completely parched and exhausted as well.  Drew
apparently thought ahead and brought glasses and a cooler with
champagne and water, but unfortunately he left it downstairs.  He’s
done so much for me this evening, so I offer to get it as soon as I
can find the energy to move. 

Grabbing
my phone from the bedside table, I turn on the flashlight and scour
the floor for any piece of clothing.  I spot the white
undershirt he wore earlier, set my phone down and shimmy into it,
taking a moment to inhale his scent, and then let the fabric cascade
down to my thighs before I make my way out of the bedroom.

My
toes barely make contact with the bottom stair when the smell of a
cigar and a shadow in the sitting room catch me off guard. 

“
Drew! 
Drew!” I shriek, backing up the stairs.  The silhouette of the
intruder slowly stalks towards me.  “Drew!” 

“
Baby? 
What’s wrong?” he shouts.  The harsh thuds of his feet
hitting the hardwood as he’s descending the stairs matches the
racing pace of my heart.  His bare chest collides with my back
and his arms quickly wrap around my waist protectively. 

“
Get
back upstairs,” he commands, attempting to move past me. 
“Everett!”

There’s
a commotion at the back of the house that I pray is Everett. 
Drew unclenches the phone from my hand and jumps over the banister,
coming within a stride of the intruder as he shines the flashlight at
the person’s face.