What You Do To Me (Unexpected Love) (18 page)

             
“Well, I’m alive and moving and in desperate need of grease.”

             
“Beautiful, me too. I’m just grabbing a coffee and checking
out.
Where
do you want me to meet you?”

             
“I’m grabbing the last of my
things and
then
ho
pping in the elevator
,
so
I’ll see you in the lobby
. Oh,
grab me a coffee too.”

             
Getting off the
elevator,
I headed to the hotel lobby and went
to the registration desk. I check
ed
out and wait
ed
for Derek.

I saw
Derek walk into the
lobby,
dressed casually in jeans, a ringer tee and running shoes.
“Hey,
where’s
the coffee?” I ask
ed
in a demanding voice.

             
“Wow, right here and you look
awfully
swell this morning.”
Derek seemed to put a little too much emphasis on the awfully, a little too much for my liking.

             
I roll
ed
my eyes at
Derek,
knowing I rea
lly did
look like a train wreck
, but at least I was
comfortable in my tank, jeans and
flip-flops
. “So where should we eat?”

             
“Let’s leav
e your bags at the luggage hold
,
and
walk to Greektown
to
hit one of the r
estaurants there.” Derek reached over and
took
the
bag from my hand.

             
Exiting the hotel, I slip
ped
my sunglasses over my eyes. I he
ld my coffee in one hand and reach
ed
out
to
wrap my other arm around
Derek’s,
while resting my head on his shoulder. We walk
ed
the several blocks to Greektown like
that;
neither of us saying a
word,
and
knowing nothing had
to be said.

             
We walk
ed
around
the area and fou
nd a cute little
restaurant to pop into so we could eat. Once we were
s
eated and
we
talk
ed
over the menu, we
place
d our orders. Derek was looking at me and I knew he had something he needed
to say to me.

             
“
What?
Say
it,
” I said
in an almost annoyed voice.

             
Derek’s face immediately broke
into a smile. “You know me too
well,
Abbs.”

             
“
Yes,
I do, so ask, or
lecture.
It
has to be one of the two because I know that face.”

             
“Be careful,”
he said
.

             
“Well, I did plan on driving the speed limit and I’ll make sure to use my
blinker,
” I
responded,
knowing my driving wasn’t what wa
s on his mind.

             
“You know what I mean. I saw the looks between you two all day
yesterday,
Abby
.
Christ,
a blind person could have seen them. I just don’t want
to see
you hurt
again.
Remember,
I was there the last time.”

             
“Well, Sam did look pretty smoking hot in her tight little
outfit;
it was hard to not look at her.”

             
“
Seriously,
stop
deflecting.
I saw you and Alex, the
looks.
”
Now
he wa
s raising his eyebrows at me.

             
“Nothing wa
s happening or will happen for that matter.
” I pause
d
and suck
ed
in a breath. “
Derek,
I’m never going to see Alex again. He left this morning and
he’ll
get back into his rock star lifestyle and forget he ever met me.
See, there’s
nothing to worry about.”

             
“Well,
that’s
where you are
wrong, Abbs.
Once
Abby Porte
r enters your life, there is no
forgetti
ng her, at least nobody with intelligence
.” Derek reached over and grabbed
my hand. “
Hey,
if it doesn’t work out, I’m pretty good at picking up the pieces.”

             
I could see
the
hurt in his eyes. “
Derek,
”
I manage
d
to get out, but I stop
ped before I said anything else
.

             
“Abbs, you don’t have to say anything,
we’re
friends.
Christ,
best friends, and I wou
ld do anything for you and
your
girls. You need to live your life and be happy. I sat back too many years watching the life drain out of you and if I was a better
friend,
I would have said something sooner.” Derek
squeezed
my hand.

             
I let go of Derek’s hand to wipe the tears from my face. “It wouldn’t have mattered if you said anything or not. I was married and I was married for life. At th
e time, I thought I was
happy.
It
wasn’t until recently
that,
I realized the only happy part about David and I
was
the girls.”

             
“Just
remember,
whatever happens I am always here.”

             
“I know
that
and I know I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for you dragging me out of bed. My mother would have swooped in and the four
of us would be locked up in my parent’s
house.”

             
“Ugh, just the thought of that makes me realize you owe me
lunch.
”
Then
just like
that,
Derek was
able to change the mood at lunch to something lighter.

             
The lunch flew
by
quickly
.
We
talk
ed
about the girls and my plans for the summer. I start
ed
making plans for my weeklong trip back to Pittsburgh with the girls to vi
sit David’s parents. Derek talked
about his job and how much he
hated
it,
but
the
money
wa
s
so good in corporate law
,
he
couldn’t
even think about leaving that field. I laugh
ed as he told
me about his last fe
w dates, and just like
that,
we we
re Derek and
Abby again, two friends who has
missed each other’s company.
After we left
the
restaurant,
we stop
ped
at Astoria bakery to get the girls some cakes and cookies.

             
Walking back
to the
hotel,
with my head on his shoulder,
I wrap
ped
my
arm
around Derek’s arm again
. Being with Derek wa
s so
easy, comfortable and
a place I always
felt
safe
. If I had a brother, this
was
how I would wish our bond would be. Derek
was
someone in my life who
would
always remain a constant.

             
Getting back to the
hotel,
I ga
ve the valet both
of
our
c
laim tickets while Derek gathered
our bags.  Waiting for the
cars,
Derek returned
and
I
put
my hand in
his.
I always hate saying
good-bye
. I
wished
we lived in the same town so I could see more of him.  When the cars
pulled up,
Derek f
aced
me
and grabbed
my other hand. “So, when you come to Pittsburgh this summer, I have a surprise for you. I can’t w
ait,
I’m so excited.”

             
“Ugh, why did you tell
me?
You
know I hate
surprises;
t
his
is
going to bug me all summer long. This is one of the many rea
sons I hate you.” I sh
ot him a pouty face.

             
“
I know you love me,
so
stop fighting it. Plus,
you know how that face turns me on,” winking at me
.
I immediately
stopped
pouting
. Derek
broke
out into a laugh. “I’ll give you a hint. Bring your red
marker, because
we are going to be crossing somethin
g off that list of yours.” I
gave
him a questio
ning look as I am mentally did
a run-down of the list in my head. “No, it’s not a one
night stand
; although I wouldn’t mind, but it wouldn’t be worth
not seeing you again.” He leaned
in
and kissed
me on the
cheek.
Releasing
my
hands,
he pulled
me into a tight hug. “I’ll call you when I get home and kiss my girls for
me.
I miss them like crazy.”

             
“I will and they miss you too. I’ll talk to you later.” I let go of the embrace and step
ped
back,
turning for my car. “
Hey,
Derek, I’m glad you
came.
I didn’t realize how much
I had
missed you until I saw you yesterday.” With
that,
I place
d
my bag in the backseat and climb
ed
into the driver’s side of my
car. I watch
ed as Derek climbed into his car and drove
away. T
ears
immediately
fill
ed
my eyes.
Again,
I
realize
d
how
much
I
wish
ed
I had more than
friend feelings for
Derek.
I knew he wa
s the kind of guy who would never hur
t
my girls or me
.
In fact
, he had
always referred to Lily and the twins as his girls even when David was alive. The few times a year he spent with
them,
he showed more attention to them
than
David did throughout the year
.

             
Pulling
into the
driveway,
I realize
d I was
getting home later than I had planned. I walk
ed
into the house
and set
my bag down in the entryway. I immediately walk
ed
to the back deck and turn
ed
the grill on,
and
then
headed
straight for the kitchen. I dug through the fridge and foun
d chicken breasts and asparagus.
I had just
start
ed
cleaning the chicken when I hear
d
the girls run in
to the house. I could
hear them yelling
Mommy
as soon as they open
ed
the door.
Stopping
what I
was
doing, I
met
them half way to the kitchen. I scoop
ed
them all up into a big hug and start
ed
kissing their cheeks.