I’m taken by surprise. “He saw my dad? He didn’t tell me that.”
“Yep. I didn’t want to spill that you were hitchhiking here with CEO McHottie. Instead, I told him you stopped by Salem and Corvallis to hang out with Kira and LeDawn before moving on to Eugene. I figured that would keep him out of your hair for at least a couple days.”
“Good looking out. He now knows I’m here at the beach house with you.”
Blair’s eyes widen. “Did you tell him about Drew?”
I shake my head. “No. But if I did, what would it have mattered? Jake and I are done. No—in fact, we never were. He saw to that.”
“Something tells me he’s going to fight tooth and nail for you,” she says with a pursed mouth.
“He said as much before we ended our call last night. Half of me doesn’t believe him. The other half simply doesn’t care.” Without checking for her expression, I pull out a frying pan from the cupboard under the island.
“Jake is my boy,” she says as I arrange the bacon in the pan. “But I knew you first. My allegiance is to you. You know that. He was stupid and he was wrong for stringing you along all that time. With that said, he is still my friend, but just know that I am Team Qrew.”
Chuckling, I turn around to face her. “Team Qrew?”
“Yeah, girl. Get with the program. Quen and Drew all the way.”
I think it’s cute that Blair thinks so highly of my hot summer fling.
Meanwhile, I’m steady in being a realist.
The following week in Carmel was fun, but it didn’t come close to my time with Drew. Every morning I’d wake up, lay on my back, and hope that he’d reach out in some way. He has Blair’s phone number, yet he hasn’t bothered to call or text.
I may feel ripped apart, but I like to reassure myself that those five magical days meant something to him, too. I met the man of my dreams when I was feeling totally down on my luck. An encounter like that doesn’t just happen. Blair was preaching to me about serendipity the day I met him, and I brushed her off. But as I’ve had time to reflect on my experience with Drew, I believe in serendipity, kismet, and all that cosmic bullshit now more than ever.
Even if we never see each other again, I trust I’ve left an everlasting impression on him as he has with me. We’d both have a cool story to tell our future kids about the one who’d gotten away, but that we still had to move on with our lives without any regrets. I can even picture myself saying, “Hey, kid—I endured heartbreak, but then I had to move on. If ever I looked back, you and your little sister probably wouldn’t be here.”
I’ve heard stories about a guy named Marty, whom my mom dated shortly before falling hard for a sweet, handsome utility contractor. My dad would always stop by my grandparents’ convenience store on the first floor in the same building as his office, just to get a glimpse of the owners’ beautiful daughter. The fact that my mom was eight years younger and a college student who already had a boyfriend didn’t stop my dad from asking her out repeatedly. The second Mom’s then-boyfriend slipped up, my dad was able to steal her away, and the rest was history. Mom’s ex apparently did try for some time to get her back, but my dad had already locked her down and wasn’t letting go.
I thought Drew would be the ‘Charlie’ to Jake’s ‘Marty’. Not so much. Drew and I were together for a moment in time. If that’s all we get, I’ll need to accept that and move on. I trust that he will go on to live a happy and fulfilled life. He’ll probably meet the love of his life in San Francisco, someone older than me who’s more on his level. Someone who makes him happy.
Shit, it hurts just thinking about it.
If nothing else, Drew O’Brien will be the reason I’ll never settle for less than what I deserve ever again. In just those five days, he got me to see what a real relationship should be like. Lots of alone time. Lots of talking. Lots of just being together. No pretenses. No friends to impress. And honesty…lots of honesty.
Before Blair drops me off at the airport, I ask her to wait for me in the car. I step inside her father’s office and open the laptop. I launch into my email account and flatten out the half sheet of paper where I’ve jotted down an email address. I type it into the recipient field once I’m done composing the note.
From: Quen Waverly
Subject: California Dreamin’
Date: August 1, 2011 15:17
To: Drew O’Brien
Dear Drew,
I was just on my way to the airport to head home and wanted to thank you again for getting me safely to Carmel Beach. I take it you made it to Salinas for your meeting and you’re back in San Francisco. I hope all is well with you.
I’ve attached a photo that reminds me of very happy times at random junk art exhibits, strawberry festivals, drive-in movies, creepy cockroach motels, and gorgeous sunsets at hilltops and beaches.
Thank you for the best summer ever.
Love always,
Quen
The short plane ride seemed to take forever, and the cab ride home to Troutdale is just as bad. It’s way past dark as my soul longs for the sun, the sand, and him.
I’ll probably never see him again.
When I contemplate checking my email, my heart breaks apart a small piece at a time just from the possibility of him not responding to my message. I try desperately to shake this constant dull ache in my chest, but it’s fruitless.
The driver finally pulls in front of the house, and I don’t bother to stretch my neck to see if Dad’s company truck is in the driveway. I pay and tip the driver, store my wallet back in my purse, and exit the cab. As the driver comes around to retrieve my bag from the trunk, I look ahead and see an unfamiliar black tinted E-Class parked in our driveway.
After blinking several times to readjust my eyes to the darkness, I make out a figure leaning up against the car. He’s wearing a baseball cap. I narrow my eyes as if adjusting a telescope, and I catch the sight of white teeth. It’s a smile that I could spot from anywhere.
This can’t be real.
I do a double take.
“Drew?” I gawk at the shadow.
He leans away from the car, stands straight, and starts towards me. He doesn’t have to walk very far, because I dart toward him like lightning.
“I hope you didn’t plan on never seeing me again,” he says with a boyish grin.
With tearful laughter, I run up to him, jump up, and snake my arms around his neck. His strong arms claim my waist, and he squeezes me tight before kissing my cheek.
Oh my God…he’s here.
He’s really here.
“How did you find me?” I ask in barely a whisper.
He smiles sexily at the corner of his mouth and my breathing goes jagged.
“It wasn’t hard. There aren’t that many Quen Waverlys in Troutdale, Oregon.”
He actually looked for me.
I can’t contain my smile. He pulls me back into him and lowers his head to kiss me, on the mouth this time. I’m giddy as hell. When I feel his smile against my lips, I know he’s just as elated as I am about our reunion. I startle as soon as I hear the mechanical sound of a car window. Reflexively, I pull away from Drew as I become aware that his car has a driver waiting in the front seat. My hope from just moments ago dissolves.