Chapter 28

DREW.
"Look! There's an ice-cream truck just across the street. "
"Yeah, I can see it. "
"Then, why are you so slow? Quick, let's go. "
I sighed, letting Kate pull me across the street. She insisted on us touring the city today. No matter how opposed I'd been to the idea of touring around the city on foot, I hadn't voiced it out. All I had asked was for security to follow us. But she had been opposed to that idea too.
We finally settled on them following very far behind us, so we didn't have to see them.
She skipped ahead of me. Her excitement was that of a child's as she stood in line for her ice cream. I crossed my arms, leaning against a wall as I waited for it to get to her turn.
She collected her ice-cream cone and paid, shoving her change into her back pocket. She glanced around, trying to spot me and when she saw me by the building, she bounded toward me.
She was so full of energy and life, it was amazing to witness. She was so effortlessly happy, smiling often and throwing compliments my way, here and there. She thought I looked cute in the hoodie I'd worn to somewhat hide who I was. And I told her she looked fresh. There was no other word.
She was wearing a gown, for the first time since I met her. I mean, she was constantly wearing gowns. But, they were always body hugging.
Today, she wore a sunflower dress that stopped just an inch above her knees and a baseball cap pulled low. With her gown being blue and yellow, and her cap being pink, she glowed so fucking bright, she was all I could fucking see. She was so young and unapologetically mine.
"Let's go. " she looped her arm around mine and tugged me after her.
"Where are we going now? "
"We'll see. " she shrugged, walking fast to match my long strides.
I slowed down so she didn't have to exert too much strength. It was a sunny day. And it felt like the sky was smiling at us.
I glanced down at her legs, at the flats she was wearing. "You have tiny feet. "
"Shut up. " she hit me, but her heart wasn't in it. "Your feet are gigantic. "
"Hey. " I feigned a frown,
"You know what they say about men with big feet? " she tilted her head up, wiggling her brows at me.
I pursed my lips so I wouldn't laugh. "What? "
"I'm pretty sure you know what they say. " she snorted then turned away, resuming her march.
Normally, I wasn't one to believe in stereotypes, but in my case, it was safe to say this one was right.
I glanced around casually, taking note of the people going about their lives as we walked. There was a couple off to the side, trying to catch their little girl as she tried to run away from them.
I smiled. I wondered if that would be me and Kate one day.
Wait. Hold the fuck on. I was imagining a future with Kate? And a child? What the fuck was happening to me?
Normally, I'd fucking throw up if I ever thought of the possibility of fathering a child. And now I was wondering what it would feel like? Jesus.
"Why do you look like you've seen a ghost? " Kate asked.
I shook my head at her and tried to push the disturbing thoughts out of my mind. That was not something I should be thinking about. I should just focus on the present. On what I had with her right now.
I found her leading me into a commercial building. "Where are we? "
"The cinema! " she squealed.
"What movie do you want to see? " I asked her as she went through the display of movies showing today.
She glanced up at me, hesitating slightly. "None in particular. "
"Then why are we here? Is this part of your touring? "
She shook her head, her eyes still pinned on the list. Her arm in mine has suddenly become tense. What was up with her?
"Yeah. You can say that. "
"Kate. " I tried to get her to look at me but she refused.
I tilted her chin up with my index finger and her eyes finally met mine, but immediately they did, they dropped to my nose.
"What are you not telling me? "
Her eyes remained fixed on my nose and we stayed like that for about three minutes. When she figured I wasn't going to let her chin go, she sighed.
"Damn, you're even more stubborn than I am. "
I kept my face blank, ignoring her. "Talk. "
"I.... " she hesitated, "When I was in high school, none of my boyfriends ever took me to the cinema. And it's not like I haven't been to one before, I've gone plenty times. It's just... "
My blood boiled at the word, 'boyfriends' but I let it go. It wasn't like I was a saint either.
"Just what, Kate? " the anger made my voice come out harsh. And she flinched. I regretted it instantly.
"All my friends at school went to the cinema with their boyfriends. And I guess I..... I want to experience that. Even if I'm a bit late. "
I couldn't put a word to what I was feeling right now. Yes, I was angry that other guys had come before me, but I wasn't going to focus on that feeling. I felt.... Honoured. That she wanted to do this with me. That I was the one she wanted to do this with.
I felt gratitude.
This girl. This girl right here was going to undo me. She'd already started the process, wrecking me from inside out, burning my walls little by little. And I was watching from somewhere on the outside, like a third person. Unable to do anything but take it as she sledgehammered my wall to dust.
I cupped her cheek with my palm, "I'm here for that. Don't think twice before doing something like this with me. I'm honored, Kate. "
She smiled, her moment of weakness forgotten. Her smile was like a ray of sunshine after a rainy day. Welcome, appreciated and the promise of new beginnings.
"Okay. Well, there's one thing.... " she started, a small smile playing on her lips.
"What? "
"I've always wanted to get another piercing on my ear. And I was thinking, it would be so cool if we got matching –"
My eyes widened in horror, "No, no. Just no, Kate. "
She burst out laughing, doubling over and clutching her stomach. "Oh my God. You should have seen your face. "
We took our seats in the hall, with Kate carrying a big bucket of popcorn. I didn't know where she planned to stuff all of it. She ate so much yet she was so tiny. It was a mystery.
"Okay, I'm definitely going to cry at the end of this movie. But I'm still going to be pissed off. "
"What do you mean? " I asked her.
She turned to me wide-eyed. "Like why does Jack have to die at the end? "
"Because he drowned? "
"That's my point. Why did he have to drown? "
"Okay, I'm lost here. " I threw my hands in the air, "Where are you going with this? "
"I'm trying to say, he didn't have to. He could've found something to climb onto. A wood, a part of the ship, anything. He didn't have to die. " she turned fully toward me now, trying to get me to understand. "The girl got something to float on. He could've too. But he didn't. Makes me feel he actually did want to die anyway. "
I stared at her with rapt attention, amazed. This passion was what got her into the position she was at Rutledge Towers in the first place. She was amazing when she was talking and there was something about the way she gave the speech that you couldn't help but be drawn in.
I nodded wordlessly, because hell, I was speechless. I hadn't listened to majority of what she just said but I knew she was saying something. That's what Kate did to you.
"Gah. You're not even listening. " she sighed, "Let's just watch this movie and get out of here. "
"Hey, I was listening. " I tugged her arm, "You're just so fucking magnificent. "
She giggled, shaking her head, but she refrained from saying anything all through the movie. And true to her words, she cried at the end of the movie. Nothing overly dramatic, but she sniffed quietly, dabbing tear drops from her eyes.
She had her head on my arm as we walked out and I saw her dumping the empty popcorn bucket in a trash can.
"You downed the whole thing. "
"Of course I did. It was nothing. " she continued, silencing me with a fingertip to my lips, "And don't start with that 'where does it all go' thing. "
I nipped at the finger and she yelped, dropping it back down.
"You're a filthy man, Mr. Rutledge. "
"Permission to get filthy here? " I wiggled my brows suggestively, attempting to undo the button on my trousers.
She snorted, laughing, "Oh my God, stop. "
I threw my hand around her neck as we walked out of the cinema, turning onto another street.
"Drew? Is that you? "
My hackles rose as the voice registered. Fuck. Why couldn't we just leave without anyone recognizing me?
I turned around, coming face to face with the last person I wanted to see right now.
Emily Cross.
KATE.
"Drew? Is that you? " a feminine voice called behind us.
Drew immediately went rigid. He turned slowly, hence, taking me with him, as we faced the owner of the voice.
She was a knock out, that was for sure. She had dark hair, almost as dark as Drew's. With blue eyes, a pointed nose and pouty lips, she had the face of a model that would bring any man to his knees. Her body was lithe and long. She was taller than me, almost as tall as Drew was.
And the way she was looking at him. She looked happy to see him and Drew's body language told me she was familiar. He definitely knew her.
"What are you doing here? " she asked in her posh lilt.
She was wearing a Gucci sheat dress that was expensive as hell paired with sky high heels that gave me back ache, mere loking at them.
"What people do in cinemas. " Drew replied curtly.
She smiled undeterred. She walked closer to him, like she didn't fucking see his hand around me.
"I didn't know you go to cinemas. "
"Who doesn't? " Drew shrugged.
And it was like he'd totally forgotten I was there, standing beside him. In fact, it was like they had both forgotten my existence totally.
I tugged on his arm to remind him I was standing right beside him. He glanced at me with a slightly confused expression. I widened my eyes at him, tilting my head discreetly towards her, telling him silently to introduce me to her. But he didn't.
He turned back to face her, "See you around, Emily. "
He was about to walk away when she spoke up again.
"I haven't heard from you in so long, Drew. "
"I never contact you. " he shot back.
I almost felt bad for her. Almost.
"Yeah, but.. " she hesitated, wringing her hands. The gesture was so familiar, it reminded me of when I'd first met Drew. When he was still an asshole to me. But that feeling of sympathy vanished when she completed her statement. "After that night, I deserved a call, at least, didn't I? "
After that night? Did Drew sleep with her?
Of course I knew she had to be one of Drew's many lays, but I didn't expect her to just put it out there like that. Jesus. Jealousy clawed at my throat, threatening to choke me. I wanted to claw her eyes out.
And Drew wasn't introducing me to her! Why?
I glared at the bitch. Who the hell did she think she was to ignore me like that? Talking to my man like she hadn't seen me here.
"No, you didn't. You knew what you were getting into. "
Jesus H Christ. Did these two people realize I was here?
Deciding I didn't have to stay here and listen to then rehatch their night together, I pulled my arm free from Drew's. "I'll be at that store. "
I flipped my hair over my shoulder and sauntered away, making sure to put an extra sway into my hips. She might be prettier than me, but I was curvier. And at an advantage. Drew seemed to have a thing for my ass.
I walked into a random store, I didn't know what they were selling, didn't care. I found a bench reserved at one corner of the shop and perched my ass on it.
I brought out my phone to get busy and saw I had a missed call from Bailey. Shit. I had turned my phone on to silent because I didn't want anything to disturb my time with Drew. Apparently, he was okay with things ruining our time together.
I blew out a breath, calling Bailey back.
She picked up on the second ring.
"Where were you? I called you like an hour ago. " she said as a way of greeting.
I rolled my eyes, "Sorry. I had my phone on silent. "
"Yeah? " her voice took on a lighter, playful tone, "Doing something frisky? "
I swear I could picture her wagging her brows.
I laughed, despite how mad I was, "No, I was out with Drew. Still am. " I sighed, "At least until ten minutes ago, anyway. "
"Oh? What happened? "
"We ran into his ex. "
"Shit. She was gorgeous, wasn't she? "
"Model gorgeous. " I sighed again.
"I'm so sorry, Kate. I know how you must feel. "
"Yeah. "
"Wait. You said still am. Are you making this call in his presence right now? "
I shook my head, then realized she couldn't see me. "No. "
"Then where are you? "
"I walked into a nearby store. they're having a conversation. "
"Oh my God. They were talking with you there? "
"Yes! Can you imagine that? "
"He's not doing this on purpose, Kate. You know how Drew is... He's sometimes oblivious. Take it easy on him. "
I narrowed my eyes, "Are you justifying him? "
"No, I'm helping you. "
"Hmm. "
"Bye. Got to go. "
She hung up before I could even talk. I sighed, dropping my head in my hands. I hated the heartache that came with the happiness I felt from loving Drew. Yes, I loved him. I just had not told him. Why couldn't I just have one without the other?
"Miss, do you need help getting something? "
I looked up to see a teenage girl staring at me with confused and slightly sympathetic eyes.
"No, I'm good. " I smiled a fake smile, "I'm just sitting here for a while. "
She gave me a fake smile of her own then moved away. I turned my head towards the door when I heard the jingle of the bells as it was opening. Like usual, I knew it was Drew before he even came in. I felt the skin at the back of my neck prickling with that familiar awareness.
His eyes were wild as he glanced around the shop, probably looking for me, and when they finally landed on me, his shoulders sagged and he looked visibly relieved.
He stalked over to me, his lips set in a firm line.
"Why did you leave like that? " he snapped.
Wait. He was mad at me?
Apparently, he got that backwards. Again. He had the audacity to come in here, after totally ignoring me in front of his ex like I was nothing, and raise his voice at me?
"Don't take that tone with me, Drew. " I warned him. I got up and shoved him aside with my shoulder, as I stormed out of the shop. This tour was officially over. I was going home. Well, not my home, but his. I was now referring to his house as home in my head? Great. Just great.
"Kate, wait. " I heard him calling, but I increased my pace. I didn't want to be around him right now. I might just be tempted to slap him. And we'd just resolved our conflict, I didn't want to have problems with him just yet. What would that say about our relationship?
I shook my head, turning a corner where I caught sight of his security trying to catch up to me.
Had he sent them after me?
My blood heated. I had told him I didn't need security following me that I was fucking fine, but he'd insisted on them following us anyway. Claiming they were necessary.
"Fucking wait, Kate. " Drew called again, and this time his voice sounded closer. He was getting closer to me.
"Stay away from me. " I yelled back.
"Let's talk. I swear, that's not what it looked like. " he yelled back.
And I laughed. I didn't mean to, but I did. A loud, delirious, bitter thing. I had to say I was dissapointed that him of all people was feeding me that line. I'd always laughed at men who told that line to their girlfriends. They always said that whenever what the woman witnessed was exactly what she thought it was.
I stopped short, no longer walking. Why the was I angry anyway? Sure, I had the right to feel insecure when I'd met his ex, but I didn't have to be angry over the fact that they hooked up. No. That was in his past.
What made me angry was the fact that he'd ignored me again. He always did that whenever we were around anyone he knew. And it hurt. So much. I hated being treated like I was a dirty little secret.
"Kate! " I glanced at Drew, confused. I wasn't running anymore. Why the hell was he still yelling?
He looked hysterical. He was flat out running in my direction right now and gesturing wildly.
"Kate, move! There's –"
I turned to where Drew was pointing at and I saw a car coming towards me at high speed.
My body locked, literally locked. There was nothing I could do. All my muscles knotted together, preventing movement.
And all I could do was stand there slack jawed and wide eyed as the car sped towards me.