Chapter 32 #2
I sniffled back the tears trying to spring free but didn’t say anything, because I couldn’t. The words were stuck in the back of my throat, so Drew kept going.
“You never needed the showy stuff. You needed me,” he continued. “It took me a while to understand that, but now I do. That’s why we’re in a garden surrounded by your favorite flowers.”
“But how did you know that?” I asked him, allowing myself to take a step closer. “About hydrangeas?”
The corner of his mouth tilted up. “I listened. When we were at Longwood, you mentioned it to Kristen and Dorian included it in Reel Life.”
I frowned at him. “I did? He did? Wait, you watched the show?”
“Of course I did. Several times, actually.”
“Once wasn’t enough? What were you looking for?” I could only assume he was watching it to make sure the resort didn’t get any bad press.
“Once definitely wasn’t enough. I couldn’t get enough of watching you.
You are so damn good at your job. The way you did your best to make sure Carter and Kristen got the event of their dreams. How you problem solved to get everyone to agree to things that sounded like a relationship ender to me.
The way you stood up to both of his moms like some sort of raptor wrangler.
” Drew laughed softly. “Then there was how gorgeous you looked through it all. You were always the most beautiful woman in every scene.”
I felt my bottom lip tremble.
“It’s also why you’re hearing Scarlet O’Hara providing the soundtrack.” He pointed to the speakers.
I burst out laughing at his slip-up. “Okay, boomer. It’s Scarlet Rush.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry, I know you fans are very protective of her.”
“But how did you know I liked her?”
“You don’t know?” He chuckled. “The first time we met, and accidentally switched phones, remember? Her song was your ringtone.”
“Oh. Right,” I replied, dumbfounded that this man—the same man I’d thought was so oblivious to who I am and my needs—had, in fact, paid such close attention from the very beginning .
Something good had come from our meet ugly, even if it would only be another Ashford falling under Scarlet Rush’s spell. I still couldn’t allow myself to embrace what was happening with him.
Not until I heard everything he had to say.
Drew gestured down his body. “I’m surprised that you didn’t mention my outfit.”
Tears filled my eyes. “Oh, I noticed it right away. Sort of hard not to. It’s not your usual big bad bossman look.”
He took a few steps closer. “I wore it because you told me it was your favorite. You said you liked how the t-shirt felt against your cheek when we were snuggled on the couch.”
I would have thought that he would never, ever be caught dead in the get-up outside his house, but here he was, being real and vulnerable for me.
“I also said those pants make your ass look great,” I said, trying to make light of what was a life-defining conversation.
I could’ve sworn his cheeks went red at the compliment, but he never stopped staring into my eyes.
“I need to apologize for all the things I screwed up, Emilia. It’s quite a list. For example, I made you think that I didn’t care about what mattered to you.
I tried to “fix” your life instead of just giving you the support you needed.
” His mouth went tight for a moment, then he continued.
“I shut you out emotionally. And my worst offense? I let you just walk away instead of fighting for you.”
My heart filled a little more with each confession, until it was almost bursting.
“No. I take that back. I let you think that I didn’t care for you as much as I do. I let you think that the optics were more important than the reality. I…”
“Drew …” I whispered as the tears finally started falling.
He closed the gap between us and reached out swipe a tear away with his thumb. I started to lean into him, but then forced myself to take a step back. I held up my hand and he stayed where he was. “You hurt me.”
“And I will apologize for that every day for the rest of my life if it will help us heal.”
“You made me feel as if I was nothing more than a fling.”
“I was wrong. You could never be a fling. You are a happily ever after.”
I sniffled hard worried that I was about to ugly cry. “I wanted a happily ever after with you,” I whispered, too afraid to say it louder.
He brushed his hand through his hair and I realized that he looked as bad as I felt. Dark circles under his eyes and his skin was almost a sickly pallor. “Past tense?”
“What?” I didn’t know what he was talking about.
“You said you wanted a happily ever after with me. Past tense. Not now?”
Oh. “Maybe not past tense.” I bit my lip waiting for the other shoe to fall. For him to tell me there was a camera filming us somewhere for Dorian’s sequel. I didn’t have it in me to go through another breakup with Drew.
“So,” he whispered, “there’s hope?”
He took another step toward me and I didn’t retreat. “There’s hope.” The smile he gave me shattered what there was of my shield and the tears came faster.
“Emilia, you matter more to me than anything in this world. All I want to do is to make you happy and share my life with you.” He paused to scan my face. “If you’ll let me.”
I bit my bottom lip and nodded silently, because I didn’t trust my voice.
“Oh, thank god,” he murmured.
Drew’s entire body sagged with relief, then he pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me.
I nuzzled against his chest and relished the feeling of the soft cotton against my cheek. He’d worn it for me.
Hell, he’d done it all for me. To make me feel seen. Cared for. Loved.
I lifted my head to look him in the eye. “This can’t happen again. If there’s problems, we talk about them. If something isn’t working, we figure out what we need to do to make it work.”
“Agreed.”
Drew stroked my back as we both basked in our new reality. Then it struck me that he’d bared his soul to me while I hadn’t.
“Thank you,” I began. “For all of this.”
Drew looked down at me wearing a little smile. “You’re worth it. More precious than any blossom in the place.”
I shook my head. “No, not just for all of this. Thank you for finally hearing me. For understanding what I need. I’m just …”
“Happy?” Drew asked.
I smiled back at him and nodded despite my brimming eyes. “Definitely happy.”
He leaned down to press his lips to mine. I had to fight against the drive to deepen the kiss, given that we were in public. The minute we were alone I was going to show Drew exactly how happy I was.
“Good.” He moved to whisper in my ear. “But there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”
I froze. Was this where everything fell apart? Because what was happening felt almost too good to be true. Were there cameras? I knew I wouldn’t survive that emotionally.
Drew gazed into my eyes like he was gathering the courage to keep going.
“I’m so fucking in love with you, Emilia. All I can think of is you. Even when I’m asleep, I’m dreaming of you. You own my heart,” he murmured.
My nose started running in a very un-cute way but I didn’t care. He had just told me that he loved me, which meant that my snotty face probably didn’t matter to him.
“Oh my god, Drew, I love you too!” I sobbed.
I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him so hard that he let out a shocked wunf.
“I just want to make you happy,” he whispered against my temple. “Every damn day for the rest of our lives.”
“Oh, trust me, I am,” I answered.
I knew that we’d eventually have to pull apart and go share some cake with Poppy and the residents, but I was reluctant to walk away from the magical moment Drew had created for us.
We remained in the garden with the twinkly lights and soft music for a long time, the two of us, basking in the happily ever after we’d just created.
We had forever, we could take our time.