Read Online Petite Madeleine: Drew's Story (Meadows Shore Book 3) by Eva Charles - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eva Charles
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time work next week?”
“The appointment’s available. It’s yours if you want it.”
Cassie nodded. “Yes, please.”
“Loving is a delightfully scary business, like no other. And I’m sure the one-sided relationship you’ve had with Drew in your head all these years has satisfied some small part of you. But it must get lonely. You survived, Cassie. Maybe it’s time to live.”
* * *
Cassie’s picture popped up on Drew’s phone. “This is a nice surprise.”
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself”
“I’m sorry about the way I behaved on Friday night. I didn’t mean to freak out. It’s just that I’ve been a whirlwind of emotion since you walked into Lola’s. And I know I’ve been sending mixed signals, hot and cold, drawing you into my emotional storm. I’m trying to sort through my feelings, but it hasn’t been easy.”
“I’m sorry, too. When I’m around you, I forget that we were apart for so many years and I fall right back into old times, old ways. You’re not ready for that. I get it, and I’ll try to be more sensitive.”
“It’s not that. It’s … I’m afraid to risk my heart,” she said quietly, so quietly he could barely hear her.
His own heart toppled into his stomach, and he blew out a long, loud whoosh of air. “Cassie, you need to decide if I’m man enough to take a chance on, if I’ve grown up in a way that still interests you. But your heart is at no risk with me. I loved you as a college girl, and I love the woman you’ve grown up to be. Your heart’s safe with me. It always has been.”
“I want us to have another chance,” she sniffled. “I want it more than anything—please believe that. But it’s not as easy for me as it is for you.”
“The team’s in Philly on Sunday. Want to meet me for lunch, maybe take a walk through Reading Terminal Market? Or I can come to you after the game if it’s easier.”
“No, Philly on Sunday sounds great. It’s less than an hour by train if I take the Acela.”
“Come early so we can have the whole day together. I’ll need to be at the park by five-thirty. I guess I shouldn’t ask if you want to spend the night—I mean not together, or anything. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to share…”
“Baby steps, Drew. That’s all I can do right now. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I’ve been moving awfully fast, because I’m afraid of losing you again. But I can do slow if it’s what you need. I’m prepared to give you time and space to work through everything. As much as you need.”
* * *
They spent the day together in Philadelphia, and he flew into Baltimore twice the following week, and three times the week after that. Sometimes he visited just for the day, and other times he spent the night at a hotel near her apartment.
Cassie had made brunch, and they were finishing the dishes, dawdling, each dreading the impending good-bye. He needed to be back in Boston by late afternoon, and there were few precious minutes left to squeeze out of the day. Their good-byes were becoming increasingly difficult, and the pain of separation lingered longer each time he left.
“Tomorrow we leave for a West Coast road trip, and I’ll be back just once before Cole’s wedding,” he said drying his hands and tossing the dishtowel on the counter behind him.
“I’ll miss you. Maybe we can FaceTime?”
“ Mmmm , sounds like a plan.” Capturing her mouth with his, he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, slipping inside when her soft gasps made way for him. He wanted more of her, he wanted all of her, but there was something, something always hanging between them, lurking, signaling him not to steal second. And it was there now, too. So he stayed firmly on first, satisfying himself with the contours of her moist mouth, and the slick flesh of her tongue.
“Come to the wedding with me. My family has always loved you.”
“Cole’s wedding? I don’t know.”
“We’ll stay in separate
“The appointment’s available. It’s yours if you want it.”
Cassie nodded. “Yes, please.”
“Loving is a delightfully scary business, like no other. And I’m sure the one-sided relationship you’ve had with Drew in your head all these years has satisfied some small part of you. But it must get lonely. You survived, Cassie. Maybe it’s time to live.”
* * *
Cassie’s picture popped up on Drew’s phone. “This is a nice surprise.”
“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself”
“I’m sorry about the way I behaved on Friday night. I didn’t mean to freak out. It’s just that I’ve been a whirlwind of emotion since you walked into Lola’s. And I know I’ve been sending mixed signals, hot and cold, drawing you into my emotional storm. I’m trying to sort through my feelings, but it hasn’t been easy.”
“I’m sorry, too. When I’m around you, I forget that we were apart for so many years and I fall right back into old times, old ways. You’re not ready for that. I get it, and I’ll try to be more sensitive.”
“It’s not that. It’s … I’m afraid to risk my heart,” she said quietly, so quietly he could barely hear her.
His own heart toppled into his stomach, and he blew out a long, loud whoosh of air. “Cassie, you need to decide if I’m man enough to take a chance on, if I’ve grown up in a way that still interests you. But your heart is at no risk with me. I loved you as a college girl, and I love the woman you’ve grown up to be. Your heart’s safe with me. It always has been.”
“I want us to have another chance,” she sniffled. “I want it more than anything—please believe that. But it’s not as easy for me as it is for you.”
“The team’s in Philly on Sunday. Want to meet me for lunch, maybe take a walk through Reading Terminal Market? Or I can come to you after the game if it’s easier.”
“No, Philly on Sunday sounds great. It’s less than an hour by train if I take the Acela.”
“Come early so we can have the whole day together. I’ll need to be at the park by five-thirty. I guess I shouldn’t ask if you want to spend the night—I mean not together, or anything. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to share…”
“Baby steps, Drew. That’s all I can do right now. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I’ve been moving awfully fast, because I’m afraid of losing you again. But I can do slow if it’s what you need. I’m prepared to give you time and space to work through everything. As much as you need.”
* * *
They spent the day together in Philadelphia, and he flew into Baltimore twice the following week, and three times the week after that. Sometimes he visited just for the day, and other times he spent the night at a hotel near her apartment.
Cassie had made brunch, and they were finishing the dishes, dawdling, each dreading the impending good-bye. He needed to be back in Boston by late afternoon, and there were few precious minutes left to squeeze out of the day. Their good-byes were becoming increasingly difficult, and the pain of separation lingered longer each time he left.
“Tomorrow we leave for a West Coast road trip, and I’ll be back just once before Cole’s wedding,” he said drying his hands and tossing the dishtowel on the counter behind him.
“I’ll miss you. Maybe we can FaceTime?”
“ Mmmm , sounds like a plan.” Capturing her mouth with his, he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, slipping inside when her soft gasps made way for him. He wanted more of her, he wanted all of her, but there was something, something always hanging between them, lurking, signaling him not to steal second. And it was there now, too. So he stayed firmly on first, satisfying himself with the contours of her moist mouth, and the slick flesh of her tongue.
“Come to the wedding with me. My family has always loved you.”
“Cole’s wedding? I don’t know.”
“We’ll stay in separate
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