Miranda took a quick glance in the mirror before heading out the door. She looked atrocious. Her face was puffy and red from crying, her shirt was smeared with remnants of potato salad and frosting, and her hair was limp and lusterless from the day's heat. She was a mess. Certainly, no match for Susie. But, that wouldn't matter. Not if Drew really loved her.
She felt a strange sense of confidence wash over her as she walked down the hall. The confidence of a woman who knew she was doing the right thing. This man, this family, this place—it was where she belonged. It was about time she staked her claim.
The steep, exhausting, climb up the hill didn't put a dent in her resolve. She didn't even bother to knock when she reached the house. The door was slightly ajar anyway. It wouldn't have mattered if it wasn't. She would have chopped the damn thing down if she'd had to. She was a woman on a mission and would not be swayed.
She followed the sound of raised voices to Drew's bedroom. What should be her bedroom. Susie's pouty expression quickly turned to one of dismay when she saw Miranda. She was at the door in a flash.
"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave, Mandy," she said. "Drew and I are kind of in the middle of something right now."
Miranda only scowled and pushed her way into the room. Susie was not going to dissuade her from the task at hand.
Not to be outdone, Susie ran after her. "You're going to have to break that bad habit you have of walking in uninvited, too. This isn't your house, you know." She cast a furtive glance Drew's way before continuing. "I hope you'll teach your son the same thing. He came barging in here the other day, too."
"Susie—" Drew’s face registered surprise and a quick flash of anger.
"It's okay, Drew," Miranda said. She looked at Susie, forcing a patronizing smile. "Susie's a mere child herself. You can't expect her to understand."
"You bitch!" Susie lunged toward Miranda.
Miranda only smiled while Drew grabbed Susie's arm and guided her into a nearby chair.
"Get out," Miranda said. She spoke to Susie, but her eyes never left Drew's.
"Mandy?" Drew said. "Is something wrong?"
"Now." She turned her gaze toward Susie for one brief moment.
Susie sputtered in indignation and looked to Drew for validation. She didn't get it.
"I think you'd better listen to her." Drew looked amused. "She looks like she might bite."
"I'm not leaving." Susie's chin jutted out in defiance.
"Fine," Miranda said. If Susie wanted to stay, then let her stay. It wouldn't stop her from saying her piece.
"What is it, Mandy?" Drew said.
"I was wrong, Drew." There, she'd said it. No turning back now.
"Go on."
"I should have trusted you. I should have given you a chance."
"Yes. You should have."
"I know." Her face crumpled. She hadn't known what to expect, but she had hoped he'd try to make it a little easier on her. Apparently, he wasn't going to do that. "I love you, Drew," she said. "It may be too late for us, but I had to make sure you knew. I had to try. I just couldn't live with myself if—if—" She was crying, damn it. She'd sworn she wouldn't, but she couldn't help herself.
"My God, you're pathetic. Do you really think he wants you?" Susie's bitter voice rang out across the room. "The only reason he pays any attention to you at all is because he feels sorry for you, for not being there for your son."
Miranda looked at Drew for even the slightest bit of reassurance, but he didn't give it. Instead, he looked unhappy and disgusted.
"I need you to leave, Mandy," he said.
"What? Drew—No—I—"
"Wait here, then." He crossed the room and latched onto Susie's arm. "I need to talk to Susie for a minute."
Miranda felt sick. Everything seemed to be spinning around her. She barely registered the smug look on Susie's face and only vaguely heard them marching down the stairs behind her. Everything was happening so fast. Never in a million years would she have guessed that Drew would choose Susie Billings over her. Or any other woman, for that matter. But, he had. He'd walked out the door with her, leaving Miranda to sit on the bed alone, waiting for him to return. And, for what? To come in the room, and tell her how wrong she'd been? To patronize her with a lecture about wanting to maintain their friendship? For a minute, she thought of running, but in the end, decided against it. This was what she truly wanted—to let go of all her misgivings and give herself, wholly and fully, to the man she loved. She wasn't giving up without a fight this time. She would wait for him to come back.
A grueling ten minutes passed before she heard the slamming of the front door and the sound of Drew's heavy footsteps climbing the stairs. Her heart had never pounded so hard. Her stomach never fluttered so much.
She braced herself as Drew walked through the door. She thought he might at least bother trying to look troubled or sad. After all, he was about to break the heart of a lifelong friend, a woman he had once loved. But no, far from it. Instead, he looked happy. Ecstatic, even.
She kept her thoughts to herself and waited for him to speak. If she had to fight, she would at least let him throw the first verbal punch. When he didn't, she decided to dive in.
"I'm surprised to see you back alone," she said.
"Who else would I be with?"
"I'm shocked you managed to get rid of Susie so easily, for one. I thought she would have insisted on being here for something like this."
"Oh, she tried, believe me. I had to get almost nasty with her. I hate that, but she doesn't seem to respond to anything else."
"Oh. Thank you for that, I guess." Of course, he wouldn't have allowed her to come. She should have known that. He might have found love with someone new, but he valued Miranda's friendship enough to respect her feelings. She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable, knowing that her next words needed to make an impact. This might be her only chance to express how she truly felt, so she needed to make every word count. "Listen, Drew, I know I can't compare to Susie. She's young and beautiful, her body hasn't been stretched by child birth. I'm sure she's fun and spontaneous without any responsibilities. I can understand why you might want someone like her."
She paused for a moment. Afraid to take the next step. Knowing she had to, or forever regret it. "I realize you've already made your decision, but before it's too late, I needed to let you know I was wrong. I love you, Drew. I never should have tried to pretend that I didn't. I would give almost anything to be able to go back in time, to the night you asked me to marry you. Because, this time, I wouldn't even think about it—I’d just say yes."
She waited, impatiently, for Drew's response. He didn't speak, but only stared at her with an intensity that made her feel as if he were searching her very soul. His face was a blank slate she just couldn't read. Maybe she really had lost him.
"I understand if you no longer feel the same," she said, "and if your decision is to be with Susie, then I..."
Her voice trailed off at the sound of Drew's laughter. Not a chuckle. Not a giggle. But loud and raw with his head thrown back and his arms spread wide type of laughter.
It infuriated her.
She jumped from her perch on the edge of the bed and stomped toward him. How dare he? She finally gathered the courage to pour her heart out to him and this is how he reacted? With laughter? Mocking her?
She lunged toward him, not certain of her intent. Just knowing there had to be some release for all her pent-up emotions.
"You really think I would ever choose Susie Billings over you?" He caught her arm in mid-swing. "You think I would ever choose any other woman over you?" He dodged a swing from her left arm, and grabbed that one, as well.
Miranda kept going. Her arms might be trapped, but she still had her legs. So, she began kicking instead.
"Whoa." Drew pushed her up against the wall, pinning her arms above her head and covering the lower part of her body with his own. "Didn't you hear me? I don't want to be with anyone else. I want to be with you. Why are you still trying to hurt me?"
"Then why did you ask me to leave? Why did you walk out with her right after I told you I loved you?" She squirmed under the weight of his body. He wasn't hurting her, but she didn't like feeling trapped. Depending on his answer, she might need her arms free for punching again.
He leaned in, holding her body more firmly in place.
"Let me go!”
"Not until you stop trying to cripple me."
His face moved closer to hers. She could feel his breath, warm upon her skin, and it made her shiver. She stopped fighting then, suddenly aware of his body pressing against hers, his strength and power no longer making her feel trapped and weak, but rather safe and protected. Her mind felt foggy, her surroundings surreal. She could only focus on Drew and her driving need to feel his lips on hers once more.
He seemed to sense when she finally gave in—gave up the struggle. Truly understood what he was saying and accepted him as her own. His face brightened, and his eyes shone in happiness and relief.
"Mandy," Drew whispered, his lips brushing softly against hers.
With that one word, all her resolve disappeared, and it felt as if her soul were melting into his. This was her friend. Her love. The man with whom she was meant to be. She needed more of him. The feeling of his lips against hers, breathtaking only moments before, was now exquisite torture. A gateway to other things. Pleasurable things. Things she had sorely missed these last few months.
Seeming to sense her need, Drew deepened their kiss. Instinctively, her body arched into his, and her breath caught as she felt the proof of his desire. Her hand skimmed his belly, dipping below his waistband to stroke the velvety skin beneath. She couldn't help but moan at the rigid heat beneath her fingertips. This man was hers. She had the power to do this to him. No one else.
Somehow, they made it onto his bed. The big beautiful bed in the room he had made just for her. She didn't know how. Couldn't remember a thing. She was so lost in the intensity of Drew's eyes that never wavered from her own. They were full of love, and longing, and something else, as well. Something primal and possessive—something that told her there would be no turning back.
She reached for him, pulling his shirt over his head. Her fingers grazed across his back and arms, taut muscles sending shivers throughout her body. Her lips brushed softly against his. Tasting. Savoring. No rush. No fear. Just rediscovering the man she loved. They had all the time in the world.
He took his time undressing her, and she reveled in the fact that he seemed to be claiming her. Cherishing her. She was his woman. The mother of his child. The one who would be his wife.
"Mandy," he whispered.
"Hmm?" She didn't want to talk. Only wanted to revel in the sensation of Drew's hands on her body and his lips upon hers.
"I love you." His fingers brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek. "Please don't ever leave me again."
She answered him with a kiss, pouring all her love and emotion into the power and intensity of it. There was a current of electricity running between them. A powerful force drawing them together. A surreal feeling that destiny and fate had drawn them to this very place and time and all was right with the universe. She'd experienced this only one time before—the night Drew left her all those years ago and they had made love for what she hadn't yet known might be the last time. The night Tommy was conceived. Now it had all come full circle. In a sense, she was still saying good-bye, but it wasn't to him this time. Rather, it was a farewell to the person she had become over the last seven years. A long overdue farewell to bitterness and regret and the belief that love was nothing but a lie perpetuated in fairy tales. Instead, Drew was her fairy tale—her one true love—and even though she knew their love would never be perfect, she also knew it was strong enough to last a lifetime and endure those not so perfect times.
They took their time together, exploring each other's bodies. Savoring every taste. Every touch. Every brush of his fingertips on her skin left a trail of fire in its wake. Every kiss kindled the desire burning within her. By the time they joined together, every nerve was on edge. Every fiber of her being aching for release.
She needed more. With each thrust, her body arched to receive him. With every kiss, her lips crushed against his. It wasn't enough that he was inside of her. She needed to be even closer. Needed to know that nothing could ever separate them again.
She felt the familiar tension coiling within and knew she was close to her release. She closed her eyes and tossed her head back, moaning aloud as Drew began to slow his pace.
"God, Drew...what are you doing?" she asked. "Don't stop now."
"I have to." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I promised myself I wouldn't make love to you again, until you had agreed to be my wife. I need to know that this is forever. I need to hear you say you're going to marry me."
She could barely focus. The tension was so strong. Her need so great. But, she knew this was important to him. Important to them. They would have the rest of their lives to make love, if she could just allow herself to say yes. She had come this far. She refused to let one little word stand in the way of her future happiness.
Drew stopped moving entirely, waiting for her answer. She felt devoid, stripped of his touch, and knew she never wanted to feel that way again. She smiled at him and nodded her head. "Yes," she whispered, pulling him in for a kiss. "A thousand times yes!"
The look of love and devotion in his eyes was overwhelming. His tongue mingled with her own, keeping pace with the thrusting of their bodies.
"Now, Drew," she whispered. She'd held back as long as she could, relishing their closeness. Their eyes locked and her fingers intertwined with his. His name echoed on her lips and her muscles clenched and relaxed as she melted into oblivion.