Diamonds Are Forever - Brooke St. James Page 0,29
him with.
My hand was still resting on my leg when Drew very intentionally put his hand over it. For a few seconds there, I didn't remember to breathe. They finished that last line that says happy birthday to you, and everyone clapped. Drew clapped as well because it would've looked funny if he hadn't.
He took his hand away to do that, but he had definitely been touching me under the table. For several seconds there, he was officially holding my hand. A couple of other times after that, Drew and I bumped into each other or held eye contact for longer than normal, but the intentional contact during the birthday song was the only official PDA that had occurred—and even then, it was under the table, so it wasn't very public. It was an intentional hand holding, though. It was sincere. He had rubbed my hand with his thumb.
I was thinking about it as I stood at my aunt's kitchen sink and rinsed out a cup for Mac. I snapped to attention when I heard the sound of Mac crying from a distance, and I braced myself as to what I would see when he came into the kitchen.
Drew had been on the porch with my cousins, but he came inside holding Mac who was crying.
"He's okay," Drew said. "Just an old skinned knee. He tripped on the sidewalk."
Mac was crying loudly. Drew's voice was calm, but it cut through the sound. I took Mac from him wondering why someone in my family hadn't been the one to take Mac. I didn't want Drew to have to deal with him when he was like this.
"Listen, it's okay," I said. "Your mama's a professional at skinned knees, remember? I'll have it bandaged with medicine and feeling better in no time."
Mac nodded, still crying but getting better now that I wasn't alarmed.
"Thank you for getting him to the hospital, Mister Drew. I'm Doctor Mama, and I do believe he's going to pull through. I'll have him running again in no time."
I set Mac on the counter. It was a move we did all the time. He was old enough by now to know not to jump down by himself. I left him there and dug in a nearby cabinet where I knew my aunt kept her first aid supplies.
Within a minute, Mac was bandaged up and heading outside with my mother who came in while I was tending to his knee.
"Sorry," I said, once Drew and I were alone in the kitchen.
"Sorry for what?" Drew asked.
"For that. I didn't mean to put you on first aid duty when I came inside."
"I wanted to be on first aid duty," Drew said. "I was just happy he came to me. I didn't think he would do that. Did I do something wrong? Why didn't you want me on duty?"
I let out a little laugh. "No, no you did great."
I was going to add that I was sorry about him having to deal with the responsibility of a crying baby, but then I decided not to say it. Drew didn't seem to mind helping out, anyway.
"We'll probably leave in the next twenty minutes or so," I said instead. "Jenny's coming over to the house so we can help her make those cookies."
Drew had overheard the conversation where Aunt Laney's daughter, my cousin Jenny, asked Mom and me if we would help her bake cookies for a cheerleading bake sale. She knew my mom loved to bake and that we had two kitchens to get it done faster.
"Oh, okay," Drew said, nodding.
We were silent for a few seconds. There were people in adjoining rooms, and we could hear them talking, but he and I were alone in the kitchen. He was wearing an easy smile, but I had no idea what he was thinking.
"Unless you want to come over and help with the cookies," I said.
His smile broadened. "I'd love to."
Chapter 11
Drew
Drew stared at his own reflection in the bathroom mirror.
He was in Lucy's house—in her small bathroom. He had already been over at her mom's house, making boatloads of cookie dough with her mom and cousin.
He and Lucy took a portion of the dough to her cottage so they could bake a few batches in her oven and get it done faster. Drew had been introduced to the wiener dog, Sport, and then to the hedgehogs.
It was 5pm, and he had been with Lucy all afternoon. He felt sick at the thought of leaving her.