Diamonds Are Forever - Brooke St. James Page 0,34

praying, but I didn't want to make Drew uncomfortable since he had already taken another chip off of his plate while I got Mac settled in his chair. Also, if I'm being honest, I didn't want to seem prudish. I already felt boring enough with my toddler routine. But I reasoned with myself and realized that I would regret it if I pretended to be someone I wasn't.

I prayed, and Drew prayed with us. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, looking like the mirror image of Mac. We ate, and then Drew spent another couple of hours at my house. He helped me package the cookies in little baggies with three in each.

Mac had his bath and then fell asleep while we were doing all of this. He hadn't taken a nap, so he was exhausted. We left him sleeping in his room while we walked the few steps to my mom's house to deliver the cookies.

Jenny had been going back and forth between houses, but she was at my mom's when we told her goodnight. Drew was planning on leaving, but he walked me back to my place to tell me goodbye first. He was spending the night in Galveston again, but he would be headed back to Houston tomorrow.

He reached out and took my hand as we got to my door. "I don't want to leave you," he said. His words caused a warm, rushing, sensation to happen in my body. I ached to hear him say those words and it physically affected me when it happened. But I had to be cool. I had to be nonchalant.

Drew had no idea what he was in for with a toddler. We had a great time together today. We had so much fun that he was not thinking straight. He was not thinking clearly. He wasn't remembering that I had a sleeping firecracker in the next room and that I would wake up and do it all over again tomorrow and the day after that.

I motioned for him to follow me into the house. My cousin was really curious about us, and I wouldn't put it past her to spy. "Let's do it in about a month or so, don't you think?"

"A month or so of what?" he asked.

"Just take a month where we go back to our regular lives. Where we don't see each other."

"Why would we do that?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

I couldn't help but smile at his facial expression, but made a neutral face as quickly as I could. "Because, Drew, these last two days have been… really… good… you know… so maybe we should…"

"If they've been good, then why would you say we shouldn't see each other? That doesn't make sense."

"The thing is... I don't think there's any chance that we could spend time together and just act like friends."

"There's not a chance of that. I don't want to do that. I'm not trying to be friends with you."

I let out a little sigh. "Just hear me out, okay? I think we both kind of figured out we're drawn to each other."

"Yes, Lucy. That's what I just said. I don't want to be your friend."

"Okay," I said reasonably. "I just can't help but feel like you'd re-think things if you took a few weeks or a month and paused the newness of it all. I think that would be long enough for you to think about it."

"So, you're saying I have to go away from you for a period of time just to prove that I want to come back?"

I stuttered, not knowing how to answer that question. "W-well, it's not like that. It's just that I think it'd be smart to pause and take a deep breath. For Mac's sake, and for yours."

He shook his head, confused. "If you don't like me, that's one thing, but I don't see why we should force ourselves to spend time apart just to prove that we still want to get back together at the end of it."

"When you put it like that it doesn't seem like it makes sense, but it does, I promise."

"What happens if I want to come back in a month?"

"Then, I'll take you to Carson's and buy you a club sandwich." I stared at him, feeling the utmost sincerity when I added, "But please don't feel bad if you figure out you want to be my friend, Drew. I would still be happy to be your friend. We could still hang