crazy, but right now, he never wanted anything more. And he didn’t intend to ever be separated from her again. They needed to talk, because he had to be certain of that.
Glancing at the clock, he realized they’d been in bed, making love, for close to five hours—an hour for each year they’d been apart—followed by a two-hour nap. As much as he would like nothing better than to stay in bed with Toni all weekend, he wanted more than that. After all, they had spent most weekends in bed when they’d been sex-buddies. Now he wanted a relationship.
From what Toni had told him, she’d wanted more, too. And there was no reason they couldn’t have more. After all, the word more had always had special meaning to them. In the past, he’d used it often, and had gotten the most gratifying results. Now, though, it had a whole new meaning.
“Are you awake, Drew?”
Had she been waiting for him? And if so, what did his Toni have in mind? His Toni? Where had that possessive thought come from? Although she had admitted to developing feelings for him close to five years ago, she hadn’t said how she felt about him now. Were those feelings still there? He needed to know what had brought her to this point, revealing emotions she’d kept so close. What had made her change?
“Yes, I am awake. Are you ready to talk, Toni?”
He eased up in bed and rested his back against the headboard. She slid up to settle beside him, their legs still entwined. He reached out and took her hands, entwining their fingers. “What made you decide to tell me, Toni?”
She looked away for a moment, but when she looked back at him, he saw the regret in her eyes. “I felt it was time you knew. It took me a while, Drew. I honestly felt I had done the right thing when I broke up with you.”
“What made you decide to not let what happened to your mother rule your life any longer?” he asked, placing his arms around her shoulders and holding her close to his side
Toni paused a moment and he watched her stare down at her hands before saying, “After that failed hostage negotiation, I had to follow police procedure and meet with the department’s psychologist. She was good—so good, in fact, that she dug deeper. And she made me realize I hadn’t moved beyond what had happened with my mom. I had convinced myself that true happiness was something I could not attain. With her help, I saw how wrong I was.”
Andrew remembered having to undergo a psychological evaluation before he could be released from Glenworth. The purpose had been to help him readjust to a life outside of prison walls. Only the psychologist who’d seen him hadn’t cared to dive into the reasons that had driven him to prison in the first place.
Upon release, most of the guys who served time with him, upon Shep’s encouragement, had sought counseling with Reverend Luther Thomas. Thomas, a former inmate who’d also served time at Glenworth before being exonerated of a crime he hadn’t committed, had gone back to school, obtaining his PhD in Psychology and Ministry. Upon release, he’d made it his purpose in life to help ex-cons merge back into society as easily as possible with strong, positive influences.
Reverend Thomas would often say that when the world gives you lemons, the best thing to do is make lemonade. Drew, and the majority of his friends, had worked hard to turn those lemons into something positive, and they’d all made something of their lives.
“I’m glad you were eventually able to put the past behind you.” He could now understand why she had fought so hard against getting involved with someone. Finding her mother dead, by her own hand—on Christmas morning, for God’s sake!—would have messed anyone up, especially a kid.
“I’m surprised you didn’t bring a date to Stonewall and Joy’s wedding, Drew. I’d figured you would...but I’m happy you didn’t.”
He didn’t say anything for a minute, then admitted, “To be honest, I haven’t been in what I consider a relationship of any sort since our breakup.”
“Oh? What about Natalie?”
• • •
Toni wished she could bite off her lips. She had promised herself that she would never ask him about the reporter. She’d seen enough in the way the woman acted around him for her to know they’d been intimate.