“I want you to be happy, Cate. I always have. You’re the one woman that’s made me want to change my life to make you the center of my universe.” His eyes are filled with so much emotion I’m captured in them. “Maybe fate is wrong or my interpretation of it. I won’t chase you anymore. I’ll leave you to be the Princess Ted can make you be.” He glances at my dress which can partially be seen through the opening in my wool coat. “Maybe it’s better this way.”
My heart knocks in my chest. Being this close to him brings back all the feels that had me falling for him in the first place. I don’t understand his words and why he’s so upset with me. He’s the one who moved on. Yet he’s here. I watch, unable to move, unable to breathe, as he briskly walks away. He’s gone so fast he’s almost reached his car as I feel his name on the tip of my tongue.
IT’S ALREADY NOVEMBER AND Thanksgiving is bearing down upon us. And then finals will be here. It’s hard to believe I’ve been seeing Drew for almost two months. The difficulty in believing it is every time I’m with him, every weekend we spend together—and we’ve haven’t been apart much at all—is better than the last.
As I’m thinking about him, my phone lights up and it’s him. The simple fact of seeing his name causes my heart to stutter. Right now the sixty miles that separate us seems more like a thousand. Then I’m thankful he’s not any farther than that.
“Hey,” I answer with a grin.
“Hey, back atcha. Question. Are you going home for Thanksgiving?” Drew asks.
“Yeah, are you?”
“Uh huh. I’m leaving Wednesday but I have to be back Friday night because I work that weekend.”
“Oh, that’s not good.”
I can almost see him shrug. “Naw, it doesn’t bother me. It’s the life of a resident. I have to pay my dues. Next year will be better.”
“You have the best attitude,” I say. “I’m leaving Tuesday and I’ll be back on Sunday.”
“Cate, I’d like to invite you over to meet my parents on Thanksgiving Day. Can you come? We could work it around your family’s schedule.”
Holy crap! Meet his parents! This is serious stuff. Am I supposed to reciprocate?
“Um, yeah, we could do that. I can ask my mom what time we’re doing our dinner and all.”
“That would be great. You all will love each other. I just know it.” The smile in his voice warms my skin.
“Drew, if they’re anything like you, how can I not?” And that is the truth. They raised this man to be who he is—kind, honorable, trustworthy, and considerate of others. What’s not to love? “And I’d like you to meet my family, too.” Where the hell did this come from? I haven’t even told my mom I’m dating anyone. Shit!
“I’d love that. But I’ll meet them when I come to pick you up.”
“Oh, right. I didn’t think about that. My family is crazy. I’m just warning you.”
“Crazy as in craaaazy? Or crazy as in haha?”
“Uh … both. Ask Jenna. She can give you the scoop.”
“I want you to give me the scoop,” he says.
I cringe as I say, “Yeah. Okay. Well, my mom can be awesome, but she can be very cantankerous, too. And Dad, he’s sort of a hypochondriac. So, I’ll apologize in advance because when he finds out you’re a doctor, he’s going to hit you up for all kinds of medical advice on his so-called diseases.”
Drew only laughs at my Dad.
“Hey, laugh now, but just wait. They’ll drive you fucknuts. I love ’em to death, but at the same time, they make me batshit crazy. You know?”
“Yeah. Sounds like my Aunt Edna. God, that woman is as sweet as they make ’em but loony as hell.”
“Maybe we should invite Aunt Edna over. She sounds like she’d fit right in my family.”
“What about your siblings?”
“My little sister doesn’t pay them any attention. She’s too selfish and my brother gets doted on because he’s the star athlete.”
“What sport does he play?”
“All of them. But not hockey. No hockey in Charleston, you know.”
Drew chuckles. “Yeah, true.”
“I’m surprised my dad let any of us play sports. He’s such a worrywart about us getting hurt.”
“Overprotective?”
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you. I had to beg for roller blades. He told my mom to only let me skate on the grass! Of all things!”
“Hmm. I’ve often wondered how I would be as a father.”
This conversation is turning into something a little deeper than I expected. “Oh yeah?”
“I think sometimes I’ll be like your dad. When I see kids coming into the clinic all banged up, it makes me curious. What about you?”
“I haven’t given it much thought, to be honest.”
“Do you want kids, Cate?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Someday.”
“Good. I was hoping you’d say that.”
Why? Does he want kids right away? What’s his deal here?
“I want to have kids someday, too, but not for a while.”
Thank the lord! “Yeah, a long while,” I laugh. “Hence, the birth control.” Hint hint.
“Sounds like someone is pretty career minded.”