Page 15 of Drawn to You
“Bye.”
“Who was it, Dana?” Andrew asks the moment he returns to the yard. “Is she coming?”
“No.” I shake my head and tell him what happened to Mrs. Peterson’s cat.
An hour later, just when the meat is done, we hear a car door slam and a woman’s loud voice, followed by the doorbell.
Andrew goes into the house to open the front door, and I follow him.
As soon as the door opens, I see a tall and gorgeous man in a navy blue shirt and dark-wash jeans, his raven hair carelessly styled, stands in front of us. Although I’m familiar with the supermodel’s pictures, Connor Lake stuns me in person. I still can’t believe he’s someone I know from my hometown. Seven years ago, Andrew talked Connor into a model contest and did humanity a significant contribution. Connor became an instant favorite of the industry with his beautiful face and masculine physique. Although I secretly wish the whole thing hadn’t happened because it broke Dana’s heart to lose him. If Connor hadn’t become a model, he would’ve stayed in Clover Valley and taken over his dad’s animal hospital and would be working side by side with Dana today, a happy ever after.
But then again, life doesn’t go as we wish.
“Hey, Britt!” Connor flashes a smile at me, not his panty-melting, signature smile, thank God, but a friendly smile to an old acquaintance, a brotherly smile.
“Hi, Connor. Good to see you.” We hug briefly.
Two women linger on the street, looking around. “Wasn’t this Keanu Reeves’ house? I’m positive he used to live on Hollyview Street,” says one of the women in a husky voice. My eyes shift to her, and I recognize her right away—Helen Warner, Connor’s agent. Dana is right, after all. I’ve seen her pictures online, and she looks no less glamorous in person, even though there’s little doubt she’s a lot older than him. I wouldn’t call her beautiful, but she’s confident and authoritative. She wears an expensive-looking, floral silk blouse that opens low, showing her tanned, flat chest. Her eyeshadow is turquoise blue and looks like an anti-reflective coating on her designer eyeglasses. She’s tall and skinny overall, and frankly, I don’t know what Connor sees in her unless he has the Oedipus syndrome—Connor’s mom died when he was a child, and his dad has never remarried.
While my mind wanders, Andrew shrugs. “I have no idea. I don’t think so. It’s a small house. I imagine the movie star’s house would’ve been a lot grander.”
The older woman acknowledges me with a tight nod when Andrew introduces me to her and doesn’t pay me further attention. I probably look just like a puppy in Andrew’s house.
“Hey, Melissa, are you ready to come in?” Andrew shouts at the woman who’s still looking around on the street.
She’s tall and slim and is dressed in a beautiful, off-the-shoulder cocktail dress, and she’s wearing stilettos to a BBQ party. I become self-conscious right away and regret not taking Andrew’s advice to spend time shopping. I’m wearing my favorite yellow cotton sundress with white geometric figures. It’s supposed to fit the casual occasion, but I feel dowdy in front of the gorgeously dressed guests.
“This is a lovely place!” Melissa says as she sashays to Andrew, and then to my dismay, she throws her arms around him and kisses him on the lips. “I miss you, Andy!”
My stomach plunges, and I glance away, but not without meeting Andrew’s glance briefly. Andrew being with a beautiful girl is a sight that I’m used to, and it shouldn’t surprise me. So why do I feel as if I’ve just been gutted?Get a grip.I remind myself and force a rush of emotion down my chest.
Soon more cars stop on the street, and more people come into the house. They are Andrew’s business associates, including his accountant and advertisement agent. I realize it’s not just a party for social gathering but also a business meeting to build relationships.
It doesn’t take me long to recognize who Melissa is. She is a model like Connor. In fact, I’ve seen the ads she’s done for the gym, including a billboard on Hollywood Blvd and another one on the gym’s website. In those ads, she wears plain gym clothes and little makeup while sweating on the treadmill or other machines. She looks very different now, besides the sexy dress, she also wears bright lipsticks and seductive eye-shadow. Melissa lives in Santa Barbara, and maybe that’s why I’ve never seen her at the gym.
I also recall that Melissa used to be Connor’s modeling partner, and the two have done some really steamy photoshoots. I always wonder whether the two ever dated because it’s hard not to think so from the intimate photos they posed. Even though both are fully clothed in those pictures, they are suggestive. But at the moment, their relationship appears to be purely professional. Melissa barely glances Connor’s way, almost as if she’s deliberately keeping a distance from him. I suspect it has something to do with Connor’s intimidating cougar.
However, she has a hard time keeping her hands off Andrew. More than once, she strokes his biceps. Whenever she does it, my heart squeezes.
I focus on tasting the barbeque Andrew makes. It’s yummy.
“So, how do you like your new job?” Connor sits next to me and asks, perhaps thinking I need attention.
“I like it,” I say. “It’s a great gym. How come you don’t come to work out?”
He grins. “I’m planning to. But my schedule is crazy. I’ve just got back from France, and I’m off to New York tomorrow.”
“Wow. So busy. So how do you keep your body fit?”
“Not that hard. I can jog wherever I am. And what that isn’t possible, I do crunches and yoga in my hotel room. Connor glances around as if to make sure no one overhears him and then says in a low and conspiratorial voice, “Don’t tell Andrew I say this. Personally, I don’t think gyms are that important.”
My mouth opens, and then I smile. “Okay, I won’t tell him!”
“Good!” he winks at me, and we sit silently for a moment. He opens his mouth to speak and then closes it.
I sense he wants to ask me about Dana, and I encourage him. “Do you want to ask me something?”
He pauses again and says, “Where’s Dana? I thought she was going to be here.”
