Drawn to you (2 page)

I’m American born, but we moved to England when I was a year old, then back to the States when I was eleven. My English accent is strong but I picked up some American over my teen years. It wasn’t until I was fourteen that Daddy had an amazing business opportunity, which meant a move back to the UK. He’s a businessman so we always went where the money was. I’m not going to complain; he’s the reason I don’t have student debt or need a part time job. I can focus completely on my art at Brown University.

I chose Brown because Rhode Island already feels like a second home to me and was always the dream with me being an artist; it has an incredible arts department.

If I hadn’t been with James at the time of picking universities, Brown would have been my first choice. Instead, I followed James to Cambridge. We thought we would be together forever, soul mates, but life threw us a curve ball we weren’t strong enough to get past, and soul mates became just boyfriend and girlfriend, and then just boy and girl.
A scarred, damaged girl.

DADDY HAD BEEN RELUCTANT
to let me live alone. He finally agreed that I need my own place rather than staying in the dorms when Mom made him aware I wouldn’t be allowed to stay on campus grounds during breaks. He didn’t want to worry I would end up in a bus shelter, huddled in a sleeping bag. The apartment that will eventually be mine is right next door to Gaby’s. The apartments are built on a new development plot. We got really lucky; half of them haven’t been sold yet as there’s still work to be finished, but Daddy has connections so he got a great price.

I soak in the surroundings and mentally high five myself. I struggled to leave the house to go to the local shop back home, but here I’m putting my big girl panties on and changing my life, hopefully for the better.
Couldn’t get any worse.

The cab driver slows to a stop and Gaby bounds out of the doors to greet me. Her bobbed, brown hair bounces around her pretty features. She throws her arms around me and squeals, and I’m transported back to being fourteen again, my nerves evaporating, leaving nothing but excitement.

“Let me look at you!” she screeches. “My God, you’re still gorgeous. I’m so jealous of your bust.”

If she were a guy she wouldn’t get away with staring so hard at my boobs and then cupping them with a breathy, “Wow.”

“Yours never did grow then?” I jest, pulling a sad face.

Looking down at her small bust, she pouts. She’s taller than me, easily five nine, with a slim frame.

“No, you got my share, or my ass did.” Her head swivels to look down at her voluptuous rump shaking as she wiggles her hips.

We both laugh until the cab driver coughs with no subtlety. I give him an apologetic smile, tip him well, and take my luggage from him before hurrying inside.

The elevator takes us up to where Gaby’s, mine, and one other apartment make up the fourth floor. A penthouse takes up the entire fifth floor, but is still vacant, according to Gaby.

Her place is gorgeous; her huge oak front door opens up to a tiled hallway. The colors are neutral and modern, while black and white photographs of her adorn the walls.

“Dump your things in there,” she says, pointing to the first room on the right of the hallway. My eyes bulge when I notice her open walk-in closet brimming with more clothes and shoes than any store would stock.
I wonder if I can squeeze my boobs into her clothes?

I dump my luggage and run to tour the rest of the place. She doesn’t bother showing me the room she waves off as, “Just my brother’s room, but he’s never here.”

We walk straight through to an open archway that leads to a beautiful white gloss-effect kitchen suite. The kitchen opens up into the living area where Gaby opens a bottle of wine. We slouch down on her enormous corner settee that governs the living space right in front of the huge flat screen TV, my eyes immediately notice a painting hanging on the wall beside the dining table; it’s a Jacob Gambit piece. Expensive, cultured, and out of place in such a modern setting, and I know Gaby’s not really into artwork.
Must have been a gift. An expensive gift.

I’m so relaxed. Sitting here with Gaby feels natural and easy, as weird as that sounds. I’d tried so hard back home to go back to the old me and to make everyone not feel uncomfortable around me that I forgot how to just be normal, to accept that something really shitty happened to me, and it changed me. Talking to her as if we’ve never been apart is like a breath of fresh air. She knows what I went through to an extent, and she’s not letting that cloud her emotions or the way she sees me. No anxiety lingers, no pity in her eyes. I need that from her.
I needed that from James. From everyone.
She’s very animated and touchy-feely, but the comfort I feel with her allows me not to flinch when her hands grasp mine with affection.

“It’s like he’s stepped up to fill his role or something,” Gaby says. She’s talking about her brother and how her dad’s death last year affected the family dynamics. Her mom has coped well with his death but is taking more holidays and joining social clubs to keep herself busy, so Gaby doesn’t see her as often as she used to. Gaby smiles but the strain is evident in her downcast eyes, the shadows underneath giving away signs of sleepless nights.

“Maybe he feels obligated. He’s the head of the family now and he more than likely feels a lot of pressure to be strong for you and your mom.”

She gulps down another mouthful of wine like it’s a glass of pop. “Forget about my brother. Tell me about you. How did James take the move?”

I groan and swig my own wine. “To be honest he’s been wrapped up in his own stuff lately.” I shrug and she takes the hint that I don’t really have much to say about him.

Before we know it, three hours have passed and we’re just getting onto the topic of the student male to female ratio at Brown when the front door opens and crashes closed, causing me to tense and nearly drop my glass.

“
WHAT THE FUCK, FIN
? You scared us half to death” Gaby shouts at the man standing in the opening where the kitchen meets the living space.
Finlay Hayes;
Gaby’s older brother. I still the tremor in my hand by placing it under my thigh as I assess the intruder on our girl time. He throws his keys and cell onto the counter. “Watch your mouth, Gaby. What have I told you about having people here when I’m not around? And drinking? Did you turn twenty-one while I was away? Because I’m pretty sure you didn’t,” he replies, his tone deep and controlled.

He’s wearing a steel grey suit; clearly it was made just for him, hugging every curve, sliding over each ridge of his tight muscle.
Oh, shit. Is he staring at me staring at his body?

He’s easily over six feet tall. His messy brown hair is in disarray. It’s that sexy just-woke-up-messy that everyone is rocking lately, when in fact is not just-woke-up-messy, it’s a stylist or perfectionist who spent a good hour getting every strand into place
and yes, he is staring at me.
Oh, God, and with intense, dark green eyes.

He’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s as if crystal-eyed deluxe Barbie boned elite GI Joe special edition and he is the offspring. Okay, I could have made a better comparison, but damn it, my brain is cut off because all my blood is pumping south and making me squirm on the seat.

“No offence.” He smirks at me and, of course, a dimple dents his cheek making me nearly combust on the spot the . . .
knob
f
ace!
Oh, man, there really is no blood going to my brain. “I don’t like any of Gaby’s friends,” he adds, like that makes it better.

“Finlay, you’re so fucking rude! You haven’t been here for over a month, you never answer your phone. Oh, and when you are around more than once a month, you can lecture me on drinking age,” Gaby says, raising her voice. “I tried to call to tell you. Antonia is staying here for a few weeks.”

“No way, Gaby.”

If a sinkhole were to suddenly open in the middle of the room, I would dive into it like a pro right about now. My vagina is screaming,
“Go hump his leg,”
and my brain is saying,
“Go punch him in the balls and watch him cry.”

“Your friends aren’t staying here, especially ones I’ve never even seen you with before. I told you that when I bought this place.”

I know I’m bright red; I can feel the fire lighting up my cheeks. I’ve never felt more awkward and unwelcome in my life. What does he even mean,
not seen her with before?
Does he not remember me or even know I was coming to camp here for a few weeks? Awkward . . . no
mortifying
would be a better word.

I know her brother can be a bit of a dick from all the conversations my mom had had with his mom over the years but he was young and in college when I was in the picture so I never got to be around him much.

“Mom said she was going to speak to you about it. If you ever checked base with anyone you would know the arrangement! It’s Maria and Jeff’s Antonia. She transferred to Brown and her dad bought the apartment next door, remember? The builders are just finishing the work on it so quit being a douche!”

He refocuses his gaze on me, his expression unreadable, and just as I’m about to tell him what a dick he’s being, and that I can stay in a hotel if it’s going to cause problems, his face softens. His tense jaw relaxes and his shoulders drop, along with his sneer. Recognition flickers in his eyes.

“Shit! You’ve grown!” he practically growls at me, making a hot flush coat my skin. I’d only seen Finlay on holidays when he came home to his parents’ from college for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we never interacted more than the courteous hello and goodbye. He never stayed around for long but I didn’t think I’d changed enough that he wouldn’t recognize me.

I smile a sarcastic smile. “Good eye! Detective states the obvious!”

Gaby begins laughing hysterically, grabbing her stomach as if in pain.
Clearly she’s had enough wine.

Narrowing his eyes at her childish reaction, he disappears back the way he came.

I know he stays with Gaby but I was told he’s never here so I didn’t expect to see him, especially not on my first night. I’m a little flustered from the wine and the heat from his prolonged gaze. Gaby’s wiping amused tears from her eyes.

“That was so funny!” She laughs, putting her hand up to high five me. I cock a brow, my way of asking if she’s serious, but she gyrates on the spot and shouts, “Don’t leave me hanging!”