Drew & Courtney Duet

Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

DREW

TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING

Mia Montgomery is the only woman I’ve ever truly loved.

I know our relationship hasn’t been perfect over the last few years, but working for it makes the good times that much sweeter. Today is one of those days I look forward to.

Travis swears I’m whipped. He even has a bet on the table that if I sleep with someone else, I’ll realize that Mia’s p***y isn’t made of gold. Although he knows I have no desire to be with anyone else, he’s still holding out hope. The only person I want is on her way over, and I plan to make every minute we have together count.

Sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping through the channels, I hear the low growl of Courtney’s Jeep pull in the driveway. I let out a deep breath, rubbing my sweaty palms against my jeans. If only she would’ve stayed away a little longer. It’s her house too, but she and Mia have never gotten along since the drama she caused with Viola and Travis a couple of years ago. She’s Viola’s best friend, and though we’ve become close over the last few years, there’s nothing between us other than our friendship and being roommates. I’ve got her back, and she’s got mine. I know she’s there for me no matter what.

Mia admitted to being intimidated by her looks, and while Courtney is obviously pretty, I have to constantly remind Mia that Court is one of the guys. She chugs beer like it’s going out of style, calls football plays before the referee, punches like a guy, and has no filter. Also, she can appreciate a nice a*s and isn’t afraid to say so. She's basically replaced Travis since he’s no longer living the bachelor life. Regardless, Mia doesn’t see it that way and is too stubborn to let it go. The fact that I won’t and don’t have anything negative to say about Courtney pisses her off, but I refuse to play into her games and ego strokes.

Right on cue, Courtney stalks in, drops a large bag on the floor and plops down on the couch next to me.

“Do you have any idea how exhausting your sister can be?” she asks, reaching over and grabbing the beer out of my hand.

I give her a smile and a firm head nod. “Actually, I do.” I reach for the bottle in her hand, but she pulls away before I can grab it. Her fingers feel cool, and it’s hard not to notice the way she lingers them against mine. I look over and study her, recognizing her hair is a windblown mess. She looks like she just walked off the beach in her short shorts and cropped t-shirt that hangs off her shoulder.

“I need vodka, muffins, and a nap, and it’s barely noon. Helping Lola fit into her wedding gown and playing with Ginny made me break out into a sweat,” Courtney says, grabbing the remote from the coffee table and changing the channel back to one of her reality reruns. She leans her back against the sofa with her legs crossed. There’s no use mentioning I don’t want to watch this s**t because she keeps score and will probably bring up some other time I made her watch something she had no interest in. Either way, I don’t want to get into it now because I need her to leave. If Mia arrives and Courtney is here—sitting right next to me—it’ll be a battle of wits, and I don’t want to deal with it right now.

“So, what does Vizilla have planned for you the rest of the day?” I can’t even hold back the smile on my face. Whether they want to admit it or not, Viola has turned into a bridezilla, which is how I came up with her most recent nickname. I almost feel sorry for Travis, but I know he’ll take care of my little sister.

“Please tell me you didn’t forget, Drew. We have a lunch date with her, your mom and dad, and Travis in about an hour. I know it was last minute, but it’s important you’re there. She group texted us earlier. Didn’t you get it?”

Shit! I try to hold back my reaction. “Yeah, of course.” I didn’t read it.

“I hope so because if you miss this, she will speed over here, use your handcuffs against you, then proceed to cut off your balls and feed them to you.”

“Jesus. A little graphic, Court,” I say with wide eyes, knowing she’d probably just stand by and watch the whole thing go down while acting as Viola’s backup.

Courtney faces me and arches a brow. “She’s a nervous wreck and wants everything perfect, so don’t mess this up. Got it?”

“I’ve dealt with Viola for all of her life, Court. Even the crazy parts of her.”

She rolls her eyes, not taking the bait.

“I need a shower. I smell like baby shit.” She lifts part of her shirt up to her nose and sniffs. “Probably because I’m wearing a little of it.” As she stands, she lifts both arms over her head and stretches. I catch a glimpse of her flat stomach and boney hips. Not sure how that girl is so slim considering she eats carbs and chocolate like it’s going out of style. She takes notice and playfully rolls her eyes before walking away, knowing I’ll call her out for her horrible diet even though it doesn’t show.

I grab the remote she dropped on the couch and turn my show back on. Moments later, I hear the water running in the bathroom, and all I can think about is having to go to that f*****g luncheon and Mia arriving in the next thirty minutes. I mute the sound and stare past the TV. Skipping isn’t an option, and neither is ditching Mia. f**k it. She’ll just come as my date then.

This would be a lot easier on me if everyone could see Mia the way I see her. She’s beautiful, sweet, and goes out of her way to check up on me when I’m on duty. She has her bad days, but we all do.

My show finishes up just in time as Courtney walks back into the living room, dressed up in new clothes. Her long blonde hair is damp and pulled back into one of those messy buns, but her face looks freshly put on and clean.

“Do you want to ride together? I’ll drive since I want to actually be on time,” she offers with a chuckle, bending over and picking up her purse. She unlocks her phone and glances at the time. “Come on, Drew. We really need to get going if we want to miss the traffic.”

I tense up, not having the nerve to tell her why I can’t go with her. “Nah, I’ll meet you there. I’ll be right behind you.”

“You better, Fisher.” She points one of her fingers at me as if I’m in trouble. “If you set Lola off, I’m smothering you with a pillow in your sleep.”

I give her an evil grin. “You wouldn’t dare.”

She licks her lips and shakes her head before walking out the door. I hear the Jeep travel down the road and breathe a little lighter. Moments later, knocks ring out on the front door. I open it and pull Mia into my arms.

“Baby!” she says. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too.” It’s only been two weeks since we were last together but it’s felt like an eternity. I lean in and give her a kiss. She smells so good, like spring water and fresh air, and I just want to lead her to my room and make love to her. But she’s made it very clear that we can’t rush things this time around and that we need to take our relationship more seriously. I’m hoping this time is different. Fifth time’s a charm, right?

“So, what are we doing today?” she asks, looking around. I’m sure she’s wondering if Courtney’s here because the smell of her raspberry soap still lingers throughout the house.

“I thought we’d have lunch with my family,” I say, nonchalantly grabbing my keys from the counter in the kitchen, knowing we have to leave now or we’ll be late.

She takes a few steps forward and looks at me as if I’ve grown a third head.

“I’m not up to anything, I swear. Viola is having a prewedding meeting, and I want you to be there since you’ll be my date and all.”

“Oh, baby,” she gushes, running toward me. She throws her arms around my neck and kisses me. “You really want me to be your date?”

“Of course, I do. I can’t imagine going with anyone else. And you’ll be the prettiest girl there…and mine.”

“I’d love to join you. I love weddings,” she adds, running her finger down my chest. “Honestly, I’m still kind of upset Viola didn’t ask me to be a part of the wedding party since we’ve been together for years.”

I was hoping she wouldn’t bring this up again. We’ve already talked about this several times before, and Viola would die before ever allowing Mia to be a part of one of the biggest days of her life. She’s very open about how she feels about Mia and hasn’t yet forgiven her for the drama she caused years ago. We’re all adults and have significantly grown up since then, but Viola refuses to forget. She’s like a damn elephant; she remembers everything and jokes it’s one of her mom superpowers.

“You know she didn’t want a big wedding party. It’s not personal, babe.”

She pouts. “I know. But we would’ve looked so great together walking down the aisle.”

I pull her closer and whisper in her ear, “We’ll walk down the aisle together one day.”

She tenses then relaxes by my touch. I may have pushed the limit that time, but I’m not giving up on us.

“Are you ready? We have to get going, so we’re not too late.”

“Yeah. I can’t wait to see your parents again. It’s been too long,” Mia says.

“I agree. That’s all about to change.”

As we walk out the door, I text Travis and let him know I’m running a little late. He doesn’t reply.

Mia f*****g Montgomery.

What the f**k is she doing here, is my only thought as I watch Drew and her walk toward the table where we’re all sitting. They’ve been broken up for months, but they’ve had this weird on-again, off-again relationship that drives me and everyone else insane. Viola and Travis loathe her as much as I do, but since their wedding is only two weeks away, Viola’s playing nice to accommodate everyone. If it were my prewedding lunch, I’d be escorting her dirty skank a*s out of the building. And the country.

“Hey, you finally made it,” Travis says as he stands up and greets them, unfazed by Mia dangling on Drew’s arm. “We were just about to order.”

Noticing the way Viola tenses, I mutter, “I thought this was a family restaurant. When the hell did they start letting dogs in?”

She jabs her elbow into my ribs, shushing me before anyone else can take notice, but I can tell she’s holding back a small, pleased smile from my words. Viola and Drew’s mom and stepdad are having lunch with us, making this situation even more awkward than ever. Drew knows better, and when we’re alone, he’s going to get a mouthful.

As soon as Mia locks eyes with their mother, she puts on the widest, fakest smile ever, showing off her perfectly straight and white teeth. She’s a trust-fund baby, so I know she’s probably bought most of her assets. She’s fake inside and outside. The difference between Mia and me is while my parents have helped support me, I actually know what it’s like to work, to get my hands dirty, and take care of myself. I’m pretty sure the most work she’s ever done involves walking from point A to B in six-inch designer heels.

“Mia, it’s so great to see you again,” their mother says, placing a cloth napkin over her lap.

Drew slides a chair out for Mia and she sits down right next to her. Drew sits between Mia and Travis. Smart. He knows there needs to be some kind of buffer between her and well, everyone.

“It’s wonderful to see you, too, Mrs. Hennessy. And of course, Mr. Hennessy.” She nods over to him, but his eyes haven’t moved off her chest since the moment she walked in. “And of course, you too, Mr. Fisher.”

“Oh, please. Call me Carla.”

“Drew,” Viola grabs his attention from across the table. “We’re doing family wedding stuff. You should’ve told me you were bringing a friend with you.”

I want to die with laughter at the way she just called him out. We never know what they are, relationship-wise, and I’m pretty sure they don’t either. They’re never together long enough during one stretch to be anything aside from a week-long booty call.

“What’s it matter? Mia and I already had plans when you called this little get-together. And plus, Courtney isn’t family.”

I gasp, and I swear Viola is ready to punch him in the face. “Yes, she is,” she says between gritted teeth.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Mia interrupts in a sickly-sweet tone, and I can tell by the way Viola’s clenching her fists that she’s ready to jump over the table and claw her eyes out. “I won’t get in the way. I have a hair appointment tomorrow, so I’ll have to drive back home at some point anyway.” She turns to gaze into Drew’s eyes, and I have to swallow down the vomit before the words come out of my mouth. Hair appointment? She acts like she’s going to work or something.

“What a shame,” I blurt out, grabbing my napkin and aggressively shaking it out before I fold it on my lap. Viola turns and looks at me just as Drew does. s**t. I guess I said that too loud or maybe it was the pop of my napkin that caught their attention. Either way, Drew’s eyes are burning holes into me.

“It’s going to be so fun,” I quickly add with a smile that says I’d rather eat dirt than be anywhere near Mia. I grab the glass of water on the table and take small sips to stop the words from flowing freely.

“Oh, no worries!” she exclaims as she turns toward Drew and gazes into his eyes, overly exaggerating her movements and silently marking her invisible territory so I know he’s taken. “I’ll be back to visit my Drewberry Muffin every weekend starting now.”

The way she says his name in a nasally baby voice has me spewing water out of my nose and mouth faster than I can cover my lips. It flies across the table and nearly reaches her face before she squeals and backs away. I cannot handle her being at my house every weekend until the end of time. I will f*****g die.

I hear Travis chuckling at my expense, but Drew is giving me those eyes. Those same eyes I dream about at night and fantasize to in the shower. Except this time, they aren’t bedroom eyes I’m seeing; instead, they’re shooting daggers at me. He clears his throat, making it known that he doesn’t appreciate the way I’m acting, but my heart is beating so hard in my chest, it might break through and punch Mia between her eyebrows that are on point.

I wish I were sitting in front of Viola so then at least we could exchange eye rolls, but I’m stuck in hell, sitting in front of Drew and the devil incarnate. He sneaks glances at her, and I can see her hand on his lap. As she giggles, I can’t help but roll my eyes. What makes this situation even sweeter is Mia hates me as much as I hate her. She’s always been weird around me, probably because she’s intimidated, which she should be. I’ll snatch her man so fast, the Gucci bag she has hanging off the back of her chair will be out of style before she can order lunch.

During one of their many breakups, Drew agreed to have me as his roommate. After graduation, I refused to return to Texas, which didn’t make my Dad happy, so he refused to renew my lease. Considering my circumstances, I had to find a more affordable living arrangement and Drew conveniently had an extra bedroom. He worked weird hours, so for half the week, I’d be home alone which was perfect considering I lived alone for years. Viola loved the idea but only because she secretly wished we were sharing the same bed. But that hasn’t ever happened, and by the looks of it, I don’t believe it’ll be happening anytime soon.

When they got back together—once again—Mia wasn’t happy to see that a girl moved in with him. Countless times, before I accepted his offer, Drew begged her to move in with him, but each time she rejected him. When she felt threatened by me, she’d bring up moving in, but the next week they’d be broken up again. It’s a psychotic cycle. Though it’s been over a year since we’ve been roommates, and she’s had plenty of time to accept it, she blatantly refuses.

Just like Viola, Drew had house rules, but even now I continue to push his boundaries on a weekly basis. I’ve never been controllable, and I think it’s hilarious Drew thinks he can tell me what to do when I’m paying half the bills.

Mia’s annoying laughter brings me back to reality, and I realize how pathetic I am. I have a crush on a man who’s given his kind heart to the devil herself.

Our food arrives, and surprisingly enough, I’m not hungry. Seeing them together makes me sick to my stomach, and I twirl spaghetti around my fork and move it on my plate while Viola reads her itinerary aloud. I almost feel like I’m back in college because she gave us handouts with a schedule of times for each day leading up the wedding. I can’t help but laugh, but she doesn’t think it’s funny. Viola’s all business, and if anyone ruins her perfectly planned-out day, God help them.

When Drew places his arm around Mia, and she leans into him, she makes sure to look at me with an evil-a*s grin on her face. I set my fork down on my plate and can’t stop my nostrils from flaring. I thought I could handle being around her with Drew, but in reality, I can’t. It’s killing me inside. I’ve successfully avoided them together until their next breakup, but right now, there’s no escaping them. It’s absolute t*****e.

At that moment, a silent conversation is exchanged between Mia and me.

She kisses his neck then glances back at me as if she’s hoping to get some sort of reaction, like she does each time she’s around me.

Instead of making a scene, I give her a smile just as sarcastic as her own and hope she understands who she just started s**t with. If she wants a war, I’m ready to fight. I’m not passive. I’m not Viola. I don’t play games. Maybe Mia f*****g Montgomery has finally met her match. I want my best friend happy, and I’ll die helping make that happen.

Game on, b***h!