Chapter Nine and Chapter Ten

Aurora gets a call from her agent and leaves Evergreen Gap in a rush, which leaves Drew questioning their relationship. The conclusion.

Chapter Nine

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”  Drew held his phone in his hand,  his jaw dropping.

“I said, your account shows that your mortgage payment has already been made for this month.”

It was Aurora.  That was the only person he could think of who would do such a thing.   It made perfect sense.  He had told her about losing the job and she wanted to help.  Stacy was the one who started the media after him again and Aurora was the one cleaning up the mess.  But how did she know where to send the payments?  His mother.  That was the only explanation.  

Drew called his utility companies and got the same story.  Everything was paid for the month: his heat, electricity, phone, cable, even his Internet access.  When he was done making calls to the companies, he dialed his mother.

“Mom, it’s Drew.”

“Oh, hi, honey.  How are you?”

“Fine.  Have you been speaking to Aurora lately?”

“Why, yes.  I called her to thank her for the lovely gift basket she sent me.”

“And did she happen to ask you for information on how to say, pay my mortgage this month?”

Kathleen let out a sigh.  “I guess you were going to find out sooner or later.  I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t want her to do that.  But she felt so bad about you losing that job, and really, it was no big deal for her to do that.  She said the gift package she got from the award show is worth more than a year’s worth of payments on the average house in Evergreen Gap.”

“That’s not the point, Mom.  I do have some savings, you know.  I don’t need my girlfriend to pay my bills for me.”

“Technically she’s your wife,” Kathleen pointed out.

“That’s just it.  She is but she isn’t.  It’s like she’s someone I knew along time ago, ran into, and started dating.  The fact that we have this legal marriage looming over us just complicates things.  And her paying my bills for me complicates things even more.”

“Don’t be mad at her for this.  I know the fact that she is well paid hurts your male pride a little, but don’t hold it against her.”

He wanted to say it wasn’t male pride, but he just wasn’t sure.  He didn’t think Aurora was the type to expect something in return for what she’d done.  “I want to make it up to her,” he told his mother.  “What can I do?  I don’t mean pay her back, necessarily.  She’d probably be too stubborn to take the money, and that has so little meaning to her anyway.”

“Surprise her.  Make it something from the heart.”

*****

Aurora sat at the desk in her home office with scripts spread in front of her.  She had them organized into piles of yes, no, and maybe.  In the ‘no’ pile was a comedy that was a copycat of a recent hit show that she was sure would tank quickly.  Another one was a part for a ludicrously self-absorbed, washed-up actress.  In the ‘maybe’ pile was a role for a lesbian on a cable network show.  She wasn’t sure she wanted to do an hour-long drama, but she had scripts for a lawyer part and a police officer as possibilities.  

She really liked one role as part of an ensemble cast in a show that covered the lives of several couples in various stages of their lives, including a Latino couple. 

The next day her agent called to tell her he had lined up several auditions, all of which were in New York.  Aurora got her assistant to make travel arrangements, and she began to pack for a week in the city.  She wasn’t sure if she’d see Drew while she was on the East Coast, but she packed some sexy bras, panties, and one night gown, just in case.  She thought about taking Sassafras with her, but she thought maybe the dog needed a break from traveling and contacted her regular dog-sitter.

*****

The phone in Aurora’s hotel room interrupted her sleep.  She had gotten to the hotel at midnight the previous night, and she had told the concierge to wake her at 6:00 A.M.  Aurora groaned and picked up the phone.  She muttered a sleepy ‘hello’ into the receiver.

“Sorry to wake you.  It’s me, Greg.”

“Greg?  Why are you calling me?  It’s only 5:40 in the morning.  I still had twenty minutes left to sleep.”

“I’m sorry.  I heard you were in town and I wanted to catch you before you went out.”

“Hmmph.  Well, you caught me.  What’s up?”

“Can you have dinner with me tonight?”

“I don’t know how long this audition is going to last.”

“I can wait.  Call me when you’re done and I’ll meet you.”

“Okay then.  Where are you, anyway?”

“At the gym.”

“A glutton for punishment.”

She hung up and wondered briefly what Drew would think of her having dinner with Greg.  They were just friends, but maybe she should tell Drew about her plans before he read about it somewhere.  Or worse yet, some reporter would call him and ask him to comment on the fact that she’d had dinner with Greg Garner.

Aurora went to the hotel gym and did a workout of her own.  Feeling slightly invigorated, she rode the elevator back to her room to shower and get dressed for her audition.  She was putting on make-up when Kirk called.

“What are you going to be doing besides auditioning while you’re in New York?” he demanded without preamble.

“Huh?  What are you talking about?”

“What have you been doing?”

“My plane landed just after ten, I got to the hotel at almost midnight, and I went to sleep.”

“Is Drew with you?”

“No.  He’s trying to drum up some business since the press scared his most recent client away.  He’s in Evergreen Gap.”

“Is he coming to see you while you’re there?  What have you done so far today?”

“Kirk, this is getting silly.  To the first question, I don’t know.  So far today I went to the gym, took a shower, and now I’m putting on make-up.  Or at least I was trying to when you called.”

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Having dinner with Greg Garner.”  Aurora held her breath, waiting for Kirk to let loose.

“Aha!  I knew it.  You need to tell me about these things.”

Aurora sighed.  “I just did.”

“Sooner than that.  If I hadn’t asked, you’d never have told me.”

“It’s just a friendly dinner.  I’m still involved with Drew.  Is there anything else you need to know?”

“Are you going to be having dinner with Bradley Cooper tomorrow night?”

“Oh, Kirk.  Be serious.  Greg and I are friends.  You know that.  I promise I’ll tell you if I am planning on swimming naked in a fountain in Central Park or something like that.”

“Are you?”

“Planning on swimming naked?  Not unless I have too much to drink at dinner tonight and totally lose my mind.”

“I don’t have to tell you what pubic drunkenness would do for….”

“Kirk!  Do me a favor.  Chill.  I was kidding.  Get a sense of humor.”   

Aurora called Drew as soon as she hung up from talking to Kirk.  She got his voice mail.  She waited for the beep and launched in, “Drew, this is Aurora.  I’m in New York now and I just wanted to tell you I’m going to have dinner with Greg Garner tonight.  Uh, I hope it doesn’t make the press bother you more.  I didn’t want you to find out from someone else.  Um, we’re just friends.  It’s better than eating alone.  It’s not a date, okay?  Well, I’ll talk to you later.  Bye.”   

At dinner, Greg asked her how things were going with Drew.

“I just worry that he won’t be able to handle my being away from him a lot.  The press is causing problems too.  He lost this business deal because it.”

“Wait a second.  He lost a business deal?  Did you by any chance offer to lend him money?”

“No, but I did pay some of his bills without his knowing.”

“You did what?”

“I called his mother and got the information on how to send in his mortgage payment and utility bills.”

Greg smacked his hand to his head.  “And you paid his airline ticket to the Golden Globes and bought his tux too, didn’t you?”

“Yes, what’s wrong with that?”

“Normally I’d say be careful he isn’t just into you for the money, but in this case I think you’re going to crush his ego.  The guy just lost a business deal, and now his girlfriend is paying his bills for him.  You’re successful.  Some guys can’t handle that.  He started his own business and it was doing fine, but now….”

"I think he can handle it.  He's evolved.

“Sometimes even the most evolved guy can be bothered by this stuff.  But, anway, are you happy?  Is he?”

“I am.  And I think he is.”

“Then that’s really all that matters.”

*****

Aurora stayed in the city for another week, going to auditions.  By the end of the week, she was tired and nervous all the time.  She decided to go to Evergreen Gap for a visit.  She could drive a rental car to the city if she got a callback.  She checked into the Evergreen Lodge again and called Melanie.

“Come over for dinner tonight,” Melanie said.  “Or do you have plans with Drew?”

“I haven’t even told him I’m in town yet.”

“Something wrong?”

“With Drew?  No, not really.  I think maybe I need to have a discussion with him, though.  I’ll have dinner with you.  That will give me time to think of what I want to say.”

Aurora mixed a salad while Melanie checked on the potatoes and chicken, Chelsea firmly planted on her hip.  Hunter sat at the kitchen table, coloring.

“Aunt Ror,” he piped up.  “Where’s your dog?”

“In California.  At my house.”

“Who’s taking care of her?  Do you have a maid?”

“No, I have a dog-sitter come and take her outside for walks and to feed her.”

“A dog-sitter.  Like a baby-sitter for dogs?”

“Exactly.  There are people who come to clean my house, but it’s not a maid like you see on TV.”

“Oh.  I thought you were rich.”

“Hunter, what did I tell you about saying things like that.”  Melanie looked at her son with an exasperated expression.

“Sorry, Aunt Ror.  But this kid at school said your husband might not divorce you and that it’s because you’re rich.”

“You shouldn’t listen to kids at school.  Or magazines.  Or TV.  You know me, right Hunter?  Those kids at school have never met me.  Neither have the people who write stuff about me.  So, who do you think knows more about me, you or them?”

“I do!”  He smiled.  “Can you introduce me to Harry Potter?  I want to ask him if he’s related to me.”

Aurora looked to Melanie for help.

“Hunter, remember I told you that  Harry Potter is just a character.  The person who plays him in the movies is just an actor.  Harry Potter isn’t a real person,”  Melanie said.

“Maybe sometime you and your mom can visit me and you can meet the actor, if I can arrange it,” Aurora offered.

“I thought Harry Potter lived in England.”

“Never mind, then.  We can go to New York, to Central Park and the zoo and the toy stores,” Aurora said.

“Toys!  I like toys,” Chelsea chirped.

“That sounds like a plan.  And maybe we can stop at the Crayola factory on the way,” Melanie added.

“What’s that?”

“It’s where they make those crayons you’re using.”  Melanie walked over to the table and set Chelsea in her high chair.  She handed her pieces of orange she’d peeled.  Chelsea stuck one in her mouth and chomped thoughtfully.

Melanie took some drinking glasses out of a cupboard and filled them with ice.  “I’m sorry about all the questions.  I’ve tried to teach him to be more polite, but he’s young.  He hears things.”

Aurora waved a hand in the air in dismissal.  “Don’t worry about it.  This is nice.  I don’t get to spend much time with you.  Hopefully I’ll get one of these jobs in New York so I can be closer.”

“Tell me something.  Are you coming back East to be closer to Drew?  I know he was always the one who got away, in a manner of speaking.  But don’t forget that he was planning to sue you not long ago.”  Melanie leaned forward on the counter, chin in hand.  Her blond curls were piled on top of her head, and she looked thoughtful.  “Don’t get me wrong.  I hope things work out.  It’s just that you’re used to dealing with egotistical actors and ambitious directors and all that, and Drew might seem to be pretty down-to-earth in comparison.  But there are dishonest, self-serving people outside of Hollywood too.  I don’t want to see your heart get stomped on.”

“I appreciate the concern, but this really isn’t about Drew.  Sure, I want to be closer to him.  But I know things might not work out.  The thing is, being snowed in at Evergreen Lodge made me see things in a whole different perspective.  I realized that the world wasn’t going to end if I took some time to myself.  I haven’t even been on a vacation in five years.  I want to do TV so I can work a more reasonable schedule.  And this way I’m closer to my family.  And to you.  There’s more to life than work, and I don’t want to wake up one day and realize I’m all alone and all I’ve ever done is work all the time.”

Melanie nodded.  “It will be good to have you closer.  I miss having you around.  I love Glenn and the kids, don’t get me wrong.  But I miss having my best friend around, too.”

*****

Drew was driving towards home, listening to a local radio station in an attempt to relax.  He had finally chosen a newscaster from Pittsburgh to tell his rebuttal of the situation with Stacy.  The interview with Stacy in Celebrity Eye had been pretty much what he expected.  It said nothing of her investigating Drew or Aurora.  It didn’t mention that she’d changed their wedding plans from simple to extravagant without even telling him.  She made it sound like they'd been a happy couple and Aurora had broken them up. It also made him out to be a fortune hunter, after Aurora's money.  

Drew had simply stated to the reporter that he had been angry with Aurora for years, thinking she’d abandoned him.  At the hearing he learned she’d had amnesia and decided to drop the suit.  He hadn’t known Aurora had been at the lodge and hadn’t gone there with the intention of romancing her.  He also stated that he had been broken up with Stacy when Aurora came back into his life.  

The reporter had been fairly respectful, although she did try to get him to reveal come private details about his relationship with Aurora.  He had answered as best as he could, trying to be tactful while not giving too much away.  The whole experience had been taxing.  He wondered again how Aurora managed to give so many interviews and not lose her mind.

He pulled into his driveway and saw some movement on his porch.  Not another reporter.  At least he owned the property and could threaten whoever it was with trespassing.  He sighed and got out of the car, trying to look as intimidating as possible.  As he got closer he realized there was no camera and the woman was only wearing jeans and a winter jacket.  Then he saw dark hair tumbling around the woman’s shoulders and he blinked his eyes in disbelief.

“Aurora?  Is that you?”

“It’s about time you got back.  I was getting ready to drive back to Evergreen Lodge.”

“What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t think I was going to go back West without stopping to see you?”  She stood up and he climbed the three steps and swept her up in a tight embrace.  He took in the smell of her hair and skin and sighed contentedly.  All the tension of the day flowed from his body as he held her in his arms.  He hadn’t even realized how much he missed her.  Cassie had been right.  She was worth it.  The media, the demands of her career--none of it really mattered, so long as he knew he could be with her.

“Is Sassafras back at the lodge?”

“No.  She’s in California with a very capable dog-sitter.”

“In that case, I think your room might stay empty tonight.”

They went in Drew’s house together.  He took her coat and hung it in the hall closet.  He had stopped for dinner on his way home, and he knew Aurora had eaten dinner with Melanie.  

“I did an interview today,” he told her.  “I wanted to tell my side of the story.  I thought maybe you were another reporter, wanting me to comment on Stacy.  I doubt they’ll stop bothering me now, but it might help.”

“I’m so sorry you lost business.  I still feel like it’s my fault.”

“It’s not.  I told you, I blame Stacy.”

“None of this would have ever happened if you weren’t involved with me.  I’m afraid you are going to get sick of my career always disrupting yours. I guess you found out about your bills for this month.  I should have asked you first.  I wasn’t thinking.”

Drew sighed.  “I was caught off guard.  I guess my pride was a little wounded.   But you were just trying to help.”

“It’s kind of odd for me, having you not want me to buy you things.”

“People are already saying I'm with you for your money. They don't know me, or you, or our history together."

"I get that. It’s just…you wouldn’t believe how many people do ask for money.  My relatives, even ones I’ve never met…every time I turn, someone wants me to help them out.  I don’t mind. It’s just a new experience, having someone who doesn’t want anything.”

“I never really thought of it that way.  Having a lot of extra money must be stressful sometimes.  You have to manage it and decide what to do with it.”

“Yeah, well, my accountant helps.”

He leaned closer to Aurora and pulled her into his arms.  He leaned against the back of the couch and Aurora was resting against his chest.

“I know you don’t want people to think certain things about you.  I don’t blame you.  But you have to remember that sometimes that comes with the territory.  I just had a conversation with Melanie’s son, Hunter.  He’s five and he’s heard things about me in school.”

“Really?  A five-year-old?”

“Yes.  I’ve come to realize that I can do interviews, press conferences, or have my publicist release a statement, but it’s just damage control.  People will always believe things.  The media, rumors, even my own fame are all bigger than I am.  I told Hunter that what he knows about me is what’s real, not what other people say.  And sometimes I have to remember that about myself, and you.  What we have and what we think of one another is what’s important, not what some reporter says.”

“That’s a good point.  You have a good head and I’m constantly amazed at how well you deal with the public life.  I’ve been told that being with you would be difficult because you’re in the public eye, but I’ve also been told you’re worth it.  And you are, but the way you look at things makes you special too.”

“Some famous people let it drive them insane.  If I didn’t rise above it, I’d go nuts.  I could be looking at stupid polls on the Internet about whether you and I are going to stay together and get all insulted and upset, but what’s the point?”

“It’s funny you mention that because lately I’ve been purposely avoiding looking at the covers of magazines in line at the store and I change the channel if an entertainment segment comes on a TV show.”

Aurora laughed at this, but inside she felt relieved.  Knowing that Drew was interested in her, and not the hype, gave her a newfound confidence regarding their relationship.  She’d also had a nagging fear, deep down, that Drew the Real Person would never live up to the idealized fantasy she’d had of him over the years.  She looked down at his strong arms wrapped around her, and it occurred to her that this was better than she ever thought it would be.

“So, how did the auditions go?” Drew broke the silence.

“Fine, I suppose.  I like the ensemble show the best.  I could play a lawyer, too, though.  I used Cassie as my model for that.  I’ve been studying her mannerisms and speech and I incorporated those into the audition.”

“That sounds a lot more interesting than my work.”

“How are things going?  Do you have any new jobs in the horizon?”

“Actually, I do have one.  A friend of my dad's."

“That’s good.  I’ve never regretted going to New York, but I do feel like I missed out by not finishing college.  But I got that audition, and I had to go for it.  Plus my parents wanted me to be a teacher and I really wanted to be all independent and stuff.”

“You can still go to college, you know.   I went the traditional route, but that’s not the only path to take.  I’ll never know what it’s like to take on the big city at a young age.  We all make trade-offs.”

“What did you want to do at that age?  I know you wanted to go to New York with me, but why?”

“I'm a graphic designer, but I also paint and draw.  I wanted to get into the art scene, maybe finish my degree at a school in the city.”

“I vaguely remember that from school.  I think we talked about it once at a party or at lunch or something.  I've never seen any of your work though.  I'd love to see something.”

Drew shifted.  "I'll be right back."  He returned in a moment with some canvases and a sketch pad. The first one he showed her was a landscape painting.

"That's the lookout at Laurel Falls," she said.  "It's stunning."  

"It's one of my favorite places, especially in the autumn."

"Do you do mostly landscapes?"

"No, I like to mix it up.  Check this out."  He showed her the next canvas, which was a painting of tropical fish.  "That's from a trip to the Caribbean."

"I like that too." Aurora didn't ask any more questions about the details of his trip.  She wasn't sure she wanted to know who he went on the trip with.

"So, are you going to show me the sketches too?"

Drew looked a little sheepish.  "Don't judge, okay?"

"Cross my heart," Aurora said, making a cross sign across her chest.

Drew flipped open the sketch pad and showed her a drawing.  Aurora could tell immediately it was her.  She was sitting on a bench under a tree, reading a book. She broke into a grin.

"But this is great.  Why would you be embarrassed?"

"Take a closer look."

Aurora took in the details of the sketch.  Her hair was longer, and the sweater and bench seemed strangely familiar.

"This is me at West Penn.  I'm probably about twenty years old."

"You don't think it's creepy or anything?" 

"No...it's beautiful.  It's so natural.  There's no Photoshop and I didn't sit in a makeup chair for an hour.  It's just me. It's not like it's a secret that we had feelings for each other."

"That's not all," Drew said.  He flipped past some drawings of flowers and places at Evergreen Gap and West Penn. He stopped when he came to a drawing of Aurora, wearing the white dress and shawl and holding flowers.  

"Wow.  I wish I remembered this more.  I actually think I hit my head that night, when I went up to my hotel room. Head injuries notwithstanding, I think you took a little artistic license."

"How so?"

"I look stone cold sober, for one thing."

Drew laughed.  "True," he agreed.   

He gave her a sly grin, his cheek dimpling.  “Nothing.  I just wanted to move somewhere more comfortable.”  He leaned down and swept her off the couch and carried her in the direction of the bedroom.  He placed her on the bed.

“I’ll be right back,” he said.  Aurora looked around the room.  It was simply decorated in a masculine style.  A dark blue comforter covered the queen-sized bed.  His chest of drawers and night table were simply cut and made of blond wood.  A wicker hamper stood in one corner, and a small television sat on one end of the chest of drawers.

Aurora took the opportunity to slip out of her pants and sweater.  She kicked off her socks settled back on the bed.

Drew came back into the room with a pack of matches.  He lit some candles that sat on the tables and then turned off the bedroom light.  

Aurora watched him approach the bed, bathed in candlelight.  Even in the soft glow, his  eyes stood out.  She had once thought that Drew’s eyes had a life of their own, like a fire.  When they were in school, Aurora would get a strange feeling, like a twinge.  She’d turn around, and there would be Drew.  She could be standing at her locker, turning the corner of a vast corridor, or sitting in class when the feeling would come over her, and there he would be.  It was like she could sense him.  And more often than not, his eyes were on her.  Seeing Drew always gave her butterflies in her stomach.  No guy she’d met since then had had that effect on her.  In fact, he still gave her butterflies.

She remembered writing in her journal that she thought Drew was her soul mate, and that’s why she always seemed to sense his presence.  She thought her soul and his recognized one another anytime they came in close proximity.  There was a time when Aurora would have dismissed that notion as the silly musing of an infatuated schoolgirl, but as Drew slid onto the bed next to her, she was met with an overwhelming feeling of serenity.

Drew lowered himself over Aurora and their bodies fused together.  He still couldn’t believe that she was here, that she was his.  His need for her felt raw, like wanting food and water.  Being with her was never enough, though.  He always wanted more. He felt a constant desperation, as if she might slip through his fingers if he wasn’t careful.  Even when she was in his arms, he found himself counting the minutes until she’d leave him again.  He hated being away from her all the time.  He wanted to see her at the end of each day and wake up next to her each morning. 

After they made love, he pulled her close and held her body against his.  He fell asleep holding her, and each time he woke during the night he reached out for her, reassuring himself that she was still there.

The next morning, Aurora sat in Drew’s kitchen wrapped in his terry robe, sipping coffee.  Drew was wearing drawstring pants and she admired his bare chest from across the table.  

“I have a meeting at eleven this morning,” he told her.  “I’m going to take a shower.  Do you want to stay here or go back to the lodge while I go to the meeting?”

“Maybe I should go to the lodge,” she said.  “I left all my extra clothes and toiletries back there.”

Drew nodded and got up from the table.  “I’ll call you when my meeting is over, then.”

Aurora lingered over her mug of coffee and listened to the sound of  Drew in the shower.  She heard a ringing sound and realized it was her cell phone, sitting on the counter.  She picked it up.

“Aurora, great news.”  It was her agent.

“What is it?”

“They want you for the part.  We have to start contract negotiations today.”

“What time?  I’m about three hours from the city.”

“Three hours?  What are you doing?  What if they don’t want to wait that long?”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”  She hung up.  She was giddy with excitement.  Being offered a part always gave her a thrill.  She dashed to the bedroom to tell Drew.  He was standing near the bed, toweling off.

“Guess what?  My agent just called and I got the part!”  Aurora grinned at Drew.

“So, what does that mean exactly?” he said in a neutral tone.

“I have to go to the city, negotiate a contract, and then…well, I’m not sure when we start taping.  But I think I’m going to rent out my house on the West Coast, for now.  And I have to find an apartment in the city.”  She stopped talking suddenly.  Drew didn’t look the least bit happy for her.  

“What’s wrong?” she said.

“Does this mean you have to leave again?”

“For now,” she said.

“Until when?  When do I get to see you again?”  There was an edge to his voice that made her excitement dissipate.

“I’ll call you when I know more.  For right now, I have to go back to the city.  They’re waiting on me to negotiate my contract.”  Aurora began to dress quickly.  Drew finished dressing and sat on the bed, waiting for her to be done.  She sat next to him and put an arm around him, pulling him toward her for a kiss.  His response was stiff.  

Aurora shrugged on her jacket and slung her purse over her shoulder.  Despite her warm jacket, she felt a chill.  Her happiness over getting the role on her first choice for a TV show was suddenly eclipsed by Drew’s sullen mood.

Chapter Ten

"But I can’t wait until then,” Drew pleaded.  He was on the phone with Aurora, who was in New York. 

“Drew, I’m working at least twelve hours a day.  I know what will happen.  You’ll come here, either sit in my hotel room all day or explore the city all alone, and then when I finally get back you’ll resent me for falling asleep in the first two minutes.”

“I’d get to wake up next to you,” he said.  He didn’t want to wait until next Sunday to go to New York and visit Aurora, but that was literally her next day off.  That’s if there wasn’t any rewriting or re-shooting to be done.  And even then, Aurora was going to ferry him off to look at apartments.  The following weekend she had to fly back to L.A. and get her dog and arrange to ship her things to New York.

“Are you mad?" she asked.

“No, I'm just frustrated.  I think when I come, we need to have a serious talk.”

Aurora felt her throat close up, and she had trouble catching her breath.  She knew what those words meant.  She'd heard them before.  Heck, she'd said them before.  More than once.

*****

"Hello, love."  Aurora looked at her phone in surprise.

"Quinn?" she said, although there was no mistaking the Irish accent.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, Quinn.  What do you want?"  He sounded drunk.  Big surprise.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry.  I know I hurt you and..."

"Have you been drinking?"

"Just a bit, love.  I just feel so bad."

Aurora sighed. "And you decided to drunk dial me."

"Don't be upset, Love. I just wanted to hear your voice. I saw you at the Golden Globes with that guy.  Made me right jealous, it did."

"It's been over for a long time, Quinn."

"What's that? You aren't with that fellow from your hometown anymore? I..."

"No, Quinn. I meant you and I."

"So you're still with that bloke?"

Aurora hesitated. She hadn't heard from Drew in two days, and she was starting to think he was going to end things between them.

"I want to give it another go, Love. I'll quit the drinking. Cassie got me into a good rehab program."

"That's good, Quinn. I wish you the best. I've got to go now."

*****

"Well, Drew, think about what you want from a marriage. I know things didn't work out with Stacy. She wanted someone who would take care of her. Is that the type of wife you want? Some less career oriented, who will live in Evergreen Gap and raise kids?" Kathleen Macpherson said to her son. "I don't think Aurora will do that. It's not in her nature. Yes, she is moving closer, but she is about to commit to a TV show. She'll still be working long hours and traveling a lot. If you try to change her, eventually she'll resent you. And if you don't get what you want out of the relationship, eventually you'll resent her."

Drew thought about it. He thought about the times when he daydreamed about the future and Aurora, and the life he imagined them having. Suddenly, it all became crystal clear.

"Mom, how did you get to be so smart?" he said with a grin.

*****

The door to the elevator opened and Aurora stepped out.  She glanced up and down the hallway, checking to see if it was empty.  It was.  Gratefully, she took the key card to her hotel room out of her purse and slid it into the slot.  The light blinked green and she turned the knob.  Her instinct immediately told her something was wrong.  The room was dark.  She hated the dark and always left a small light on when she knew she’d be getting in late.  She quickly opened the door and dashed into the hallway.  She pressed the ’down’ button to the elevator and glanced nervously toward the door to her room.  The hallway was still empty and she envisioned someone with a chloroform rag jumping out and stuffing the rag over her face and then dragging her unconscious body to parts unknown.  She was starting to wonder if hiring a bodyguard might be a good idea.

The elevator arrived on her floor and she gratefully slipped in and pressed the button to the lobby floor.  The lurch of the elevator flipped her already nervous stomach for a loop.  Once the elevator stopped on the ground floor, she made a beeline for the front desk.

“Excuse me, I think there might be an intruder in my room,” she told the desk attendant.

The attendant looked duly alarmed.  “Are you okay?” he said.

“Yes, I’m fine.  It’s just that the light’s out and I know I left it on.  Maybe the bulb went out, maybe the maid shut it off by accident.  But I’d like to be on the safe side.”  

“Yes, of course.  I’ll have security check the room immediately.”  The attendant lifted the phone receiver before he even completed the sentence.

Aurora went to one of the plush sofas in the lobby and sat down.  She wanted something to eat and drink and to change her clothes.  Instead of sitting on her bed in a fuzzy bathrobe, ordering room service, she was waiting for someone to tell her there wasn’t a crazed stalker in her room.

The attendant appeared out of nowhere.  “I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience,” he told her.  “Is there anything I can get you?  A drink, perhaps, or something to eat?”

“I’d love a club sandwich and some water,” she said.  The attendant was gone before she could even thank him.  He was on the phone again and in minutes someone from the kitchen appeared with a sandwich and some water.

Aurora bit into the sandwich and swallowed some water.  It had been hours since she’d had a salad from the commissary and she was hungry.  The attendant reappeared.

“Ms. Mendez?  There may have been a misunderstanding.  Did you give permission for your room key to be given to a Mr. Andrew Macpherson?”

“Is that who’s in my room?”  Aurora’s face burned with embarrassment.  “I did say that my room key could be given to him at any time.  I just wasn’t expecting him…well, now.”

“Security found him asleep in your room.  He showed proper identification.  He’s with the guard now if you want to I.D. him in person.” 

Aurora put the sandwich into the container and tucked the water under her arm.  She rode the elevator back up to her floor.  Drew was standing next to a burly security guard, looking anxious.

“Drew, I’m so sorry.  It’s okay, officer.  This is my husband.”  The guard nodded and left.  Aurora followed Drew back into the room.

“I wanted to surprise you,” he said.

“Well, you certainly did manage to surprise me.”  The looked at one another and burst into laughter.  The last few minutes had been tense for both of them, and relief flooded the couple as they collapsed onto the bed in gales of  laughter.

When they finally caught their breath, Drew put his hand on Aurora’s arm.  “Actually, I have something to tell you."

Aurora's heart thudded in her chest. This was it.

"You sound serious. What is it?" She sank down on the bed.

"I went on a job interview today. Here in New York." Aurora exhaled.

"Tell me about it."

"It's with an advertising agency here in the city. I'd be doing graphic design for their ad campaigns. They really liked my portfolio."

“That’s great!  But what about your business in Evergreen Gap?”

“I worked that out too.  I‘m going to sell my business to my assistant, Kenny.  I’ll be working with him when we’re there and consulting via phone and computer while we’re here.  For the most part, I can travel back and forth with you. “

“Oh, Drew.  That’s wonderful.  It’s perfect.  Is that what you really want, though?”

“I thought about it long and hard.” He told him mom a little about the conversation he had with his mom. "I realized that what was bothering me so much wasn't your career, it was the long distance thing. I just want to be with you."

*****

Aurora turned off the exit to Evergreen Gap.  She passed the “Welcome to Evergreen Gap” sign, which had an evergreen tree and two mountains forming a small gap painted on it.  She sighed with happiness.  Even though she was just going for the weekend to help Drew pack some things for New York, she felt a surge of happiness as the familiar sights of her hometown surrounded her.   

When she got to Drew’s house, the door was locked.  Puzzled, she dug a key from her purse and opened the door.   She called for Drew but got no response.  She passed a doorway and noticed a garment bag hanging with a note taped to it.  The note had her name on it.

Aurora, put this on and get ready for a special evening.  A driver will pick you up at 8:00.  Love, Drew.  

Aurora unzipped the bag and smiled.  The dress inside was new, but it looked slightly familiar.  She wasn’t certain, but she had a feeling she knew what Drew had planned.  

Aurora spent the next hour showering, fixing her hair, and applying make-up.  She slipped into the dress and zipped it up.  It fit perfectly.  There had even been matching shoes with the dress.  She slid into them and waited for the car to arrive.  

A black sedan pulled up promptly at 8:00 and Aurora slid into the backseat.  She watched anxiously out the window and smiled to herself when the car drove onto a familiar street.  She attempted to tip the driver, but he waved her off, saying she didn’t need to worry.

Aurora walked into the gym at West Penn and gasped.  The entire gym was decorated, complete with a disco ball in the center.  The lights dimmed, and a spotlight shined in the center of the room.  There, in the spotlight, was Drew.  He stood there smiling, wearing a tuxedo.  Aurora walked toward him.  He held out a hand and she took it.

“I always regretted that I didn’t get to go to the formal with you,” he said.  

“So did I,” she said.  “It was almost more than I could bear,  dancing to all those slow songs, not being the one you were dancing with.”

“I think I can make up for it.  May I have this dance?”  As if on cue, the song that had been popular when they were students began to play.    The spotlight went off and a light shone on the glittery ball, throwing spinning lights around the room.  Drew swept Aurora into his arms and spun her around the floor.  

For the next hour, song after song from their college years played on the sound system.    Aurora leaned her head on Drew’s shoulder and let the music wash over her.  She felt a sense of completion, as if she were getting to relive the hazy night she’d spent with Drew all those years ago.  

When the music ended, the lights changed again so that there was a spotlight on the two of them.  Drew stepped back from Aurora.

“Ever since I walked into that hearing and saw you again, I knew no other woman would ever do.  These past few months have been the best of my life.” Drew bent down and took a sparkling ring from his jacket pocket.  

“Aurora Mendez, will you marry me all over again?”

Tears sprang to Aurora’s eyes, and she pulled Drew back up with trembling hands.   “Yes, yes!” she said, smothering him with kisses.  “There’s nothing in the world I’d want more.”  

They walked arm in arm through the parking lot to Drew’s car.  She gazed around at the almost empty lot, thinking of how many dances she’d attended, only to leave with a little ache in her heart, knowing another dance had passed and she once again wasn’t with Drew.  

When they were inside the car, she said to Drew, “Remind me to send some kind of thank you gift to Hal for helping you arrange this.”

“How did you know?”

“Just a guess.”

“Thank Melanie too.  She helped with the dress and shoes.”

“I will.  If we’re going to have a wedding to plan, I’ll need her help anyway.  Do you want to have it in Evergreen Gap?”

“I’d like to have it here, with our family and friends there.  We should go back to Vegas sometime, though.  Just for a visit.”

Drew stopped in front of Evergreen Diner, where she’d gone with her friends after many football games and dances.  As Drew held the door open for her, she knew she’d have pleasant dreams that night.  She had finally found what she’d been looking for.

 

 

 

Author's Note

These is the end of the book. If you have any feedback on content, please let me know. I am sending this to be professionally edited soon, so I'd like to know if anyone has any feedback before I get the final draft edited.