“Loving someone is taking a constant risk with your emotions. When you find the right person, the one you know you want to be with, that person becomes worth the risk.” Dr. Harris pauses, studying me carefully. “Do you believe Fable is worth the risk to you?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation.

She smiles. “If that’s what you believe, then she’ll want to hear those words, Drew. I bet she thinks you’re worth the risk as well.”

Chapter Nine

We are afraid to care too much for fear that the other person does not care at all. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Fable

The restaurant is relatively quiet, which I guess is the norm for a Sunday night, according to Jen. My shift drags, the four hours feeling like twelve, especially because I’m not keeping constantly busy, which usually helps pass the time.

I check the clock and see that it’s seven thirty. Finally. Thirty minutes until I see Drew and I can’t wait.

Sucks that Colin is here, though. I don’t want him to see Drew pick me up. I promised him there wouldn’t be any drama and that I would keep Drew far away from here.

How was I supposed to know we’d literally kiss—and plenty of other things—and make up? I seriously thought we were through. Done. Finished.

Plus, I’d been so freaking angry with him. Mad that Drew came back into my life like he never left and tried his best to screw with my head. Kissing me, saying he missed me. All the things I wanted to hear but not like that. A confrontation at my work is not the way to go in reconciling a romance.

Funny, how things change completely in a few hours. I feel like my life has been flipped completely upside down.

In a good way.

“You’re antsy,” Jen says as she passes by me.

I’m bouncing on my heels. Sort of hard to do considering the heels I’m wearing. We’re in the dresses tonight. They’re black, they skim our bodies and end midthigh, though the skirt always rides up. The one where I make sure and wear boy-short-cut panties for fear I’ll show everything I have with one wrong move.

I wonder what Drew will think of my dress. I like the way it makes my boobs look and I’m wearing a special bra just for him.

“Full of nervous energy,” I explain, which sounds plain stupid but hey, I’m not lying.

“Why?” She raises a brow, crosses her arms in front of her. We’re hanging out at the waitress station near the bar, out of sight of the few customers who still linger in the dining area. “Does it have anything to do with the guy last night?”

Well, shit. There are no secrets in this place, are there? “Maybe.”

Jen smiles and shakes her head. “Colin is going to kill you.”

“Oh, give me a break.” I wave a hand but my stomach starts turning. What if Colin gets mad about me being with Drew? Not that he can control my personal life, but I did promise him there would be no boyfriend trouble.

“He’s worried about you. He thinks the guy who was hanging around here last night could become a problem. Who is he, anyway? I thought he looked sort of familiar.”

I’m not telling her. Bad enough Owen is still flipping out over the fact I’m dating Drew. If that’s what I can call it.

“He’s no one that you would know,” I lie, because practically everyone in this small town has heard his name mentioned once or twice.

“Huh, well, if I were you, I’d keep him a secret,” Jen warns.

Okay, now I’m getting irritated. “What’s up with Colin being so nosy about our personal life, anyway? It’s sort of weird, don’t you think? I mean he’s our boss. Isn’t he afraid of crossing a line?”

“Trust me, he always stays far enough over the line to never do anything improper,” Jen says, rushing to his defense, which is no surprise. She lives with the guy, after all. Talk about improper, but who am I to judge? “He doesn’t want any trouble at work. There’s been drama at his restaurants in the past, especially with the people who’ve worked for him. He has a strict no-dating policy for his employees.”

Oh, I bet he does, so why does Jen live with him?

“And I’m sure you’re wondering what’s going on between us, but it’s nothing. Absolutely nothing,” Jen says as if she can read my mind. “He’s merely kind enough to offer me a place to stay while I get my crap together again.”

“That’s very nice of him,” I say and she rolls her eyes.

“I’m sure you think we’re having some sort of secret love affair.”

“If you say you don’t, then you don’t.” I shrug.

“Just…be careful, Fable. I like you. You’re the nicest person in this place because as you realize, we work with a bunch of bitches.” We both laugh over this. The other girls virtually ignore us. Luckily enough, it’s only T who’s working with us tonight and she’s too professional to be catty. “But Colin considers you on probation, so one wrong move and he might fire you.”

“I won’t make any wrong moves,” I reassure her. No way can I afford to. I need this job.

“Good.” Jen smiles and pats me on the arm. “I need to go check on my table.”

I watch her leave, wondering if she harbors some sort of secret crush for Colin. If she does, I can’t really blame her. I may have feelings for Drew and think he’s the most gorgeous man on the planet, but there’s no denying how attractive Colin is. He’s charming too. I can see why girls might fall all over themselves just for a chance to get with him.

For a brief, shining moment, I almost wanted to get with him myself. He has a powerful allure to him that’s hard to deny. But I’m too wrapped up in Drew to want any other guy.

For once, I feel relatively secure over my feelings and relationship with Drew too. Relatively being the key word, since I don’t quite know what to call what’s happening between us.

I need a definition. Tonight, we’re going to talk, Drew and I. I’m going to get to the bottom of this and figure out what’s happening between us. If he so much as tries to bolt the minute I confront him with this, I just might kick his ass.

The last thirty minutes goes by quick and I’m thankful Drew doesn’t come into the restaurant to pick me up, as shallow and silly as that sounds. But Colin is lingering around the hostess desk, his gaze questioning when I tell him good night as I head toward the door. I’m prepared when he asks if I need a ride home and I offer him a breezy no-thanks as I push open the door and head out in the dark, briskly cold night.

I spot Drew’s truck in the lot and I hurry to it, excitement coursing through me when I see him open the driver’s side door and climb out. He’s wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt and he looks amazing.

“Hi,” he says when I approach, offering me a crooked smile. “Nice coat.”

It’s the same stupid puffy coat I wore the night he asked me to be his pretend girlfriend. The one I hate with a mad passion but it’s the warmest coat I own and it’s an extra-cold night. I decided to forget being vain and went with the warmth factor when I slipped it on before I left for work.

“Thanks. I hate it,” I say with a laugh, making him laugh too. “It’s so puffy. It makes me look like a little round ball.”

“It definitely doesn’t make you look like a ball,” he says, his gaze doing a slow perusal of me. “Actually, you look like you have nothing on underneath it, which I know can’t be the case. Unless I’m dreaming and you happen to reveal that you really are na**d under there.”

I shiver. Not only from the cold, but from his words, from the heat in his gaze. “Keep dreaming. I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you.”

“Damn.” Chuckling, he grabs my hand and draws me toward him, giving me a quick, warm kiss. “You ready to go?”

I nod slowly. I could so get used to this, my boyfriend coming to pick me up from work, offering me sweet kisses and sexy words. Then we can go back to his place and get na**d together.

Yeah, that sounds like a dream come true.

I climb into the truck and we head to his place, though he does ask me if I’d rather go home so I can be with Owen. I find the offer sweet but reassure him Owen’s at his friend’s house for the night. They’re working on a project together that’s due tomorrow and Wade’s mom promised me she would supervise.

I really love that lady. She’s so good to Owen—and to me, too. I think she knows our mom sucks and is rarely around so she tries her best to help us out. I gave her a Christmas gift to show my appreciation and she practically cried when I handed it to her.

“Are you hungry?” Drew glances at me out of the corner of his eye, saving his concentration for the road. “I’m starving.”

“I could eat, I guess,” I say with a shrug. I don’t care about eating. I could live on the high I get just being in Drew’s presence. It’s exhilarating, having him so close, knowing he’s all mine.

“Do you want to go somewhere? Or we could order something in.” He looks at me when he hits a stoplight, his gaze smoldering.

Um, like I want to draw this out any longer? “Let’s order something in,” I suggest. “Maybe pizza?”

“Pizza it is.” He reaches for me, linking our hands together. “There’s some stuff I want to talk to you about.”

Worry gnaws at my gut and I know it’s written all over my face. He squeezes my hand reassuringly when I don’t answer. “Nothing bad about us. It’s about my dad. And…you know. I had to have an emergency meeting with my shrink earlier.”

“I didn’t know shrinks offered emergency meetings.” It must be bad, what he wants to tell me.

“Mine is extra cool. You’d like her. She likes you,” he says, releasing his grip on my hand.

I miss his touch, as lame as it sounds. “She does?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve told her a lot about you. She’s glad you’re back in my life.” He doesn’t seem too upset, which is promising. I’m glad he has someone to talk to about his personal stuff objectively. If he mentioned that bitch’s name to me, I’d just want to go and kick her ass.

I really, really hate her.

We talk about mindless stuff the rest of the drive to his apartment. I tell him how dead the restaurant was, how long I’ve worked there, how I’ve made a friend. I also tell him about my breakfast with Owen and how bad he felt about punching Drew.

Okay, the last part is a lie. My brother is still thrilled he clocked Drew in the jaw but I can’t tell him that. How rude is this kid, getting all hopped up over the fact that he punched my new boyfriend in the face for making my life miserable?

I secretly sort of love how quick my brother defended me, though. It’s sweet. And it shows that I have reached him. No matter how frustrated I get or think he’s not listening to me, he is. He loves me and wants to make sure I’m okay. Just as much as I love him and always want to make sure he’s okay too.

Well, I’m probably the more protective of the two, but I’m the older one. The responsible one. I have to watch out for him.

“You’re a good sister,” Drew says as he pulls into the parking lot of his complex. “I hope your brother appreciates everything you do for him.”

“I think he does.”

“How about your mom?”

I’m immediately defensive. “What about her?”

He parks the truck and shuts off the engine. “Does she appreciate everything you do?”

“Half the time, I don’t think she realizes we even exist.” My voice is bitter but I can’t help it. I think of her and I’m filled with instant bitterness. It’s like instant coffee, only worse. “She’s never around. She lost her job before Thanksgiving and now she’s always hanging out with her loser boyfriend instead of taking care of Owen or, you know, working.”

“She hasn’t found another job?” He sounds incredulous.

“It’s not that easy when you don’t have a large skill set.”

“So who’s paying the rent at your place?”

“You’re looking at her.” I jab my thumb at my chest.

“And all the bills? The groceries and whatever else that needs to be paid for?”

“That would be me.”

He slowly shakes his head, the respect in his gaze clear. “Why are you so f**king amazing?”

His words send a rush of warmth through me but I bat the sensation down. “I’m just doing what I need to do. Don’t make me out as some sort of hero.”

“Anyone your age would bail. Seriously.”

“I don’t think so,” I start but he cuts me off.

“I do. You’re only twenty, Fable. And you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You take care of your brother and you pay all the bills. You’re always working and trying your best to keep your head above water.” He shakes his head slowly. “I admire you so much. You’re so strong, no matter what life throws at you.”

“I don’t have a choice,” I say with a shrug. “I do what I have to do to get by.”

“I could take lessons from you, you know that?” He leans over the center console and cups my cheek, pulling me in for a lingering kiss. “We always have a choice. And you choose to stay. Don’t ever downplay that. Most people would run like hell from all that responsibility. I would.”

I gaze into his eyes, see all the admiration and passion and…something else in their beautiful blue depths. “You underestimate yourself, Drew. As usual.”