Anything But Mine (36 page)

They spent the rest of the day in bed, trying to make up for all the lost time together, pausing only for some sustenance when they ate Lucy’s shrimp salad right out of the container. “We’re not going to be able to do this tomorrow or Sunday, you know, with Luke and Catherine and my parents all out here,” Jen laughed, in response to Drew’s mock-
protest
as she dragged him back upstairs to her bedroom.

After spending the next day by the pool at Fair Fields, Drew surprised Jen with the request to go to church. “Remember the night my father got sick, and we went to Mass together?”

“Of course. How could I forget that night?”

“Well, I’ve been going to church on a fairly regular basis since then, and was hoping to go tonight, to give thanks for our finally being together.”

“I love that idea, Drew.”

Just before 5:00 p.m., Drew and Jen walked hand in hand into the tiny Our Lady of Poland church, where they knelt and prayed together. After Mass, Jen introduced Drew to the parish priest, who gave him a warm welcome.

“He’s so great, isn’t he,” Jen remarked, as they walked together to Drew’s car.

“He is great. I can see why you love him, and that church, so much.” He maneuvered the car out of the church parking lot, onto North Main Street, and then turned right and drove east towards Bridgehampton.

Confused, Jen asked, “Where are we going?”

“I made a dinner reservation at Almond. It’s your favorite restaurant, right?”

“Yes, it is. How did you know?”

“You mentioned it a long time ago. I remember everything you’ve ever said to me,” Drew said. “After my father got sick, when I was back home in California, I would sometimes replay our conversations over and over in my head, because I missed you so much.”

Once they arrived at the restaurant, they were greeted warmly by one of the owners, before the hostess escorted them to a corner table set for ten. Jen questioned Drew and the hostess about the table, asking, “Are you sure this is right?”

The hostess assured Jen that this was the correct reservation, and slipped away as Drew asked Jen to sit.

“Okay, but you have to tell me what’s going on,” Jen said, as she sat down.

Drew took a deep breath and dropped to one knee. He took her hand, and said, “Jen, there is an old saying that the best kind of love is the kind that starts out as friendship, and that pretty much sums up our relationship over the years. It’s been quite a journey, but I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. You’re my best friend, and I love you so much. Will you marry me?”

Looking into Drew’s big hazel eyes, Jen knew she had found her hero, her love, and her future. She grinned broadly despite the happy tears in her eyes, and exclaimed, “Yes! Yes, yes, yes!”

Drew swept her up in his arms and slipped the engagement ring he had ready for this moment onto her left ring finger.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, admiring the diamond as it sparkled in the light. Looking up at her future husband, she said, simply, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said, leaning in as he kissed her, first on top of her head, then on the lips.

“Hey you two, get a room,” Luke called out, laughing, as he and Catherine approached the table, followed by Jen’s parents, brother and sister, and Drew’s parents.

“Oh my gosh,” Jen laughed, as she hugged everyone. “Drew, what did you do?”

“Oh, nothing, just a little ‘surprise’ engagement party, that’s all,” he replied with a grin.

“My son’s always had a lot of confidence, Jen,” Laura said, as she hugged her future daughter-
in
-
law
.

Once champagne had been poured and toasts made, Laura asked, “Is it too soon to talk about wedding plans?”

Jen started to reply, but Drew interrupted her. “I think a wedding out here, at Our Lady of Poland, followed by a reception in the back yard at either the farm or Fair Fields would be perfect. What do you think, Jen?”

Stunned by Drew’s suggestion, Jen was momentarily speechless. When she recovered, she smiled, and asked, “How did you know? That’s been my dream wedding, since I was a little girl.”

“I told you before, Jen –
I
remember everything you’ve ever said to me. And from now on, the only thing I want to do is make your dreams come true.”

EPILOGUE

J
ennifer yawned as she pulled the cashmere cardigan on over her shoulders, grateful that Drew had insisted she take an afternoon nap. As she sat down to brush her hair, she glanced at the framed photo on top of her dressing table and smiled, remembering their wedding day and how Drew made sure that all her dreams came true –
the
ceremony at Our Lady of Poland, the reception under a tent in the back yard at Fair Fields, their honeymoon cruising through French Polynesia on a private yacht.
It’s been an amazing five years,
she reflected.
I’m so lucky to be married to my best friend.

She checked her purse to make sure she had the tickets for that night’s Mets game at Citi Field.
Drew is going to be so excited when he finds out we’re going to see his Giants play the Mets tonight for his birthday,
she thought.
And he’s going to be shocked by the surprise party with all his friends and family in the luxury suite at the stadium.

After selling the Fifth Avenue apartment, Jen and Drew purchased a double-
width
brownstone on Columbia Heights in Brooklyn with a back yard bordering the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, where their friendship had developed on long runs during their college days. Descending the stairs and walking towards the kitchen in rear of the house, Jen looked out the window and took in the majestic view of the Manhattan skyline, before looking down into their back yard. She smiled as she watched Drew try to teach their three year old son, Peter Jude, how to hit a wiffle ball off a tee.
He’s such a great father,
she thought, as she rubbed her stomach.
I can’t wait to see him dote on our little girl once she is born.

Opening the door and stepping out onto the patio, Jen called out, “Drew, PJ, time to come in and wash up.” When her son protested, Jen reminded him, “Remember, Mary is coming over to stay with you tonight, because daddy and I have a date night planned. You’re going to have a fun time with her. She promised to make your favorite macaroni and cheese!”

Once PJ’s hands were washed and he was settled in the playroom, building a fort out of wooden blocks, Drew joined Jen in the kitchen, where he found her looking out the window at the Manhattan skyline across the East River. “You’re the best part of living in New York, but the skyline is a close second,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. Drew lowered his hands to rub Jen’s swollen belly, and smiled when he felt the baby kick. “I can’t wait to meet our daughter, Jen,” he said, as he leaned down and kissed her on top of her head.

Jen exhaled as she leaned back against Drew, basking in the warmth of his love. “I can’t wait either, but I keep reminding myself of something you’ve said a number of times over the years,” she replied, softly.

“Mmm…,” Drew purred, kissing Jen on the top of her head again. “What was that?”

“Remember, patience is a virtue.”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A
nything But Mine would never have come to fruition without the love and support of my husband, my mother, my sister, my friends, and my editor. Thank you for reading the very rough drafts and patiently listening to me talk about the story and the characters
ad nauseum
! Your constructive criticism and honest feedback have been priceless throughout this journey.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barbara Justice was born in New York City, and was raised both in the city and in the Hamptons. In addition to writing, she is an amateur chef, knitter and jewelry maker.

The Hamptons, and the small businesses that thrive there, serve as a source of inspiration for her. She strongly believes in supporting Hamptons businesses by “eating local” and “drinking local”, and supports the farmers, the Peconic Land Trust, and the Long Island Farm Bureau in their efforts to preserve the environment and open space on the east end of Long Island.

Music is also a strong source of inspiration, and her taste in music runs from classic rock to new country, and just about everything in between. She created a play list for
Anything But Mine,
which can be accessed through her website at
www.barbarajusticebooks.com
.