First Love (11 page)

She watched the way Drew stood. The way she walked. She noticed the way her legs now seemed to fill the jeans. Drew had put on weight, but it looked good. She wasn’t quite as…Jordan searched for the right word…rangy. Her shoulders were broad, but her waist and hips were slender. Taut muscles were outlined in the form-fitting jeans. Jordan realized she was staring at Drew’s butt.
And admiring it.
She looked up quickly. Drew was looking back. She had a questioning look on her face. Jordan felt her heart racing and knew she was turning red.
What’s wrong with me?

“Can I help?” Hayden said.

“Sure,” Jordan said, thankful for the distraction. “I’ll bring the rest of the food out while you keep the grill going.” She prayed she wasn’t turning red.

*

Jordan and Hayden were chatting and laughing by the grill. “What do you think they’re talking about?” Drew asked Mark. She was still confused over catching Jordan staring at her.
No, she wasn’t staring. Then why did she turn so red? None of this makes sense.

“Probably wondering what we’re talking about.”

“Mark, sometimes you’re not helpful at all.”

“Hayden told me he thinks she likes you.”

Drew took a deep breath. “Is this a male conspiracy? Jordan is straight, and I’m sure she thinks of us as friends. I even think of her as a friend.”

“Now that was one of your most definitive statements.”

Drew glared. “You’re becoming a smartass.”

“I’ve a good teacher.”

“My next lesson will be to teach you how to quietly meditate unless spoken to.”

“You never listen to me, anyway.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Never mind. Here they come.”

“Dinner’s ready,” Jordan said as she led them to the patio. Once they were seated, Jordan passed the plate of steaks to Drew.

Drew looked across the table. Hayden was grinning from ear to ear. She thanked Jordan and placed a steak on her plate.
Jordan’s only being polite, that’s all.

“Can I get you something else?” Jordan started to get up.

“Jordan, sit down. We’re fine.” Hayden leaned back and rubbed his stomach. “At least my dad will be glad you cooked steaks.” Drew joined her brother in laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Jordan asked.

“Our folks are cattle ranchers,” Hayden said. “They’ve been active in the Wyoming Cattle Growers Association. They’ll be thrilled to know you’re supporting their lifestyle.”

*

Jordan smiled. She was being included in the teasing.

For the first time in her adult life, Jordan understood what it felt like when others talked about the warmth of friendship. These people were friends. Real friends. She was treated as an equal. They respected her ideas, sought her opinions, and made her feel important. And they weren’t afraid to tease. She sat and looked at each person.

Drew was telling a story about life on the ranch. Jordan loved the way the sun played on her tanned face. Deep dimples were parentheses around full lips. Her jaw was square and strong. Her recently cut hair was a mass of short dark curls. Dark eyes mesmerized her. She was captivated by the good-looking Drew Hamilton. Jordan’s breathing quickened. She hoped no one noticed her staring. She swallowed and again wondered about the strange feelings and a tingling between her legs.

“I don’t understand why you think we’re so different,” Mark said. “We have some of the same problems in Miami as you do in Cheyenne.”

Groans quickly erupted from the Hamiltons.

“Not hardly.” Jordan jumped in before either of the Hamiltons could respond. “The Western part of the country has fewer water resources and a much more scarce population. We, in the East, are so accustomed to turning on a faucet and having water. Our lifestyle is based on accessibility: schools, health care, water, even food and entertainment.”

“Wow,” Hayden replied, “you sound like you’ve been reading up on Western life.”

Jordan was embarrassed. “I, uh, I guess I’ve heard some of these discussions before. And…” She hesitated before finishing, “I wanted to learn more since Drew started tutoring me.” She looked up to find Drew staring and a look of surprise filling her handsome face. Nothing she could do prevented the red from creeping up Jordan’s neck and face.

“Good student,” Hayden beamed.

Jordan looked around at her guests. She had never felt so complete and yet so empty. She felt accepted as a person. She knew the evening would not last forever. Classes would be ending soon and she would be with her family. She would go back to being Harold Thompson’s daughter. Jordan sighed. She would miss school. Even more, she would miss Drew…a lot.

*

Monday morning, Hayden flew back to Colorado. Before he left, he again reminded Drew that Jordan liked her.

Drew smiled at him. “What’s not to like? I’m a wonderful person.” She became serious. “Whatever you do, please don’t say anything to the folks.”

“Hell, I’m not crazy. Besides, you’ll tell them…sooner or later.”

“No way. What makes you even think that?”

“Because she likes you. And because you can’t hide anything from them.”

“And?”

“And you like her. See you in a few weeks.” His grin was not reassuring. Drew was glad it was time for term break. She actually had a couple of weeks off before the summer term began and she was going to spend it in Wyoming.

May

Hayden grilled Drew the entire three-hour drive to the ranch. He asked a few questions about classes and Mark but spent the remainder of the trip discussing Jordan. Drew wondered if his interest was personal.

“Look, if you’re in love with her, why don’t you ask her yourself?”

“Sorry, Drew. I just thought you might want to talk about her.”

“Why would I want to talk about her? It seems all the questions are yours, not mine.”

“Okay. Enough said. If you don’t want to talk about Jordan—”

“I don’t!” What she meant was she wasn’t ready. She knew he understood that.

“Whenever, then.”

*

For Drew, this was a time to spend moving cattle, repairing fences, and spending lots of time riding. She often found herself alone with her father, especially at five a.m. when they were eating breakfast.

“There was an article in the Cheyenne paper about Hatchet’s daughter at the University of Florida. Have you ever met her?”

How the hell do I answer?
“I didn’t know until recently.”
I’m not lying, just telling half-truths. Great!

“Have you met her?”

“Dad, there are over forty thousand students on that campus.”
Okay, I’ve moved from half-truths to outright evasion.

“I’m just asking.” She felt his stare boring through her. “Drew, have you been getting enough rest? Why don’t you just take it easy while you’re here? Your brother and I can take care of any repairs.”

“Dad, I’m fine. I want to do something other than sit still.”

“Okay, you can do whatever you want, but, honey, you look tired.” He picked up the paper and resumed reading. “Says her brother attends Stanford. Guess they’re intelligent, at least. Can’t imagine Thompson having smart kids.”

Drew felt a stabbing pain in her gut. She wanted to defend Jordan but didn’t know how.
If I do, I need to tell them how I know her. This is not going to be a good day.

Drew stayed busy and away from political discussions. It was the only way she could emotionally survive. Finally, she decided to talk with her brother Hayden.

“Why don’t you talk to Mom? She’s a little more reasonable. You can’t keep this bottled up inside.”

“What else can I do? I like Jordan, but she’s Hatchet’s daughter. I love my folks, but they can’t stand the Thompsons.”

Hayden hugged her. “No matter what you’ve ever done, Mom has always listened and supported.”

“In other words, cowgirl up.”

“Couldn’t have said it better.”

*

After dinner, Drew stayed in the kitchen with her mom. She knew her mother would know right away something was up.

“Do you want to talk now or wait until we go out on the porch?”

“How about if we take a walk?” Drew wanted to get several feet away from the house in case her mother overreacted.

Her mother put the dishes in her hand in the sink and washed her hands. “This is serious. You’re not going to tell me you have a boyfriend now, are you?”

Drew had often been told that she had inherited her mother’s dry, sharp wit. “That may almost seem better.”

“Let me get a glass of wine, or maybe just bring the bottle.”

“The bottle, Mom.”

“C’mon, kiddo. I can’t wait to hear this.”

When she initially told her mother she was tutoring Jordan Thompson, she got the expected reaction. But it was short.

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

“How did you get so wise?”

“Honey, we love all our kids and each of you is so different. We’ve had time to learn how to read you. So talk.”

Drew told her the whole story, up to the last time she saw Jordan. Her mother sat quietly, but she could see the expression of incredulousness growing. “Of all my children, I worry most about you. You try to be so tough and strong. You try so hard to protect your heart, and yet you care so deeply. She must be a good person for you to care, because most of the time, your judgment is right on. Is she gay?”

“No, Mom. She’s straight.” Drew paused, feeling a weight lift. “Mom, she said Mark and I are her only real friends. I don’t know what to do.”

“Be a friend. She must be very lonely.”

Drew nodded. She couldn’t imagine how very lonely it must be for Jordan. Always having people around her, always busy, going to meetings, parties. Yet no one she called a friend.
Except Mark and me.

“I’ll talk to your dad tonight. Don’t worry. Give him time. He loves you.” Drew began to stand up. Her mother’s hand stopped her. “Bring her for a visit sometime.”

“I will, if she wants to come out here and can arrange the protection. Thanks.” She hugged her mom and then went in.

*

Breakfast was unusually quiet. Her father had left the house early to check on the cattle, something he usually did after breakfast. This just made Drew even more nervous.

“Don’t worry, dear. Your dad just wanted some time alone. You know how much he hates Hatchet and every vile thing that man stands for. He just needs to get his head around Jordan as a person.”

The sound of a horse coming up to the back of the house meant her father was home. Drew took a deep breath. She trusted and loved her parents.

“Hi, Andy.” For Drew that was a good sign. It was the nickname she grew up with. “Honey, can you pour me some coffee and I’ll be right back.”

Drew and her mother sat at the table and waited quietly. Her father sat on her right and reached for her hand. “Andy, I’ve always been proud of you, and I still am. You’ve got more than a healthy dose of Hamilton stubbornness and independence. Of all our kids, you’re the most determined to, as you have said so often, ‘do what is right and do it yourself.’ I’m a God believing man, and there must be a reason that you became her tutor and now her friend. For you to care about her means she must have more sense and humanity than her—” A hand on his arm stopped him. He looked at Drew’s mother and nodded. “It means she must have something good inside. Do what you need to do. And I can’t believe I’m welcoming a Thompson under my roof, but you can even bring her for a visit if you want.”

Drew hugged both her parents. Life had gotten a whole lot easier.

“As long as it doesn’t include certain family members.”

Well, at least a little easier
.

*

By the time she returned to Florida, Drew was exhausted. Fifteen to eighteen hours a day of manual labor had kept her busy but exhausted. She easily lost ten pounds and her jeans were baggy again. The best part was that she didn’t have to dance around the Thompsons whenever the subject came up. And that was a lot. She was frequently asked for information by her family, especially when they realized that Jordan Thompson was the daily caller on Drew’s cell phone. Drew was happy for school to start.

Mark was just as persistent in his inquisition. “Well, girlfriend, what’s the scoop?”

“Not now. I just spent the last two weeks talking about the Thompson family, and I don’t want to keep talking about Jordan or her family.” Seeing his questioning expression was her cue. “I told my family I knew Jordan.”

“OMG! And?”

“It went better than I thought. But I kept getting the third degree as if I was privy to all the Thompson family secrets.”

Mark remained quiet.

“You’re a good listener.” She patted him on the back. “Have you considered psychiatry?”

“No way. I’ve always wanted to be a family practice physician, working in clinics with low-income families. Not much glamour, but really fulfilling. My family was poor. My dad died of a heart attack. Never did see a physician. We couldn’t afford it. He never had a chance.”

“Mark, what a pair of do-gooders we are. No wonder I love you.” She hugged him, watching him turn red. “David is a lucky man.”

“I’m the lucky one. What David sees in me…there are times I don’t understand. I love him and I am glad he loves me.”

The bare honesty of Mark’s words filled Drew with both sadness and joy. She was happy for him, but she realized she had no one in her life that she felt so strongly about.
Someday
.

“I know I drive him crazy, but he puts up with my insanity.” He grabbed Drew’s arm. “I hope you find someone too. Come on, let’s get busy.”

Yeah, me too, good friend.

*

August

The third year of medical school was busy. The summer had been good because she was able to put Jordan Thompson in a dark corner and rarely bring her up to the light. This lasted until Jordan returned to campus in late August. When the phone rang, she was sure it was Jordan.