First Love (4 page)

“Thanks, but no thanks. Been there, done that, not going there again.”

“Now that sounds like an interesting story.”

Drew hated the memory. She had been young and naïve.

”My freshman year, I met this girl named Penny. She was from a wealthy family in Cody. I was madly in love. Then, in June, she goes back to Cody for the summer and marries her fucking boyfriend. She never once mentioned she even had one. I found out through a mutual friend who went to her wedding. In the fall, she shows up and couldn’t understand why I didn’t want to continue being lovers.” Drew closed her eyes. The nightmare of that year had dimmed, but not much. “She had the audacity to tell me she wasn’t a lesbian, but she didn’t want to give me up. I was so angry. After that, I decided it would be a cold day in hell before I trusted that easily. At eighteen, it’s teenage hormones. Now my head is in charge.”

“Guess there hasn’t been anyone since then?”

“Nope. That was a wake-up call. I date, but I’m much more cautious. I don’t want anything, or anyone, distracting me. And I don’t want to get that hurt again.”

“If I had said that with my first boyfriend, I wouldn’t have risked again. You can’t really mean it.”

With school, working on her parents’ ranch, and rodeos, she didn’t have time or want to have time for anything serious. “I’ll eventually settle down after I get back to Wyoming.”

“You mean there are more gay people in Wyoming?”

Drew laughed. “There are. We have this unwritten code that only lesbians can wear black western hats with purple headbands.”

Mark’s eyes were wide. “What do the guys wear?”

“Chaps. No pants.”

Mark was hyperventilating.

“Of course, during the winter they always wear long coats to cover the bare asses.”

“No! Wouldn’t certain body parts freeze?” He stopped and looked at her grinning expression. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Yes. Thought it might get you excited.”

“Well, I like the idea of leather, but I’d prefer wearing the fringe and jewelry.”

“I can see you now. Fringed vest and sequined chaps.” Drew grinned, stuck her thumbs under her belt, and strutted around.

In mock seriousness, Mark stood, hands on hips. “And why not? I certainly have the figure.”

*

The next afternoon, Drew went to Criser Hall to meet her perspective tutee. As she exited the elevator, she noticed groups of people hanging around. While most were in jeans or shorts, some wore dark suits.
I can’t imagine walking around that dressed up in this sauna.
Drew decided it was futile to understand the strange behavior of Southerners.

The reception area was empty, but the inner door to Mrs. Harris’s office was open. Soft voices barely reached the outer office. There she found the administrator talking to a female student.
This must be the person wanting a tutor.
Drew gave her a quick once-over.
She’s cute, in a preppy kind of way
.

“Excuse me; I wasn’t sure if I should come in.”

“Please do,” Mrs. Harris said. “Drew, let me introduce you to Jordan Thompson.” She turned toward Jordan. “This is Drew Hamilton. I’ll leave you two alone to chat.” She closed the door as she left.

Drew checked her out. She was probably eighteen or nineteen and immaculately dressed.
Carefully matched everything, including shoes.
Oh, well, it’s a job.
“Hello.” She put her hand out.

Jordan stood and shook the proffered hand. “Have we ever met?”

Drew wanted to laugh at the unexpected question. Everything about the person standing in front of her indicated privilege, from her well-manicured hands to her label clothing. She choked down the laughter and remembered her good manners. “No, ma’am.”

*

“You look familiar.” Jordan had interviewed eight people in two weeks. They all recognized her and either were nervous or overly solicitous. Or they didn’t pass the screening her father insisted on. She wanted a tutor, not some political junkie or wannabe.

She stared at Drew’s attire.
Can this day get any worse?
The boots were polished, but well worn. The jeans and plaid Western shirt were baggy, clean, and faded, but had sharp creases.
G.I Jane.
With those wide shoulders and slim hips, she could be a Jane or Joe.
Jordan sighed. She needed to find a tutor quickly.
Well, at least, she’s not part of the Washington crowd
.

“No, ma’am. Don’t think we’ve met. Where are you from?”

“Ohio. What about you?”

“Wyoming, ma’am. I have a list of references. This is my first semester as a medical student at UF, but second year of medical school. I was Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Wyoming and have taken the math and science courses you’ll need. I have classes every day, but I’m available most evenings and some of the weekend. Do you have any questions?”

The business-like behavior surprised Jordan. “You sure get to the point, don’t you?” In spite of her initial impression, Jordan found the direct behavior a welcome change. She glanced down at the sheets of paper in her hand. Then back up.
Either she really doesn’t know me, or she is doing a good job of pretending. Maybe Wyoming is as isolated as Dad says
. She decided to at least conduct the interview. “Please have a seat. Let me finish reading your references.”

Drew sat upright on the edge of a nearby chair. Stiff was the adjective Jordan wanted to use. “How long have you been in Florida?”

“Six weeks. Is that a prerequisite?”

Jordan was startled by Drew’s question. “No.” She looked up and sat back. Something about this strange person appealed to her. It could be that there didn’t seem to be a pretentious bone in Drew’s body. It could be the business-like style. It could be that she was getting desperate. “Ms. Hamilton, I’m a serious student.”

“It’s Drew, ma’am.”

“Okay, Drew.” Jordan paused, trying to remember what she wanted to say. “I need someone who not only understands the courses but is also good at explaining it. I’d like to start with two evenings and two to three hours on the weekend. I’d also like the option to change that depending on how well I’m doing, or not doing, in my classes. And how well we get along. Do you have any problems with that?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Please tell me a little about yourself and your previous tutoring?” Jordan relaxed in her chair.

Drew quickly summarized her tutoring. She was both concise and thorough.

“Very impressive,” Jordan said, withholding a smile. Drew was different, but she liked her. And trusted her. That thought surprised her because she rarely trusted anyone. Too many people wanted access to her family. Jordan gritted her teeth. She needed to be studying, not interviewing.
Just get this over with.

“How soon would you like to start?” she asked.

“Ma’am?”

The look of surprise on Drew’s face was worth the interview.
Apparently, she’s not as unflappable as she appears.

Drew started to speak and then stopped.

“When would you like to start? Jordan again asked.

“How about tomorrow? At the undergrad library? Say around seven?”

“I’d prefer if we studied at my place.” She could see Drew hesitating. “I study better if there are fewer distractions. I live by myself, so no one will interrupt. Here’s my address, phone number, and directions. Any questions about money?”

“No, ma’am. I do realize that the tutoring center is free. I think it’s only fair to say I offered to tutor at standard university rate. That could save you quite a bit of money.”

Now it was Jordan’s turn to be surprised. She was beginning to like this stranger more and more. “Thank you. My family can afford the additional amount. And we’re willing to pay extra to have you available when, or if, I need help. That’s only fair. By the way, do you always call everyone ma’am?”

Drew had a trace of a grin on her face, and Jordan realized how attractive she was.
No, handsome was the only way to describe Drew Hamilton.

“No, ma’am,” Drew answered, “only females. Males are sir. Any other questions,
ma’am
?”

Jordan shook her head. Was Drew making fun of her or teasing her?

Drew quickly stood and again extended her hand.

Jordan was startled by Drew’s abrupt departure. People generally waited until she dismissed them. Jordan attempted to stand, knocking her chair over onto Drew’s booted foot. Embarrassed, she reached down to pick up the chair. “I’m sorry. I hope you’re okay.” She straightened up quickly, and her head stopped only when it ran into Drew’s nose as she too reached for the fallen chair. Drew fell backward, hitting her head on the corner of the desk. “Are you okay?” Jordan saw blood dripping from Drew’s nose.

*

Drew didn’t know what to grab first: her nose, which she feared was broken, her head, which she knew was bleeding, or her dignity, which she was sure had suffered serious wounding. She quickly but politely pushed Jordan away. Her butt was sore, but her reflexes were still intact. “I’m fine. Just stand back.” She needed to get out of there alive.

“I’m so sorry. You’re bleeding. Let me get some help.”

“No, ma’am, that’s fine. It was an accident.” Drew slid on her butt away from Jordan. She valued her life too much to accept help from the person who created the embarrassing situation.

Before either one of them had a chance to say anything further, three people came running through the door. The blond woman entering first looked around the room and made sure no other people were present. “Sorry, I thought I heard noise.”

“I’m fine. I just knocked over a chair and nearly killed my tutor. We’re fine.”

The oldest of the three strangers leaned over Drew trying to examine the wound. “Ma’am, you’re going to need stitches. Let me patch you up and take you—”

Drew pulled away. “I’m fine, sir. Thank you. Please!”

Once reassured no other dangers were present, the three quickly left.

“Guess security is pretty tight around here,” Drew said. She scrambled up and found some tissues on the desk. She applied them to the cut on her scalp and more to stop her nose from bleeding. “I’ve got to go, ma’am. Tomorrow night then.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jordan said. “You’re still bleeding.”

“I’m fine, ma’am. See you tomorrow.” Drew quickly left the office. There were still a large number of people hanging around the hall, including the three who had come into the room.
We sure didn’t need this kind of security at Wyoming.
She didn’t have time to wonder why.

*

Jordan watched Drew walk quickly down the hall toward the elevator. Her long-legged gait flowed across the polished floor. Drew walked with both confidence and ease. There was definitely something interesting about that Drew Hamilton
.
Even when she was bleeding.

Instinct had prompted her to hire Drew without the usual background investigation. Drew’s offer to tutor at the standard rate and her old-fashioned politeness engendered a sense of trust that she hadn’t felt with any of the other prospective tutors. There was still something else that was different. Something Jordan couldn’t quite define.

Now that she had made her decision, Jordan wondered if Drew would come back. “I’ll know tomorrow.” She looked at her watch and realized she was late for dinner at her sorority house.

*

Mark was sitting at the kitchen table studying when Drew arrived. “What happened to you?”

“I got the job,” Drew answered as she went to the sink to clean out the cut.

“Did you have to wrestle her for it? Here, give me that and let me clean you up.” Mark opened his first aid kit and tried to stop the bleeding. “Sweets, we’re going to have to go and get this stitched.”

Drew groaned. She might make a good doctor some day, but meanwhile she sounded like a whinny, terrible patient, complaining the entire trip. She didn’t care. She hurt too much.

“What’s she like? Blonde and airhead?”

“Mark, sometimes you’re impossible. No, she has dark hair, I think.”

“Is she cute?”

“I guess.”

“I guess. What kind of dyke are you?”

“It was a job interview!” Mark’s raised eyebrow forced her to find some detail. “Well, she has soft hands.”

“Soft hands?”

“Yes, you know the kind that spends more time in the beauty parlor than in the kitchen hands. Why do you ask?”

Mark shook his head. “Well, girlfriend, you have a cut on your head requiring stitches. You have the beginning of two black eyes. Either you two had a knock-down, drag-out, or she put a spell on you. And you can’t remember what she looks like! Honey, you and I need to have a long chat.”

Drew was speechless in the face of his reasoning. “It was an accident.” She didn’t think it would make any difference, but she felt the need to defend herself. She held securely to the towel on her head, dreading the treatment required to close the wound.

The next morning, Drew woke up with two dark circles around her eyes. A pounding headache did little to improve her mood.

“I think you may be starting a new look. The Raccoon. Don’t worry. A little eye highlight will cover the dark circles. Some blue eye shadow to emphasize your eye color.”

“My eyes are brown.”

“My point exactly. But the rest is blue and yellow and green. You can have your choice of colors.”

“How did you get so smart…ass lately?” Drew had to laugh.

“Ooooo. Good one, girlfriend. You’ll be happy one day that one of us knows how to add the right shade of blush.”

“Trust me. I know how to get the right shade of blush, and I don’t need makeup.” Drew grabbed a glass of milk and toast before heading out the door. “Let’s just get to class before I make you blush.”

“Oh, how kinky.”

Drew smacked his arm and walked out the door.