The Exception(18)

“It’s great. How are you?” I asked as I started to put on my makeup.

“I’m good. No complaints. Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah.” I smiled as I looked at my phone. “I’m having dinner with Drew.”

“You’re having dinner with the guy from the plane and his girlfriend?”

“Nope. Just him. He broke up with her and kicked her out.”

“Jilly Bean, I thought you were in a man-free zone?”

“I am. It’s a goodbye dinner. He’s leaving tomorrow and so am I. No big deal.”

“He broke up with her in Hawaii? Wow.”

“I know, but he was very unhappy. She was kind of a bitch.”

“So let me get this straight. He broke up with his girlfriend, while on vacation, may I add, you broke it off with Grant, and now the two of you are single and having dinner together. Sounds like a rebound to me.”

“Ugh, Kellan. It’s dinner. It’s not like I’m sleeping with him. He’s my friend.”

“Where does he live?”

“I don’t know. I never asked.”

“Why? Don’t friends usually ask each other where they live?”

“Does it matter? It’s not like I’ll ever see him again.”

“True.”

“I’m hanging up now, Kel. I’ll call you when I get to New York.”

“Sounds good, Bean. Have a good night with Airplane Guy and have a safe flight.”

“Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon.”

After ending the call, I blow dried my hair, sprayed it, and slipped into a long black floral print maxi dress. The truth was that I felt something for Drew. He was an amazing man with a good heart. He was also a man that I could see myself falling madly in love with. Meeting him couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

As I slipped on my shoes, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, I swallowed hard when I saw Drew, face of the gods, standing there in his khaki-colored casual pants and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Shit. My lady parts were on fire.

“Hi there.” I smiled.

“You look gorgeous.” He winked.

“Thanks. You’re looking pretty hot yourself there, Mr. Westbrook.”

“Are you ready to go?” He held out his arm.

“I am.” I smiled as I hooked my arm around his.

We climbed into my rental car and Drew drove us to a place called Hau Tree Lanai where we were seated outside beneath an arching Hau tree by the ocean and he ordered us a bottle of wine.

“Tell me more about you,” he spoke.

“Well, I grew up very wealthy with parents who controlled everything I did, right down to the food I put in my mouth. They tried to mold me into the perfect daughter. I could have no flaws. After so many years of molding, I became exactly who they wanted me to be. I wasn’t allowed to make any decisions for myself and that is why I don’t know who I am.” I picked up my glass and took a sip of wine.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t imagine growing up like that.”

“So tell me about your parents.” I smiled as I set my glass down.

“My dad was a construction worker until he got injured on the job and had to go on disability, and my mom is a nurse. Things were tight growing up, but I had everything I needed. My parents are great people and we’re very close.”

I gave him a small smile. “That’s how a family should be. So how did you get the funds to start your own technology company?”

“I’d always been interested in technology since I could remember. You could say I was a bit of a geek.” He smirked. “You know the ‘Cloud’?”

“Yeah.” I narrowed my eye at him.

“I developed it when I studied at MIT.”

“SHUT UP!” I exclaimed as I slightly leaned across the table.

Drew chuckled. “It’s true. I developed it and sold it for a f*ck ton of money. I paid off all of my parent’s debt, bought them a new house, made a nice deposit in their bank account, and opened my own company.”

“How old were you?”

“Twenty when I sold Cloud and twenty-one when I opened the doors to Westbrook Technology, Inc.”

“Did you graduate from MIT?” I asked.

“Yes. I graduated when I was twenty-one. I graduated high school earlier than most kids.”

“So you’re a genius?” I smiled.

“Nah, not really. I’m just smart, I guess.”

“Oh please. You’re a freaking genius and don’t be ashamed to admit it.” I held up my glass to him.

“Touché, Miss Bell. I would say the same about you graduating top in your class at Yale Law.” His glass touched mine.

I gave him a small smile as I took a sip. The one thing that I was dying to know about him was why he left his fiancée. It was so bizarre to me that I met someone who did the same thing I had done. Should I ask him? Would it be too personal? I told him about why I did it so I thought that it was only fair he told me.

“I have something I want to ask you, and to be honest, it’s been bothering me.”

“What is it?” He cocked his head.

“Just before you passed out last night, you told me that we had something in common. You said that you left your fiancée on your wedding day.”