Emilee Waters sipped her iced tea, silently cursing her soft spot when it came to her mother’s meddling. She sat on the covered porch of the small bungalow that had been her childhood home, eyeing her mother over her glass.
“Remind me why I agreed to go on a blind date with my childhood neighbor?”
It had been six years since she’d seen Andrew Whitaker. The summer after high school graduation, they’d drifted, as she was busy working and completing her certification as a yoga instructor. Drew had a summer internship that took him to San Francisco, where he stayed for college. Emilee had moved to her studio apartment in Santa Monica and never seemed to be visiting at the same time Drew was staying at his mom’s house.
Their mothers had stayed close and had combined forces to reunite their children for a nostalgic end of summer dinner date which was how Emilee found herself rocking on the familiar porch swing and sipping iced tea in a sundress and wedge heels instead of her usual cutoffs and a tank.
Butterflies flitted in her stomach. At eighteen, Drew was a handsome nerd with thick glasses and a perpetually wrinkled brow. Clothes that he chose for function over fashion. Brown hair always just a bit too long so that it curled at the nape of his neck. Not that Emilee noticed. Or imagined the feel of her fingers on those stray curls.
Nope. She’d locked down any inconvenient feelings for Drew years ago. He’d never noticed anyway. Not while he tutored her in chemistry at high school, and she’d leaned over just a little farther than necessary, allowing him to get a glimpse down her top if he’d been interested. Except he showed more enthusiasm for chemical equations than any chemistry between the two of them.
Her mom dragged her thoughts back to the present. “Because it will be fun for you two to reconnect. And you’re never here at the same time.”
Emilee huffed out a breath. “Fun? I haven’t seen the man in years and we had nothing in common the last time I saw him. What could have possibly changed?”
Her mom pinned Emilee with a knowing glance. “I would hope a lot has changed. You aren’t the same person you were at eighteen. So what makes you think Andrew is?”
“I guess you’re right. Still, we could have caught up chatting over the fence. Why a date?”
“Because you haven’t been out with anyone in months. Not since Brandon.”
Ugh, why must her mom bring up her jerk of an ex-boyfriend?
“I need time before I get back out there again. Besides, I’m happy in my life. I don’t need a man when I have an ample supply of batteries and a fully-stocked nightstand.”
“Emilee!” her mother scolded. “While I support your healthy relationship to your physical needs, I do not need to hear the details.” Her mom hastily retreated inside with the empty iced tea glasses.
Emilee laughed at her small bit of payback for this date. Maybe her mom would think twice the next time she got a harebrained matchmaking idea. Though Emilee knew she wouldn’t. Drew was the least offensive of the parade of potential suitors her mom had set her up with over the years. Under a variety of false pretenses, she’d been subjected to all manner of unsuitable men—from the unemployed video game enthusiast to the smug hedge fund manager.
She cringed at the memories. At least Drew was a known quantity. Their dinner might be awkward, but at least it wouldn’t be boring. Emilee was never bored around Drew. She racked her brain to remember what he did for a living. Her mom had mentioned something about software development maybe? Complete opposite to Emilee’s career as a yoga instructor. Drew would probably think she was an underachiever. She wasn’t—she was saving as much as she could with the goal to buy into the business as a partner. It would be years before that dream would come to fruition, but it was a solid plan that would give her a stable future.
A car pulled onto the street, looking completely out of place. The driver of the expensive silver sports car must be lost. To her surprise, it pulled into her driveway. The driver turned off the car and opened the door. It couldn’t be Drew—or could it?
The silver paint on the door reflected the afternoon sun, temporarily blinding Emilee to the driver’s identity. She shaded her eyes with her hand and saw a tall man silhouetted against the bright sunshine. Broad shoulders threatened to tear the seams of his baby-blue button-down shirt. Her eyes traveled down to his biceps which were emphasized by the tight fit of his sleeves, then to flat abs where his shirt was tucked into light gray trousers. Her eyes snagged on a bulge the trousers were helpless to contain. Oh my. She dragged her eyes down to muscular thighs. This man was an Adonis.
“Emilee?” the man asked, his voice a low rumble.
This was no ordinary Adonis. This was her childhood crush, Drew Whitaker. Emilee barely resisted the urge to fan herself. She felt a flush rise up in her cheeks as her eyes snapped to his. Vivid blue like sapphires, just as she remembered.
And they were pinning her to her seat with an intensity she’d never experienced before from this man. If she didn’t know better, she’d call it attraction. The feeling moving between them like a live wire must be nerves. The butterflies in her stomach had suddenly decided to do the samba at his arrival.
Drew walked closer, navigating the steps until he was looming over where she sat on the swing. He had to be several inches over six feet— he made her five foot, six inches feel downright petite.
“Emilee,” he said with more confidence this time. “Has it been so long that you’ve forgotten me?”