Friday afternoon, I went to the waxing salon while Sophie slept. I wanted to get a Brazilian before date night, so I wasn't too irritated. It had been a while since I'd had one and I wanted to be smooth for our first night of sex since Drake had been attacked.
Friday night, Drake and I spent in front of the television, ordering in some Indian food and watching a movie we'd been planning to catch in the theaters but never managed to get there.
Drake slept in on Saturday morning and then went to O'Riley's that afternoon for practice. He was gone the rest of the day, and we would all have dinner before the first set at nine o'clock. Sophie and I spent the afternoon in the park and then came home for her nap. I'd called Karen on Friday and she agreed to come sit with Sophie Saturday afternoon, staying overnight so we could all go to O'Riley's and meet my dad and Elaine and then Drake and I could get a hotel room for a bit of a vacation. I had arranged a couple of hours at the spa by myself Saturday afternoon, and then I'd go out with my dad and Elaine to O'Riley's. They'd stay for the first set, and then would leave. I'd spend the rest of the evening at the bar, watching the second set and then, Drake and I would do our little scene of him picking me up and taking me to his hotel room.
It sent a thrill through my body just imagining it.
Earlier, before he left for the practice, Drake packed a bag for when he went to check in at the hotel. When I asked what he was packing, he wouldn't let me in the bedroom.
"It's a surprise," he said through the bedroom door. "You'll just have to wait and see when we arrive, but I promise you that you'll enjoy it."
"I will, will I?" I said, a thrill in my stomach at the prospect of a night alone in a hotel with Drake all to myself. "I better get into the right mindset first. I've booked some time at the spa so I can get ready and prepare myself for you."
Drake peeked his head out of the door. "Prepare yourself? What could you possibly mean, Ms. Bennet?"
"You can use your imagination, but let's say I will be perfectly turned out for a night at O'Rileys."
"If you talk like that, I may not be able to focus when we're playing tonight."
I winked at him coyly. "You'll just have to wait to find out."
He leaned forward and kissed me, then left.
Sophie and I waited for Karen, who arrived just before three. Sophie was pleased to see her, and barely said a peep when I finished dressing and went to the door, my overnight bag in my hand with my dress and other necessities. I'd change and get ready for dinner at my dad's and then the three of us would go to O'Riley's.
I hadn't had a date night for a while and I needed one -- and needed Drake -- badly.
* * *
The spa was fantastic. I got a massage, then a manicure and pedicure at the salon. I went to my dad's and changed into my dress and we all drove to O'Riley's for dinner at seven thirty. Of course, Mrs. O made a huge deal of us being there and we all sat together at a large table in the rear of the restaurant and shared a traditional Irish meal of Guinness, Irish stew and meat pies. Everyone fawned over my father, for they had lost Mr. O'Riley years ago and missed having him at the table. My father sat at the head where Mrs. O usually sat and people asked him a thousand questions about his career on the bench.
Of course, the talk turned to the trial and Ken held out a hand to stop everyone.
"Drake, if you don't want to talk about it, we'll move on to other topics."
Drake shook his head. "No, it's fine. It's not like it's a secret what happened. I'm just glad my part is over so Kate and I can move on."
Mrs. O held up her glass of wine. "Then let's do just that. Move on to other subjects. Sláinte!"
"Sláinte!" everyone replied and that was that.
r /> The meal finished, my parents and I found a table near the stage where my dad's wheelchair wasn't in the way, while Mersey prepared for their first set of the night. By nine o'clock, the bar was full of regulars and the atmosphere was happy as the drinks flowed.
The band came out while the lights were off and took their places, but the crowd was busy chatting and it wasn't until the lights went up on the stage that they paid attention.
Drake stood at the microphone, his bass guitar slung over his shoulder. He looked devastatingly handsome with his longish black hair falling in his blue blue eyes, a white shirt open at the neck and a pair of low-slung black leather jeans. My insides felt all warm and mushy when I saw him up there. He was mine -- a gorgeous man. Soon, we'd be making love at the hotel and a surge of lust went through me at the thought. Seeing him so sexy on the stage, especially once he started singing, just did it for me. I can't deny I was proud that he was mine and as I glanced around at the crowd, I imagined that many of the women were wishing he was theirs.
The first song was my favorite, of course -- And I Love Her. I knew that Drake picked it for me, and when he sang, he glanced out around the crowd until he found me sitting at the table. Our eyes met and a jolt of love and lust went through me. I held my finger tips to my lips and blew him a kiss.
He smiled as he sang, and held my gaze while he said those words.
My heart melted when I watched him, thinking of how much he'd been through in the last two years since Sophie's birth and the fallout from the attack and trials. His reputation was in tatters, he had to withdraw from the fellowship, and take a backseat at the foundation and corporation. I felt tears brim up in my eyes and my heart swell as I thought about how much this had cost him. We'd both been through so much, and finally -- finally -- it was over. All we had left was the sentencing and Lisa would go away to jail until her next trial for her involvement in Jones's suicide but that had nothing to do with Drake or me.
We could put her completely out of our minds.
And that was exactly what I tried to do for the next hour as we watched the show. I smiled at my father, who nodded his head in time to Time Is On My Side by the Stones.
"This is my kind of music," he said with a laugh as I leaned in. "The good stuff. I know I'm an old codger."