His key turned in the deadbolt and then he entered the apartment. Dressed in his camel coat and a plaid scarf, his hair peppered with a few snowflakes, Drake was gorgeous. He smiled when he saw me, his blue eyes crinkling in the corners, and instantly, my heart melted.
Before doing anything, he came right to me and wrapped his arms around me, kissing me, and it made my heart swell that he wanted to give me attention first before listening to his messages. He really did seem happy to see me whenever we'd been apart.
When he released my arms, he turned to the answering machine and stood beside me, looking at it as if he was reluctant to listen to his messages. As curious as I was, I didn’t want to intrude.
"If you want, I can wait downstairs in the entry while you listen."
He shook his head and went to the ancient machine, hitting the play button to listen to the messages. The first one was a message from a band member named Brent, indicating he'd left a message at Drake's home but wanted to leave one at his hideaway as well. The man wished Drake a great sabbatical, inviting Drake to get in a jam session before he left for Africa if he hand time. Several sales people tried to interest Drake in carpet cleaning or renovations and then we came to the final message from the woman asking Drake to call her as soon as possible, before he left for Africa.
I said nothing after the message was over, trying not to appear too interested. Of course, I was dying to know who it was.
"Maureen," he said. He ran his fingers through his hair and I could sense the unease in him as he heard her message. "I should call her, see what she wants to talk about."
"I can leave if you need privacy…"
He shook his head quickly. "No, you don't have to leave."
Then he dialed a number and held his cell up to his ear. He waited, standing beside me, running the backs of his fingers over my cheek, smiling softly at me. Despite the smile, I could see a bit of tension in his jaw, in the way he held it tightly shut.
Finally, she must have come on the line.
"Hey," he said. "It's me. What's up?"
He listened, and then frowned, his frown growing more intense with each passing moment, his face actually blanching. He turned from me, staring out the window, one hand on his forehead. Finally, he exhaled heavily, and then sat on the edge of the couch, holding his head in his hand.
"Why didn’t you tell me?" A long silence followed. "Why?"
He listened to her speak for a moment and then he took his phone and threw it across the room where it struck the far wall and fell to the ground.
"Let's go," he said and turned to the door, not meeting my eyes.
I went to the phone and picked it up to find that the screen had cracked. Then, I followed him out and down the stairs, barely stopping long enough to lock the door behind me, my heart in my throat, wondering what it was she said that could make Drake, the otherwise carefully controlled man I knew, explode.
As we went down the stairs, my heart raced. I'd never seen Drake like this and it alarmed me. Whatever it was she said infuriated him – or scared the hell out of him.
"Drake," I said when we arrived in the lobby. "Tell me what's wrong." He stopped and I caught a look at his face. It was paler than pale, his blue eyes pained. "Tell me!"
He shook his head, opening the door for me. I left the building, taking the steps to the sidewalk. We walked down the street to where he'd parked. I waited for him to open the door. When he got to the car, his hands were shaking so much, he dropped his keys before he'd unlocked the doors.
"Fuck," he growled as he bent down to pick them out of the snow, wiping them off on his coat.
I got in the passenger side and he closed my door, then came around to the driver's side and got in. He sat for a moment, and stared at the console.
"Drake, you're scaring me." I reached out and took his hand in mine and squeezed. "Tell me what's wrong."
Finally, he turned to face me, his face blanched. He exhaled heavily.
"I have a son."
CHAPTER TEN
We drove through the quiet streets, east towards my father's apartment on Park Avenue.
"Oh, Drake," I said, completely flustered, my cheeks hot. I struggled for words, not sure of what to say. "Maureen was pregnant when you broke up?"
He nodded, still so upset that he seemed unable to speak.
"Does she want you to meet him?"