Anything But Mine by Barbara Justice Read Free Book Online

cracking.
     
    “I would be happy to see you, but I just landed in New York.” Drew gulped, before continuing, “I wanted to surprise you .”
     
    “Oh, no. Can you turn around and get on a flight back here?”
     
    “I can’t. I’m meeting Luke to pack up my apartment. He’s taking over my lease,” Drew said, as he sank down into an empty seat at a nearby gate.
     
    “He’s taking over your lease? I don’t understand. Aren’t you coming back to New York once your father gets better?”
     
    Drew closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Jen, honey, I’m sorry. I wanted to talk to you about that this weekend. I can’t see any scenario that will let me come back to live in New York in the near future. Someone has to run my father’s business while he recuperates, and I’m the only one who knows pretty much everything that has to be done because I worked with him every summer when I was in college.”
     
    Tears streamed down Jen’s face. “But what about your job? You were just getting some on air time, everything was going so well…”
     
    “I know,” Drew said, a catch in his voice. “Everything was going well.” They were silent for a minute, before Drew asked, “Can you fly back here? If you catch a flight tonight, we can still have part of the weekend together.”
     
    “I wish I could, but I have a photo shoot in Cabo starting on Monday. I’m flying down there Sunday morning.”
     
    “So when you’re done, just fly back up to San Francisco to see me. It’ll be mid- week , but maybe we can work something out.”
     
    “But I’m flying from Cabo to Cancun on Wednesday, to meet up with my family for our annual winter vacation. I’m so sorry, Drew.”
     
    “I’m sorry too, Jen. My God, it’s like fate is conspiring against us.”
     
    “I know,” she half- whispered . “We’ll just have to keep trying.”

    After two more weeks of repeatedly failing to figure out travel logistics, Drew voiced his greatest fear during a late- night phone conversation. “Jen, this isn’t working out.”
     
    “What do you mean?” Jen asked nervously.
     
    “I mean,” Drew hesitated. “I mean, we can’t get it together. I’m stuck here on the west coast, while you’re traveling the world. It’s impossible to see each other.”
     
    “But what about next weekend? Why doesn’t that work?”
     
    “I told you, I have to be at that tennis tournament all weekend. My dad’s firm is handling all the public relations for it.”
     
    “I’ll come to you. My schedule is pretty clear that weekend.”
     
    “But my schedule isn’t clear. I’ll be working the entire weekend.” The silence was deafening as neither of them spoke. Finally, Drew said, “I’m so sorry, Jen. You’ll always be my good friend. Hell, you’re my best friend, but I can’t ask you to wait around for me forever.”
     
    “I’ll wait for you, as long as it takes,” Jen insisted. “We can make this work.”
     
    “We haven’t managed to make it work so far. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but maybe you should get on with your life, without me,” he said, before abruptly ending the phone call.
     
    Heartbroken, Jen replayed the conversation with Drew over and over in her head the following day. But how can I get on with my life, she thought, when you’re the only one I want to share it with .
     
    Sitting in her agent’s office, she was again lost in her thoughts about Drew, when she heard Mike say “earth to Jen, earth to Jen,” and snapped to attention.
     
    “I’m sorry, I’m just a bit distracted,” she said. When Mike asked what was on her mind, Jen recounted the entire situation with Drew, including the fact that he wouldn’t be returning to New York.
     
    “Sounds like you need a good distraction,” Mike said. “How about a date with a billionaire?”
     
    When Jen wrinkled her nose and didn’t answer, Mike continued, “You know you have to go out with him once. I know you don’t