Drew gets a standing ovation when he’s introduced as “Boston’s Own”. As he walks out from the dugout, the announcer lets the fans know that a portion of today’s ticket sales will go to Drew’s charity, Inpatient to Learn, which provides private teachers to kids in long term hospital wards. I fight to keep the tears off of my face when the crowd cheers for his charitable work.
He looks so gorgeous standing on the pitcher’s mound, wearing his official Red Sox player’s shirt with Caldwell’s number on it, and delivers a perfect throw to the waiting catcher. Drew shakes hands with him and tips his hat to the crowd and they go wild again. Leaving his gross lucky hat at the hotel, he wore a newer looking one today. He said he didn’t want the public to see him in his ‘disguise’ and be able to recognize him in that thing. Yuk.
Ryan brings Drew back over to the secret door in the wall and shows him to our seats. People in our section clap for him and pat his back as he makes his way over to me. I’m not big on PDA, but when he sits down next to me I can’t help but throw my arms around him and give him a big kiss. “That was so awesome babe,” I whisper in his ear.
We settle in and I watch my first ever game at Fenway Park. I never knew that boring old baseball could be so much fun. We get popcorn and Sam Adams, and Drew shows me how to score a game on a sheet of paper. I never get the hang of it, but I tried.
He tells me the history of the park, including the Green Monster, the massive wall in left field, and Pesky’s Pole in right field. The Red Sox beat the Cubs 6-2, so we leave the park in good spirits and head back to the hotel after Drew signs a few autographs for fans near our seats.
“So, what did you think?” Drew asks me in the car, kissing the back of my hand.
“That was one of the coolest places I’ve ever been,” I tell him truthfully. “I can see why you love it so much.”
Drew grabs me and hugs me hard. “I’m so glad you loved it there. It means a lot to me.”
No joke, in Boston people really do take baseball way too seriously.
It’s late when we get back to the hotel, so I throw my purse on the hall table and wander into the bedroom.
“Drew!” I squeal in shock.
“Do you like them?” He wraps his strong arms around me from behind.
“They’re beautiful.” I walk over to the two racks of designer gowns that have been brought into the room, touching the fine fabrics of each one.
“For the ball,” he whispers into my ear. “I know you haven’t had time to get one so I had Jane make a few calls.”
My boyfriend is always so generous and thoughtful. He did the same thing for his movie premiere.
I turn to face him and tilt my head up to his as he turns his cap around so he can lean down and kiss me. “Thank you. Is this going to be your thing? Bringing me fabulous dresses to choose from?”
“No. Hopefully it will be our thing.”
The next morning a seamstress comes over to alter the gown that I’ve chosen for the ball. I ended up letting Drew choose since he had a very obvious preference. It’s a fitted, floor length, ice-blue beaded gown with a plunging neckline straight from Badgley Mischka’s recent runway show.
“It matches your eyes,” Drew tells me as the seamstress flutters around my feet, pinning the gown in different spots.
“I love it Drew. You chose perfectly.”
“I have to head over to the charity offices. I’m taking Evan with me. You and Allie take Sal and Steve and have Bruce drive you wherever you need to go.”
“You can take Bruce, we’ll just …”
“No Syd,” he interrupts. “First of all, I need to know that you’re in good hands and I only trust Bruce. Second, you can’t take a cab with four of you, you won’t fit. Please, promise me that you’ll take Bruce and the Suburban.”
Don’t fight him anymore, New Sydney lets things go if they’re important to him.
“Okay, we’ll have Bruce drive us, no worries.”
“I always worry about you Syd.” Drew give me his honest look.
“I know. I wish you wouldn’t but I love that you do.”
A loud knock on the front door lets us know that Allie has arrived. “I’ll go let her in and see you later?” Drew asks me.
“Of course. We’ll meet you back here.”
He kisses me and heads out.
Allie takes me to one of her favorite restaurants on the harbor, the Atlantic Beer Garden. She said the food is just regular bar food and nothing special but that the rooftop patio is why she loves coming here. When the hostess shows us our seats, I can see why. From our table we can see the entire harbor and the Boston skyline beyond.