Dances with Monsters(185)

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see," he replied.

It felt like they drove forever, but Drew didn't really mind as it gave her a chance to take in all the Los Angeles scenery as they drove. She was awestruck by the tall California mountains, the incredible traffic, the palm trees, the people. She even caught a glimpse of the famous Hollywood sign built into the hills.

"We definitely have to come back," she murmured, and Heath laughed.

Gradually she began seeing signs for Long Beach. "Long Beach?" she asked. "That's where we're staying?"

"Sort of. Parts of it are kinda shady. Not the best neighborhoods," Heath replied, calmly navigating the car through the intense traffic.

"Oh, you takin' me to the 'hood?" Drew teased.

Heath laughed. "You tell me."

Eventually, the rundown neighborhoods thinned out and Drew noticed they were driving through a relatively posh area, with tall condominium-type buildings. And as they drove, she glimpsed a wide, blue expanse of ocean peeking between buildings. The sight of the Pacific Ocean and the long stretch of beach in front of it thrilled her. She wanted to run to it and lose herself beneath the waves.

Finally he pulled in front of a large house that seemed small to be a hotel, but looked lavish nonetheless; there was actually a doorman in a uniform in front of it and a valet. Drew was amazed; she'd never seen or experienced anything like it. Heath got out and handed the keys to the valet before he pulled their bags from the car and smiled at her.

"C'mon," he said. "I'm starved. Let's put these bags down and take a walk on the beach. Seafood sound good to you?"

"Yes," she replied immediately, her eyes huge as they entered the large, exquisite house. She saw that it was actually a bed and breakfast, and the back of it faced the ocean. The owner met them at the door and showed them directly to their room, which happened to be on the first floor, and had a sliding patio door that led right out onto the beach, much to Drew's delight. She pressed against the patio door, feeling the sudden urge to tear it open and go racing out across the soft-looking sand, right into the water. She contented herself with watching how the still-bright sun, though it was almost six in the evening, glimmered off the water. It was breathtaking. She felt a pair of arms slip around her from behind, and then Heath was lightly brushing his lips to her ear.

"This is incredible," she said, hugging his arms. "All this for a little weekend trip, huh?"

He shrugged. "I felt bad that we couldn't do all the touristy, I'm-in-Cali shit," he replied. "Like, Disneyland and all that. So I thought you deserved a little luxury."

"I cannot see you at Disneyland," Drew blurted out. In her mind's eye she saw Heath wearing a pair of Mickey ears with a sullen expression on his face and she burst out laughing. He looked at her as though she'd just sprouted wings and that made her laugh harder.

"I would go," he insisted. "I guess. I mean, if you wanted to, I would go. I'm man enough for that."

"How sweet," she chuckled back. "I'm holding you to that." Suddenly she felt and heard her stomach growl loudly, and it was Heath's turn to laugh at her.

"You hungry?" he asked. "There's a seafood place about a half-mile down the beach. Thought we could walk there." It sounded heavenly to Drew's ears.

She unfolded herself out of his arms and hopped up and down like a child. "What are we waiting for?" she demanded. "Let's go!"

***

Drew found that the time change caused her to grow sleepier in the evening than what California time would suggest was appropriate, but it also allowed her to wake up much earlier than she normally would on a vacation or short trip. And at six in the morning the next day, she lay awake in bed, listening to the crying of the sea gulls outside and the sound of the waves crashing against each other in their race to claim the shore. The sun wasn't quite up yet; a little storm has passed through the night and the clouds were beginning to roll out. It was gray and slightly misty in the early hours of the morning.

She basked in the peace of the moment, lying silently and still and feeling the warmth from Heath's body against her own skin. She reflected on the purpose of the trip—they were here for Heath to do something huge, to make good on a promise to a dear friend unlike any other he'd ever had in his life. A friend who had lost his life, and whose loss of life caused Heath a great deal of guilt and grief. He hadn't been able to save Joaquin's life, but now, he could make sure that Joaquin's widow and their children could have a great one.

She glanced over at his sleeping form next to her in the dim light of the early morning. She wondered, not for the first time and surely not the last, how someone who had gone through everything he had could have turned out the way he did. Though he could be rough around the edges at times, and sometimes she felt like his anger was just barely kept in check, he had one of the biggest hearts she'd ever known, and the way he seemed to be so in tune with her never ceased to boggle her mind. Every good thing that had happened to him as of recent was not only deserved, but just. Things should have turned out the way they did for him, because he was one of the greatest people she'd ever met. Hell, in the span of a couple of months, he'd helped her evolve beyond what she even believed she was capable of. While she knew that making changes within herself was solely up to her Heath had played a huge role in helping her get her life back together. The idea of loving him was a scary one, because that required her to place all her trust in another human and hope for the best that he wouldn't hurt her, but it was something she knew she couldn't change. She loved Heath. She loved him, and that was that. It seemed very simple now where it once had been so complicated.