The Thief of Your Heart (2/2)
Pairing: Jeff Timmons/Drew Lachey
Rating: R for adult themes
Disclaimer: I don't know any of the members of 98 Degrees. This is purely fictional and I make no money off of it, yada yada yada, you know the drill...
Summary: Jeff and Drew’s relationship begins to blossom and the events are witnessed through Leah’s eyes.
I normally don’t dedicate my stories but with this one I feel it is necessary. To Jasper, Lee, Gemma, Bec, and everyone else I received a thumbs up from! Thanks guys.
Ok, I know some of you won’t like the ending to this one, but what can I say? It’s how the storyline went. This one sort of wrote itself, ya know? Oh, and the next part of “Insatiable” should be out by the end of the week! Thanks everyone.
Chapter 2
Looking back on the years of her life since she had left Drew, Lea wasn’t sorry for what she had done. But, she still can’t find it in her heart to hate him. She does still love him. It’s not as much as it once was but it is still there.
Looking around the concert venue, she sees woman of all ages here. The majority of them are in their late teens to early twenties, but there is a scattering of young girls and older women as well. Laughing silently, she shakes her head at the sight. There were women everywhere, most of them for the music as well as a look at the guys. Walking by one group, she sees a woman holding a sign that just reads “PECS!” ‘Must be a fan of Jeff’s.’
Taking the hand of her companion, she finds their seats and sits down, waiting for the concert to start. They had arrived after the opening act. She preferred it this way. She could come in, listen to them and watch them perform and leave quickly. The lights go down quickly and screams of hundreds of woman fill the arena. As the lights on the stage come up, she casts quick glances around her and sees a few young men in the audience as well. In the next row over, she sees two of them holding hands and smiling at each other. One of them notices her watching and smiles at her. Trying to be polite, she smiles back and turns to face the stage.
Watching the emcee give his speal and bring the crowd up to a quicker rhythm she begins to think back.
The first few weeks after she had left Drew were the hardest. It seemed that she couldn’t stop crying. On the few occasions that she wasn’t crying or near tears, she was angry. The few times that Drew had called, she tried to keep her voice steady as she talked to him, not always successful. The first time she had cried on the phone with him, he had begged her to come home. Keeping her voice as steady as she could, she told him that she was home.
Home was no longer with him. She hadn’t even given him a chance to say anything else. Hanging up the phone, she had left her small apartment and hit the clubs. By the time she wandered in the next morning, she was drunk as a skunk and loaded down with guys phone numbers. As she put her key into the lock, she noticed a small envelope on the floor in front of her door. Picking it up, she pushed her way inside and threw her stuff down on the couch. At that moment, she rushed for the bathroom.
Emerging a short time later, looking very pale and sweating, she headed for bed, the letter forgotten. It rested on her couch for two days, until she found it while cleaning. As she looked at the cream paper, she vaguely remembered picking it up and putting it there, just before she had gotten sick. Tearing it open, she walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. Lighting up a cigarette, she pulled the papers out and unfolded them. As she pulled the lit cigarette from her mouth she remembered buying the first pack the night she had left.
‘Here I was, an ex-smoker for seven years and one bad night is all it took.’ Shaking her head, she brings the papers up and begins to read them:
Dear Lea,
I know I’m the last
person that you ever expected to get anything like this from but I just wanted
to put this down and let you hear my side of things. We were close once, but now I can imagine that you hate me more
than any other soul on the planet. I’m
sorry that things had to happen this way.
Drew and I were hoping we could find a way to resolve the issue before
it got out of hand or you got hurt.
Ok, I am going to get
straight to the point here. Drew and I
have been sleeping together for almost a year now. If you are going to blame anyone for what happened, blame me. I was the one who made the first move, not
Drew. We were both a bit drunk and on
tour. It was going to be just a
one-time fling. It didn’t stay that way
though. I found that I couldn’t stop
thinking about him. That one night with
him had taken the feelings that I had long had for him and brought them right
back to the surface.
I have loved Drew for years. Ever since I first met him, I had feelings for him. Over the years, they grew until I had to lock them away to prevent from hurting either of you. One drunken night was all it took for them to come rushing back and to hell with the consequences. I know I’m getting repetitive with this but I am sorry.
Please, come back and
let us work this thing out. Drew still
loves you and I care for you as well. I
have always felt you to be a good friend and companion, let’s not ruin that,
please?
Love always
Jeff
Blinking at the page in her hand, she shook her head. ‘I have to be losing my mind. He wants to be friends?’ Barking out a sharp derisive laugh, Lea lights another cigarette and tosses the letter down onto the table. Walking into the living room, she picks up the phone and dials Drew’s house.
“Hello?”
Smiling grimly she responds softly. “Hello Jeff. It’s Lea. I got your letter.”
There was silence for a moment. “You read it?”
“Yes, I did. I must say it made me realize some things.”
“It did? Lea, please, come back. We can make it work, the three of us. I know we can.”
She couldn’t hold in the scorn anymore. Laughing out loud, she let it reach her voice as she crowed with grim amusement. “Work it out?! Oh, Jeff, that is truly priceless! Oh wait, you never did mean to hurt me, right? Wasn’t that what you said in the letter? At least in a roundabout way? Well, let me tell you something Jeff. You didn’t hurt me; you helped me realize that my place wasn’t with Drew. It’s yours.”
Stopping for a moment, she was greeted with stunned silence on the other end of the phone. Taking that as her cue to go on. She started in again. “You made your bed, Jeffrey Timmons, now lie in it!” That being said, she hung the phone up with enough force, she heard the plastic crack.
Walking away from the phone, she knew then and there that there was no longer any chance of her turning back.
“HOW YA DOIN’ LA!!!!!”
Lea snapped out of her reverie as Drew’s voice filled the air around her. Feeling the frantic reach of the hand of her companion, she reached over and pulled him into her arms and walked out of the concert, never looking back. Driving in silence, not even the radio on, she reached her hotel without incident and parked the car. Walking into the lobby, she noticed the groups of people already forming behind the barricades out front.
‘The concert must have ended,’ she thought. Walking into the lobby, she headed for the restraint inside and ordered a late snack for the two of them. A short while later, she heard the screams of the fans and knew that they had finally arrived. Looking up, she saw two figures job for the elevators as two of them stopped in front of the doorway, talking softly. The taller one nodded and turned away, walking after the other two men.
Turning around and walking through the door, Drew froze as he met her eyes. Neither of them moved for a moment.
Breaking eye contact, Lea turned to answer a question from her companion and looked up to find Drew standing at the table. “Hello Drew.”
“Lea…. you look nice.” Drew’s eyes kept wandering back and forth, looking at her and her companion. Reaching into her purse, she put down some money to cover the tab and stood up.
“Is that all you have to say Drew? How about ‘Hello’ or ‘It’s nice to see you again.’ Anyone of those is nice.” She saw him wince and sighed. “I’m sorry Drew. I never came here to hurt you. I’m in town on business and only found out this morning that you guys were staying here.”
“It’s nice to see you. Here on business? You travel with your job?”
“Yeah, I do. Well, we need to get upstairs. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah…. I guess so. Um. Lea?”
Stopping to turn and look at him, she smiled, knowing what he was going to ask. “Yes Drew?”
“Is that your son?”
Looking down at the small child holding her hand. She smiled and nodded. “Yes Drew he is. He is five this year. Looks just like me don’t he?” With this said, she turned to walk away, her sons hand held in hers.
Stopping at the door, she turned to regard Drew with a cool smile. “Don’t worry, he’s adopted so he’s not yours.” Feeling that she should be ashamed for the small barb, Lea doesn’t look back a second time and leaves the lobby.
END