Being apart from Drew never felt right, but ever since Outer Banks wrapped, he had been booked for movie after movie. That meant he couldn’t be home with you as often as either of you wanted.

Right now, he was filming in New York, but just last week he had been shooting scenes for another movie in San Francisco. You couldn’t even imagine how exhausting that must be — memorizing one script at night, only to learn a completely different one the next day.

Still, no matter how busy he got, Drew never forgot to text or call you. Not once.

You were curled up on the couch in your shared apartment in L.A. — which felt way too big without him — when a post on Instagram caught your attention.

It was from a fan page dedicated to Drew. The picture showed a family photo, and Drew stood off to the side. Even through the screen, you could tell he looked tired… almost exhausted.

Your chest tightened at the sight. You wished more than anything that you could be there with him.

As you scrolled through the comments, you noticed fans pointing it out too.

“He looks so tired.”
 or “My poor baby is working too hard.”

And they weren’t wrong. He was working too hard, and the familiar ache of missing him settled deep in your chest.

Then suddenly, an idea formed in your mind. Why not book a flight to New York and surprise him?

The thought made your heart race. Maybe it was bold… maybe even reckless without telling him first. But the more you thought about it, the more it felt right.

Before you could second-guess yourself, you opened your laptop and searched for tickets. The Uber ride to LAX passed in a blur, and before you knew it, you were sitting on the plane, flying across the country to surprise the boy you missed so much.

New York’s airport was crowded, loud, and overwhelming, but you moved quickly, grabbing your suitcase and heading straight for the exit.

Earlier, you had texted his manager about the surprise. She had happily given you the hotel address — and his room number.

Now here you were, standing in front of room 674, your hand hovering near the door. You didn’t know why, but your nerves suddenly kicked in.

Taking a small breath, you knocked softly. Footsteps echoed from inside, and seconds later the door swung open, revealing a sleepy Drew.

His bare chest rose and fell slowly, grey sweatpants hanging low on his waist. He rubbed his eyes, barely awake.

“Hey… can I help you?” he murmured.

“I don’t know, can you?” you replied, trying not to laugh when he still didn’t recognize you. At the sound of your voice, his head snapped up. His expression shifted instantly — from sleepy confusion to pure happiness.

“{{user}}?” he breathed. “Why’re you here and not in L.A.?”

“You sound like you want me to be there,” you teased, smiling.

Drew let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “Cocky as ever… but no, I want you here,” he said, stepping aside so you could enter.

You walked inside, taking in the room — a large window showing off the New York skyline, a king-sized bed, and an open bathroom.

But before you could say anything, Drew moved behind you and pulled you flush against his chest, his hands settling warmly on your waist.

“I missed you so damn much, baby,” he murmured, burying his face into your neck. You smiled softly, leaning back into him. The moment you relaxed against him, you felt him smirk.

“You know,” he said, his voice dropping lower, “sleeping alone in such a big bed really felt like a crime.” His hands tightened slightly on your waist.

“Maybe you wanna… test if it can handle the weight of two people?” he added, that familiar smirk still in his voice.