“Whatever you think has happened...”
“I know him!” Sean’s voice reverberated off the walls of the building. Her eyes darted in a frenzy, searching for anyone who could come to her aid. “He can’t fool me, and neither can you.” Her only thought was of James, cowering in the back seat, likely burying his face in his hands to will the scene away. This madness has to end, she said to herself. How much more could one little boy take?
“Stop it, Sean.” She raised her chin.
“You think you’re better than me?”
“I think you’re drunk, so everything makes you angry.”
“Hungover!”
Annie steeled herself. “Stop, Sean. You’re frightening him.”
“Hey!” Sean yelled, pounding on the car window. “Get back up there, James!”
“Can we help you, ma’am?”
Annie shouted a silent thank-you to the sky as two men pulled up in a black sedan.
“I’m trying to get in my car,” she called out, the quiver in her voice skimming out past Sean and onto the wind.
“Do you need help with that?” one of the men asked, a dead stare set on Sean.
Sean’s stance softened as he eased back off the car door, raising his hands in mock surrender. Annie slipped inside her car, whispering thanksgiving under her breath. As she locked the doors and started the engine, Sean gave a finger waggle to her and James before setting his jaw and staggering back to his apartment.
* * *
ANNIE FIDDLED WITH the frayed edges of her napkin when she heard a gentle rap at the screen door.
“Honey, are you okay?”
Annie bit her lip as Marjorie let herself in and eased into a kitchen chair next to her. She gently rested her aged hand on top of hers.
“You tellin’ that napkin who’s boss?” she asked with a wink, but Annie’s face scrunched as the tears fell hard and heavily. “What’s wrong, sweet pea?”
Annie glanced over her shoulder at the children, who were hypnotized in front of the television, before turning to her friend.
“James,” she managed to say between sobs that wouldn’t dissipate fast enough for her to speak the words she needed to.
“James?” Marjorie whispered, surrounding her in a hug of faint lavender and facial powder. Marjorie smelled of all things feminine, all things comforting. Annie longed for the mother who couldn’t be with her, but soothed the wounded child within herself, thanks to Marjorie’s tender embrace.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
“Sean?” Marjorie supplied. Annie accepted a wad of napkins and buried her nose in them. “What happened, child?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she whimpered. “It’s always the same. It’s always hardest on James.”
“Is there anywhere you could go? Do you have family in another part of the country?”
Annie shook her head, covering her face with her hands.
“It’s just us.”
“And me,” Marjorie replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “I’m always here for you, no matter what you need.”
“I know. It’s one of the reasons we’ve stayed.”
Marjorie sat back in contemplation. “Do you want me to take the children out of the house while you’re at the wedding later?”
The wedding. She hadn’t thought about it since arriving at Sean’s apartment.
“No. I can’t tonight.”
“Of course you can. Don’t let him rob you of this, too.”
“I need to stay home with James tonight.”
“Even if I take the children swimming for the afternoon?”
“Swimming!” Betsy called from the family room.
“How on earth did you hear me from all the way over there?” Marjorie laughed as Betsy hurried into her arms. James quietly followed, hesitating at Annie’s side as she wiped her eyes.
“Are we going swimming, Mom?” he asked.
“Do you want me to take you?” She wrapped her arms around his little body as he shook a reply into her shoulder.
“Marjorie can take us.”
“Your mother has to take a shower and get dressed now. You two go find your swimsuits and towels.”
“I can’t tonight, Marjorie,” Annie sighed. “I really can’t.”
“You go get in the shower, child, and hurry up. He’ll be here in less than an hour.”
“Are you going to wear that pretty dress you showed us?” Betsy asked, pivoting from one foot to the other.
Annie groaned. “Don’t you want me to go swimming instead?”
“No.” James smiled. “I want to see you in your dress.”
“Really?”
“Dress!” Betsy squealed.
“Majority rules,” Marjorie declared, pulling Annie to her feet and swatting her on the backside. “Get your tuckus in the shower and wash the day off you.”
Annie trudged upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bathtub and started the hot water, listening to it pelt the side of the shower. As her face warmed to the steamy mist, she contemplated how difficult it would be to take the night off from worrying. Perhaps she could hit the pause button on her problems and celebrate with her friend on her wedding day. With James and Betsy safely cared for by Marjorie, she could have a drink and talk and dance...
With William.
Her mind lifted from the fog Sean had settled over her as she pictured William’s face. She’d felt loved once. Safe once. How she’d wished to return to those days again when William had been the only person, the only thing, the only future she could see.
Annie tested the water. It scorched her skin. Just what she needed. She yearned to spend an evening enjoying herself, but as she slipped into the shower and dipped her head under the water, she worried attending this wedding with William was just another mistake she would make with a man.
* * *
WILLIAM PEERED INTO the rearview mirror and inspected the damage. His cut lip wasn’t too obvious. He poked a finger on the purple bruise donning his cheekbone, still quite tender and pronounced. There was no camouflaging that beauty.
He didn’t want to lie to Annie about how he’d enjoyed brawling with her ex-husband, but in order for the two of them to make it through the evening, he’d have to practice some serious misdirection. He’d already had a close call the night before, cracking Sean in the nose and hightailing it out of the bar before the police had arrived. Luckily Sean was smart enough to recognize it was in his best interest to flee, too. After all, he’d started the fight. But as William gave the bruise one last poke in the mirror, he knew the outcome the night before could have been much worse for him if he’d been arrested. It wouldn’t have taken long for him to show up on Denver’s radar and for Denver to then show up in Chinoodin Falls. He couldn’t afford to press his luck again, even if the temptation to sock Sean in the jowl presented itself.
Before he could climb the steps to the front porch, he heard giggles from the other side of the screen door.
“Mom’s not ready yet!” Betsy informed him. With the cheeriness of a puppy dog, she swung the screen door open as James ran down the walk to him, stopping short with a meek grin.
William rocked back on his heels. “Are you my welcoming committee?”
Betsy giggled, wafting her beach towel to lead the way into the house. “Come in! Come in, William!”
“You have to move out of his way first,” a petite woman with smiling eyes directed. After introducing himself to Marjorie, William settled on the edge of the couch with Betsy and James perched attentively at his knee.
“Do you like boats?” James asked, tugging at William’s pant leg.
“He was in the Navy, James,” Marjorie reminded him.
“James loves boats,” Betsy explained with an eye roll as James proudly presented a
battleship replica. William turned the toy over in his hands, aware of its value to the little guy.
“Do you ever watch the steamliners dock?” William asked.
“He loves that, too!” Betsy exclaimed. “He could sit there for hours and hours.”
“That’s enough, Bets,” Marjorie scolded. “Let James speak for himself.”
William winked at Betsy before shifting his attention back to James. Instead of answering, James sprinted off and returned with three more ship replicas.
“He has hundreds,” Betsy said, before slapping a hand over her mouth and shrugging apologetically at Marjorie.
“More like a dozen,” Annie corrected, descending the stairs.
William’s eyes fell down the length of Annie’s body. He kicked himself for not bringing her flowers. With the dress she was wearing, this was a date. It was a red-hot, hugging-her-in-all-the-right-places, making-him-catch-his-breath date. She needed flowers—a bouquet. He ran his hand through his hair while trying not to gawk.
“You’re beautiful,” he said.
Annie brought her fingers to her collarbone, a delicate modesty coming over her. “So are you.”
“I haven’t seen your hair down before.”
She hesitantly flipped the curtain of chocolate-brown curls off her shoulder. He’d only ever seen her hair tied in a messy knot with sad wisps framing her face. She grinned sheepishly.
“No?”
“Not since high school.”
“Oh.”
“It’s pretty.”
“Yeah?”
William grinned. He generally didn’t care for surprises, but knowing he’d be cozied up all night with Annie Curtis, who was modelling that dress, he eagerly anticipated the evening stretched out before them. As she kissed her children goodbye, he couldn’t tear his eyes from her, even at the risk of making a fool of himself in front of Marjorie.
“What happened to your cheek?” Annie asked as he opened the passenger-side door for her. He scrambled for a reply.
“Clumsy” was all he could manage before climbing in and speeding them on their way.
“Did you fall?”
“Kind of,” he said, considering the sliver of truth in his reply.
“There must have been a full moon out last night, because...”
“Hmm?” he asked as Annie gently smoothed the hem of her dress over the top of her thigh.
“I had to talk to Sean this morning, and he...”
William plastered on the most innocent expression he could manage. He clutched the top of the steering wheel and stared at the road.
Annie studied him carefully. He could feel her scrutinizing the side of his face, but just as he was about to fess up about the brawl, she giggled. He jerked his head, puzzled, and when he did she tossed her head back in a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“I can’t help it,” she admitted with another peal of laughter. Her eyes twinkled as tears glistened in the corners.
He basked in her delight, having finally gotten this reaction from her. It had been a long time. As her curls caught all colors of the sun and her laugh crashed over his senses—jubilant, melodious. He wished he could bottle the sound. The few seconds that he basked in the warm intensity of her amusement could last a man a thousand years.
“I’ve had a long day and that struck me in the right spot. You have no idea how much I needed that.” Her laughter subsided with a heavy sigh, her mocha-colored eyes suddenly molten with mischievousness. She covered her lips with the tips of her fingers as she paused to explain. “I think Betsy did a number on you.”
“What?”
She reached out and plucked a daisy from his hair, holding it out for him to see.
“Was that from Betsy?”
Annie nodded and rolled down her window a few inches, flicking the flower to the breeze.
“She marks people.”
“She what?”
“No, it’s actually a compliment. If she likes something or someone, she marks them with a feather or flower or something.”
“Where did she come up with that?”
“Oh, she’s done it for a while.”
William stole a glance at Annie grinning at him, her eyes seemingly unwilling to fall away.
“So she likes me, huh?”
“Yes, I assume so.”
William nodded with satisfaction and hoped Betsy wasn’t the only one.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ANNIE DUCKED INTO the bathroom at the reception hall to check her mascara.
“Did you tear up, too, dear?” Joyce asked, following her inside.
Annie met her boss’s gaze in the mirror. “Weddings always get me. Mia was a vision.”
“And so excited. Have you ever seen a happier bride?”
Annie hadn’t. “I wish the best for them. I really do.”
Joyce traced the edge of Annie’s shoulder as her eyes crinkled.
“It’s nice to see you out with my William.”
“We only came together to keep from going stag,” Annie explained, an excuse she had repeated to herself ever since the fix up.
“Not in that dress, dear. You really are a beauty.”
Annie turned in surprise. It had been such a long time since she’d felt worthy of such a compliment.
“Really?”
“Oh, honey.” Joyce snickered. “Please go easy on him. He couldn’t take his eyes off you during the entire ceremony.”
Annie blushed, but inside her stomach turned somersaults. If William was looking at her with any type of longing, she had to resist any urge that might lead him on. She had two little children to think about, and she didn’t know what Sean would do if he learned she was on a date with another man. She’d made so many bad decisions in the past, she had to keep a clear head when it came to men...particularly William.
“Was it something I said, dear?”
Annie snapped her attention back to Joyce.
“Did Earl give you that corsage?”
Joyce held up her wrist to display the pink and white flowers, her face glowing in happiness. “Even I know how old-fashioned this is, but I still love it. Bless his heart.” She clasped Annie’s hands in her own and pressed her forehead to Annie’s. “Now, don’t think about anything else tonight. I’m ordering you to dance and drink champagne and enjoy yourself. You deserve it, my dear. Goodness me, we both do!”
Maneuvering through the crowd toward her table, her breath caught. A tinge of excitement shot through her when she spotted William waiting for her. Hands dipped casually in his pockets, the tan suit he’d most likely borrowed nonetheless looked like it had been cut for him. His tall frame stood impressive, broad shoulders supporting muscles firm and taut. Against his white-collared shirt, his skin glowed golden, bronze and smooth. His eyes were piercing, zeroing in on her from across the room, anticipating her every step. Her skin prickled. Honey, please go easy on him, Joyce had told her, her words echoing over and over again. As Annie snagged a glass of champagne from a waiter, she knew the person in the most trouble was herself.
“Are you okay?” he asked as the disc jockey announced the wedding party.
Annie slugged back half the glass and beamed at him.
“Never better.”
He moved gently, taking her champagne glass and setting it on a nearby table. “Yes, I see.” Eyes watchful, he brushed his hand on the small of her back and guided the way to their table. “When was the last time you had a drink?”
Annie twisted her mouth in thought. “Depends. What year is it again?”
“That’s what I figured,” he said with a chuckle, pulling out her chair. She slid onto it and readjusted as he gathered a plate of cheese and crackers. After she had had a few bites, he continued. “So, what did you think of the wedding?”
“Who says they won’t?” Annie let out a grumble and William laughed. “Annie Curtis, the cynic.”
“I am not,” she protested. “At least I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think Mia’s found true love?” he asked, dipping his head low with discretion.
“It’s not that...”
“Were you thinking about your own wedding?”
Annie paused and let her eyes meet William’s. “Unfortunately.”
He nodded. “It’s impossible to not think about yourself at a wedding.”
“You?”
“The usual stuff.”
“There is no usual stuff.” He shrugged, denying her implied question. “No,” she pressed. “You’re not getting off that easy. Were you seeing someone before you came home?”
“No.”
“No one?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
Annie cocked her head to scrutinize his answer. “I guess I assumed...”
“Stereotyping sailors, are we? Keeping a lady in every port, am I?”
“That’s not it,” she said, fumbling to redirect. “What were you thinking about during the wedding?”
“You first.”
“You brought it up.”
William chuckled. His eyes slowly traced a cursive line over the contours of her face as if cementing her features into his memory. Her heart raced under his unwavering focus. She wanted to know what he was thinking, what he saw in her. From where she sat, he was handsome, still handsome after all these years. The old photographs she had of him as a young man didn’t do him justice now, each line he’d acquired in his travels adding character and depth to the face she’d once pressed to hers. She flushed at the memory, but it was fleeting.
“Why didn’t you marry Betsy’s father?”
Annie sucked a breath to launch a defense of her character, but instead closed her mouth with a nearly audible snap. Her track record in her twenties left plenty to be desired and in this small town, plenty to be ashamed of, but she wasn’t inviting any of that shame tonight. No, she hadn’t married Julian. He was halfway to San Francisco before Betsy’s first ultrasound picture was taped to the refrigerator. And no, she didn’t want to think about it, because the old biddies around town had often reminded her of that fact.
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