Page 54 of Always Mine

“Who’s teaching my class?”

“The bigwig.”

“Who?”

“Jackson Kane.”

“He likes being with the boys.” She stared over her Dad’s shoulder, blindly. “He’s responsible for finding me.”

“I know. We owe him. Too bad the man has everything.”

Annie cocked her head. “I don’t think he has peace of mind, Dad.”

“Really? I only see him on the news. He’s always so confident.”

She yawned and leaned her head back on the pillows. “I think I need to sleep.” She grasped his hand. “Stay until I do, Daddy.”

“I’m right here, baby.” Her father’s voice was soothing, as always. “I’m not going anywhere.”

* * *

“I’m not going anywhere, Lucy.” Annie’s mother walked outside where Diego climbed the steps of the porch. Drizzly rain had just started.

“She doesn’t want to see you.”

“She will, once we talk.”

Her mother plopped her hands on her hips. She was small in stature but a force to be reckoned with. “You always could sweettalk her into anything.”

Feeling wobbly, he grasped the railing on the porch. It felt good to have discarded his sling and wear a pullover shirt with his shorts and sandals. “Lucy, you used to love me. What happened?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Come up and sit down, Diego. You seem weak.”

They took comfortable rattan seats.

Her mother faced him squarely. “I’m not blaming you for your breakup. Annie made a choice. But you were wrong not to give her a bit of freedom.”

He looked away. How many times had he agonized over his part in the breakup? “I know. I regret that more than I can say.”

“And because of you, we lost her for three years.” Her father had already flung that accusation at him in the hospital.

Lucy shook her head. “She couldn’t see you around town, romancing everything in skirts.”

“I waited for her to come to her senses.”

“She didn’t leave until you started flaunting your dates.” Lucy stood. “But I’m done talking to you about this. I’m going inside.Call an uber. If Annie wants to see you, I’ll phone you. Right now, she’s sleeping.”

“Is she still in pain?” His voice cracked on the last word.

“What do you think? Goodbye, Diego.”

Lucy walked into the house. But Diego didn’t leave. He sat on the chair and tried to figure out what to do next. One thing was for certain, he wasn’t giving up on Annie. Not by a longshot.

* * *

Annie looked in the mirror and studied her wedding dress. She wondered why she’d chosen the floor-length, high neck, long- sleeved chiffon. Not a bit of skin was bared. Ah, now she remembered. He liked it.

Her hair was pulled back into a bun. “You’re beautiful,” Maisy said, coming up behind her. The pink dress she wore was the same style as hers.

---