Page 72 of You Were Invited
Was her mother’s betrayal holding her back, just as much as she was holding Julian’s past against him? Was she still that little girl abandoned by her mother? Would that just be her forever?
Julian had given her zero reasons to distrust him, and his white lies could be forgiven, given the truth they really hadn’t known their relationship would deepen like it had at the time he’d said them. The people in Northgold loved him, despite his reclusion. He was an upstanding woodsman. Disregarding his affection because of his past was likely a harsher end to the what-could-have-been than she’d intended.
Am I just reducing him to his past? To the drinking? Like he’s not worthy?
Did seeing him on T.V. for three seconds really send her back into something, that in passing, she’d dismissed as something that would fade from memory — when it was really an epic war between her heart and mind?
I wish I’d stop asking myself questions...she lamented.And who am I kidding? I’ve thought about him nearly every daysince I left.
“Sounds like the only one holding yourself back… is you...”
Serene Hallowbrew’s words echoed in her mind for several more sleepless hours.
When Annie smelled coffee and heard Peter in the kitchen, she pulled herself from the bed. A sickening haze clouded her mind.
The coffee pot carafe clinked. Peter turned and flinched when he saw Annie behind him. Black coffee sputtered over the rim of his mug.
“Sorry.” Annie held up her hands. “Couldn’t sleep at all.”
“Hmmm,” Peter replied, wrinkling his nose and wiping up his spilled coffee. “Molly was tossing and turning, too. Couldn’t get comfortable. I woke up too warm.”
“Yuck.” Annie got a glass of milk and some crackers. Maybe a little food would help her fall asleep.
“Is it too hot or too cold?”
Annie raised a brow.
“Should I change the night program?” Peter asked. "I need to update it for the season change."
Annie smiled. He really was practical. “No, the temperature was good. My mind won’t shut off.” She bit her lip. “I can’t stop thinking about that commercial…. The one with Julian.”
“Julian was in a commercial?”
“Yeah. On T.V. The one with the diner.”
Peter smirked. “Ah.” He scooped a powdered donut out of its carton. He chewed while Annie munched on her crackers. “Were you really thinking about just the diner…” he said before swallowing, “or really was it the guy?”
“The diner has good food.”
Peter chuckled. “Liar.”
“Excuse me?”
“C’mon, Annie… you decided that you didn’t want to date Julian. Right?”
“Yeah...”
“But you thought abouthimall night.”
“I guess,” she admitted finally. “We did spend time together.”
“I’ve spent time with lots of people who I won’t see again. Seeing their picture wouldn’t make me think about them all night.”
“It wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“You have FOMO.”
“I do not!”
