Page 41 of Every Now and Then
“I like that you call me Annabelle.” She falters for a second before quietly confessing, “It feels special since no one else does.”
Over the past thirteen months, I’ve spent a lot of time fantasizing about what would happen if I ever found Annabelle again. Usually, I imagined a reunion filled with steamy sex scenes and promises of a future together. But nothing could have prepared me for how our reunion unfolded.
I never imagined I’d find Annabelle again because she was on a date with Josh.Fucking Dumber of all people?
I also never imagined that she was a widow and a single mother.
Annabelle takes a sip of her wine before she speaks again. “I assume you work with Aiden at M&M Records. Did you know Kyle too?”
“Not well, but I met him several times through Aiden at industry events over the years.” Pausing a beat before adding, I say, “I know it sounds trite, but I’m sorry for your loss, Annabelle. I can’t imagine how difficult it was losing him.”
“Thank you, Hayes.” She sighs softly, playing with her hands in her lap. “Does it freak you out that I’m a widow?”
“It’s surprising,” I admit. “When I met you, I assumed you were getting out of a serious relationship, either an engagement or marriage… but I never considered you were a widow.”
“Few women my age are.”
“You mentioned having children, too, right?”
“Yes, I do.” She shoots me a wry smile. “Doesthatfreak you out?”
“No, Yankee, it doesn’t freak me out.”
She watches me, gauging my response, probably trying to detect any signs of deceit in my response, but I’m not lying. I’ve always wanted a family, and that desire only deepened after my mom passed away.
And it deepened further after I met Annabelle last year. That faraway, hazy dream snapped into focus the night I spent with her. My future wife wasn't a question mark anymore. She wasn't a faceless fantasy.
While she assesses me, I inspect Annabelle’s appearance more closely. Her hair is shorter and lighter. Through her trousers and fitted sweater, I can see her curves. A year ago, she had been close to being too skinny, which makes sense now. She was grieving the sudden death of her husband. But tonight, she looks like she’s gained weight, and it looks good on her. She looks healthier. Happier. And she’s still stunning.
“Are you sleeping better now?”
She chuckles. “Yes, I am, Hayes.”
God, I love hearing her say my name.
“Tell me about your kids. How old are they?”
“I have two girls. My oldest, Grace, is seven going on twenty-seven, and she’s in second grade. My youngest, Claire, is five, and she’s in Pre-K this year.”
“How did they take Kyle’s death?”
Annabelle expels a long breath. “Hard. But they’re getting stronger. Their therapist says young children are more resilient, more adaptable than adults in dealing with grief and trauma.”
“Which leads me to my next question. How are you doing?”
“Better. It was the worst, most painful period of my life, but I’ve made it to the other side. I still have bad days, but I’m having a lot more good days now.” Twisting her lips, she seems hesitant to continue. “You know, you actually helped me move forward.”
“I did?” My head rears back, pleased yet surprised by her comment.
“That night with you gave me hope that one day, when I was healed and stronger, I could start over with someone new.”
“I guess we were in the right place at the right time then, like we were again tonight.” Slipping her hand in mine, I trace circles over her palm with my thumb. I keep my eyes locked on our joined hands, nervous to ask my next question. “Why’d you leave that morning without saying goodbye?”
She sighs and tries to withdraw her hand from mine, but I hold on tighter, unwilling to let her retreat. I won’t let her off the hook.
“What you made me feel that night illuminated things for me, but what I felt also intimidated me, Hayes. You made me feel things I wasn’t ready to feel again. I was a mess, barely holding it all together, and I knew I wasn’t in a place to date. It scared me that one night with you had me contemplating something more.” She twists her mouth to the side and shrugs. “So, I took the easy way out and ran. It wasn’t until later, when I’d had time to reflect and decompress, that I regretted leaving the way I did.”
15
