Chapter vi
Beach Thriller
vi
Princesses cry over boys. It comes with the territory. The arc of a princess story is to bring the characters close to their happy ending, then cruelly rip the proverbial rug out from underneath them.
Ariel was all blubber when she thought Prince Eric picked a girl without gills. Belle and Jasmine both cried rivers when they erroneously believed their respective true loves had perished. And Cinderella was a helluva hot mess thinking her prince would never come.
In later years, princesses got tougher and cried a whole lot less (looking at you, Pocahontas, Tiana, Mulan, etc.).
But that’s not reality, either. Love hurts.
Loss stings. And Anna felt every bit of her sadness as she sobbed into Conrad’s shoulder.
It was evening, before sunset, and they had met in the guesthouse as had become their routine.
He had brought dinner and candles, expecting a romantic meal; instead, he got an earful of bad news.
“It’s okay. I’ll talk to her, I promise,” he whispered, rubbing her back.
“No, don’t,” Anna said, pushing him away. “I’m done working here. Your mother and Elizabeth treat me like garbage. And your future father-in-law sees one use for me, and it’s not on my knees to clean.”
“Baxter is a pig. The stories I could tell you would make you sick. And don’t let Mother or Elizabeth rattle your cage.”
“It’s not them I’m most disgusted with. It’s me. I’m the other woman who has to keep reminding you of your promise to stand up to them. I feel like the stereotypical weak-ass female from every outdated story ever told. I can’t stand being that person and I won’t do it anymore.”
Conrad looked away, unsure what to say. He poured them both a glass of wine, but Anna refused.
“That’s the last thing I need after your fiancée accused me of drinking on the job.
It’s unreal. You know I didn’t take those diamond earrings, right?
If anybody stole them it was Krystal. But don’t tell your mother I said that.
That poor girl lives on the edge, and I don’t want to be the one to push her over.
” Anna knew she must look pathetic, with her red, swollen eyes, and puffy face, but that only made her feel more righteous.
“Anna, of course I know you didn’t take them.
” Conrad stroked her cheek, gazing lovingly into her eyes.
“And this is the last straw for me and Elizabeth. I promise. I don’t care how she or my family react.
” He dropped his hand, his voice beginning to shake in anger. “I’ll fix everything. Fuck them both.”
His eyes darkened. The change came on so quickly, Anna took a step back, afraid of what he might do. She had seen his temper spark before, but this time it looked like he was about to erupt.
Anna parked herself on the window seat far from him, hanging her head in defeat. Her sorrowful state sucked the air out of Conrad’s rage, softening him back into the sweet, caring man she had mistakenly fallen in love with.
The problem was, she still loved him. She loved them.
Conrad went to the stove in the kitchen and filled the kettle. “Here, I’ll make us some tea. We can talk. Come up with a plan.”
Anna sighed. “Tea won’t fix this. Besides, you know that the stove is touchy. I wouldn’t even try to use it.”
“I know this is all my fault. But I don’t know what to do. I’m … so lost.” He sat beside her, his shoulders drooping. Tentatively, he took her hand as though she might refuse him. Then, unexpectedly, his expression brightened as if struck by a grand idea.
“Let’s leave,” he said, eyes wide with hope. “We can do it, Anna. Just go. Start over somewhere new—together. I don’t know how much money I’ll have if I piss my mother off this much, but we’ll make it work.”
Anna surprised herself when she burst out laughing. She laughed until she could scarcely catch her breath.
Conrad stared at her, bemused. “What? What’s so damn funny?”
Anna looked up, wiping her eyes. Finally her tears didn’t come from sadness.
“This is all because of a penny. One stupid, worthless penny—and now you’re going to run off with me, leave all this, all the money, all the comforts behind, and we’re going to live some fairy-tale life where I’m a schoolteacher and you’re selling houses, and we’ve got a couple of kids and a big fat mortgage. Is that it?”
Conrad leaned in close, their lips almost touching.
“That penny wasn’t worthless, it was priceless, because it brought us together.
And yeah … selling houses for a living, a couple of kids, and a mortgage—it sounds like a beautiful life to me.
What about you? Would you love me without all this?
” He gestured around at not only the guesthouse but the grounds outside, the view, all of Miramar.
Anna paused as though thinking it over, but she knew her answer. “Absolutely,” she said, kissing him, her eyes welling up again. “There’s nothing I want more.”
It was late when Anna slipped out the door, moonlight bathing the path back to her cottage. A chill hung in the air, the ocean breeze raising goose bumps on her skin despite the late-summer warmth. It felt refreshing—cleansing, even.
Anna buzzed with giddiness. She was going home to pack. In a few days, they would leave, start a new life. She wasn’t sure where they would go or how she would tell her mother and Holly, but Anna and Conrad would work it all out—together.
With his love and support, she felt she could do anything. She flitted along the path, stars in her eyes and daydreams filling her head.
A noise in the dark caught her attention. She stopped. What was that?
She heard a twig snap, and a shadow passed in front of her. Anna didn’t dare move. She wasn’t alone. She saw a figure dart off into the distance, long hair flowing in the breeze. Was that Elizabeth? Had she been spying on them at the guesthouse? What did she see? How much did she know?
Anna retraced her steps. She had to tell Conrad that their dream life had quite possibly turned into a nightmare.