Chapter Fourteen #3
‘I’ll never stop telling you. I love you, Annie.
I was so scared of you not being truthful with me, but then I realised you couldn’t trust me enough.
I hated that. Thank you for sharing it all with me—about your parents, the guilt you felt, the pact you made with yourself—although I’m absolutely gutted, imagining the amount of pain you’ve been in for so long.
But you can tell me anything, anytime, always. ’
‘It’s helped talking to you. Thank you for being my haven, so I can share things I’ve never told anyone else,’ she said shakily.
‘Same here. I can’t keep carrying the same things around that I always have before. Before you.’
‘We’re quite the pair.’ She laughed huskily.
The sound helped unfurl all the tension he’d carried for the last three days. No, for decades.
‘Aren’t we just.’ He ran his fingers through her silky hair.
* * *
Annie stared at Ethan, his face alight with love and tenderness as he wiped away the last of her tears.
He loved her.
Really loved her.
And it wasn’t the most incredible dream of her life, it was real.
The man who’d exposed his deepest fears to her, bravely baring his heart and soul.
She gripped his waist for support, his warmth giving her the strength to go on.
‘I’ve officially retired Ivy Flame. Forever. I’ll still act, but my career is going to be different, because it’s only ever going to be Annie Carson from now on. Just me. If you’ll have me?’
‘You’re amazing, Annie Carson, in every way. And of course I’ll be here beside you, every step of the way.’ His eyes glittered.
She exhaled, dizzy with relief and sure her heart would burst with happiness.
‘Is this scarf something to do with your parents?’ he asked, pulling it out from inside his jacket pocket.
‘How did you get that?’ she gasped, took it from him and put it on.
‘I swung past WillowGlen on the way here. I saw the way you were looking at it. I knew it meant a lot to you. I wasn’t sure why, but I wanted to bring it tonight.’
She sighed, running a hand over it. ‘Mum made it for me, a gift for my sixteenth birthday. I wasn’t overly thrilled about a wobbly home-knitted scarf, and I never wore it.
I took it to WillowGlen and left it there.
’ Regret coloured her words, but she knew now that nothing could take away the past. Living her life fully now, both loving and being loved, just like her parents had, was the perfect way to honour them and herself.
‘They’d be so proud of you,’ Ethan said.
She sniffed, meeting his warm gaze. ‘Thank you. They would have adored you, your kindness and generosity. The way you make me feel, like I can truly, finally, be myself.’
He smiled. ‘I would have loved to have met them. Sat with your dad through endless movie marathons, bought your mum every bell I could, worn any wobbly hand-knitted scarf she wanted to make me. Tell them how much I love and adore you.’
Her heart expanded, flipped.
This man.
When she was sure her voice would work, she said, ‘You’re pretty damn perfect, you know that?’
He barked out a laugh. ‘Perfect? Hardly.’ His voice deepened with a toe-curling conviction. ‘Crazy in love with you? Always.’
She gripped his arm to make sure she really wasn’t dreaming. ‘I was on my way to tell you how much I love you. And then you were in the lobby, but I was sure you were some kind of mirage my imagination had conjured up.’
His chuckle warmed her to her bones. ‘I reckon I beat the land speed record from Cornwall to here, with a quick stop at WillowGlen to pick up the scarf. I couldn’t wait one more second to tell you how I felt, even though I was terrified you wouldn’t want me. Love me.’
The rawness in his voice cut through all her defences.
‘I do love you, so much,’ she assured him.
He sagged against her as she stroked his back.
‘And I’m so glad you came, because it’s right here that I realised I needed to tell you how I felt.
I ripped off Ivy’s ridiculous red dress, fired my whole team and took the first step to building the life I really wanted to live.
I couldn’t go to the premiere. I couldn’t go anywhere without telling you how much I loved you first. That’s why I’m wearing yellow.
I wanted you to see the real me, Annie Carson, when I chased you all the way to Cornwall. ’
‘Oh, Annie, I see the real you. I have ever since Ruby’s party.
I’ve just been too stubborn and terrified to admit it.
To myself and to you. I love seeing you in yellow, love seeing you wear anything that makes you happy.
In fact—’ he flicked a glance at his watch ‘—do you still want to go to the premiere? We can make it if we rush.’
Did she?
She hesitated. ‘I know you hate the press.’ She cupped his jaw, her fingers stroking his cheek. ‘And it will be swarming with them. I’d never ask you to do something like that for me.’
‘If you want to go, and I get to stand beside you, absolutely nothing will hold me back. You’re not the only one putting the past behind them today, sweetheart.’
Her tears started again. ‘See, I told you you’re perfect.’
Then she reached up on tippy toes to prove it by kissing him with every ounce of love he deserved.