21. Anna
Anna
T here she was. Brittany Diaz was here in Freedom.
After a second of shock, Anna recovered and hugged her friend. “It’s so good to finally meet you in person. What are you doing here?”
Brittany hugged her back before pulling away and adjusting her glasses. “You sounded like you’d been having a tough time, so I thought I’d check on you.”
Um, was that sweet or…something else? They’d known each other for years online, but even Freedom, Colorado was still a long way from Sacramento, California.
“That’s so sweet of you.” It was sweet—probably the biggest gesture anyone had ever done for her.
Brittany gently cradled Anna’s braced hand in hers. “Oh, you poor thing. How are you feeling today?”
“I’m much better. I had a bad experience with altitude sickness yesterday and passed out. It’s just sprained.” Remembering Beau, Anna turned and waved him over. “This is Beau Lawrence. He came with me on this trip because I didn’t want to come alone.”
Brittany looked him up and down, but her face didn’t show much of a reaction. “I’m Brittany, Anna’s friend.”
Beau extended a hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“How do you two know each other?” Brittany asked, looking between them. “What does Dean think about the two of you traveling together?”
And there was the hit—the one Anna hadn’t expected. Sure, Brittany was sweet, but she didn’t always understand how her words could cut to the bone.
She wasn’t intentionally insensitive, and this was only the first of what Anna had to look forward to when she returned to Blackwater and faced the mess she’d left behind.
“Um, well, Dean and I aren’t together anymore. He cheated on me, remember?”
Anna had slowly told Brittany about the wedding over the last few days through messages. It had seemed like Brittany understood that Dean’s infidelity wasn’t something Anna was interested in working past. Maybe she hadn’t been as clear as she’d thought.
“Oh, right.” Brittany slapped her palm to her forehead. “Silly. I forgot. I guess I just got so used to you being with Dean that it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
“It’s okay. And Beau is just a friend. We’re not together.” She turned to Beau for confirmation. “Right?”
“Right,” Beau said with a single nod.
Though, Anna had found herself wishing more and more that they were together. She’d had the best time on this trip, and it was mostly because Beau had made it fun. She’d gotten a taste of pure happiness, and it seemed wrong to ignore it.
“Oh. Good to know,” Brittany said, clutching the strap of her purse with white knuckles.
“How did you know I was here?” Anna asked. “I don’t think we talked about Freedom.”
Brittany tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Oh, you mentioned this place, so I looked it up. This was the only Stories and Scones in Colorado.”
The sweet scented air turned thin in the small bakery. “Oh.”
Beau’s hand rested on the small of her back. Had he picked up on her anxiety?
“After you said so many good things about it, I figured you’d come back here.” Brittany opened her hands. “And here you are.”
“Right. Um, are you staying in town?”
“Yeah, I got a room at a little apartment down the street. What are the two of you up to today?”
A flood of questions rushed through Anna’s mind at once. How long was she staying? How long had she been waiting in this bakery? How had she gotten here from Sacramento?
“I—I think we’re just doing some shopping around town.” Anna paused to swallow past the dryness in her mouth. “Would you like to join us?”
“Sure!” Brittany said with wide eyes.
Okay, at least she’d have some time to talk to Brittany and get some answers. “Great. Do you want some coffee or a treat?” It was the least she could offer after Brittany came all this way.
Brittany stayed close to Anna all day as they wound in and out of shops on the main square in town. Aside from a few pointed looks at Beau, she didn’t get a chance to ask him what he thought about the woman showing up out of nowhere and basically tracking her down.
No, she wouldn’t be creeped out by that. No doubt Brittany saw it as kindness, not a breach of privacy.
They had a good time shopping for Christmas presents around town, and all of Anna’s concern about Brittany vanished. She really had come just to check on her, and hanging out with a friend was just what Anna needed .
When Beau’s arms were loaded with shopping bags, they started making their way back across town. The throbbing in Anna’s head was back, and exhaustion was gaining on her like a cheetah chasing a gazelle. She pressed the heel of her hand against her temple.
“Are you okay?” Brittany asked.
“I’m getting tired. I think it’s time to head back.”
Brittany looked around the decorated town square. “Oh, okay. Where did you park?”
“Over by Evelyn’s,” Anna said, pointing in the direction of the restaurant.
“I’m parked this way.” Brittany pointed over her shoulder in the other direction.
“Why don’t you walk with us to our car, and I’ll drive you over to yours? I don’t like the idea of you walking alone,” Beau said.
Brittany tilted her head as she looked at Beau. “Thank you. That’s thoughtful of you.”
That was Beau—thoughtful. He’d shown his true colors on this trip. Why hadn’t Anna noticed it before now? He stayed close to Anna’s side until they got to her car. He opened the doors for both her and Brittany before slipping into the driver’s seat.
“Is this your car?” Brittany asked as she trailed her fingertips over the leather interior. “It’s nice.”
“Thanks.” Anna hadn’t gone for an over-the-top luxury vehicle, but it was nice. She’d chosen it because she could afford it, and paying for her own vehicle was something she was proud to claim.
“How do you afford it?” Brittany asked.
It wasn’t the first intrusive question Brittany had asked, but the throbbing in Anna’s head had her patience stretching thin. She rested her head back and took a deep breath before answering. “The fashion vlog is my job, but I’m also an attorney.”
“Oh. I forgot about that,” Brittany said, slapping her palm against her forehead again.
“I don’t talk about it a lot on social media.” It wasn’t that she was intent on keeping her day job a secret. It just didn’t come up in conversation about fashion often.
Brittany directed Beau to the lot where she’d parked, and they said quick goodbyes with promises to check in tomorrow. Beau and Anna waited until Brittany was safely in her car and had started the engine before pulling out into the snowy night.
Allowing her eyes to close, Anna whispered a soft, “Thank you.”
“For what?” Beau asked.
“For shopping with me. For carrying the bags around all day. For being nice when Brittany showed up and plans changed.”
“That’s no big deal.”
There was a beat of silence before Anna raised her head. “Is it weird that she found me here or that she came all the way from California just to see me? ”
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but it’s kind of weird.”
“But she’s so nice,” Anna added. “I hate to think bad of her when she was kind enough to check on me.”
“If she’s getting closer than you’re comfortable with, just tell her.”
Anna huffed. “It’s not that simple.”
“Yes, it is.”
Okay, maybe in Beau’s mind it was. He lived his life at face value, and it worked for him. If Anna told Brittany she was getting a little too close, she’d no doubt take offense. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her friend’s feelings.
Then again, if Olivia showed up in Freedom, Anna wouldn’t question it. Maybe she’d been looking at her and Brittany’s friendship differently because it had only existed online.
“I’m too tired to think about it today,” Anna said.
Beau glanced over at her as he drove slowly up the mountain through gently falling snow. “Do you need a nap?”
“Yeah. I’ll feel better after I rest a little.”