39. Anna
Anna
A nna hummed the chorus of “Amazing Grace” as she waited by the door. Well, it was Dawson and Olivia’s door, not hers. That was a line that was blurring the longer she stayed with them.
In the chaos of changing jobs, she hadn’t found the time to really focus on finding a new place to live. What kind of place did she even want? With so many uncertainties in her life, she felt a lot like a lost ball in knee-high weeds.
“Will you stop fidgeting? You’re making Betsy nervous,” Olivia crooned against the tiny dog’s cheek.
“Sorry. He said he would be here at five-thirty.” She fought the urge to check her watch for the tenth time.
“He’s one minute late. Quit worrying.” Olivia gave Anna a once-over. “You look amazing, by the way. Green is a good color on you.”
Anna brushed her hands over the shimmery dress. It was a perfect shade of green for the Heart Springs Pregnancy Resource Center’s Christmas gala. “Thank you.”
“Beau is going to lose his mind,” Liv sang, loud and high-pitched.
Betsy, who was used to Olivia’s dramatics, didn’t flinch. She was literally the perfect dog for Dawson and Olivia, especially since she was the only dog who’d never bitten Dawson.
Headlights shone through the window, and Anna glanced out into the dark night to see Beau’s truck coming to a stop in front of the house.
“See! Told you he’d be here soon,” Liv said.
Anna reached for the door, but Olivia’s hand rested on her arm. “Let him come get you.”
“I don’t want to be late to the gala.”
A second later, Beau knocked.
“Showtime,” Olivia said as she flung the door open.
Anna’s breath hitched in her throat. Beau wore a black suit with a green tie that matched her dress perfectly. She had Olivia to thank for that. No doubt there had been photos and information exchanged between the siblings in the weeks leading up to the gala .
Oh, and he held a bouquet of red roses—at least two dozen.
Olivia waved her arm in front of Anna. “Look at your gorgeous date!”
Beau’s jaw tensed, and he nodded. “Gorgeous is an understatement.” He reached for Anna’s hand, pulling her in to press a kiss to her forehead. “You’re dangerously beautiful,” he whispered against her hair.
Anna cleared her throat. “You look great too.”
He lifted the bouquet. “These are for you.”
She accepted the roses and hugged them to her chest. Dean had gotten her flowers once, but they’d been delivered to her office after an extremely nasty argument. They were meant for show—meant to butter her up and buy his way back into her good favor.
Beau bought her roses because he wanted to. There weren’t any strings attached. The simple gesture made an emotional pressure swell in her chest.
“These are beautiful. Let me put them in some water.”
“I’ll take those.” Olivia grabbed for the bouquet. “Go have fun, have her home at a decent hour, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Let’s go,” Beau said, tugging her by the hand toward the truck.
The ride into Cody was quick and easy. Anna did most of the talking, but Beau was definitely listening. He asked questions and added his thoughts regularly.
After they handed over the keys to the valet, Beau reached for her hand.
She laced her fingers with his and stared up at the stately marble building. Beau had to be out of his element at a place like this, and she’d spent way too much time leading the conversation instead of asking about him. “I’m sorry I talked so much.”
He squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to apologize for talking. I like it.”
“But you never talk to people. In fact, you spend a lot of time telling people you don’t care to hear what they have to say.”
Beau glanced at her with narrowed eyes. “That’s true, but I do care about what you have to say. I just don’t like petty gabbing or gossip.”
An older man in a suit opened the door at the top of the stairs and bowed his head to them. “Welcome. May I take your coats?”
Beau grabbed the collar of Anna’s coat as it slid off her arms. A waiter met them a few feet into the cavernous foyer, holding a tray of champagne flutes filled with bubbling liquid. They both declined the drinks, and Anna took hold of Beau’s arm as they entered the main room.
The Florentine Mansion was well known for its grandeur and elegance. It had been owned by the same family for over a hundred years and was a popular venue for weddings and events. Even growing up in a wealthy family, Anna had rarely seen anything as opulent as the Florentine.
A crystal chandelier hung in the center of the ballroom where men in suits and women in elegant gowns mingled around high tables.
The Christmas gala was Heart Springs Pregnancy Resource Center’s biggest charity event of the year, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars from wealthy donors from all throughout the state.
Anna had been attending since her teen years and always made a sizable donation to the non-profit that provided prenatal care to women, as well as help and supplies for struggling families with young children.
Anna’s phone vibrated in her clutch, and she pulled it out to read the message.
Brittany: Hey. What are you doing?
Anna released Beau’s arm to type out a quick reply. Things had returned to normal after Brittany left Blackwater, but Anna stayed on high-alert. The last thing she wanted to do was cause Brittany to worry enough to show up for another visit.
Anna: Hey. I’m at a charity event right now.
She slid the phone back into her clutch and looked up at Beau. He was already watching her with a silent question in his eyes.
“Brittany,” Anna explained .
Beau’s jaw tensed. Camille and Anna had delved into a search on Brittany, but their resources hadn’t produced anything alarming. Still, Beau openly didn’t trust Brittany, and Anna kept him in the loop about everything that went on.
There was another message from Brittany a few seconds later.
Brittany: What kind of charity event? Where is it?
Anna turned the phone to show Beau.
She’d been walking a thin line in their conversations lately. If she didn’t respond, Brittany might do something drastic. If Anna did keep up the conversation, she’d spend the evening on her phone instead of enjoying the event.
There was also a warning that stayed front and center in her mind. Every bit of information she gave Brittany felt like an invasion of privacy after the way she’d showed up at random places where Anna just happened to be.
Beau shook his head. “Maybe ask if you can call her when we leave so you can tell her all about it.”
“Good idea.” Anna typed out the message and got a quick response from Brittany.
Brittany: Sounds good.
Okay, that went well. Now she could enjoy the evening with Beau.
But as soon as she pushed the phone back into her clutch, Beau’s hand rested lightly on hers. “Heads-up. Your parents are here. ”
Every bit of joy she’d brought with her died. She wanted to see her parents more than anything, but would they want to see her?
She turned slowly, scanning the suits and ball gowns. The sight of her mother in a shimmering gold dress stopped Anna cold.
“Do you want to talk to them?” Beau asked.
Anna ducked her chin before looking up at him. “I’m not sure.”