Charlie chuckled and took the bag that the employee behind the counter handed him. “We’ll see, I guess.” He went to leave the shop, and then thought better of it and turned back to add one more thing. “I hope this movie does as much for your shop as it’s done for my ranch.”
“Oh, I already cashed my check for them filming a scene here. Even if the tourists don’t come around for another year or more, I’ve got enough to keep the doors open. You?”
“I’ve cashed mine, too. Finally own the place after my father ran it into the ground. Don’t plan to welcome tourists, though. So, if you could not let them know any of the movie was filmed on my land when they come around your place…”
“Sure thing, Charlie. You know I’ve got your back. Hey, enjoy the cash while it lasts.” She laughed a good-natured laugh. “Let me know if you ever change your mind about tourists.”
“Will do, but I doubt my mind will change.” He left the shop, hearing the little bell on the door jangle on his way out. The entire interaction left him feeling unbalanced, and it took him a minute to figure out why.
The way Shelly talked to him, it was almost like they were old friends. She spoke to him the same way she would speak to someone who was part of this town in a real sense, rather than just a man who shopped here from time to time. He’d never had conversations like these before Anna came into his life. And he realized it was probably her influence that had changed everything. She’d pulled him into a world he’d only ever skirted on the edges of. Now, he was in this with other people, part of a community he’d only ever noticed and never really known.
He drove back home, feeling lighter now that it really was his. No matter what, he should sleep well tonight. The weight that he’d been carrying for the last seven months had been lifted. But his house felt dark, even after he turned on the light. He pulled the book he’d purchased out of its bag and set it on his dining table. Whether he would actually read the book or not was still up in the air. It all came down to whether or not this last ordeal was one he wanted to remember, and that was something he hadn’t quite decided yet.
He made himself dinner and decided to eat it out on his front porch, listening to the crickets and the breeze in the trees around his property. On any other day, the peace would have been a comfort to him. The idea that he was going to wake up tomorrow, work around his property, and not have to interact with anyone would have calmed his mind.
Tonight, though, his mind was far from calm. He was uneasy with being alone, uneasy that tomorrow was set to be so quiet. His world felt unusually empty tonight, and he struggled to sleep, even after taking a long, hot shower. It took him an hour or more to realize that part of him missed the crew, especially Anna. He had gotten used to their presence in his life, and now that they were gone, the place was actually too quiet—as though there even were such a thing astoo quiet. But there was a sound he missed hearing more than any other, and he craved it now, despite everything. That sound, he realized with a shudder, was Anna’s voice.
CHAPTER 19
ANNA
Anna knew one way to deal with any and all problems that came her way—work. She threw herself into any project she could, devoting everything to doing the best she possibly could, making that project her whole life and her whole personality for as long as it was her responsibility. It had always been her coping mechanism, even when she was a child. If a kid at school bullied her, she’d spend the rest of the evening cleaning her room from floor to ceiling. If she was still upset after that, she’d go and alphabetize her parents’ pantry.
Yes, work was how she had always coped, and right now, what she needed more than anything was to cope. That was why she took the first job that was offered to her. It didn’t even matter what kind of movie it was for. And the fact that she would be searching for locations in Japan? Even better. It was about as far from Texas as she could get, and she was all for it.
The only downside was that she would have to get a medical exam for her work visa. It was a small thing, something she had done many times before. So, she didn’t really mind too much. She sat in the doctor’s office, reading through the notes shehad taken about her next job. This one wasn’t a novel, thank goodness. This one was a screenplay, and Anna was in the middle of reading it. She was going over each scene, memorizing all the details she could about them. She liked to be able to walk into a location and picture each scene taking place there. The more time she spent on this screenplay, the more she thought she was going to love working on it.
Then the doctor walked in. She was carrying a sheet of paper, which was surprising in itself, and she sat down like she was about to give Anna some very heavy news.
Anna’s heart began to pound. What had they found? Did it mean she couldn’t work? Would it shorten her life somehow?
Then, the doctor gave her the answer. “Your pregnancy test—it came out positive.”
At first, Anna didn’t register what had actually been said. What it meant wound up somewhere in the back of her mind, sitting among other terrifying prospects she’d never really considered. “What?” she asked.
“You’re pregnant,” the doctor said. “Several weeks along, it looks like.”
Anna shook her head. “That’s not possible.” That was, of course, a total lie, and one she was determined to believe. But she had been sexually active recently, and she had been stupid enough not to use protection. So… impossible, it wasn’t. And she knew it.
The doctor didn’t ask her any follow-up questions. She seemed to realize that Anna was dealing with a major emotional shock.
Usually, Anna recovered from emotional shock pretty quickly. She was resilient, if nothing else. So, after a couple of minutes’silence, she asked her own follow-up question. “What are my options?”
The doctor took a deep breath. “Pretty much the same options everyone in your position has to choose from. I know you’re beating yourself up right now, but don’t. You’re far from alone. Lots of women have been in your shoes. Is the father in the picture?”
Sadly, Anna shook her head. “I fell for his charm, apparently. He never really wanted anything serious.”
“Again, you’re not alone.” The doctor handed the papers in her hand over to Anna. “Your results, so you can consult them later. You have a lot to think about, and you have a little time to do that.”
“I have less than you think,” Anna said with a nervous chuckle. “I’m supposed to be flying into Tokyo in a week.”
“Well, you still can,” the doctor said. “There’s nothing high risk about your pregnancy, and you’re fit enough. It’s really going to boil down to your own comfort levels. Take into consideration the likelihood that you’ll experience symptoms like morning sickness while you’re there. They do have good healthcare in Japan, so you can safely travel there. You passed the rest of your medical exam. So, it’s entirely up to you.”
Anna stood. “Well, I guess I have a lot to consider. Thank you.” She told the doctor goodbye and walked out of the office in a daze. Every time she tried to consider all her options, her brain would only ever let her consider one—to keep and raise her baby.
Part of her knew it was because this was Charlie’s baby. She still doubted her own conclusion that he had only gotten what he wanted out of her and then ditched her. There had to beanother reason. The man she had watched care for those animals and fight for his home the way he did would not be resistant to the idea of commitment. He had the opposite of commitment phobia. He was afraid of letting go of anything he considered his. So, why had he found it so easy to let go ofher?
When she arrived back home, Anna parked her car in the garage and sat there for several minutes, just contemplating her situation.
