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How had I not seen it?
Now that I knew it had been Annie behind the letters, it all made sense—the deep bond we shared, how it always felt like I was tethered to her. It was as if my soul had found its mate in hers and was just waiting for me to wake up and see it.
I knew, in my bones, Annie was an honest person. I remembered how in third grade she’d cheated on a science test and ratted herself out to Mrs. Dockley when she received an A minus. I had always known her to be kind and caring for everyone in town. Hell, she’d taken care of me more times than I could count.
I needed to see her. I wanted to apologize for bailing on her before she could explain herself. Apologize for raising my voice at her and finally admitting aloud that I loved her.
I was still pissed, but we could work it out.
We had to.
She’d avoided my calls for the past two days, so showing up to her work was the next logical option. My eyes narrowed when I saw JP King standing outside of Sand Dune Studio, hanging aFor Rentsign in the window.
I parked my truck and stormed toward him. “What the hell is this?”
JP looked me over but turned back to the building. “Sullivan.”
I gestured toward the sign and repeated,“What the hell is this?”
JP turned toward me, a bored expression on his smug face. “Are you looking to rent a downtown storefront or are you just wasting my time?”
“Fuck off. Where’s Annie?”
JP had the audacity to look bored as I fumed in front of him. “Ms. Crane opted to break her lease.” I started to argue, but he put a hand up in the air. “We came to a mutually beneficial agreement, only charging her half of what her contract clause originally stipulated for a premature exit.” He leaned forward. “So you’re welcome for that.”
“Such an asshole,” I muttered. I shook my head and stormed off in search of Annie.
* * *
Unable to track her down,I found myself sitting at Aunt Tootie’s dining room table and scowling into a cold glass of lemonade. Looking around the space, I couldn’t help but feel happiness for my aunt. The farmhouse was old, but Kate and Beckett had managed to completely renovate it while keeping the integrity of our old home. My eyes moved to a framed board. During construction, Beckett had unearthed a section of wall where our mother had marked our heights over the years. Instead of demolishing it, he’d preserved a piece of her. I absently rubbed the tattoo of my mom’s handwriting.
Tootie came up behind me, placing her hand between my shoulder blades, and sighed. “It’s a great house.”
I nodded. “A lot of memories here.”
She rubbed small circles on my back. “Some good, some bad, but these walls have lived through it all.”
I sank into her maternal touch. Tootie had stepped in to be the matriarch of our family after Mom died and even more so after Dad got sick. She’d watched us grow and make mistakes and loved us through it all.
A tiny peck sounded by the door. Just beyond the screen, Henrietta was tilting her head and poking the frame with her beak. I stood, opened the screen door and scooped her in my arms. With a low, contented cluck, Henrietta nestled into my embrace.
With a sigh, I sat back at the dining room table, gently petting Henrietta’s soft feathers. “Do you ever get tired of it?” My voice came out small, and I ground my teeth against the swell of emotions rising in my chest.
When she didn’t answer, I continued: “Tired of how people look at you and see only one part of you?”
Tootie took the seat next to mine. “What do you think when people see you?”
I scoffed. “They see a Sullivan or the son of a man losing his mind. A bachelor who will never commit. The poor guy who should be lamenting his perfect dead girlfriend.”
She shook her head, but I didn’t have the balls to look her in the eye.
“Have you ever considered that you are seeing their looks through the lens of how you view yourself? Because when I look around, all I see are people who love you. People who see a man who always helps his friends and neighbors without being asked. A man who takes care of the people around him. A man who knows the value of a life and lives his to the fullest. A manworthyof great love.”
Emotion clogged my throat. “I don’t know that man you’re talking about.”
She smiled. “Sure you do. You see him every day in the mirror.”
“What if I already lost my chance at great love?”
