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I lifted my head to find tears in Annie’s eyes. Confused, I carefully slipped from her and set her feet on the ground. “What is it? Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head and swallowed. “No, I—it was incredible. I think I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed. Can you take me home?”
TWENTY-NINE
ANNIE
Lee watchedme carefully for the entire drive to the apartment above the barn at Highfield House.
Lee and I were friends, best friends, and we didn’t keep secrets from each other—except for one tiny, life-altering, potentially relationship-ending secret that I had been holding for years.
Lee pulled his truck behind my car in the driveway. I climbed the stairs, gripping the railing until my knuckles turned white. I steadied my breath as I walked up to my temporary apartment.
Once they all find out what I’ve done, I’ll probably have to search for a new apartment on top of everything else.
But a new apartment was the least of my worries. Once I told Lee the truth and the rest of the Sullivans found out I had been lying for years, I wouldn’t blame them for completely disowning me.
They would leave like everyone else.
For one fleeting, hopeful moment, my thoughts flickered to Kate. She knew my secret and had kept it, not once alluding to Lee about the source of the letters he’d received during his time overseas.
There had been times over the years when she had encouraged me to tell him, but for one stupid reason or another, I had convinced myself that keeping the secret was protecting him—protecting the memory of Margo and the relationship he thought they shared. Keeping his heart safe had always been my intention.
But now that I had a glimpse of his true heart, I realized what a fool I had been. How my actionsaddedto his pain. I would never forgive myself.
How many times had Lee lamented that the woman he’d dated and the woman he’d fallen in love with through the letters felt like two entirely different people?
How deeply had that flippant offhand comment cut?
I would find a way to tell him, to make him understand that everything I had done all those years ago had been done with the best of intentions.
Lee’s hand traveled down the length of my spine as I fumbled to open the door above the barn.
“You okay, baby?” Worry laced through his deep voice, but a quiet nod was all I could muster.
“Just tired.” I held back the tears that burned behind my eyelids.
As I pushed open the door, Lee pulled me into an embrace just inside the doorway. One hand wrapped around my middle, while the other tangled into my curls as he held me close.
When he pulled back, his eyes were searching mine. “Please tell me, Annette. Tell me if I was too rough with you or if it was too much.”
The sheer protectiveness and gentleness of his expression was nearly enough to break me. “It’s not that,” I reassured. “To be honest, everything feels so perfect. I can’t believe this is really happening.”
“Well, believe it.” He lowered his head to level his stare with mine. “There is nothing more real than this thing between us.”
I swallowed hard and offered him a watery smile.
Once we stepped farther into my apartment, he eyed the small piles of messes littering the countertops and the pile of clean clothes lumped on the couch waiting for me to fold them. A fresh wave of embarrassment washed over me.
Let’s be real.
I wouldn’t be folding them, but more likely plucking clean items to wear straight from that laundry pile.
“I see moving in has gone well,” he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
I swatted his hand as I gathered a pile of junk mail into my arms, then tried to shove it into an open drawer. Since moving into the apartment, I hadn’t exactly unpacked everything, and there were boxes of my things strewn haphazardly around the apartment.
He laughed, toying with a rogue piece of mail. “Don’t act all embarrassed now. I’ve seen the way you live and love you anyway.”
