“You gave me my freedom.”
Annie stilled beneath his touch, staring into his eyes.
“I never really came back,” he murmured. “For seven years, I was still that kid in the basement, standing there paralyzed with fear, ready to end it all. I was hiding. I was surviving, but not really living. I didn’t truly come back to life until I met you.”
Tears filled Annie’s eyes, and she let them fall.
“Don’t give up,” she whispered. “This isn’t the end of our story.”
“Even if it is, I regret none of it. ‘It is necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.’?”
The words landed somewhere far back in her memory and she pulled them forward. They belonged toThe Count of Monte Cristo, her father’s favorite novel.
Annie turned her head, kissing the palm of Daniel’s hand, before rising to her feet.
“Dantès made it out of his prison cell,” she said, looking down into his eyes. “And if I have my way, you will, too.”
Chapter 39ANNIE
Annie dipped her head into the sink and took in a mouthful of water, swished, and spat. Looking up, she caught her gaze in the mirror and stared at her reflection in dismay. Whowasthat woman? She looked terrible. Gaunt and exhausted, with eyes that were red from crying all the way home from the church, and dark circles that spoke of serious sleep deprivation.
All in all, she’d averaged maybe four or five hours of sleep a night since this whole ordeal started, and it was definitely taking a toll, but hopefully the walk up to the boathouse would help.
Without bothering to smooth her wild hair, Annie quickly took the stairs down to the garage and nodded at Walt, who was tinkering with the separated pieces of a leaf blower on the workbench.
“Hey there, Annie,” he called as she stepped quickly past. “You all right?”
Annie gave a brief nod. “I’m fine.”
The threat of tears was still in her voice, and Walt came quickly around the table.
“Come on, now, what’s wrong?”
Everything.
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I was just…” She angled a thumb vaguely at the road. “I need a walk.”
Walt tugged off his work gloves and flopped them over the sawhorse behind him. For a moment, Annie thought he would wrap her in a hug, and she knew the tears barely held at bay now would never survive it, but he clapped her gently on the shoulder instead.
“I’ll go with you,” he said quietly. “Whatever’s on your mind, the woods will help, come on.”
Annie fell into step beside him as they walked down the driveway and turned left up the dirt road.
After several minutes of silence, Walt spoke.
“Forgive me if this is an obvious question, but is it the case that has you so upset?”
Annie nodded. “It is. It’s got me questioning everything.”
Beside her, Walt murmured, “It’s more than that though, isn’t it?”
Annie glanced sideways at him, and he gave her a knowing look.
“Everything’s all wrapped up in one horrible knot that I can’t seem to untie. I’m caught between two people that I care about, and I can’t figure out who to believe.” Her eyes fell to her shoes as they walked up a steep incline. “I just can’t trust my instincts right now.”
Walt’s head bobbed. “You’re torn.”
“That’s an understatement.”
