“Branna O’Donnell.”
“Macy Reynolds.”
They talked briefly and he told them he was just passing through, had hiked a bit, and was now heading to Brook to meet up with friends.
The women all waved and then settled at one of the tables close to the lake. Rex Martin was soon forgotten, as Branna unpacked fried chicken, brownies and several other things that made Annabelle’s mouth water.
Wine glass in hand, she looked around her. This was heaven…well, almost.
“‘So did you see Ethan yesterday, Bran, when he left your house?”
Branna lowered the drumstick she’d been about to put in her mouth. “I did.”
Annabelle sighed. “He was really pissed, wasn’t he?”
“He was calmer after talking with Jake, but he was still pretty worked up.”
Annabelle closed her eyes. “I worry that Ethan will never forgive me.” She said the words quickly because they’d been rolling around inside her head needing release since Ethan had left. “I just kind of launched into him about his brother, after he said what he did to Cooper, even though what he said was right, and then things turned ugly.”
“Ugly how?” Macy asked.
Annabelle filled Macy in on some of the stuff, but she skimmed over the Brad and Ethan thing, because that was his story to tell if he chose to.
“Sounds like you were entitled to push a bit,” Macy said. “And I’ll add to that, that Ethan may have been angry but he won’t stay that way, because he loves you.”
Annabelle slowly put down her glass and pressed a fist to her chest. “Do you think so?” she whispered, feeling ridiculously happy.
“Don’t be an idiot. Of course he does, and you know it.” Branna was smiling as she said the words.
“I love him too.” Annabelle couldn’t get the smile off her face. “He came in the room when Cooper was behaving badly that morning and told him he’d be personally nursing him if he didn’t start treating me better.”
Macy sighed. “I can’t imagine a man wanting to say something like that for me.”
“They will, Macy, I promise you.” Branna put a hand over Macy’s.
“I don’t want one to,” she said, her pretty face suddenly serious. “But I can still enjoy it when the moment happens to someone I care about.”
Annabelle shot Branna a quick look, but they didn’t add anything. Both knew it would take some time before Macy trusted a man again.
“It scares me!” Annabelle said suddenly. “This feeling when he’s around. Actually, even when he’s not.” She took a large mouthful of wine while she tried to sort out what she wanted to say. “I tell myself to back away, tell myself this won’t work, he’s rich I’m poor, he’s…he’s… God, he’s just so fine,” she sighed. “It’s like he’s under my skin somehow and I have this warm feeling all over me just thinking about him. It’s so weird. I mean, you know me.” She looked at her friends. “I don’t have deep feelings, don’t let people get close. I push them away with a few cutting words and a bit of heartless flirtation… the men, that is.”
“You let us close,” Branna said.
“Yeah, but you guys were always there and we grew up together. This is different. I don’t usually let outsiders in. Plus you two know all my faults. You know about my slob of an uncle, and how he gambled our money away, and most of the bad stuff.”
“But not all,” Branna said slowly, her gaze holding Annabelle’s.
“No, not all,” Annabelle agreed, thinking back to those days when she’d wondered how she was going to keep her family together, how she would pay the bills and feed her brothers.
“So what’s bothering you about committing to Ethan? He’s hot, rich, nice, well mannered, has all his teeth and that body is seriously to die for.”
“Don’t let Jake hear you talk that way,” Macy said.
“His body is equally spectacular.” Branna waved her hand. “I’d like to point out at this stage that you’ve had men with equally spectacular bodies in your life, and have not fallen for one of them, Annabelle.”
“He’s… it’s just that he’s… there’s so much to him. He’s kind and sweet, but he can kick ass when he needs to, and he’s great in bed.”
That made her friends hoot with laughter.
