"I'm not trying to fix her," Annabelle protested. "I just…like her."
Lily studied her for a long moment. Then her expression softened. "You really do, don't you?"
"Yes." The word came out quieter than Annabelle intended. "I know she's grumpy and difficult and probably not interested in staying in Bankton long-term, but I just… I like her, Lily. I like the way she is with Jamie. I like how she pretends not to care but actually cares so much. I like…" She stopped, feeling overwhelmed. "I just like her."
Lily reached across the desk and squeezed Annabelle's hand. "Then I'm cautiously supportive. But please,pleasebe careful. Guard your heart a little bit. Not everyone is ready for what you have to offer."
"I will," Annabelle promised.
But as she walked back to her classroom, she wondered if it was already too late for that.
THAT EVENING, ANNABELLE baked biscuits.
It was her go-to stress response, had been since she was a teenager. When exams loomed, she baked. When her father had been ill, she'd baked enough to feed the entire village. When her last relationship had ended, she'd produced seventeen batches of chocolate chip cookies in a single weekend.
Now, standing in her kitchen surrounded by cooling racks, she was definitely stress-baking.
Chocolate chip. Oatmeal raisin. Lemon (of course). Sugar cookies with pink icing.
She arranged some on a plate, then paused.
Should she bring them to Raven?
It would be friendly. Normal. Just neighbors sharing baked goods. Except nothing about last night had been normal, and showing up at Raven's door with cookies might be… too much.
What if she thinks I'm being pushy? What if she needs space?
Annabelle set the plate down and stared at it.
Maybe Lily was right. Maybe she needed to wait for Raven to make the next move. To show that she wanted… whatever this was.
But the uncertainty was killing her.
What if Raven regrets it? What if she's avoiding me?
Annabelle picked up the plate, then set it down again. Picked it up. Set it down.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself. "You're being ridiculous."
She wrapped the cookies carefully and put them in a tin. Then she put the tin in her cupboard where she wouldn't have to look at it.
Wait for her to make the next move,she told herself firmly.Give her space. Don't be pushy.
But as the evening wore on, the nervous energy only grew. She cleaned the kitchen twice. Reorganized her bookshelf. Started grading papers, then gave up when she realized she'd read the same paragraph five times without absorbing a single word.
Finally, unable to stand it any longer, she walked to the window and looked out.
Raven's cottage sat in the growing darkness, warm light glowing from the windows. Annabelle could see a shadow moving inside, Raven, probably pacing, or playing guitar, or doing whatever it was she did in the evenings.
What is she thinking? Does she regret it? Is she as confused as I am?
Annabelle pressed her forehead against the cool glass and closed her eyes.
She'd kissed Raven. And now everything had changed. And she had absolutely no idea what came next.
But one thing was certain: she couldn't stop thinking about it. About her. About the way Raven had looked at her in that charged moment before their lips met.
Like she wanted Annabelle too.
