than hers, though we have most of ours tailored to our own liking. Anything I’ve ever had, she’s coveted. The very first day you arrived on that property, I was fourteen years old. She saw me look at you. Not just how you glance at someone passing by. She saw the look in my eyes when I saw your dark skin and heavenly soft hair, and she knew how I felt. From that moment, she made it her life’s mission to have you. Last night was just another of her acts to make Daddy give her what she wants. Just to warn you. That’s you.” Without a word more, Annabeth turned and continued, leaving me rooted to the spot.
Drew ran past me to catch up to her.
It took a few very long moments for my legs to work.
I’d thought I’d had life changing moments. Things I could never return from. Things that would make me a new person, for better or worse. But when I learned that Annabeth Rollins had at some point in her life cared for me, wanted me, that proved to be the thing that dissolved all the bad. She’d looked on me with the eyes of a girl who could possibly fall in love with me.
Drew walked alongside Annabeth until I could no longer see them.
The bend in the road hid them, and Drew’s voice floated into the summer breeze.
Annabeth hadn’t spoke as far as I could hear.
I’d never really wanted to hear a private conversation until that moment. I needed with all my heart to know if Annabeth really cared for him now, or if he was just a replacement.
My legs no longer heavy, I made it to the fork in the road where one path led to the front of the main house and the other to the pond.
Annabeth was nowhere in sight.
How long had I been anchored by her words in the middle of that lane?
I tried to keep my mind on what I needed to do that evening, but it was impossible. The house was quiet as I carried out my evening chores. No piano music, no crying, no yelling, no drunk man stumbling into tables and cursing.
So all I could think about was her.
The last three years of watching her sister pursue me. And she’d said nothing other than her attempt to talk to me at the pond. She’d tried to get me to see her that day, but I’d ignored her. Saw her as just another girl.
When she was so much more than that.
I worked throughout the evening, studied with purpose, and got a good night’s rest. I had a reason to be the best I could be. A person to be the best for. Annabeth Rollins.
Grace had been right about one thing.
And Mama and Pop had proven it.
Social standing no longer mattered.
If you loved someone, you could be together.
* * * *
The bell sounded, but my heart was louder.
I’d never been so nervous.
Annabeth gathered her school things and started out the door.
I would find a way to talk to her if I had to throw Drew Cobb into the bushes.
Hurrying toward her, I tripped on a desk, but righted myself before I took a tumble into the floor.
From behind me, Mrs. Peachtree giggled. “Mr. Kinsley, you’d do well to look more at where you’re going instead of a girl. Can you spare a second? I need to speak with you.”
I groaned. “Yes, ma’am?”
“It’s nothing dreadful. I just wondered. With your schooling coming so close to an end, I’d hoped to see you apply to a college. As of yet, you haven’t asked for a reference.”
I looked at the wooden floorboards. “That’s probably not going to happen.”
After her words, I was reminded. I had nothing to offer Annabeth.
“There’s a school close by. I’d like you to take it into consideration. You’re so bright and full of livelihood. You’d make a wonderful doctor or lawyer.” Mrs. Peachtree’s smile was so hopeful, I believed her.
“I’ll think about it.” For Annabeth, I’d find a way.
* * * *
Close to where I turned off to go to the cottage from school, the breeze carried a guy’s words of sickening lustfulness, and a girl whimpers of obvious distress.
When the girl’s cries registered as Annabeth, I slapped the arms of overgrowth as
Drew ran past me to catch up to her.
It took a few very long moments for my legs to work.
I’d thought I’d had life changing moments. Things I could never return from. Things that would make me a new person, for better or worse. But when I learned that Annabeth Rollins had at some point in her life cared for me, wanted me, that proved to be the thing that dissolved all the bad. She’d looked on me with the eyes of a girl who could possibly fall in love with me.
Drew walked alongside Annabeth until I could no longer see them.
The bend in the road hid them, and Drew’s voice floated into the summer breeze.
Annabeth hadn’t spoke as far as I could hear.
I’d never really wanted to hear a private conversation until that moment. I needed with all my heart to know if Annabeth really cared for him now, or if he was just a replacement.
My legs no longer heavy, I made it to the fork in the road where one path led to the front of the main house and the other to the pond.
Annabeth was nowhere in sight.
How long had I been anchored by her words in the middle of that lane?
I tried to keep my mind on what I needed to do that evening, but it was impossible. The house was quiet as I carried out my evening chores. No piano music, no crying, no yelling, no drunk man stumbling into tables and cursing.
So all I could think about was her.
The last three years of watching her sister pursue me. And she’d said nothing other than her attempt to talk to me at the pond. She’d tried to get me to see her that day, but I’d ignored her. Saw her as just another girl.
When she was so much more than that.
I worked throughout the evening, studied with purpose, and got a good night’s rest. I had a reason to be the best I could be. A person to be the best for. Annabeth Rollins.
Grace had been right about one thing.
And Mama and Pop had proven it.
Social standing no longer mattered.
If you loved someone, you could be together.
* * * *
The bell sounded, but my heart was louder.
I’d never been so nervous.
Annabeth gathered her school things and started out the door.
I would find a way to talk to her if I had to throw Drew Cobb into the bushes.
Hurrying toward her, I tripped on a desk, but righted myself before I took a tumble into the floor.
From behind me, Mrs. Peachtree giggled. “Mr. Kinsley, you’d do well to look more at where you’re going instead of a girl. Can you spare a second? I need to speak with you.”
I groaned. “Yes, ma’am?”
“It’s nothing dreadful. I just wondered. With your schooling coming so close to an end, I’d hoped to see you apply to a college. As of yet, you haven’t asked for a reference.”
I looked at the wooden floorboards. “That’s probably not going to happen.”
After her words, I was reminded. I had nothing to offer Annabeth.
“There’s a school close by. I’d like you to take it into consideration. You’re so bright and full of livelihood. You’d make a wonderful doctor or lawyer.” Mrs. Peachtree’s smile was so hopeful, I believed her.
“I’ll think about it.” For Annabeth, I’d find a way.
* * * *
Close to where I turned off to go to the cottage from school, the breeze carried a guy’s words of sickening lustfulness, and a girl whimpers of obvious distress.
When the girl’s cries registered as Annabeth, I slapped the arms of overgrowth as
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