"Well, you were always the expert on chocolate." He motioned for her to enter the store. She stared at him in shock. He wanted to go now? With her? She jolted forward before he had a chance to change his mind and the two entered the shop. Anne felt like she was walking on air. He was with her! Not ignoring her or avoiding her, but actually walking right beside her!
Trying to act a lot calmer than her fluttering stomach, she asked, "What brings you to Boston?"
"Uh, work. And Louisa."
The air dried up and Anne was back on solid, boring ground. Of course, it would be Louisa that brought him here. And she couldn't blame him. The poor girl was still in a coma, her fate yet unknown.
"Have you been able to see her?" Anne asked.
"Yes, Charles took me in to see her."
Anne rolled her eyes. So, Charles was around for him, but not for her.
Rick rubbed his face. "Such a mess."
"Is she really that bad?"
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You haven't seen her?"
Now Anne felt terrible. Rick had sacrificed who knew what to come and see Louisa while Anne, who lived in the very same town, had failed to see her once. "Not yet. I've been busy with my father." Such a lame excuse. "But Charles keeps me updated with texts," she added, hoping that would forgive her selfishness. But who was she kidding? This was the man who wouldn't forgive her for stomping all over his heart. She was doomed.
"Yeah, same here," Rick said. "I hope she pulls through. I really do."
"Yeah, me, too." Though once Louisa woke up, then Anne might lose Rick again. Yet, hoping Louisa never woke up was even worse. She was turning into a terrible person, wasn't she?
The conversation lapsed and Anne frantically tried to come up with something new before he made an excuse and scampered away.
"Which did you like best?" He abruptly asked.
She stared at him, lost, before realizing he was referring to the chocolate samples.
"Oh," she pointed to the cherry ones. "This one." She hadn't tasted it but cherry chocolates had never failed her before.
A soft smile played on his lips, just like the ones he used to wear for her. "Yeah, you always did."
Anne leaned toward him, wanting to bask in that smile. Was she winning him back? But she had no idea how she was doing it!
"Anne!" A suave voice cut in, completely ruining the moment. She turned to rain wrath on whoever dared to ruin the perfect moment—and found Will shuffling himself to her side. She suddenly despised him.
"Ah, Rick," Will said and that coldness flashed through his eyes. Anne was surprised. How could anyone dislike Rick?
"Good to see you again," Will continued.
"Likewise," Rick said, his tone and posture matching the fleeting cold flash in Will's eyes.
"You know each other?" Anne asked, trying to determine what caused their equal animosity.
"Work," was Rick's terse reply.
Will, on the other hand, graced her with a smile. "We met a few days ago when he needed my help to meet our dear cousin, Senator Dalrymple."
"She's your cousin?" Rick asked, apparently stunned by the news.
"Actually, she's my mother's cousin," Anne stated, then faced Rick, "Why do you need to meet her?"
"It's for a delicate matter," Will cut in before Rick could respond, then turned to Rick. "I see you're acquainted with my Anne."
Anne stared at him. His Anne? She opened her mouth to protest but Rick beat her.
"I'm afraid I must go," he waved his phone as if it was a magic wand that produced the perfect excuse, "Have a good day."
"Wait!" Anne cried. It was out before her brain registered the outburst. He turned his surprised eyes on her and Anne, grasping at anything, latched onto something Will had mentioned earlier.
"My family is going to a symphony tomorrow night at the Symphony Hall. It should be really good."
Will and Rick stared at as if she had squeaked nonsense instead of plain English.
"You should come," she dared to say. "The acoustics in the old Symphony Hall are fantastic." She hadn't planned on going, but if Rick would come, she'd be there in two seconds.
Rick looked at her, then at Will. "I'll think about it." Then he turned on his heel and walked away. Anne wanted to run after him, to beg him to not go, but Will was already spouting nonsense about chocolates, apparently expecting her to continue their date. And she didn't want to anger Will. It might cause a scene and though she had no idea what he'd do once mad, those cold flashes certainly hinted to a deep capacity for hate.
She struggled to keep up her side of the conversation as the date continued, but her thoughts were consumed with Rick. Despite how the scenario ended, she couldn't help loving the beginning. He had stayed with her, even seemed eager to speak with her. And that soft smile—the memory alone warmed her soul. But what did it all mean? While in Uppercross, he had made a point to avoid all conversation with her, but suddenly that was gone? What had made the change? Had he finally forgiven her? And why did Will have to ruin the perfect moment? Oh, if only he hadn't shown up! She might have known how much of Rick's heart she actually owned.
Chapter 25
This had been a terrible idea.
Anne searched the meandering crowd, hoping for a miracle and she'd spy Rick's tall frame sauntering through the entrance. Though with her luck, he'd probably saunter behind an equally tall man and she'd miss him entirely. Why did she invite him to this symphony? She should have chosen a less big event where she didn't have to fight through a crowd and shout at him just to be heard. This was a nightmare. She was never going to catch him. Assuming he was even coming. That would fit her luck, especially all the work she'd put in to convince her father and sister to wait in the foyer for the Senator instead of at their designated table. And now they were probably glaring at her, wondering why she kept searching the crowd for any tall guy with dark hair.
"Anne," her sister scoffed, "will you stop that? He's going to be late."
Anne turned in shock. How did Eliza know?
She rolled her eyes. "You don't have to act all surprised. It's obvious how badly you like him."
Anne flushed. This was even worse. If Rick didn't come, Eliza would croon about it for years.
"But," Eliza continued, grinning in triumph, "He sent me a text; not you." She showed her phone and Anne spotted Will's name on the text.
Relief flooded through Anne. Wrong guy. And Will probably had sent a text, but Anne hadn't bothered to check her phone nor did she want to waste time correcting her sister. She had Rick to find.
"How late did he say he'd be?" Anne asked, sweeping the crowd once again. If Will came after the symphony started, she could use it as an excuse to stay in the foyer until then. Just in case Rick came late. Assuming he came at all.
"Five minutes."
"You don't think we've missed Senator Dalrymple, do you?" Her dad asked, eying the crowd as well.
"The reporters haven't moved," Eliza said, gesturing to the clustered group of people with cameras and mikes in their hands. "When they move, we'll know she has arrived."
Anne suddenly gasped and her family turned, fully expecting the senator to have arrived, but the tall, handsome man entering the doorway was far more important than a mere senator. Well, at least to Anne. Every fiber of her being wanted to yell out his name, but she kept herself in check, waiting until he was within polite earshot before she stepped forward.
"Hi, Rick."
He jerked, again acting like she was a wailing ghost, come to haunt him once more. "A-Anne, you're here." And he wasn't any more confident than last time. It was so strange to see him so nervous, especially after his confident days with the Musgroves. His eyes flicked behind her, to where her father and sister stood. His jaw tightened and that fiery rage lit up those brown eyes. Anne withered inside. Her family must have ignored him, turning away in disgust. That meant they had remembered him after all and apparently had no desire to renew the relationship. In fact, they were p
robably mortified that she was bothering to talk to the ex-foster boy, but she didn't care.
"I'm so glad you could make it," Anne said, hoping his eyes would focus on her.
He eyes did fall on her, but the rage still consumed them. "Thanks, but I haven't been to a symphony in a long time." He began to step away as if he intended to leave. Desperate, she went for the one topic she knew would interest him.
"I was able to see Louisa this morning."
It worked. He immediately focused on her, the rage disappearing. "You were? How was she?"
"Charles said the doctors seemed a lot more hopeful. Her status seems to be improving at long last."
His face relaxed into a relieved smile. "I'm glad. I've been fearing the worse."
"Charles, too, but I keep telling him she'll pull through. She's a strong girl."
"You're right about that." His smile softened as if remembering better days with Louisa. Anne wished he was thinking of her instead. "Do you know when they'll ease her out of the medical coma? Did Charles mention a time?"
She nodded. "Next week. James had a whole sonnet about the news."
Rick laughed. It was such an easy laugh. Nothing like Will's polite one. "James can get carried away with his poetry. His fiancé used to love it, poor girl..." The sentence died and a frown descended over his lips.
"What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. I just...I remembered something from earlier today."
"Oh?" She prodded, hoping he'd share. He used to tell her everything; she'd love if he did it again.
He hesitated and she held her breath. Then he shrugged. "An old friend of mine shared some news that was...disconcerted."
"But not bad?"
"Ha, no, not really. He, uh, well, he's fallen in love again. After all these years..." Rick looked away for a moment. "It's hard for me to wrap my mind around it."
"Because he fell in love?" Anne couldn't see the connection. Had Rick's broken heart made him despise falling in love? But, he had helped his other friend get married...
"You don't know him, Anne."
He said her name!
"You didn't see the attachment he had to his former fiancé. It was a love that...that stood the test of time. Or so I thought. To see him suddenly in love with someone else—don't get me wrong, I'm happy for him; no man deserves more happiness than him—it's just, when you love like that...when she's everything to you..." He fell silent. Anne had no idea how to follow up with that, her witless brain once again failing. But then he suddenly looked at her, an earnest, searching look that sent her witless brain in a frenzy.
"Anne, I—"
A rising wave of noise swept through the crowd and reporters sprang into action. Anne wanted to throw her hands up in frustration. Or grab Rick and pull him to a quiet spot and insist he finish whatever was going to say because she was pretty sure it was going to be momentous. At least to her little heart.
Alas, it was too late. The moment was ruined; he pulled away, his attitude changing, the soft look fading to a business facade as the Senator headed toward her family.
"Senator Dalrymple," Rick said with a nod of his head.
The Senator smiled. "Rick. I wasn't aware you enjoyed symphonies."
"I've been to a few around the world."
"Senator Dalrymple," Eliza oozed, coming up to them, then flicking a forced smile at Rick. "You know each other?"
"He's helping me with a dilemma," the senator said. "He might even help with yours, Walter. He works for the Pemberley Estates Corporation."
Her father suddenly lit up. No longer was Rick just an ex-foster boy, but suddenly he had clout and importance. "We've actually known each other for a long time, haven't we?" He announced as if they were the best of buddies.
Anne wished her father had more tact, but alas, one couldn't pick one's family members. Rick's jaw tightened, but luckily he only smiled dutifully instead of embarrassing her father by pointing out the truth.
"Where are you sitting, Rick?" the senator asked.
"I'm way in the back."
"In the back? You can do better than that. Join my group. We have enough room."
Rick inclined his head toward the Senator, but his eyes rested on Anne. "Thanks, I'd like that."
Anne resisted beaming with excitement. Assuming she wasn't misreading that look, he wanted to sit next to her and she was certainly not opposed to that! Perhaps, by the end of the symphony, she could wrangle out where exactly she stood in his heart.
Alas, the fates intervened with the arrival of Will. He, unfortunately, was not late as promised. Her father and sister were relieved while Anne hid her annoyance with a polite smile. Will, on the other hand, made a point to greet Anne with great attention, irritating Eliza, and insisted on leading everyone into hall, with Anne by his side. She tried to sneak away to walk beside Rick but Will would always ask her a question, forcing her to stay with him without causing a scene. A few minutes more and he managed to arrange for her sit next to him while Rick was delegated to the opposite side, next to her father.
Anne sat down with a disappointed sigh. If she was Louisa or maybe her sister, Mary, she could have made a big fuss, insisting she get her way. But that would have embarrassed her father, offended the senator, and angered her sister. Besides, there was the intermission. And if her addled brain would work with her, she could procure his phone number. Then she could talk to him whenever! Well, assuming Rick wanted to talk to her...
She eyed Rick as he sat next to her father—probably the very last person he wanted to sit with—and prayed her father would be blessed with tact for once in his life. She didn't need Rick storming off like the last time those two had spoken, especially if it meant she wouldn't see Rick for another eight years.
Thankfully, the two seemed to be exchanging polite conversation easily enough. This may not end in disaster quite yet.
"Distracted tonight, aren't we?" Will's voice penetrated her brain.
She swiveled her head from Rick's direction and forced a smile. "The group is bigger than I had expected."
"We did gain an unfortunate addition."
Anne struggled to keep her smile in place, her attraction for Will dying on the spot. "I thought you worked with Rick Wentworth?"
"Only on one matter, but we're not here to talk about work." He leaned closer. "We're here to talk about secrets."
She leaned away. "We are?"
"Yes, about you."
"I don't have any secrets."
"Ah, but you do. You have a secret admirer."
She straightened in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Before we met, I have heard someone sing your praises every chance they could."
Anne snuck a glance at Rick, who still chatted with her father, though he no longer seemed to enjoy it. Had he been the one to sing her praises to Will? They had worked together though she didn't know how long ago.
"Who was it?"
Will grinned. "That, dear Anne, would ruin the secrecy!"
She frowned. "Did you only bring this up to rub it in my face?"
He grinned. "You're very astute, did you know that?"
"I believe that's more of your talent."
"You're humble, too. A quiet beauty unaware of the blinding aura you produce. In short, Anne," he leaned close and lowered his voice. "You fascinate me."
Shivers ran up her spine, but they weren't of excitement, but of disgust, like she had discovered she was the love interest in a horror movie. "Uh, that can happen to anyone, I guess," was the only reply she could come up with, her eyes already darting to Rick, wishing he was sitting next to her instead of this creepy guy. To her shock, Rick wasn't in his chair. She frantically scanned the room and barely caught his tall form exiting the hall. Was he leaving? He couldn't leave!
Will was saying something, but she had no time for his nonsense anymore. "Sorry; excuse me for a moment." She got up, grateful she sat on the edge, and hurried after Rick; his long stride had carried him nearly to
the outside exit. In another moment, he'd be outside, lost in the traffic.
"Rick!" She probably sounded desperate, but for once in her life, she didn't care. He was ruining her chance to talk to him during the intermission!
To her relief, he halted in his tracks and turned, an angry fire dancing in his eyes. She slowed with dismay; he was furious. As she had feared, her father must have said something. Oh, why did she have to have such terrible family members?
"Is something wrong?" She called as she hurried up to him. He stayed rooted in his spot, apparently refusing to move one step closer toward her—and her father.
"I, uh, had work come up." He shook his phone as if it would magically provide the proof for his abrupt departure.
"But, the symphony hasn't even started. You'll miss it entirely."
Rick shrugged. "Work is work."
"But the piano solo is in the beginning. Surely it's worth staying for that."
He seemed to relax at that statement, a soft smile worming its way on his stiff face. "You would only care for the piano part."
She flushed slightly. "I do have a partiality for pianos, don't I?"
That soft smile began to widen. "That's an understatement." He took a step toward her and Anne's heart began to race. He had that old look in his eyes again. She took a step forward herself. With just one word, she'd be in his arms in less than a second—
"Anne?" Will's voice shattered the moment and Rick jerked away, the anger flaring in his eyes again.
"Is something the matter?" Will continued, rushing to her side like she was some damsel in distress. Anne heartily wished Will would burst into flames or get eaten up by the carpet. He was ruining the perfect moment again!
"I'm fine. I was only worried about Rick." She focused on Rick, still standing next to her, though his angry eyes were now on Will. "Won't you come back?"
But whatever wonderful feelings he had for Anne were now gone, replaced with a cold, forced smile and angry eyes. "No, I have to go. Enjoy the symphony." He turned and strode out. Anne took two steps to follow him, but Will grasped her arm.
"Anne, the symphony is starting." There was an edge of steel to Will's voice as if daring her to disobey. Part of her wanted to obey—to please others like she had always done—but a greater part wanted Rick, and that part won, causing her to shake her arm free and rush outside. Alas, those moments with Will had given Rick too much time to escape. She couldn't see his tall form anywhere.
Persuading Him: A Modern Persuasion Retelling (Pemberley Estates Book 1) Page 21
