Anna's Dress: a heart-wrenching second chance romance story that will make you believe in true love

by London Casey

  “Shut up. You gave me a stolen rose that’s crushed.”

  “That’s my style, Dena.”

  Then we suddenly stopped talking. And we just stared at each other.

  Seconds ticked away.

  “So,” I whispered, “is this considered a date?”

  I winked and inched away from Adena.

  I had done a lot of bad shit in my life. I spent time in cuffs. I spent time in the back of a police car. I spent time being chased by cops. I wasn’t sure I did anything right in my life. My favorite thing to wear besides my hoodie and my hat backwards was regret.

  Out of all that shit… the one thing I would forever regret the most?

  Not kissing Adena that day.

  Chapter Thirty

  (Not So Innocent)

  NOW

  (Adena)

  Okay, to be fair, there is nowhere really special and fancy to go in town. Not that I was looking for some five course gourmet dinner with a violinist playing. I had no desire to ever dress up and pretend to be something I wasn’t.

  The bowling alley was where the cool kids went to hang out. The cool kids like Evan. Like Anna. But not me. Unless I was actually bowling, which made me out to be an even bigger dork.

  Built right off the side of the bowling alley was a restaurant-slash-bar. The guy that owned the bowling alley handed it over to his son. He then shut it down and cut the bowling alley lanes in half. He added a game room on one side and the restaurant-slash-bar on the other.

  That was the new spot to hangout if you were a kid in town.

  A lot of the other old hangouts had been shutdown. Corner stores stood empty with old newspapers in the windows. The only reason they weren’t knocked down was because people occupied the second floor apartments.

  So I sat with Evan at a high top table in the corner on the opposite end of the pool tables and the dart boards. The bar was full, two large screen TV’s angled so everyone could see whatever sports that were on that night.

  We each had a tall glass of beer in front of us.

  “I never thought I would see something new in this town,” Evan said.

  “It’s not really new,” I said. “Just changed.”

  “Makes you wonder,” he said.

  “About what?”

  “Your business.”

  I shook my head. “There is no business. I have no business.”

  “Yes you do,” Evan said. “Your location changed.”

  I laughed. “My location changed? My location meaning shutting down and working for someone else? Making that person money?”

  “Until you get everything else figured out,” Evan said. “Right? I mean, what happened?”

  “So you wanted to take me on a date to ask about the time my dream business failed?”

  Evan looked away for a second. “Dena, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just asking what happened. Making conversation. You want to know about me? I live in a small apartment. I went to work for my uncle, which was going to be for a few months. But it turned into years because I had to save his business. I grew it, made him a ton of money, and now the old prick is refusing to sell it to me.”

  “Wow,” I said. “Why won’t he sell it?”

  “Stubborn.”

  “Do you two get along?”

  “He’s the only family I’ve got,” Evan said. “It’s okay though. It’s his business. I’m surviving.”

  “But are you happy that way?” I asked.

  Evan smiled.

  “What?” I asked.

  He reached across the table and took my hands. He leaned toward me. “Who’s the one asking personal questions now?”

  “Why don’t you just answer the question?”

  “Fine,” Evan said. “No. I’m not fucking happy. But it’s what I do right now. Kind of like you. You’re not happy at that other place. But it’s what you do.”

  I pulled my hands away. I hated him for calling me on my shit.

  “Okay,” I said. “But you see what my life is, Evan. So I have to figure this out now. Sort through so much.”

  “Well, start here,” Evan said. “What happened to your bakery? Was it financial?”

  “At the end, yeah,” I said.

  “Well, why? I mean, people loved your stuff… right?”

  “How would you know? You weren’t here.”

  “Ouch,” Evan said.

  “Sorry,” I said. “Yeah, people loved the business. Okay? It was booming. It was great. It was probably the best time of my life, Evan.”

  “Look at you right now,” he said. “I wish you could see the way your face is all lit up. Jesus, Dena, you have no idea how fucking beautiful you are.”

  I didn’t know what to say when Evan said that to me. That was the truth. It hit me in a way that I didn’t want to believe him that I was beautiful because the let down was too great. But it was so good to hear.

  “I mean, you’re radiating right now, Dena,” he said. “So what happened?”

  “What happened,” I said. I shook my head. “What happened… is that I tried to do the right thing, Evan. I tried to take my happiness and open it enough for someone else.”

  “A guy?” he asked.

  “No, Evan. Anna. She’s the one who-”

  “Holy shit,” a voice said. “Tell me that’s Evan sitting at a table across from Adena.”

  I turned my head and saw Jason standing there.

  A guy Evan never liked.

  A guy I sort of dated once.

  Evan stood up and shook hands with Jason. Right behind him came a small group.

  Two guys, two girls. I knew them all from high school, even if I didn’t remember their names. Which didn't matter to me; it wasn’t like we were all old friends ready to catch up. Well, at least not me. But I sat there and watched as Evan shook hands and hugged everyone in the small group.

  “Bro, are you back here now?” one of the guys asked.

  “No, Phil. Not exactly that. Just having dinner tonight…”

  Evan turned and looked at me. Great. Now I was the center of attention once again.

  “Oh, hey,” Phil said. I remembered Phil now. He slept in every class. And only got into trouble when he snored. “You’re, uh, Alana. That’s it. Alana.”

  “Adena,” Evan said. He put a finger right to Phil’s jaw. “It’s Adena. How the hell don’t you know that?”

  “Adena,” one of the women said. “So you’re Anna’s sister. Ohmygod. I’m so sorry…”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “That was a real shame,” Jason said as he inched closer to me. “Sorry I wasn’t there. I didn’t want to kick anything up.”

  “Meaning what?” Evan asked.

  “Nothing,” I said. I started to stand up.

  I felt like I was right back in high school. Everyone around me talking. I was just like a fly on the wall. The only reason anyone knew me or talked to me was because of my sister.

  “I can’t believe she’s really gone,” the woman said to me. I studied her face for a second and the name started to come to me. Leslie? Tina?

  I couldn’t be sure. There had been this group of girls that were nothing but fake bitches.

  “Let me buy you a beer,” Phil said.

  “Not tonight,” Evan said. “We’re having dinner. I’d like…”

  “Oh, shit,” Phil said. “You’re on a date?”

  I felt my face turn red.

  Evan, however, didn’t let anything bother him.

  “Yeah, we’re on a date,” he said. “Is that a fucking problem?”

  “Not for me,” Phil said, lifting his hands. “Could be for this guy though…”

  Phil nodded to Jason.

  I felt my heart sink.

  Evan raised an eyebrow.

  “Hey, I’m done with her,” Jason said and started to laugh.

  Evan looked at me.

  I shrugged my shoulders and bit my lip. Giving everything away. Not that it was really a big deal. There was a time whe
n…

  “Done with her?” Evan yelled. “That’s how you talk about a woman?”

  Evan closed in on Jason. Jason put a hand to Evan’s chest. “Come on. I’m fucking around. Take it easy, Evan. Jesus Christ.”

  “I won’t take it fucking easy,” Evan said. He ripped Jason’s hand away from his chest. “What the fuck did you mean by that?”

  “Holy shit, Evan,” Phil said.

  “Shut up, Phil,” Evan said.

  The other guy grabbed for the two women and started to tug at them, pulling them away from the scene.

  “Evan, it’s fine,” I said.

  “No it’s not,” he said.

  “You want to know what I meant? Exactly what I said.” Now Jason was squaring off with Evan. “Not sure where the hell you came from, Evan. Or what you think happens around here. But the world moves on. Adena’s a big girl. She can make her own decisions. I was one of them.”

  “Go back to your drink,” I said to Jason.

  “Listen to her,” Evan said.

  Jason grinned. “You got it. Good to see you, Evan.” He looked at me. “Good to see you, Adena. Maybe when he abandons you again, you can call me. We can catch up. I’ll lick all those wounds… and I’ll lick your-”

  I saw it happening. And instead of reaching for Evan to stop the punch, I covered my mouth. Maybe in some way I wanted it to happen that way.

  Evan’s fist slammed against the side of Jason’s jaw. It sent Jason spinning like a top, stumbling back, one hand grabbing at his face, the other hand outreached for balance. He danced all the way to the bar and grabbed a glass. He threw it right at Evan as though the liquid was poisonous. The glass didn’t even reach Evan. It fell short, hitting the floor, shattering.

  All eyes were on Evan as he stood there, his back flexed, looking massively huge. He was ready to fight. Jason stepped from the bar and Phil grabbed his arm to keep him back.

  “That’s right,” Evan said. “Phil just saved your fucking life, man.”

  Evan looked around, realizing everyone was staring at him. He looked back at me. He put his hand out and I took it.

  Without a word, he walked and I followed.

  So much for our date, huh?

  Then again, seeing Evan jealous was kind of sexy. Maybe he really thought I was beautiful.

  Once we were outside, Evan spun me around and next thing I knew, my back was against the building. Neon lights for bowling and beer hung above me, the red color reflecting off Evan's face, making him look angrier.

  “What did that comment mean in there?” he asked me.

  “What?”

  “Jason. What he said.”

  “I dated him, okay?” I said. “Not long. But whatever.”

  “So you and him were together,” Evan said.

  “Yeah. We were.”

  “Why? What the fuck did you see in him?”

  “That’s my business, Evan,” I said. “Are you jealous?”

  He gritted his teeth and curled his lip. “No. I can’t stand the idea of a guy like that…”

  “What?” I said. “Kissing me? Touching me? Huh?”

  Evan pushed away and then started to pace. He held up a fist and I thought he was going to punch the building. I never had a guy get jealous over me before. I was usually just an afterthought.

  “Evan,” I said.

  He finally stopped pacing and looked at me.

  I saw the look in his eyes.

  I could have said something to him. But why should I? He was jealous of him. Let him work this out. Figure this out. I kind of liked the attention anyway. I couldn’t stop seeing him punching Jason. The way Phil grabbed for Jason, knowing if Jason wanted to challenge Evan, he would have gotten his ass kicked.

  “I hate that guy,” Evan growled. “He was always a prick. A fucking asshole.”

  “Yeah, I agree,” I said. “So what? Are you going to dig through my past now? Huh?”

  Evan faced me again. His right hand grabbed for my waist and he pinned me against the building.

  “No, sweetheart,” he growled. “We can do that later.”

  “So what do we do now?” I asked, knowing I was teasing him.

  “Get in my fucking truck,” Evan ordered. “I’ll show you what’s happening next.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  (The Spots I Never Got to Miss)

  NOW

  (Evan)

  I needed out of this town. So I drove like we were being chased. The silence in the truck added to the tension. My heart wouldn’t stop racing. My nerves felt like someone was cutting them one by one. Topped off with that was a petty anger that I couldn’t get to subside. I kept looking over at Adena. And when I did, I imagined her in bed with another man. It was stupid to think that she was still as innocent as the day I met her. I was never going to be her first. That was my fault though. I let all those moments slip away without even an attempt at grabbing them.

  But to actually hear something…

  I looked at my right hand. My middle knuckle was a little swollen. Jason deserved that punch. That was a long overdue punch. He deserved a lot more than that too, but I now had more important things to take care of.

  “Evan,” Adena whispered. “Where are we going?”

  “My place,” I said. “I can’t be in that town right now. Hope you don’t mind.”

  I looked at Adena. She looked at me. “Not at all.”

  Her words poked at me even more. Adena not only left me stupid but she left me feeling insane.

  I finally made it home and wasted no time in leading Adena to the small building. It was four apartments, two downstairs, two upstairs. I had one of the upstairs ones.

  The second I opened the door, I felt a sense of relief slide over me. Like I had won the grand prize in some contest and I had safely brought it home. I shut the door, dropped my keys, and grabbed for Adena’s wrist.

  I spun her around and pulled her close to me. “Do you want the tour?”

  She swallowed hard. “Sure…”

  My hands touched her face. My thumbs stroked her cheeks.

  And I kissed her.

  Her lips were as delicious as before. She grabbed for my shoulders as I lowered my hands down and pulled her close. When my hands eased over the curve of her ass, I lifted her.

  I broke the kiss. “This is the entrance to my apartment.”

  Adena smiled.

  I started to walk, carrying her. Kissing her. I skipped her lips for the moment and started to kiss her neck. Tasting her skin, the tip of my tongue flicking against her, then kissing her hard and purposely loud.

  I walked her to the kitchen and sat her on the counter.

  “This is the kitchen,” I said.

  Adena looked left to right. “Looks great.”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  I pulled her off the counter and turned, walking her from the kitchen toward the living room, dining room area. This time we didn’t kiss. I just held her, our eyes locked tight together. I swore I could feel her heart pounding, but then again, that could have just been my heart.

  My next stop through the apartment was the dining room table. I grabbed a chair and threw it to the floor. I sat Adena down on the table.

  “This is the dining room,” I said.

  “It’s lovely,” she said without breaking her stare from me.

  I kissed her again. Harder this time. Faster this time. She dug her nails into the back of my head.

  Oh, sweetheart, you’re playing a dangerous game that you cannot win…

  I groaned as I broke the kiss and lifted her again.

  This time, the walk was quicker. I swung her to the left. She let out a whimpering cry. Then I sat her on the back of the couch.

  “This is the living room.”

  “Relaxing,” she said in a breathless voice.

  I pulled her tighter against me. My right hand moved under her shirt, feeling the warmth of her skin. I held her in a position so that she could feel me. Feel what she had done to
me. I was uncomfortable in my jeans, bulging, my body demanding exactly what my heart desired.

  I lifted her again and that was it. The fucking tour was over. She didn’t need to see the closets. She didn’t need to see the bathroom. In fact, there was only one room left to see. The room where she was going to be spending the night.

  It was time to finally take her to my bedroom.

  The door shut behind me and our fates were finally sealed. After all these years of waiting, wondering, holding back, all the bullshit of right and wrong, the pain and tragedy of falling in love, leaving, coming back…

  It all swelled up to the moment I lowered Adena down to the bed.

  My hands lifted her shirt up as I lowered myself down. I needed her. I needed her body. I needed her desire.

  I kissed her stomach, making a slow circle around her belly button. I opened her jeans, and as I did so, my hands curling tight around her clothes, pulling, demanding them off.

  Adena put her hands to the bed and lifted, letting me have her.

  Her jeans eased down her body and I kept going. Part of me wanted to go faster, wanted to go fucking wild, but this was Adena. This was the moment I had been waiting for. I want to steal every second I had with her and savor it like they were my last seconds alive.

  I was on my knees before her, realizing then that Adena was the only woman who could bring me to my knees like this. She balanced herself on her elbows and looked down at me. I stripped her of her shoes, socks, and jeans. Moving slow and purposeful, wanting to touch every part of her body. Wanting to touch every spot I never had the chance to miss.

  With just my fingertips, I inched up along her legs and cut around and into her inner thigh. I saw her clutch at the sheets, shivering, letting out a loud sigh. I kept going, all the way up to her panties. My hands slid over the lace and stopped at the top line that hugged her body. That’s where my mouth wanted to be next. Using just my middle fingers, I pulled her panties down less than an inch. And I began to kiss along her body where the panty line left a light red mark on her.

  “Evan,” Adena whispered as I kissed over and over.

  What she didn’t realize was that saying my name only fueled the raging fire inside me.