by Anthology
Fuck no!
No!
NO!
He slides down to one knee and tries to smile up at me. “Anna, will you marry me?”
I always knew he had a thing for me, but marriage? Come on Dean. All of this just to save your stupid show that is more for your ego than the betterment of learning about animals? He couldn’t think of anything else better to do?
As my head reels a battle cry screams out in the silenced room.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”
Derek?
On a sharp inhale, I look out to the crowd, searching for the one man I planned on returning to.
He came for me.
He came after me!
I scan the room and find only my mom and Spence, both are pointing to the left of the stage where there is an exit.
A head of black hair moves through the door and then he is gone.
No!
No!
NO!
“Anna?” Dean’s whisper is filled with concern. Concern for himself and his own ass. I look back to him. “Are you going to give me an answer?” He pleads.
Taking a deep breath, I shake my head. I look out finding some people whispering with smug grins while others look shocked. I’m not. Dean is out for himself, he isn’t anything I’ve ever wanted.
But Derek, since the moment I looked into those blue eyes, he has been everything. I was stupid to believe the lies fed to me, to leave him, and for never going back till recently.
“No, Dean,” I look back to him and step away. “I can’t and won’t marry you. Figure out another way to save your show.” I don’t waste a minute. I take off my heels and jump off the stage, heading straight to my mom and Spence.
“He came all this way …”
“For you, banana.” Spence interrupts me.
“Go to him baby. He may be heading to the house.” My mom pushes me to the door and I take off in a dead run. I weave my way through the throngs of people and out to find a massive mess in the parking lot. How am I going to get out of here?
I take off to find any place where I can hail a cab and finally find one after searching tirelessly. It takes forever to get out into open road and by the time I get back to my mom’s house, I’ve lost my heels.
I rush into the darkened house.
“Derek!” I scream his name, looking through every room only to find I’m alone in the house.
I missed him.
I crumbled to the floor as I start to cry. But I stop myself, I need to get to Wyoming and now!
STEPPING INTO THE house, I slam my fist into the wall hard enough to crush my phone against my palm.
Shit!
Now, to top everything, I need to get a new phone. I throw the jacket, Spence’s jacket I never gave back, onto the chair in the living room and slam my way into the kitchen to make myself something to eat.
I didn’t try to stay after the fucker proposed to Annabelle, my Annabelle, not his. I had the cab driver take me straight to the airport where I managed to get a returning flight right away.
Get her.
Not happening buddy.
She made her decision; she’s going to marry some rich douchebag.
“Fuck!” I throw the butter knife that is in my hand and embed it into the wall. I should have fought for her. She said Dean was nothing to her and from what Darling told me …
“Goddamn, I fucked up!” I cry.
A sharp slap comes to the back of my head. “How many times have I told you not to use the Lord’s name in vain?” Gram comes around and sits next to me, glaring at the knife in her wall. “You’ll be fixin’ that.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Grumbling, I attempt to eat.
“Where’s Annie?” She looks around before narrowing her blues back on me. “What the hell did you do now?”
“I’m so glad you have faith in me, Gram.” I take a bite and chew aggressively. “She’s marrying someone else.”
“The hell she is!” She slams her fists down. “Go get her!”
I sigh as I place my fork down with my head hung low. “No, Gram. I did and look where it got me.”
“Get your shit together, boy! That girl loves you and only you.” Gram gets up and leaves the kitchen, grumbling to herself about stupid grandsons.
“Love ya too, Gram!”
“Shut up!”
What the hell am I supposed to do? Anna knows how I feel about her. It is in her court now.
“SERIOUSLY DEREK, IF you don’t get your shit together go home!” Kelly shoves passed me. “At least then you can mope in peace at home and not drag us down with you.”
I glare at Austin who laughs from his side of the bar.
“I’m just fine.” I growl as I refill my own whiskey … again. Benefits of having your friends be your boss, when you need to you can drink.
“Face it, bro, you’re miserable.” Abe adds in. None of them know why though and will never understand the depths of my miserable state.
Fuck that. Go get her.
This time around, my wolf hasn’t left me. This time, he is being very persistent to get me to go after Anna once more.
Kelly moans. “Well then, either leave or get back to work!”
“I’m fine!” I shout back at her and move away, back to the end of the bar where only a couple of older regulars sit. They don’t talk, so we are an ideal match.
I spend the next three hours ignoring everyone and doing the best I can to get my work done. Right when we are making last call, Anna’s scent strikes me.
Ah fuck.
She’s here.
I look to the door where Abe returned to manning it and see Anna giving him a brief hug before coming in and walking straight to me. The first thing I look to is not her eyes, or the sway of her hips, but her ring finger.
And it’s bare.
Good.
Claim her.
“Hi, Derek.” Her lyrically soft voice carries over the music as she takes a seat in my section.
“What are you doing here Annabelle? Where’s Dean?” I jut my chin out, trying my best to cover my wounded heart with anger.
“He’s where he belongs, scrounging to try and save his show.” She runs a nervous hand down her side. “And I’m where I belong … here with you.”
My eyes pinch and I bark a fake laugh. “Yeah right,” I slap my towel onto the counter. “Kelly, I’m out of here for the night.” I grab my hat and leave without saying another word to the woman who I just can’t seem to be with.
Of course, it’s raining by the time I get out and I’m almost to my truck when Anna comes out, running after me.
“Derek!” She cries over the wailing of the wind. “Wait!”
I reach my truck right as Anna grabs one of my arms with both of her small hands and yanks me to look down at her.
“Will you listen to me, please?” She let’s go and wipes her wet hair from her face. I only fold my arms over my chest and continue to glare. “I’m sorry I should have told you about Dean, but there was never anything to say. Dean has wanted me ever since I first met him.” She moves her hair off her face once more. “There has never been or will ever be anyone for me, but you. I love you, Derek. I want to be in your life, wife, friend, girlfriend whatever you’ll have me as.” She falls against me and I itch to wrap her in my embrace, but I need to clarify one thing with her first. “Please, forgive me, you big asshole.”
Roughly, I grab her upper arms and slam her against the side of my truck, sliding my body easily against hers and settle between her legs. Nudging her with my nose, I take in her scent at the back side of her ear lobe. I lick a trail up her neck until I settle my lips by her ear. I’m marking her, staking my claim on her and her body.
“There is no one but you and me, little bird.” I turn her face to me and capture her sweet, red lips in a ferial kiss that tells her all that I can’t seem to say in words.
Annabelle
“YOU DO THIS on a regular basis?” My rope slips and
with that, I do as well.
“Derek!” I quietly shout down at him. “Yes, now do your job.” I start to climb higher when the slack is gone from my rope and I focus on getting back up to snap a few shots of wild African Grey Parrots.
I’m not going to say the last couple of months have been easy, heavenly, or wonderful between Derek and myself. We sat down the day after I came back to Wyoming and laid everything out on the table.
And here we are; two months later and back in Africa, Cameroon this time. Derek embraced Spence and my lifestyle and joined us. He’s been great when both Spence and I want to take pictures. Spence doesn’t need much help, but when he is busy with his own pictures, Derek is there to help me, like right now.
Gram was glad to be rid of him. She didn’t think she could handle being saddled with him while I would be gone. Darling didn’t want him either, so we went and got him his passport along with everything he would need for the various places we travel to.
Dean lost his show and was forced to quit his own world traveling.
Thank God.
His phone calls stopped and I haven’t seen him since. As for the pain of the past, it’s still there but we are building our trust to where it was in our youth. As for the full moons, we will figure it out for Derek. It’s probably a good thing I am a wildlife photographer, meaning we will be in the wild when he needs to shift.
I manage to capture a few shots of the beautiful grey birds and make my descent back to the ground and jump back into Derek’s arms when I release the tree. Sighing, I contently cuddle into his strong chest.
“I love you, Derek.”
“I love you, too, Annabelle.”
I met Derek when I was thirteen, fell in love with him at fifteen, and found him again at twenty-six. Someday soon I will become his wife and then the mother of his children. We have some issues we will work through, but we will make it. My parent’s divorce may have separated us, but we found each other again for a second chance.
The End
“WE DON’T HAVE enough home health care nurses in this area, Sam. I’m sorry but you’re stuck.”
I sigh in frustration at my boss’s comment and grab the envelope she pushed my direction.
“You know, I’m a believer in everything happening for a reason. Maybe this is fates way of giving you exactly what you need.” Judy adds.
I whirl around, my face turned up with anger. “Fate is a bitch that’s never particularly liked me.”
Instead of acting mad at my reply, Judy laughs. “Take this opportunity for what it’s worth then and finally close the door that you two left open.”
Determined not to allow anyone, especially a man I don’t give a damn about get to me, I turn and walk out of Judy’s office. I stop by my desk only long enough to grab my purse then I dart out to my truck.
Twelve years ago, the man I thought I would marry, broke up with me then left town without even saying goodbye. Our relationship wasn’t as strong as I believed and when life dealt him an unexpected hand he bailed on every promise he made to me and signed up for the Army. Now he’s hurt and has returned home and I’m the nurse who is stuck providing his home health care. If I didn’t already know life could be cruel, then being assigned Luke Runyan’s case definitely would have sealed the deal.
GROWING UP IN a small rural town means everything is everyone’s business or at least people try to make it that way. I didn’t even make it out of the grocery store without looks of pity and pity is the last thing I want.
“Are you picking up Margie’s usual order today Ms. Harris?”
My body stiffens. From the second I heard that Luke was back in town, I’ve momentarily forgotten my normal boring life. “Oh, umm, yes.”
“I figured as much.” The teenaged clerk smiles at me. “I’ll bill her account and have a boy run it out to your truck.”
“Thanks.” I swipe my card and take the few groceries I purchased out front. I allow my mind to wander as I wait on Margie’s order.
At the ripe age of fifteen, I met the man of my dreams and fell in love. Everyone, especially my father, told me that I was too young to fall in love, but I didn’t listen to anyone who disagreed with me.
Luke Runyan was only three months older than me, and he was new in town. He had his pick of any willing girls at our school but somehow I caught his eye, and when that happened nothing slowed us down.
Luke had a wild side. He enjoyed pushing every limit that was set for him but he was always easy-going and composed around me. We were in love and I couldn’t imagine a life without him. I figured we’d go to college, hopefully together, and then afterwards we’d get married and start a family. But Luke didn’t feel the same way, and in the end I was the one left behind to pick up the shattered pieces of our relationship.
“OH, YOU CAME. I wasn’t sure if you’d bring my order this week.” Margie says as I walk into her old farm house.
“I don’t bail on people, you should know that by now.” Her face falls and I instantly feel like a bitch.
“I don’t know what I would do without you Sam. I guess I was just worried things would change now.” I force a smile hoping it doesn’t look nearly as fake as it feels.
“Nothing is going to change unless of course you want it to.” Margie limps in my direction and pulls me in for a hug. I lost my mother when I was five and over the years Margie has filled the void I’ve felt, losing her isn’t an option at least not one I can live with.
“I guess I would understand if you didn’t want to come by.”
I start to open my mouth when he walks into the kitchen with his arm in a sling. The second Luke spots me he freezes causing my body to go stiff. Margie’s eyes follow mine until they stop on her son. “Oh, I thought you were sleeping.” Margie’s voice is off. She’s probably expecting all hell to break loose, but I’m not about to act like a crazy ex-girlfriend.
“I couldn’t sleep.” Luke’s deep voice rumbles through me. This person before me is very much a man compared to the eighteen-year-old boy I remember.
I clear my throat and my wandering thoughts. “I didn’t check your order before bringing it out. If you’re missing anything let me know.” I step closer to Margie and kiss her cheek. “Have a great day.” I walk straight out the door to my truck.
My entire life has been one messy situation after another. I shouldn’t be surprised that Luke of all people would return home and be assigned to me, but damn if I don’t hate my new reality.
“WHAT WAS SHE doing here?”
My mother gives me a sad smile. “She brings my groceries to the house every Monday.”
My chest tightens. Samantha Harris is the only woman I’ve ever loved. When life gave me more than I could handle, I left Sam behind. She didn’t need the struggles my life would have given her. A day hasn’t passed since then that I haven’t thought about her. Seeing her now, she’s just as beautiful as I remember. Her black hair is still as long as it was in high school. Her tan skin made my mouth water but her hazel eyes weren’t shimmering the way I remember when we were kids. I’d give almost anything to know the details of her life, but I won’t ask. I don’t deserve to know.
“Sam started taking care of me when the doctor said I couldn’t drive anymore.” I can hear the caution in her voice. She’s expecting me to be mad, but how can I? My mother needed support and I wasn’t here to provide it.
“I’m glad she was able to help.”
Mom exhales a long breath as her shoulders sag with relief. “What sounds good for dinner? I’ll fix you anything you want.”
An ice-cold beer and a quiet room is what I want, but I’ve shut my mother out for years. If I really want to make good on the years of pain I’ve caused everyone, I need to give her what she wants . . . a relationship with her only living son. “Anything you want to fix will be fine.”
Mom pulls out a few pots and pans and starts to brown meat for spaghetti. I grab a cold beer and take a seat at the kitchen table. I try and fail to forc
e my mind away from Sam, but damn. Seeing her brings back more feelings than I was expecting. Sam was my everything . . . and I’d give anything in my power to go back and change the things I did, instead I’m stuck here in this town unable to be with the woman I love. And shit, I hate even thinking about it, but she’s more than likely married. With that thought, my stomach starts to turn.
“A lot has changed in Jasper since you left town.” Mom turns and gives me a warm smile. “Most of the kids you graduated high school with have moved away but a few of them are still around.”
“Including Sam Harris.”
The second I say her name I want to take it back. Mom is the last person I want to talk about Sam with, but unfortunately it seems mom knows her better than I do.
“Sam’s father Eddie still runs the feed mill outside of town. After college she returned home with a degree and to take care of Eddie and—.” Mom cuts herself off and turns back towards the stove. I’m not sure why she stopped talking, but I decide now’s the time for me to start making up for years of guilt.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to take care of you after you got sick.”
“Nonsense.” She waves off my comment with a warm smile. "You had a war to fight. What you’ve given to our country is priceless in my book.”
A sharp pain rakes through me. The military life wasn’t my dream, it was my brother’s and it somehow turned into my mother’s. After everything I did, signing up for the Army was the least I could do.
“Brian Dickerson is still in town, although he’s been married and divorced twice already. He’s the president of the bank.” Outside of my mother and Sam I don’t give a damn about anyone left in this town. Until ten minutes ago, I didn’t even know Sam lived in Jasper anymore. I had hoped she’d get out and make something of herself, but I should have known her love for her father wouldn’t have allowed her to leave for longer than it took to earn a degree.
“Erin Rogers moved home a few years ago after she divorced her husband and Todd Martin still lives in town.” I down a large gulp of beer.
