Page 43 of Give Me a Reason

Anne’s cheeks flushed with pleasure at Frederick’s indirect compliment, but she rushed to reassure her friend. “It’s true, Katie. I won’t tell anyone. It’s not my news to share.”

“I appreciate that.” Katie resembled a ripe tomato, but she pointed a threatening finger at Frederick. “I should’ve known Pete told you. Well, you’d better not make a dick move either.”

He pantomimed zipping up his lips, but he couldn’t hold back his smile for long. “I’m happy for you guys.”

“Congratulations, Katie.” Anne stopped her friend in the middle of the sidewalk to hug her properly.

“Thank you. I’m a little terrified but mostly incredibly happy.” Katie returned her hug but stepped back after a moment with a frown between her brows. “What’s going on over there?”

“What’s going on over where?” Tessa and Bethany caught up with them just then.

“Over there.” Katie pointed at the crowd gathering in a wide semicircle on the sidewalk a few dozen yards ahead of them. She went on her tippy-toes and craned her neck. “I can’t see a thing.”

“Come on, Bethany.” Tessa grabbed Bethany’s hand, and they took off toward the horde of people. Coraline, Joe, and Aiden were already there, adding their numbers to the crowd.

“Katie.” Pete ran back to claim his wife. “You gotta see this.”

The two of them ran ahead and caught up with the girls as they joined the throng. Katie was surprisingly fast for someone who’d hardly eaten all day. The poor woman had such bad morning sickness, which was how Anne had figured it out.

“Let’s go see what the fuss is about.” Frederick urged Anne toward the commotion with a hand low on her back. She might have walked slower than necessary to prolong the touch.

By the time they joined the rest of their group, Tessa was hopping up and down to get a better look. Frederick’s hand lingered on Anne’s back a moment longer before he dropped it to his side. She bit her lip to stop the protest on the tip of her tongue.

“It looks like they’re filming something,” Aiden said, rubbernecking this way and that.

“Do you see anyone famous?” Tessa hopped harder, grunting from the effort. Aiden stopped looking past the crowd and watched her with a grin on his face.

“I don’t think so.” Frederick stood nearly a head taller than everyone, so he watched the mystery beyond the veil with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. “It looks like they’re just getting set up.”

Anne rose to her tiptoes, her curiosity getting the best of her. When she still couldn’t see, she pushed herself to the points of her toes. Then she lost her balance and wobbled toward Frederick.

“Whoa.” He steadied her, his arm coming around her.

His hard, muscled arm pressed against her back, and his big, warm hands circled her upper arms. Dizzy with yearning, she leaned into him a bit more to steady herself, which made her even dizzier. It was a lust-inducing catch-22.

“Do you want to take a look?” he asked close to her ear, which did nothing to dampen her desire. She clenched her thighs together, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

Before she could gather her wits to answer, he dropped his hands to her waist and lifted her up as though she weighed nothing. She squeaked and clasped her fingers around his hands, but he didn’t let her fall. Of course he didn’t. And after a few seconds, he gently lowered her to her feet.

“Did you see them?” Frederick didn’t even sound winded, but his eyes bored into hers with an intensity that left her breathless.

“Yes.” She hoped she didn’t look as turned on as she felt.

She dropped her eyes to her feet to pull herself together.

At least the rest of their party was still busy watching the spectacle to notice her and Frederick.

“Um, you’re right. They are setting up for a shoot.

It might be a while before actual filming starts. ”

“Do you miss it?” He cocked his head to the side.

“I do.” She thought for a moment. “Quite a bit, actually.”

“But not enough to rush into something that could deplete your well.” He watched her from beneath his lashes. “On your own terms, right?”

“Right.” A tremulous smile curved her lips as warmth spread in her chest. He cared enough to remember their conversation. As a friend, of course. “On my own terms.”

She’d had plenty of time to take in the scene—the cameras, the lights, the microphones—as he held her aloft.

Excitement, and a touch of impatience, had coursed through her at the sight.

Or maybe the heat of the hands that nearly spanned her waist was responsible for her reaction.

Either way, she was grateful for Frederick’s reminder.

She wanted to act—to live her life—on her own terms.

“Meh,” Aiden pronounced. “Nothing much to see. Just a bunch of people scurrying around. I have no idea what they’re doing.”

“I bet Anne could invite us to a way cooler shooting for her Hollywood debut.” Coraline winked at Anne. “Hint, hint.”

“You might have to wait awhile, because I plan on being very selective.” Anne blushed, sneaking a peek at Frederick. He caught her eyes and grinned crookedly. Oh my goodness. She had to clear her throat before she could continue. “Besides, I don’t even have any offers yet.”

“You’ll be mobbed with them soon,” Bethany said with sweet conviction. “And you should be picky. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Anne curled her hands into a heart and held it out toward Bethany. Anne was so lucky to have her as her cousin. She’d grown into a kind, sweet woman.

“All right, folks.” Katie clapped her hands smartly. “Let’s get moving. We have a long trek back to our home away from home.”

The crowd dispersed with surprising speed—modern people with their short attention spans—and their party continued strolling down the street toward their cars.

Anne glanced over her shoulder for one last look at the shoot, but her eyes widened when she recognized the man settling down on the director’s chair.

He was the ridiculously handsome man from the winery.

“Huh. A director.” She turned back to the road with a bemused smile. “What a small world.”

“What was that?” Frederick ducked his head toward her, and his crisp, woodsy scent enveloped her. He smelled like autumn.

“What was what?” she whispered, her heart beating too fast.

He quirked an eyebrow. “I thought you said something about a small world.”

“Oh, it was nothing.” She meant it. Frederick’s nearness chased away any lingering thoughts of the other man.

Anne had fallen behind from the rest of the wedding party, but Frederick had stayed at her side.

A tender strand of hope sprouted in her chest. Hope had to be the most tenacious of emotions.

It just kept popping up like weeds after a rain.

A part of her wanted to stomp on it and save herself the disappointment, but another, stubborner part of her wanted to cup it between her hands and nurture it until it blossomed.

“Nothing, huh?” Frederick squinted his eyes at her for a second, then let it go with a shrug. Good. Because nothing mattered except him in this moment.

“Why did you linger at the bakery?” Anne gave him a teasing smile, determined to cherish every second with him. “Did you scarf down another slice of pie for the road?”

“I did get more pie…” She couldn’t be sure with the setting sun, but Frederick’s cheeks seemed ruddy as he rummaged inside his jacket. She heard that crinkling sound again, and he pulled out a small gift bag. He handed it to her with a definite blush. “Here. For you.”

“What is it?” She took the bag from him and opened it with eager, fumbling fingers. She gasped. It was a pie-shaped refrigerator magnet. “Oh my gosh. This is adorable.”

“Yours is apple pie.” He withdrew something from his jeans pocket and held it out to her with a boyish smile—shy, pleased, and unsure. “And mine is olallieberry pie.”

Her heart broke into a thousand pieces, then knit back together into a frantic, pounding knot. This man. Even when they were together, he rarely showed this sweet, tender side of himself. But every time he’d shown her a glimpse of it, she had hoarded the memory away like a treasure.

And seeing it again tonight—being at the receiving end of something so precious after ten years of heartbreak—made everything crystal clear to her. I want him to be mine. I need him to be mine. Because I’m already his. I always have been.

“Thank you.” Anne wanted to sob, but she smiled instead. “I love it.”

“I’m glad.” He cleared his throat, staring ahead. “It’s nice to be, uh, friends.”

“Yes… friends.” The word stabbed her throat like she was swallowing a porcupine.

A vicious, miniature porcupine. She never knew how much she hated porcupines.

Then she felt awful because she was a horrible person who hated porcupines.

And just like that, the crystal clarity from the moment before shattered into dust—clouding everything even more. “It’s very nice.”

By the time she and Frederick caught up with them, everyone stood next to Bethany’s car, laughing and chatting about how much fun they’d had in Cambria. Anne felt that flush of pride again.

“There you are, Frederick.” Bethany smiled brightly. “We were waiting for you. Tessa and I bought glass bottles for our moonstones. One for Anne, too. I figured we should lighten your load now so you don’t have to drive back to Bosque Verde with rocks in your jacket.”

Anne gasped and rushed to take the glass bottle Tessa held out to her. She’d forgotten all about the stones. She felt awful for making Frederick walk around with their cumbersome weight all day.

“I’m so sorry.” Without thinking, she buried her hand in his pocket to relieve him of his burden, but he reached inside at the same time.

She sucked in a sharp breath when his hand wrapped around hers.

Thoroughly flustered, she tried to withdraw her hand with a fistful of rocks, but her hand got stuck. “Oh my God. Sorry.”