Page 44 of Give Me a Reason

“Breathe, Anne.” Frederick squeezed her hand and lowered his head to meet her panicked eyes with his calm ones. “It’s fine. Just let go of the rocks.”

When she dropped the rocks and relaxed her hand, they were both able to withdraw their hands from his pocket.

Tessa snort-laughed, and Bethany scowled and elbowed her.

Anne wanted to sink into the ground. Frederick gestured for her to hand over her bottle, unfazed by her moment of fluster. He knew her too well.

“No, that’s okay. I can—” she began, not wanting to inconvenience him further.

“Anne.” He held out his hand with a half-amused, half-exasperated smile. A familiar expression he wore often when they were together. He’d always been good at coaxing her to lean on him. “Give me the bottle, please.”

“What good is a friend if you can’t have him carry some pebbles in his pockets for you?” Katie gently pried the glass from Anne’s hand and passed it on to Frederick. “And it certainly isn’t a big deal for him to pour them into a glass bottle for you.”

“Not at all.” Coraline wrapped an arm around Anne’s shoulders. Then she and Katie led her a few steps away. “I didn’t realize it when we were younger, but you always try to do everything on your own.”

“It’s okay to accept help sometimes,” Bethany added as she and Tessa joined their small circle for the impromptu intervention.

Anne bit her lip and glanced at Frederick, but he was well-occupied. The men had gathered around him as he transferred moonstones to the glass bottles, offering unhelpful commentary on how best to accomplish the simple task. In other words, they were being men.

“I’m not sure about the other stuff, but you don’t need to apologize so profusely over some moonstones,” Tessa added, then glanced at their cousins with a small frown. “Does she really try to do everything on her own?”

“ Everything ,” Coraline and Bethany confirmed at the same time.

“I know.” Anne took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I’m working on it. I… I’m practicing taking up space.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Coraline pulled her into a hug, and three sets of other arms wrapped around her. “You can always lean on us if you need to.”

“Thank you, sweetie.” Anne accepted the group hug, soaking up their love and support.

Tessa, Coraline, and Bethany loved her. And Katie trusted her and valued their friendship. They didn’t see her as just Anne. They saw her as Anne —whole, complete, and deserving.

But was that how she saw herself? She hadn’t realized how her father’s callous disregard for her, and even Juliette’s disdain, had diminished her sense of self-worth all these years.

Ten years ago, Anne put herself last to save her father from bankruptcy—to take care of her family—but he didn’t even have the emotional intelligence to recognize her sacrifice.

Juliette and Tessa were similarly oblivious.

It never occurred to them that Anne might not want to be a K-drama actress.

When she’d landed her first leading role, her father had called her to preen, To think, you wouldn’t even be an actress if it hadn’t been for me .

But it wasn’t her family who needed to change.

It was Anne. She left the one person who truly cherished her—loved her more than anything—because she couldn’t fathom being deserving of his love.

She dropped out of college and went to Korea for her family, but she left Frederick because she didn’t value herself.

She saw herself through the eyes of people who put her down to make themselves feel better.

That stops now. Anne had to see herself through her own clear eyes.

She had to learn how to love and cherish herself, first and foremost.

Once all the hugs were doled out and the stones were bottled, their group divided up into Team Bride and Team Groom.

Then they did that awkward thing where they said goodbye to each other even though they were all headed to the same place.

Pete kissed Katie’s forehead and turned to walk across the street to Frederick’s car.

“Hey, Pete.” Joe stopped him before he could take a single step. “Why don’t you drive Bethany’s car back? I’m sure Anne’s tired from the day, and it looks like you want to stay with Katie.”

“That’s okay—” Anne protested reflexively.

“I’m sure you can use a break.” Coraline firmly pushed Bethany toward Frederick’s car. “Beth can ride with the boys.”

“ Oh ,” Bethany said with a blushing smile. “I guess I can ride in the other car if it’ll give Anne a chance to rest.”

“It will.” Joe draped his arm over his future sister-in-law’s shoulders. “And for being so considerate, you can ride shotgun.”

“Are you sure?” Bethany looked at Frederick even though it was Joe who’d suggested it.

“Uh.” Frederick wiped away a mildly discomfited expression and smiled at her. “Of course. It would finally give us a chance to chat properly.”

Even the sturdiest weed-like hope withered inside Anne, but indignation quickly overshadowed her disappointment. Finally , he’d said, like he’d been waiting all day for a “chance to chat properly” with Bethany.

Frederick and Bethany crossed the street to his car, his head bent attentively toward her. Did he have to be so solicitous? Anne’s back teeth ground together, getting properly worked up.

When Aiden made to cross the street after them, his older brother pulled him back. Joe definitely had an annoying side. Her eyes narrowed at him of their own volition, so she directed them at her toes while she schooled her expression into submission. Act, Anne. You need to act.

“Wait for me, little bro. Where’s the rush?” Joe grinned at Aiden, then turned to kiss his fiancée on the forehead. “I’ll see you soon, babe.”

“Where do you think you’re going?” Coraline tugged him back and smacked a kiss right on his mouth. “Okay. Now you may go.”

Anne watched the happy couple so she wouldn’t stare after Frederick and Bethany. She didn’t think she could hang on to her bland smile if she looked at them. Even thinking about them made her anger flare hotter.

If Frederick had wanted to be with Bethany this whole time, why had he sought Anne out every time she’d been by herself? Because he was being a good friend.

Her breath left her in a whoosh like she’d been sucker punched in the stomach. He was only being a good friend, and she’d let herself get carried away. She was even more foolish than she gave herself credit for.

Anne started raising her hand to her forehead but caught herself and waved at Aiden and Joe instead as they crossed the street. She had to stop hoping for something that would never happen before someone got hurt—before Bethany got hurt.

Pete opened the front passenger door for Katie and looked over at Anne. “Are you okay with me driving? Even though those ruffians decided you needed to rest without consulting you, I do think you could use a break.”

“I don’t—” Anne bit back her protest. It’s okay to accept help. Besides, Pete probably wanted to sit next to his wife instead of being squished in the back seat. “Actually, that would be lovely, Pete. Thank you.”

Anne opened the rear passenger door from the street to claim the open seat next to Tessa. But she couldn’t help glancing across the street before she got in and caught Bethany smiling up at Frederick by the front passenger seat of his car.

If Bethany found out Anne had been secretly pining after Frederick, knowing that she liked him, her cousin would be heartbroken.

It wouldn’t matter that Anne had loved him first or loved him longest. Bethany might still feel betrayed.

She couldn’t hurt her cousin… even if it meant her own heart would be broken. Right?

But a part of her—her newfound sense of self-worth—rebelled against stepping aside to spare Bethany’s feelings. Anne had not only loved Frederick first and longest, she had loved him the most . No one could love him more than she did. Wasn’t her love worth fighting for?

As he closed the door for Bethany, Frederick’s eyes met Anne’s from across the street. He raised a hand in a half wave, his mouth curving into a lopsided smile. Her hand, her mouth, her heart wanted to reciprocate, but conflict raged inside her, paralyzing her.

In the end, Anne slid into the back seat of Bethany’s car without so much as a nod, not at all sure she could risk breaking her cousin’s heart to fight for her love. No matter how desperately she wanted to make Frederick hers and hers alone.