“I don’t know. She’s quieter than usual. Still as beautiful as ever. There’s something missing from her, though. The sparkle, maybe? I don’t know.” He took a drink of the scalding liquid and welcomed the burn as it went down his throat. David wanted to be able to feel anything after the encounter in her room.
“She’ll come around.”
“There’s something different about her, Paul. I love her so damn much.” When she’d left, David had confessed to his brother his growing feelings for the younger woman. At first he’d been confused. They’d known Anna from a young girl, but with time he’d grown to accept he couldn’t control his feelings. Nine years wasn’t a particularly long age gap.
“We can’t do anything about it,” his brother said.
Hanging his head, David waited for the sound of her approaching footsteps. Listening to his brother constantly telling him what he couldn’t have was driving him crazy.
“Have all the people responded to the party invitations?” David asked instead.
“Yes. Everything is set up for tomorrow night.”
“Wow, never thought I’d see the day the Steer house had most of the Cape Falls residents coming to play,” David said.
In the past, the Steer family had tried to avoid any such entanglements.
“It’s her twenty-third birthday. We couldn’t be there for her twenty-first. We’ll do it now.”
“You don’t have to on my account. I’d be just as happy to get a pizza and a movie. It would give us chance to catch up,” Anna said as she walked into the room.
“Coffee is already made,” Paul told her and pointed across the kitchen.
“Thanks.”
David watched her ass swinging from side to side as she moved about the kitchen. The Anna in his kitchen was all woman, and his c**k was doing a dance of joy.
“We want to throw you a party,” Paul said, interrupting David’s little image of a semi-naked Anna.
“Okay. Don’t put yourself out. I’m happy with us staying in and no one coming.”
“The invitations have already gone out,” David said.
“Did you invite Henry and Laura?”
“Your friends have all been invited,” Paul said.
“Great.”
Silence.
This was the awkwardness David didn’t like. She could talk a thousand words a minute usually.
“I’ve got work to do.” Paul grabbed his cup and left the room.
David watched his brother leave and saw the upset on her face. “He’s been a bit testy. Don’t take it personally.”
“I guess he didn’t want me to come back?” She shrugged a shoulder and gazed down into her cup.
“Hey. Never think shit like that. Paul loves you. When you left, he was even harder to be with. Anna, he’s happy you’re back.”
He got up from his seat and walked over to her. Uncaring about the filled cup in her hand, he hugged her to him.
“Don’t let him get to you. Paul wants you.” David closed his eyes and inhaled her warm vanilla scent. She smelt so good.
“Thanks, David. I think I’m going to go to bed.” He watched as she placed her cup in the sink and left the room. Two of the people he cared about were hurting. Cleaning away the mess he went in search of his brother. He found Paul in his office, a glass of some strong spirit in his hand.
“This is what stuff comes down to? You’re going to hide here until she eventually leaves?” David asked.
“I’m not trying to do anything.”
“Really? Because the way you’re going, she’s going to pack her shit and leave. I can’t let her do that.” David stared at his brother’s back. So much pain vibrating between them. In the years that had passed, David realised he’d never forgiven his brother. A part of him had blamed the older man for forcing Anna to leave.
“I don’t want her to leave,” Paul said in a whisper.
“Then please. Be nice to her, and give her a reason to stay.” David turned away, ready to leave. “I know you think I’m disgusting, but I love Anna. I missed her. This time around, I’m not letting her go.” He gripped the door knob.
“What are you saying?”
“I don’t care about our old traditions. If you want Anna, then fine, but if you don’t, then I’m done. This isn’t some crush or lust thing. I love her, and I intend to claim her as my woman.”
David left, going to his room. Every word he’d said to his brother, he’d meant. He refused to deny his feelings any longer. They weren’t a relation of any kind. They’d never kept her locked inside the house. Anna Myers was a free spirit and had been for as long as he’d known her.
The age gap meant nothing. Shit, Dean and Laura were fighting a twenty year age gap. No more waiting. Anna would be his woman if his brother wanted her or not.
****
Paul waited for his brother to leave before turning round. In one hand, he held the glass of a strong aged whisky, in the other, the last picture taken of Anna not long after she’d turned twenty. For weeks, she’d begged him to go to the cinema with her. So many other girls had guys to go with them. Anna wanted him to go. The movie had been crap. A really shit love story. She’d held his hand the entire time, refusing to let go.
The picture had been one of the last taken of her. A few weeks later, she’d been gone. On the desk lay that f**king diary. The piece of shit he’d based his whole assumptions on. Going through his family tree, he’d discovered some interesting facts about his family. Fanny Steer, the writer of that diary, had got one of the men drunk. She’d thought to trap them into marriage where she thought she could force them to love her.
She’s succeeded in the marriage. The only problem had been the men didn’t love her. After the first two heirs were born, they hadn’t touched her.
All the information had been stored in the attic. A silly place to keep such personal journeys of affection. Through the generations, his grandfathers had decided everything must be shared.
Placing the picture on his desk, he slammed the book closed. He couldn’t bring himself to burn it. The diary wasn’t his, and by right, should be read by the woman chosen to be their wife.
Anna should be the one to decide what to do with the book. She was home, and he prayed with all of his heart he could see past the mistakes he’d made and work through everything with her.
His very existence depended on it.