Revealing Annie - Freya Barker Page 0,49

admit, turning to grab a few mugs from the cupboard. “Coffee?”

“Please.”

“It worked for almost a year. The first person to recognize me was actually your grandson.” Haru’s bushy eyebrows both shoot up. “I’m thinking the eidetic memory skipped a generation. Kyle didn’t have a clue, even after Bryce told him my name.” Now it’s my turn to chuckle.

“That doesn’t bother you?”

I get the strong sense I’m being weighed and measured, but I can’t blame the man for being suspicious. I calmly fill his mug before handing it to him.

“That he didn’t know me from Adam? No, it was a relief,” I tell him honestly.

“Everything okay here?” Kyle asks. His eyes are on me as he approaches through the living room.

“Your father recognized me.”

“Shit. Dad, you can’t—”

“Hush, Son. My lips are sealed, although I have a feeling it won’t take your mother long to figure it out. She likes the gossip rags.” He looks over his shoulder. “Where is she, by the way?”

“Unpacking,” he says, when I hand him a cup and am rewarded with a kiss to the top of my head. “Thanks, Annie-chan.”

“Why don’t you introduce your dad to the dog, honey?” I look over at the father, but I’m talking to the son. “I have some baking to do.”

When I lift my face to Sumo, I see the question in his eyes. I have to swallow hard, it’s not easy for me to trust, but I don’t want him to have to keep anything from his father. Besides, with the police looking into things, it’s only a matter of time before word gets out.

“Maybe you should let your dad know what’s going on.”

“Are you sure?”

No. Far from, but Sumo already made it clear he won’t let me run, and honestly, I don’t really want to leave.

“Positive.”

17

Annie

“What are you cooking? Can I help?”

Sumo’s mom walks in as I’m crushing filberts with the bottom of a pan.

“I thought I’d get a head start on dessert,” I tell her. “I’m making a hazelnut raspberry pavlova.”

“Yum. Sounds delicious. You need those eggs separated?”

She points at the metal bowls and carton of eggs I have sitting on the counter. I hesitate for a fraction, because all it takes is a hint of yolk in the egg whites to ruin the meringue. Still, this is Sumo’s mother in his kitchen.

“Sure.”

She must’ve picked up on my slight hesitation and smiles as she washes her hands at the sink.

“I’m pretty good in the kitchen.”

“So your son tells me.”

I watch as she expertly cracks an egg in a hand, letting the white strain through her fingers into the metal bowl, leaving the yolk intact.

“He likes you,” she says without looking at me, as she slips the yolk into the second bowl before picking up the next egg.

“I know. I like him too.”

We work in silence for a bit, until I hear the tap turn on and sounds of hands being washed.

“I don’t mean to pry,” she says, meaning to do exactly that, but I’m not upset. “But I tried getting information from my son, who was less than forthcoming. How did you two meet? How long have you been together? Your shampoo is in the master bathroom, and I don’t even know your last name.”

Wow. She doesn’t mess around, but when I look at her I don’t see judgment, only curiosity, and definitely some concern. I can’t fault her for that.

It hits me that for someone who’s tried so hard to hide her identity, it’s becoming ridiculously easy to let my defenses down.

By the time the men come in—led by a curious Daisy—Elena and I are in the living room on the couch, talking, while we wait for the meringue in the oven. To my surprise the dog moves straight to Elena, sniffing the hand she holds out. Clearly she’s regained some of her confidence this past week.

“She browbeat it out of you, didn’t she?”

I tilt my head back and smile up at Sumo.

“What can I say, your parents are good.”

Then the doorbell rings.

Sumo

Shit.

I step aside for Blue and Tony, carrying Esme in her baby seat, to come in. In the chaos of the past few days, it slipped my mind I’d invited them over when Blue barged in here last week. I’d thought they might make for a good distraction, taking the pressure off Bryce.

Off course that was before trouble found Annie who, by the way, I still haven’t told my partner about.

“You forgot, didn’t you?” Blue hisses in my ear when I try to hug