Revealing Annie - Freya Barker Page 0,52

over, let me hold you, and go to sleep.”

I lift my head and brush a light kiss on his lips before rolling back on my side. Immediately his arm snakes around and pulls me so my back is flush against his front.

“Kyle?”

“Right here.”

“Why do you call me Annie-chan?”

He’s silent for a moment as he brushes his lips along my neck slowly.

“It’s an endearment. An expression of affection.”

My heart warms as I snuggle against him, and in minutes I drift off.

18

Sumo

“We need to talk.”

I close the front door and turn to Annie.

We’ve just waved off my parents, who stayed a few days longer than they’d initially planned. Bryce said his goodbyes earlier before I dropped him off at the Arrow’s Edge. He’d stayed home yesterday but I could tell he was eager to get back to his new friends. When I offered to drive him this morning, he’d jumped at the chance.

Annie hasn’t been back to work, or the shelter, which is something I know is bothering her.

“Sure.” I walk past her, tagging her hand and pulling her with me to the couch.

I’d been pleased, although, not surprised, she got along with my parents so well. Mom had her moments—especially when Annie came downstairs on Sunday, her beautiful blue eyes on display—where she could barely contain her giddiness, but as always, Dad was right there to moderate her excitement.

We’ve been living in a bubble, though, barely leaving the house—Annie not at all—and I know that’s not sustainable. I suspect Annie knows that as well.

“I have to go back to work. I can’t just disappear.”

I stop myself from pointing out it’s no different than what she’s done for the past year. The truth is, I’m pleased as fuck her life here clearly means a lot to her.

“Okay.”

She looks at me surprised.

“That’s it? Okay?”

“It’s not my decision to make. I can’t stop you if that’s what you think you need to do.”

She tilts her head and narrows her eyes at me, ready for battle.

“But?”

“But…maybe you should consider giving Tony and Keith a couple of days more to see what they can come up with. I have the remainder of this week off to decide how I’m going to make things work with Bryce when I go back to work. You could take the rest of this week with me, maybe we can figure out how to move forward from here together.”

Her face softens and she lets herself sink against me. My arm closes around her.

“Your mother says you like me,” she mumbles with her face pressed against my shoulder.

I chuckle. “I’d say that’s pretty obvious.”

“I told her I like you too.”

“Good to know,” I mutter softly in her hair.

We sit like that for a while, her head on my shoulder and my cheek to her hair.

“I should probably make some calls,” she finally says, straightening up. “See how Edward is doing, call Margaret at the shelter, and get in touch with my manager at the City Market and make up an excuse to take the rest of the week off.”

“You could just mention you have some personal issues you need to deal with this week,” I suggest, sensing it’s lying she may have an issue with. “Same with the shelter. They don’t need to know any more.”

She turns a grateful smile on me and I feel like I’ve just successfully traversed a minefield.

“True.”

“Go make your calls. I’m taking Daisy for a quick walk.”

She leans in and I meet her lips for a kiss before she gets up to find her phone. I turn to the dog, asleep in her bed.

“Come, girl, wanna go for a quickie?”

Her head lifts up, one ear perked, and the moment I get to my feet she is too. She’s proving to be a great dog. I’ve only had her for a little over a week and already I can’t remember what life was like before her. Or maybe that’s because during that same time I gained a son, and a woman, both of whom I’d do anything to keep.

There’s a bit of a breeze coming off the river, providing a little cool relief in the heat of the midday sun. Daisy puts in a decent clip, her nose glued to the ground in front of her. I swear there must’ve been a bloodhound somewhere in her lineage.

Suddenly, maybe a mile or so upriver, she starts pulling me toward the street.

“Where are you going? You ready to go back already?”

I drag back on her leash and keep heading north.