Chapter 28
The light clink of silver against china and the din of hushed voices reminded George of his very first meeting with Forbes. As a farewell, his friend had suggested dinner at Palermo’s, bringing everything full circle.
“I’ve closed up the house. Mama Ketty will check in every few weeks.” Emotion threatened to close George’s throat.
“I’ll take care of adjusting her contract. When does your flight leave?”
“Sunday afternoon at three, with layovers in Memphis and Atlanta.” He pulled a copy of the itinerary out of his attaché. “Here’s the schedule. I’ve given Henry your number in the event of an emergency.”
Forbes gave the schedule only a cursory glance before folding it and sticking it in his suit-coat pocket. “Six months is a long time. When I said to take time to prove your love for her, I didn’t mean
“I know. But maybe the distance will be good for us.” He grinned wryly. “And I do have all that vacation time I never take. I can be back in a trice if she decides she’s ready.”
Forbes chuckled. “She’ll miss you, George. She probably does already.”
“I hope so.” He handed his friend an envelope. “Can you give her this for me? I had to at least try to explain before I left.”
“She’ll come around. We’ll make sure of it.”
“You’re not going to interfere, are you?”
“
Somehow, that didn’t make George feel better. “Thanks.”
“No problem. You realize I’m just doing this because Meredith and Jennifer have already planned your wedding, and I hate to disappoint my sisters, right?”
“Right. Tell them thanks for me.”
“Will do.”
For the first time in his life, George didn’t want to leave a place. He had friends—no, family—who loved him. He’d made a life here in a few short months. He’d started to dream of building his future here. His happiness resided in Bonneterre, Louisiana… because Anne would never get on an airplane to go anywhere else. “Tell Maggie and Errol…” He shrugged, unable to continue. They’d welcomed him into their home and treated him like a son.
“I will.”
When they parted, George barely managed to hold his emotions in check. Forbes dropped him off at the hotel where he’d stay until he took the shuttle to the airport in two days. As soon as he entered the room, he hit his knees, begging God to change her mind.
“Miss Anne, are you okay?” The bride turned, her wedding gown swishing with the hidden whisper of the multiple petticoats holding out the bell skirt.
Anne dabbed the corners of her eyes with a tissue. “I’m okay. You look so beautiful.”
The young woman rested her hand on Anne’s shoulder. “Thank you for everything. I know it has to be hard with your breakup and all….” She bit her bottom lip.
Anne swallowed back new tears. “You’re welcome, honey. Now there’s a wonderful young man waiting in that sanctuary for you. Let’s get you married.”
As she had every night for the past week, Anne cried herself to sleep Saturday night. Sunday, she woke up with a migraine, gave in to her self-pity, and stayed in bed. Why had she been so stupid and let George walk away? She hadn’t heard the entire conversation. What if he had just been joking around with his brother? After all, George’s dry sense of humor was one of the things she loved most about him. The least she could have done was let him explain.
Her anger that night had quickly melted into embarrassment, embarrassment into shame that kept her hiding out, avoiding everyone, including Forbes, Meredith, and Jenn. Tomorrow she’d work up the courage to call George to beg his forgiveness. But she needed one more day to prepare herself.
Shortly after noon, a familiar pounding started on her door.
“Go away!”
The unmistakable rasp of a key in the dead bolt followed. “Annie?”
She pulled her pillow over her head. The bed bounced and gave beside her. “Go away,” she moaned.
“No. Enough of this already.” Meredith pulled the pillow off her head. “We’re tired of you moping around just because you’re stupid enough to let the best thing that ever happened to you walk out the door.”
Jenn pulled down the covers. “You’re going to get up, get dressed, and go with us down to Riverwalk for an ice cream cone.”
“I know I was stupid.” Anne pushed their hands away. “He deserves better than me. He deserves someone who’ll trust him.”
Jenn grabbed one arm, Meredith the other.
“Anne.” Meredith’s tone stilled her. “George Laurence loves you. We saw it the first time we met him. You love him, too. But you’ve treated him unfairly, and you should be begging his forgiveness.”
Anne closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. She knew they were right—she had no one to blame but herself if George didn’t forgive her, if he didn’t want to marry her now.
Regret tightened her throat. Married to George. It was all she’d dreamed of the last two months. Marrying George, working with him, restoring this house together…
Elizabeth d’Arcement’s wedding yesterday hadn’t given her the same sense of completeness she’d felt at every other wedding. A part of herself had been missing. George.
“Anne, this is ridiculous.” Forbes’s deep voice sounded from the doorway. “You’ve been avoiding me for a week, but time has run out.”
Jenn and Meredith retreated, and Forbes came around to take Meredith’s place on the side of the bed.
“When I agreed with Cliff that George should stand in for him, that George should keep his own identity secret, I did it never having met George before, not knowing that he’s the man God created specifically for you, Annie.” Forbes took hold of Anne’s hand. “Once I realized that you and George had feelings for each other, the scheme was already in motion. George and I did the best we could under the circumstances. I can understand why you might still be mad at me, but if you don’t stop wallowing in self-pity, you are going to lose George. And if that happens, I’m not sure I want to be around you—because you’ll be miserable for the rest of your life.”
Anne couldn’t look at him. To her surprise, rather than try to convince her she needed to go to George on bended knee and beg forgiveness, Forbes pressed a cream envelope into her hand, kissed her forehead, and departed, taking his sisters with him.
Anne nearly wept when she saw her name in George’s compact script on the envelope. Oh, she missed him. The feel of his arms around her when she was tired, his reassuring talks, the strength of his hand around hers…
“I love him. But I’m afraid of being hurt again.”
“Fill me with that power and love and discipline,” she cried out to God. “Show me how to love and be loved without fear.”
She opened the letter:
