"Hello Melissa." Anna said in a sweet tone as her eyes met Melissa's. "If your son would not keep distracting me I could get more done."What..?" Melissa sputtered as she stood stock still in the light pouring out of the dining room. The light softened the lines around her eyes but the last year had aged her. Green eyes, identical to her son's, were bracketed with lines that had only gotten harsher and her once black hair was now striped with grey. The cruel twist to her mouth did nothing to soften the harsh look. "Anna…" John choked and covered it with a laugh "didn't you want breakfast? I thought you were hungry." "I'm starving." She said as she ran her fingers down his arm and gave him a wicked smile. Anna put her hand around his arm and tucked herself into John's side as he growled at her with fire in his eyes. Melissa gurgled and turned in a huff heading into the dining room. "Well I'm not sure there is much left as you took so long." "I can make do with anything, especia
"So you convinced him to keep you around?" Melissa asked venomously as she sat back and stared at Anna as if she were a piece of crap on her designer shoe. "Probably just spread her legs for him, John is pretty susceptible to that." May chimed in as she slurped her coffee. She leaned back and her Ann Klein blouse pulled up revealing her midriff. She smiled at Anna and put her leg over the edge of her chair getting comfortable. "That is none of your business, either or you." "And anyway whether John and I have sex and where is our business." Anna said with all the patience she could muster. This was so typical of them. Go for the throat the minute John's back was turned. "But It is our business, "Melissa said cattily as she sat with her fingers steepled as she examined Anna as if she were a bug under a microscope "We can't have any gold diggers in our family and you my dear are a gold digger."One, Two, Three, Four Anna counted to herself as she tried not to let go on them. Althoug
"Of course not!" Anna tapped her foot and looked him in the eye waiting for him to continue. All the years of snide remarks from his family had finally pushed her to the breaking point. "Then tell me," she paused as her hands clenched and unclenched at her hips, "why it feels like I'm defending myself again? I believed you last night when you said Erin was all over you and now you don't believe me when I tell you something?" Anna's hand raked through her red hair and she pinched the bridge of her nose praying for patience. She'd thought everything was better after they talked last night, but now it seems like they were falling right back into one of their most dangerous habits. His mother and sister had been a sore spot between them for years and now she knew he was still as blind as ever. "Anna, No!" he shouted loudly coming to stand in front of her. He put his hands on her arms and pulled her against his chest. "I know you and I believe you, but you and my mother have never seen
Anna watched him go knowing this was not going to be an easy conversation. Unfortunately it was one that they needed to have. John needed to stand up for them like he'd done since the beginning. Anna remembered the first day they'd met so clearly it was as if it were yesterday. Clarence Creek North Carolina, a small town about 30 minutes outside of Asheville was not a forgiving one. Growing up the child of a single mother made it so much worse. She'd gone to school that first day knowing it was not going to be pleasant. Clarence Creek Elementary First day of Kindergarten Anna bit her nails and watched the children run around the classroom. No one had noticed her and those who had noticed her whispered about her hiding behind their hands. Most of the kids lived around her but weren't allowed to play with her because she didn't have a daddy and her mommy went to heaven in a car accident. Anna had never felt so sad. She tried not to cry but tears slipped down her cheeks and soaked th
John sighed when he saw her and opened his arms wide. He knew that look and it broke his heart. She ran to him and wrapped her arms tight around him as her heart expanded. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that." He said as he stroked her hair. "I made it clear that if they didn't accept you that they didn't accept me as we are a package deal. " "And?" "They apologized and said that they understood" "Seriously?" Anna said incredulously pulling back to look at him in shock. "Yep, I told them that if they made you miserable that they had to move out." "What made you change your mind? "Usually you come up with reasons that let them off the hook." "I realized that you were more important to me."Anna smiled brightly. "I am so proud of you." "I just wish I had done it earlier." "Me too." She said softly as she nibbled the corners of his mouth. "It's hard always being the bad guy.""I know and I'm sorry," John said as he captured her lips in a kiss that scorched her to her toe
Anna opened one eye and smiled down at John. He lay asleep beside her, totally carefree. Anna smoothed his hair back and kissed him gently. John's hands locked around her and he deepened the kiss with a growl. "What a nice way to wake up." He said softly. "I agree," she said with a laugh as she ran a fingernail down his chest. "Can we just move in here?" "I don't think that would work. Your phone has been buzzing constantly by the way. I think they know where we are."John sighed and ran his hands across her face loving the way the stained glass caused light to filter over her face in rainbow colors. He kissed her deeply and rolled over to answer to latest buzzing. "I have to go take care of a problem at work, some problem with the marketing pitch for the mall account. I'm really sorry, I can say no.""No it's okay, I understand." And she really did, John's work would never have called when he was out of the office unless it was absolutely necessary. John's advertising agency was
John sat behind his desk at the office thinking. He felt bad leaving Anna alone with his mother and sister at home. His mother and sister had never liked Anna and had made her already difficult life even harder. He tapped his fingers on his desk as the door opened and his head artist Rich brought the newest ad mockups in for his approval. "Thank you," John said approving the drawings and handed them back."Boss," Rich said quickly as he hesitated at the door "I just wanted you to know that I'm glad you worked things out with your wife. She's really great.""I'm a lucky man." "You really are, but boss can I ask you a question?""Sure, what's up?" John asked as he turned to face Rich."Do you think it's really smart to still have Erin working here when she was the cause of the problem?""One of them anyway," John agreed."Should I sent Erin in then?" "Yes, send her in." *** "What exactly do you consider the hard way? " Anna a
The door opened to John's office and he turned from his view of the Asheville skyline and motioned Erin inside. "You needed to see me, John?" Erin asked softly as she stepped inside the office. "Sit down please." Erin shook out her long dark hair and straightened her blouse as she walked to sit down. She gracefully crossed her knees and took out her notebook. She looked at him with a smile in her brown eyes."Erin I think it might be better if you were no longer working here with me after what happened at the party the other night." "John…" Erin protested."Let me finish," he said cutting her off "I'm not firing you, but I am moving you to another office. I think you got the wrong idea somehow.""But," I love my wife and I did not appreciate how you acted." Erin pushed her hair behind her ear seeming shell shocked. "I can't believe this.""Believe it, I don't know how you thought that was appropriate." "But Isabel said that you liked me and I thought I was just making the next