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Authors: B. L. Blair
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group of people. The Riley
home reflected his proud heritage and Anna was glad to know that her newfound
friends really did look beyond the color of a person’s skin.
Her own experience with prejudice
had left her cautious and she wanted to see how Julie and Nick handled their
situation. Anna knew she was acting out of character. She also knew
Steven was the reason. Her subconscious was working overtime. She
wanted a relationship with Steven even if it meant heartache. Was she
brave enough to try?
She glanced at him and felt her
hear race. Watching him was both joy and grief. As if he had felt
her, Steven turned his head and their eyes met. He returned her gaze,
serious and steady. He was not going to give up. He was there for
her and wanted her. All that came through in that look. Anna knew
at that moment their relationship had changed. Steven knew it also and
Anna hoped she was strong enough to handle it.
#
The food was delicious and the
company enjoyable but Steven could not relax. Something had frightened
Anna earlier and it worried him. It was a different kind of fear than he
had seen before which worried him even more. When she had first opened
the door of her apartment, she had given him her usual polite smile but then
their eyes met and her smile faded. Her face paled and Steven had seen
the fear flash across her face. He had started to reach for her when she
suddenly burst past him and ran down the stairs. He had wanted to
question her but she had seemed so upset that he decided against it.
Hearing her laughter, Steven
studied her now. The fear was gone and she seemed perfectly at
ease. He knew she was enjoying the evening so he put is concerns
away. The look she had given him before dinner had told him all he needed
to know. Anna was no longer running. Something had happened to her
and he had seen it reflected in her eyes. She was no longer fighting
their attraction. Steven was glad but knew it wasn’t enough. He
wanted more from Anna. He wanted a future. He wanted forever.
But at least this was a start.
After the meal, they all gathered
once again in the living room and the conversation flowed. Nick and Julie
were considerate hosts and Nick had a very dry sense of humor, which kept them
all laughing. As with most discussions lately, the talk turned to his
parents’ thirty-fifth wedding anniversary.
“Thirty-five years,” Julie said
softly. “I wish Mom and Dad could have had thirty-five years together.”
“They had thirty,” Andrew said to
his sister. The two of them exchanged a sad look and Steven felt their
sorrow. Jack Moore had died six years earlier and they all still missed
him.
“What crazy thing does Victoria
have planned?” Andrew asked Steven trying to lighten the mood.
Steven flashed him a grin and
shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? With Tori anything is possible
and remember, she has been planning this party for ten years.”
“Ten years?” Anna questioned.
“Well, I guess that’s not exactly
accurate. You see, Tori had wanted to give them a surprise party for
their twenty-fifth anniversary but she was a senior in high school and she
contracted mono and her plans fell through.”
“Yes and then,” Julie said picking
up the story, “she had the whole thing planned for their thirtieth anniversary
but Mitch was out of the country and hadn’t been getting his emails so he
didn’t know about the party. He arranged for a Hawaiian cruise for Dan
and Patricia so the party was canceled again.”
“She was so angry,” Andrew said
with a laugh. “I thought Mitch was a goner. I am sure she will have
thought of something incredible for this one.”
“What do you mean?” asked Anna.
“Victoria tends to do things in a
big way.”
“Unfortunately, her plans aren’t
always completely thought out ahead of time,” Steven remarked with a
smile. He loved his sister but she was a little
home reflected his proud heritage and Anna was glad to know that her newfound
friends really did look beyond the color of a person’s skin.
Her own experience with prejudice
had left her cautious and she wanted to see how Julie and Nick handled their
situation. Anna knew she was acting out of character. She also knew
Steven was the reason. Her subconscious was working overtime. She
wanted a relationship with Steven even if it meant heartache. Was she
brave enough to try?
She glanced at him and felt her
hear race. Watching him was both joy and grief. As if he had felt
her, Steven turned his head and their eyes met. He returned her gaze,
serious and steady. He was not going to give up. He was there for
her and wanted her. All that came through in that look. Anna knew
at that moment their relationship had changed. Steven knew it also and
Anna hoped she was strong enough to handle it.
#
The food was delicious and the
company enjoyable but Steven could not relax. Something had frightened
Anna earlier and it worried him. It was a different kind of fear than he
had seen before which worried him even more. When she had first opened
the door of her apartment, she had given him her usual polite smile but then
their eyes met and her smile faded. Her face paled and Steven had seen
the fear flash across her face. He had started to reach for her when she
suddenly burst past him and ran down the stairs. He had wanted to
question her but she had seemed so upset that he decided against it.
Hearing her laughter, Steven
studied her now. The fear was gone and she seemed perfectly at
ease. He knew she was enjoying the evening so he put is concerns
away. The look she had given him before dinner had told him all he needed
to know. Anna was no longer running. Something had happened to her
and he had seen it reflected in her eyes. She was no longer fighting
their attraction. Steven was glad but knew it wasn’t enough. He
wanted more from Anna. He wanted a future. He wanted forever.
But at least this was a start.
After the meal, they all gathered
once again in the living room and the conversation flowed. Nick and Julie
were considerate hosts and Nick had a very dry sense of humor, which kept them
all laughing. As with most discussions lately, the talk turned to his
parents’ thirty-fifth wedding anniversary.
“Thirty-five years,” Julie said
softly. “I wish Mom and Dad could have had thirty-five years together.”
“They had thirty,” Andrew said to
his sister. The two of them exchanged a sad look and Steven felt their
sorrow. Jack Moore had died six years earlier and they all still missed
him.
“What crazy thing does Victoria
have planned?” Andrew asked Steven trying to lighten the mood.
Steven flashed him a grin and
shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? With Tori anything is possible
and remember, she has been planning this party for ten years.”
“Ten years?” Anna questioned.
“Well, I guess that’s not exactly
accurate. You see, Tori had wanted to give them a surprise party for
their twenty-fifth anniversary but she was a senior in high school and she
contracted mono and her plans fell through.”
“Yes and then,” Julie said picking
up the story, “she had the whole thing planned for their thirtieth anniversary
but Mitch was out of the country and hadn’t been getting his emails so he
didn’t know about the party. He arranged for a Hawaiian cruise for Dan
and Patricia so the party was canceled again.”
“She was so angry,” Andrew said
with a laugh. “I thought Mitch was a goner. I am sure she will have
thought of something incredible for this one.”
“What do you mean?” asked Anna.
“Victoria tends to do things in a
big way.”
“Unfortunately, her plans aren’t
always completely thought out ahead of time,” Steven remarked with a
smile. He loved his sister but she was a little
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