“You’re wrong,” he argued. “I’ve made plenty of commitments and if you’d just listen-”
She interrupted him. “No, Cedric. You avoid it, so you never have to bother.” She shook her head. “That’s not how I want to live my life.”
“Anna, don’t go.” Three words that sounded as though they’d been forced from his throat. It was too little, too late.
“Anna…”
“Goodbye, Cedric.” She told him, and walked away.
_____________
Two days later, Cedric was still stunned.
No one had ever told him off the way Anna had. No one had ever been so right about him. He’d wanted to argue with her, to refute everything she’d said to him, but she’d pegged him perfectly.
It was a hell of a thing when you got a wake-up call from the woman you loved and she was telling you that you didn’t deserve her. Even worse, he thought, when she was right. Anna had made him take a good, hard look at himself and Cedric hadn’t liked what he’d seen. He’d wanted to go to her house that night. To face her down, admit that everything she’d said to him was right. To even, as hard as it was to swallow, beg her to hear him out. But he’d known that she would still be way too furious to listen to anything he had to say. And who could blame her?
Anna hated him. He could see how angry she was at him, and he hated himself too for hurting her so much. Of course he’d not been expecting her to run back into his arms after hurting her the way he had, but he was still confused as hell on what to do to get her back. Furious with himself, he’d gone home that day and poured himself a drink, but even alcohol couldn’t help. He ended up throwing the glass at the wall, smashing it into many pieces, just the way his heart was broken, but it brought him no comfort. He couldn’t stop thinking of her. Couldn’t even eat or sleep peacefully. He knew he had to make things right with her. Had to get her to trust him, but he had no idea how to go about it.
So he’d given it a couple of days. Time enough for that icy temper of hers to thaw a little. Time enough for him to come up with at least a half-baked plan he hoped would work to convince her to come back to him.
It was afternoon when he left Haerton Castle to the cottage where she was. Dark clouds studded the sky, a sure sign that the storm that had been building for days was finally coming in for a landing. Good, he thought. A storm would clear the air and maybe, he told himself, that’s just what he and Anna needed, too.
Taking a deep breath of the cold air, he headed for the house. The tidy flowerbeds, the small patch of lawn, the bright red front door all called to him. So peaceful and beautiful, just like Anna. It made him remember days and nights with her. Memories he didn’t want to give up. Promises of a future he didn’t want to lose.
He stalked up the front walk, to the front door and pounded on it. He waited for a response that didn’t come, then he tried the door-it was locked. Scowling, he thought for a second that she’d gone to lunch or something. But it was three in the afternoon, so that wouldn’t wash. Cupping one hand over his eyes, he leaned in close to the window and peered inside, just to make sure she wasn’t in there. He sighed in relief when he noted that her things were still here, at least. She hadn’t skipped town on him. Not that that would have stopped him. It just would have taken him longer to find her.
“Anna!” he called, pounding on the door again. “Anna, please open up and talk to me, dammit!”
He waited what seemed like several lifetimes, but she never came to the door. Was she wasn’t hiding out with him?
Where the hell was she? Sitting in the! l bedroom, listening to him make an ass of himself? He called her phone repeatedly. He sent numerous texts and yet he couldn’t reach her.
Desperation clawing at his insides, Cedric shouted, “Fine! I’ll just sit here on your porch until you come out!”
He spent the next few hours doing just that. He waved at the neighbors, ordered a pizza when he got hungry and he was still sitting there late that night when the brewing storm finally blew in.
_____________
The following afternoon, Cedric went to the cafe where Anna used to work. He’d found her there before, so maybe he’d find her there again. If not, he was determined to find someone to tell him where Anna was. If anyone knew, her friend would. She’d once told him that her friend, Sara, still worked there. If he could find Sara, then maybe she’d lead him to Collins… Or maybe Anna.
He went to the counter, where a blonde haired woman stood. She smiled at him, but Cedric was in no mood for pleasantries.
“Hello,” she said cheerfully.
“Hi,” Cedric greeted back, “I’m sorry I’m looking for someone.”
The woman raised a brow, waiting for him to finish.
“Anna,” he continued hastily, “She has a friend who works here. Her name is Sara. Is Sara here?”
The woman rolled her eyes, “Oh Sara,” she said, “She doesn’t work here anymore for your information. She got a new job. Now she just comes here to hang out with her boyfriend. Matter of fact, there they are… that table over there,”
She pointed and Cedric followed her gaze. There was Collins, with Sara almost wrapped around him like shrink-wrap. Their kiss was steamy enough to fog up the windows and only ended reluctantly when they saw Cedric approach them.
Sara glanced at him, then tucked her face into Collins chest on a laugh. “Oops.” she said shyly.
Collins only grinned. “It’s okay, Sara. I’m sure you remember Mr Cedric Blackwood,”
“Of course I do,” Sara said. “How could I forget? Although I’m not sure we’ve seen each other since the wedding,.”
“Yeah, hello.” said Cedric.
“It’s nice to see you again,” she said. “Um, sorry about your walking in on the kiss, but I’ve been gone two weeks, and I really missed Collins.”