Chapter 30
When morning came around,Annabelle felt no clearer on what she wanted from her life, which left her with very little choice. There was only one place in the world where she could clear her head, which was exactly where she intended to go. With no work to head towards for the day, she had all the time she wanted to clear the fog from herbrain.
She walked towards the beach with a shake in her step. There were other people on the soft, yellowing sand: families, couples, other people alone just like her, but they all melted into the background in Annabelle’s mind. Nothing else existed, it was just her and the splashing sound of the ocean as the waves crashed against the rocks. It was a musical sound that Annabelle could have listened to all day long if she was given thechoice.
This is the calmest place in the world, Annabelle thought gleefully to herself. How on Earth would I have lived never knowing that there was anywhere likethis?
She breathed deeply, inhaling the salty air, allowing it to relax her. It did a little, but there was still something that did not feel quite right. It was a sensation that she could not shake off however hard shetried.
Something stopped Annabelle in her tracks. She was not even sure where it came from, it was just a prickle on the back of her neck alerting her to... something. Confirmation that she did have a reason to worry. Goosebumps popped up over her skin, she was dragged from her little, confused bubble, she needed to find out what had caused it. This was not a sensation that she had ever experienced before and she needed to work out what itwas.
Her eyes scanned the beach as discretely as she could manage. She tried to look at everyone without alerting them to the fact that she was looking atthem...
Who is that?All of a sudden, Annabelle’s eyes fixed on a shadowy figure at the other side of the beach. Her heart unexpectedly skipped a beat, which seemed very out of place.It does not matter who that is,she tried to convince herself.It is no one, just look away. Keep lookingaway...
Annabelle could not look at her feet, however hard she tried. Her eyes kept dragging back up towards the figure as if there were magnets pulling together. There was a sensation in her gut, a desire for the person to be someone life-changing, but she had to keep telling herself not to be sosilly.
I was right. Yesterday, I wasright.
She shook her head rapidly. Of course, she was not right. Yesterday she had a moment of panic where she thought she saw Floyd but she did not. He was also not here either. She was slowly driving herselfcrazy.
Just keep walking, she said crossly in her mind. Stop actingcrazy.
But the next time she looked upwards, her stomach lurched. The figure was walking towards her with purpose, almost as if he was coming right for her. Maybe hewasthe reason she felt those prickles all over herbody...
“Annabelle?”
Oh, my God, I have to be dreaming. There is no way this can be thetruth.
Annabelle reached her hand across her body and she lightly pinched her arm to confirm that she was actually awake. As the pain stung her skin, she knew. As insane as this was, it was all really happening. It was unbelievable... but she needed to start believing it. It had not been her imagination last night, he was not a ghost from her past, he was very much present and about to push himself back into her life oncemore.
“Floyd? Is that really you?” He looked the same, but completely different too. He had grown up in a wonderful way, growing broader, looking wiser, dressingbetter...
Actually, muchbetter.
Something had clearly changed for the greater in Floyd’s life, and Annabelle could not wait to find out what. But that was not her top priority. First, she needed to work out exactly what washappening.
“So, it is true,” Floyd smiled widely, causing his face to crinkle up. “The very well-known Annabelle Hathawaydoeslive in thistown.”
“I do not know that I am well known...” Annabelle started before realizing that she was focusing on the wrong thing. She shook her head and tried to regain control of her brain. “What are you doing here, Floyd? Is this acoincidence.”
“Maybe in a way.” He shrugged. “I suppose Ididcome looking for you.” He laughed but stopped when Annabelle did not join in. She was too busy trying to work out how she felt about the man she had always loved being so close, yet somehow so far. “I did not have to look far, many people in this town know that you enjoy spending time at thebeach.”
“Well, it is just such a lovely place,” Annabelle declared while making a sweeping gesture with her hands. “And so, different to the city, to anywhere we have beenactually.”
“Yes, it is.” Floyd could not keep the grin off his face. He could not believe how lucky he was to have found Annabelle again after all the years that had passed them by. “A lovelydifference.”
Why are you here? What do you want? Annabelle wanted to vocalize those questions, but she was not sure that it was the right thing to do. No, actually I will ask. I am strong, I have proven that. I will ask what Iwant.
“Floyd, I need to ask what you are doing here. It is wonderful to see you, but why have you come to find me?” Her heart was still in tatters from the last time they were together. She could not get her hopes up just to have them dashed once more. “Is something going on?” When Floyd looked at her curiously, as if he expected a better reaction, Annabelle felt compelled to continue. “As soon as I managed to escape my father’s clutches, I came to find you at Mr. Brentwood’s home and they told me that you had left. But you did not come to findme...”
“Yes,” Floyd chuckled. “Catherine told me all about your weddingday.”
“Catherine?” That felt like a gut punch to Annabelle. Had Floyd and Catherine been in touch the whole time? Her best friend knew what this man meant to her, why would she be so cruel? “You spoke withCatherine?”
“Actually, she spoke tome.”
“Floyd, I do not understand. You will have to explain everything tome.”
