“I shall.” He nodded. “I fully intend to tell you everything. First, I just wish to say how much I have missedyou.”
Annabelle's heart fluttered, she did not know just how much those words would mean to her until he spoke them. She had spent the past five years pining for and trying to move past this amazing man to absolutely no avail. Now that he was here again, she could not help hoping that he was here for good and that he still loved her too. If not, she did not think she would ever get overhim.
“I have missed you too,” she replied in a gravelly tone of voice. “Verymuch.”
“When your father took you away, I knew that it was because of me. If I was more worthy of your hand in marriage, he would not have reacted sostrongly...”
“That was never your fault,” Annabelle jumped in quickly. “I do not ever want you to blame yourself for what happened. That was always my fault. I was childish and I thought that love would pull usthrough.”
She gulped noisily. Annabelle did not intend to bring out the big ‘L’ word so quickly until she understood what Floyd wanted, but it came out accidentally. Luckily, Floyd continued as if he had not heardher.
“I know he had already arranged a wedding for you, but he knew that it was one you did not want. I blamed myself for not having the right title for you. That is why I did not come afteryou.”
“I almost got married,” she replied in a warning tone of voice. “My father very nearly pushed the wedding through. If you had come back for me, that would never havehappened.”
"We could not have been on the run forever. I knew that, and I think you did too. I had faith that you would make your father see... and youdid."
Annabelle pouted, she was not sure how to take that. It was a nice compliment, but she felt irritated by the fact that he had simply trusted that things would work out without him doinganything.
“So, I left Mr. Brentwood’s home with a solid determination that I would finally be worthy once I saw you again. I worked hard, I focused on nothing else, I knew I would not stop until I had my ridingschool.”
Oh... maybe hediddo lots afterall.
“Did it work?” Annabelle gasped. “Judging by your fancy clothing it has worked verywell.”
“It has.” Floyd’s chest puffed out as he felt sheer pride in himself. “I now own a very successful ridingschool.”
Annabelle could not hold back anymore, the emotion overwhelmed her. She was so proud of Floyd for achieving everything that he desired, even with all the odds stacked against him. Even with her interference with him getting to hisgoal.
She leapt forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Floyd, that is incredible news. I am so proud of you.” Her heart beat faster, the physical contact was almost too much. “You must have worked veryhard.”
“I did.” Floyd eventually pulled back. Hugging Annabelle brought all of his feelings rushing back. He needed to keep a clear head if he was going to get it all out. “But there was more to it than just that. Even if you were not there, you helped me out in ways that you do notunderstand.”
“I… I did?” Annabelle clutched her hand to her chest in shock. She had spent such a long time assuming that Floyd had merely forgotten about her, but it seemed that she had affected his life just as much as he did her. “What did Ido?”
“You probably do not remember,” Floyd replied with a smile. “But there was a time very long time ago, just as we were leaving your home. You suggested that I see if I have an inheritance from my father, but I shot you down immediately. I was too proud to even consider theidea.”
“I remember,” Annabelle whispered. She had not forgotten even a single thing that had happened between herself andFloyd.
“Well, after a while, once we parted ways I realized that I needed to swallow my pride to go and findout.”
“Did you have anything?” Annabelle asked while clutching her hands tightlytogether.
“Not much, but it helped me a lot. Without it I would not be where I amtoday.”
“So, I can now call youEarlBrewer?” Annabelle asked with a smile. “Although that feels very strange to say. I should not think I will ever get used toit.”
“No, me neither.” Floyd shook his head rapidly. The Earl was his father, he could never follow in those footsteps. “I do not think I would like that atall.”
“Well… I am very proud of you. You have achieved alot.”
“All for you” Floyd interrupted in a gushing manner. “I have always had you in mind the whole time. I have wanted to be good enough for youforever.”
Annabelle’s eyes welled up, she felt a thick ball of emotion lodging firmly in her throat. “So, you did not forgetme?”
“Of course not,” Floyd gushed, shocked that she would even think that. “I could never forget about you. Do you know what an impact you had on my life? Do you know how much I have always lovedyou?”
“You love me?” Annabelle gasped desperately. Why was this happening to her now? Everything that she had ever wanted was occurring... but it was much too late. It was notfair.
She clutched onto her chest and stared at him desperately, wishing everything could be different. She wished that he had not come at all, so she could marry James without thinking about it. She wished that she had never met James – or at the very least not accepted his wedding proposal – so that she would be free to love the man who had always had her heart. She wished that the last five years had not been lost tothem.
Why does this have to happen now, just as I was piecing a different version of my life together? It does not feelfair.
“You have not said anything for a while,” Floyd said with concern in his face. “Is everything alright,Annabelle?”
“I... I...” she gasped desperately. “I cannot believe this. I...” She wanted to tell him that she loved him too but she could not. It would not be fair to anyone. "I cannot..." She stepped back with her head shaking from side to side. "I cannot." Tears filled her eyes, she wanted to weep and never stop. “I cannot have this conversation with you, Floyd, it is not right. I am...” The words now felt strange to say, but she absolutely had to get them out somehow. “I am engaged to be married. To someoneelse.”
