Page 80 of Billionaire Unexplained: Kaleb

I had to wonder if she was right. Were there other people who actually knew that I was Annelise?

“Thanks for keeping my secret,” I said gratefully. “I don’t have much time left here with Kaleb, and I’d rather I didn’t have reporters breathing down our necks.”

“You have a right to your privacy, Anna,” she answered. “And I like Kaleb. He’s always been so nice to me. He and Devon have always made me feel like I’m part of the Remington family, even though I’m not. You found yourself an amazing man.”

It made sense that she knew all of the Remington brothers if she was close to Tanner and she’d grown up here.

“All of the Remington brothers are good guys,” I pointed out.

She took a sip of the water she’d pulled out of the bag a few minutes ago before she replied, “I might argue about Devon being included if I didn’t know him. But he’s one of the good guys, too. He just hides it well sometimes.”

I laughed. “I personally think he’s full of shit. I think he has a good heart.”

“He does,” Lauren agreed. “So are you and Kaleb an item? Tanner hasn’t given me the scoop, and I try not to really listen to the town gossip.”

I smiled at her. Since she was so close to Tanner, I saw no reason to lie. “I guess you could say we are.”

Because I was comfortable with her, I told her how we met and how I ended up here in Crystal Fork.

“God, I’m so sorry about your parents,” she said with genuine remorse in her voice. “I heard about it in the news months ago. I should have told you that right from the beginning. It took me a long time to get my head on straight after Keith died. I can only imagine how difficult this is for you. How are you doing with their deaths now?”

She was so nice that I opened up to her. “I’m doing okay. Better than I was a few months ago. Kaleb has been there for me when I didn’t have anyone else to talk to about it.”

“If anyone would understand, it’s Kaleb,” Lauren said solemnly. “It was hard for all of them when they lost their dad.”

“I know. Maybe that’s why it was so easy to talk to him about it and cry on his shoulder for a while,” I said thoughtfully.

“I’m really glad Kaleb was there for you when you needed him,” Lauren said earnestly.

I still needed Kaleb, but not in the same way I did weeks ago.

“I guess I’ll get to see you both at the goodbye party,” she added. “Tanner invited me. I’m not leaving for Boston until next Tuesday.”

I’d actually just found out that I was having a goodbye party. I’d spoken to Kaleb’s mother about the barbecue right before I’d left the house.

“Why didn’t you talk to Kaleb when you saw me at The Mug And Jug?” I questioned.

“He looked extremely preoccupied,” she said with a small laugh. “He didn’t even know I was there. I don’t think he saw anyone except you. He’s crazy about you, Anna.”

“I’m pretty crazy about him, too,” I confessed. “But this relationship is going to be really complicated. I have my life in California, and he has to be here.”

“You’ll work it out. You’re in love with him, right?”

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks.

I stared at her blankly, confused for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” she said remorsefully. “Was that a little too personal?”

I shook my head, flustered. “No. It’s not that. Kaleb and I really haven’t known each other that long.”

“I’m not sure it takes a long time to fall in love with the right person,” she said softly. “I think when you meet that person, you instinctively know that it feels right. It might not seem rational or wise to blurt those words out too soon, so we leave those words unsaid and unrecognized longer than necessary.”

Everything Lauren had just said was probably true. Honestly, I’d probably known that I was in love with Kaleb Remington for a while now. Everything did feel right when we were together. I just hadn’t wanted to admit it to myself.

“You’re just figuring out that you love him,” Lauren guessed.

I nodded slowly. “I think I probably already knew, but I didn’t put a name to those emotions. Maybe I thought if I actually did admit it, that it would make it harder for me to leave. That might not make sense—”

---