Page 297 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Alex smoothed his maroon dress shirt and khaki dress slacks as he walked into the theater Monday morning. He was going to watch the ballet rehearsals again, but not in the dark balcony. No, today he was sitting in the lower orchestra section with Vincent. He would be seen.

Seth chuckled behind him. “Nervous?” his friend murmured.

“Do you blame me?” Alex asked. “You would be too.” He’d told Aaron he was coming, but he still hadn’t talked to Anna. Wilhelm had called and told him that Anna had taken his call and that she seemed to have softened.

Alex sensed Anna as he walked down the aisle, but didn’t see her at first. His eyes searched the dancers on the stage, and he finally spotted her talking to the tall, dark-skinned man he knew to be Hugo. She gave Hugo an adoring smile and Alex felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. Maybe watching rehearsal wasn’t such a good idea. But he was already here and he couldn’t leave. In fact, he planned on being there a lot. She would get used to him being alive one way or another, though he would respect her wishes on revealing whether or not he was her husband.

Alex, Seth, Greg, and Tony made their way down the aisle toward the front row. He knew when he became visible to those on stage because whispers erupted from all corners. The women squinted in the lights and giggled. He sighed. Maintaining his distance from other women was crucial, or Anna would never trust him. But at the same time, he wasn’t supposed to know Anna. What had he gotten himself into?

Vincent noticed the whispers and grinned as he turned to greet Alex. “I should have realized the whispers could only be about you.” Vincent didn’t seem to remember him from Anna’s Summer Intensives performance years ago. He only knew that he had some sort of familial relationship with Kurt.

Alex chuckled. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. They dance exceptionally well when you are here. Do you mind if I introduce you? If I don’t, they won’t pay attention to anything I say all morning.”

Alex nodded, glancing to where Anna stood, still talking to Hugo. She apparently hadn’t noticed the whispers. Hugo caressed her cheek and Alex growled.

Seth elbowed Alex in the ribs.

Alex sighed. “I know,” he muttered.

Vincent led them up onto the stage, clapping his hands to get the dancers’ attention. Anna turned to look at Vincent, and her eyes widened as she made eye contact with Alex. His heart pounded as he gazed into her beautiful green eyes for just a moment before dragging them away. Was this really such a good idea? Could he keep himself from walking over to her and kissing her until she couldn’t stand straight?

Anna had debated all night whether or not she should tell Hugo what was going on. She’d almost called him after she finished her call with Wilhelm, but decided against it. Knowing that she was allowed to be with him thrilled her, but should she really jump back into bed with him, not knowing how she felt about Alex?

As she walked into the theater that morning, determination filled her heart. She could go to Hugo. She could go to him and kiss him and go out with him and anything else she wanted to do. Her heart both swelled and ached as she watched him speaking with Vincent from the shadows of the wings. Maybe she could finally admit that she loved him.

But what about Alex? His presence loomed in her heart, right next to her affection for Hugo. Could she ever not love Alex? Maybe. But did she want to? Not at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Anna walked out on stage as casually as she could. She and Hugo had barely spoken since the night they’d made love, and only when they had to. It hurt to gaze into his eyes.

Hugo glanced up as she walked to him and raised his brows. He said something to Vincent, and the other man walked away.

Her feelings must have been showing on her face, because he tilted his head as she stopped in front of him. “Katrina?” Hugo’s large body blocked out the stage lights behind him. “Are you okay?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You look... troubled. Did something happen over the weekend?”

She gazed up into his topaz eyes, trying to contain her emotions. “I...” She was so torn, so conflicted.

“Kittycat . . .” he murmured. “What’s wrong?”

“Wilhelm lifted his ban on us being together,” she blurted out.

Hugo blinked several times, looking at her as if he wasn’t quite sure he’d heard correctly.

She held up her empty left hand. “I’m not engaged anymore.” Just married. But only if she wanted to be.

His eyes widened. “You mean . . . we can . . .”

She gave him a shy smile and nodded, pushing thoughts of Alex out of her mind. She didn’t want to be thinking about Alex right now. Who knew the next time she would even see him?

“Why are you not engaged anymore?” he asked softly.

“Wilhelm decided not to force me into something I didn’t want to do.”

“I’m glad he changed his mind.”

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