Page 33 of Love and Memories

“Someone to protect her. An advocate. She needs you too.”

Travis turned to the counter of food Anna was preparing. “I can be those things, but I’m not sure I can be anything else. I know what you’re getting at, and she doesn’t need a date right now.”

Anna’s smile only grew at his rejection. “We’ll see.”

Anna was a raging romantic. She talked about true love and happily ever after like other people talked about the weather. Getting married and raising the perfect family were at the top of her to-do list and probably had been since she was a little girl.

“How about you be the cheerleader, and I’ll do the heavy lifting?” Travis asked.

Rolling her eyes, Anna sighed. “Fine. For now. We’ll see how things go. I have big plans for our girl. I found some job postings, and they’re ready for her to look at. I also have a handful of legal resources we can use to piece together her life. You’d be amazed at what I can find out with just a few minutes on the internet.”

“That makes me feel better,” Travis said. “What can I do to help?”

Anna pointed to a cabinet. “There’s a big bowl in there. Can you fill it up with ice from the freezer? It’s through that door and to the left.”

Travis grabbed the bowl and followed Anna’s directions. The laundry room was small but extremely well laid out. A washer and dryer lined a wall opposite a hanging rack and shelves. A chest freezer sat against the far wall with cabinets above it.

When he returned to the kitchen, Anna had pulled the main dish out of the oven.

“Smells good in here,” Travis said.

“Thanks.”

“Who designed this place? I like it.”

“I did,” Anna said without looking up from the bowl where she mixed homemade dressing for the salad.

“I didn’t know you did things like that.”

She pushed a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “I enjoy it. Anything creative.”

Travis leaned against the counter. Was Bella creative? She liked to sing, but did she have other hobbies? Was the job she didn’t remember creative, or did she work in an office? Could she have been a waitress or a hair stylist?

She could have been anything, and now, she had a chance to choose again.

Bella appeared in the doorway, and Travis stood to his full height. Her wet hair was darker and tied into a bun, and she wore a deep-purple sweater that contrasted with her pale skin.

Unfortunately, the coloring of the bruise on her face also drew his attention. It wasn’t quite as dark and swollen as yesterday or the day before, but the reminder of what she’d gone through was still present.

Her face was clean, and an air of peace settled in her small grin. The change in her demeanor should have slowed his heart rate, but her effortless beauty kept the pace at a steady gallop.

Bella tugged on the sleeves of her sweater as she approached Anna. “Can I help with anything?”

“Nope. Everything is almost ready. Just have a seat at the table.”

Bella turned to Travis and motioned for him to join her at the simple four-person table. He pulled her chair out and scooted it closer once she sat before taking his own seat beside her.

Anna continued flying around the kitchen like a fairy. He’d known Anna for years, but he’d never seen her so confident or at ease as she was cooking in her home and hosting a stranger.

She lined up the dishes on the counter and wiped her hands on a rag. “Dinner is served.”

Travis gestured for Bella to go first, and she tentatively scooped food onto Anna’s fancy dinnerware.

“This smells delicious. Where’d you learn to cook?”

Anna filled three crystalware glasses with ice. “My mom. She always said good cooking was the best way to win a man’s heart.”

“You have a boyfriend, right? What’s his name?” Bella asked.

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