Page 73 of Give Me a Reason

“And I’m staying as well in case they need anything.” Aiden joined them at the corner of the waiting room. “Joe wouldn’t want to leave Coraline’s side, even for a minute.”

“That’s so thoughtful of you, Aiden,” Anne said warmly.

“I know my older brother.” He shrugged with a boyish grin.

Anne returned his smile, then turned back to Frederick, planting a fist on her hip. “And that means you won’t be any use here. The best thing you can do is get some rest, then pick them up in the morning. We don’t want any of them driving on so little sleep.”

“Listen to Anne.” Pete went to stand beside Frederick, who’d reluctantly gotten to his feet. “She’s a smart one.”

“Yes.” Frederick nodded earnestly. “Anne is nothing if not smart and competent.”

Anne blushed at his unguarded compliment. Then she blushed harder when Katie yelled from halfway across the room, “Don’t forget hot as hell.”

“Well, we all know that,” Aiden said matter-of-factly.

“I’m going to let Coraline and Joe know we’re leaving,” Anne mumbled before making her way to her cousin and her fiancé.She knelt in front of Coraline, dropping a hand on her knee. “I’m not even going to try to convince you to come back to the villa. Will you be okay? Do you need anything?”

“I’ll be fine,” Coraline said with a faint smile, some color back in her cheeks. “But we need to tell Mom and Dad…”

“I’ll call them in the morning.” Anne squeezed her cousin’s knee. “Bethany’s going to be fine, so there’s no reason to wake them up in the middle of the night.”

“Okay.” Coraline gave her a wobbly smile. “Thank you, Unni.”

“Don’t be silly. We’re family.” Anne hugged her and rose to her feet. “Joe, take good care of my girls.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a two-finger salute. “Get some rest, and we’ll see you in the morning.”

Anne drove Bethany’s car back to the villa with Tessa in tow. Pete and Katie went with Frederick in his SUV. Both cars arrived at the villa within a minute of each other, and they all filed out on weary legs. Anne punched in the security code and led everyone inside, turning on the lights as she went.

“Good n—” Katie yawned before she could finish.

“All right. We need to get you to bed.” Pete gave them an all-encompassing wave and ushered his wife toward their room.

“Rest well,” Anne called out, then followed Tessa and Frederick down the hall.

“I’m going to wash up first,” Tessa announced at the foot of the stairs. She trudged up several steps before she stopped and looked over her shoulder. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course not.” Anne blinked, surprised that her sister bothered to ask. “Go right ahead.”

After Tessa disappeared up the stairs, Frederick stepped closer to her side. “You must be tired.”

“A little. I think we all are.” Anne lingered at the bottom of the steps, smoothing her hand over the railing. When the silencestretched on, she glanced at him from beneath her lashes. “You should get some rest.”

“Yeah.” He scoffed, tension bracketing his mouth.

Anne sighed in helpless frustration. “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” Frederick frowned, looming over her.

“Stop blaming yourself for what happened,” Anne said firmly, even as awareness skittered across her skin. “No one else does. We all know it was an accident.”

“An accident that could’ve been prevented.” His eyes filled with remorse. “And she might not have run off if I’d—”

“There’s no use regretting what already happened. Regret doesn’t change the past.” Anne heard her own words and realized they were meant for both of them. She was afraid she’d revealed too much, but she didn’t scramble to take them back.No.She would own them. She climbed onto the first step to look at Frederick eye to eye and forced the rest of the words out. “The only things we can change are ourselves and what we choose to do in the future.”

His lips parted as her words sank in, but she didn’t let herself look away. She wanted him to see that she understood regret.I regret leaving you.And she wanted him to see all that she learned.But I’ve changed. If you love me again, I’ll never doubt I deserve your love.She wanted him to see that she would choose her own future.From now on, I willalwayschoose you.

He looked away first, his throat working, then said with a strained smile, “So no more walking on unfamiliar hiking paths in the dark?”

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