Page 66 of You Were Invited
“I’m okay, girl,” Annie choked out. She wiped her face, even though the tears immediately returned. “Let’s get you inside.”
Bell followed close at Annie’s heel. One more time, Bell batted at Annie, trying to get her to stop. Outside of Molly and Peter’s bedroom, Annie cracked the door enough for Bell to slip through, stifling her sobs.
“Go on. Go to Mama and Papa,” Annie urged when Bell sat down, cocking her head up at her again.
Bell wiggled her ears, tilting her head from side to side, before letting out a sharp bark.
Surprise and irritation made the tears come harder. “Go, Belly,” Annie hissed more sharply than she liked. Squatting down, Annie pushed the stubborn dog through the doorway.
Molly swung the door open.
“What on earth is going on out here?”
Bell turned tail and dashed back into Annie’s arms. Still low to the ground, Annie was at the perfect height for cheek licks.
“Stop, Bell,” Annie groaned, trying not to laugh at the ticklish tongue even as she continued to cry. When she looked up at Molly, embarrassment made her face red hot.
“Hun! Wh…” Molly looked over her shoulder before stepping into the hallway, closing the bedroom door. She whispered, “Why are you crying?”
Words of denial tipped her tongue, but how could she hide her tears? “Today was… a lot.” Annie muttered.
“Come here.” Molly helped her to her feet, her arms slipping around Annie’s shoulders and leading her to the living room.
The bedroom door opened again. “Everything okay?” Peter followed after them.
“I’m sorry– I didn’t mean to wake you.” Annie tried wiping away her tears again, but they wouldn’t stop.
“Shh, don’t worry about that.” Molly squeezed her shoulder.
“Don’t apologize, that’s what we’re here for,” Peter said firmly. He exchanged a worried glance with Molly as the two women sat on the couch. “I’ll make some tea.”
Annie buried her face in her hands. Her friends were the sweetest, but she was so embarrassed.
“Talk to me, sweetie. What’s going on?”
Annie hiccupped. “Chris wouldn’t stop texting me today.” The words tumbled out. “He won’t let go. It just felt so… scary.”
“Can I see?”
Annie hesitated, but pulled out her phone and retrieved the archived conversation. Molly scrolled through with a deepening frown.
“Holy… Counseling? After what he did? That’s ridiculous.” Molly’s voice hardened. “You don’t owe him anything.”
Peter returned with two steaming mugs. He set them on the coffee table at their feet. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, you’ll love this. Chris is harassing Annie with texts.”
Peter stood up straight and his hands curled into fists. Annie had always been aware of Peter’s stature, but now he loomed over them. His normally gentle eyes darkened.
“Do I need to have a conversation with him?” His voice possessed an edge she’d never heard before. “Because I will, Annie. Just say the word. I can send him a message he won’t forget.”
Annie’s eyes widened. She was reminded that he’d been hired as a security guard for the jewelry store he worked at for a damn good reason. “No.” She wiped her eyes. “I blocked him. It’s handled.”
“You sure? I’m happy to explain the concept of boundaries to him. Very, very clearly.”
“It should be over now.”
“Should be.” Peter said, unconvinced. He sat on the coffee table, elbows on his knees. “Guys like that don’t always take a hint. If he starts showing up in places or finds another way to contact you…”
