Match Made in Valley View (Valley View Book #2)

Chapter 24

I wake up in the middle of the night because my bladder was screaming for attention and I noticed that Annabelle had made her way into my arms. Even though I felt so connected to her after everything we had been through,  I have a moment of uncertainty. Was this was all happening way too fast? What exactly was going on between Wes and me? How could this change my relationship with Annabelle? When my bladder couldn’t wait another second, I managed to move her with little hardship and made my way to the bathroom. 

Instead of going back to bed, I found myself roaming the house and heading down to the Brown’s large kitchen. Like a good country lady, Betsy had a nice selection of tea and I thought maybe that would calm my mind and allow me to get some more rest. I plugged in the electric kettle and began to heat it up as I searched for the perfect flavor of the tea. Thankfully there were mugs sitting on the counter, so I didn’t have to make too much noise searching for one. 

My tea is steeping when I hear a door from down the hallway shut and Betsy appears in the kitchen in her housecoat and slippers. She doesn’t say a whole lot at first but also fills up a mug with water and grabs her own flavor from the selection of teas. She sits down across from me at the kitchen island and gives me a nice smile while bobbing the tea bag up and down in her mug.

“Couldn’t sleep?” She finally asked me.

I gave a small smile across the table, “Something like that.”

“I went to go check on Annabelle before I went to bed and saw Bobby’s door was open.” She looks up from her tea and I feel like she’s Kermit the frog right now, sipping her tea, asking for the gossip. The question is, how much do I give her?

“Annabelle asked if I would stay in the room with her and Wes. I just couldn’t say no.”

Betsy nods, “You two have bonded since the accident, yeah?”

“It feels that way. She’s a very sweet girl, hard to not become attached.”

“May I ask a question that is probably none of my business?”

I smirk up at her, “Are you going to ask even if I say no?”

“Probably,” she says with a huge grin on her face.

“Then I guess so ahead and ask.”

She gently places her mug down and places her hands together, “Where do you see you and Wes? Because I love that you are so close to Annabelle, but Annabelle and Wes are a package deal. If the two of you are friends and Annabelle gets another woman in her life that cares for her, that’s great. However, if you don’t think there is a future with Wes…” Her voice trails off.

“I know. Honestly, that is where I struggle.”

“Mmhmm.” She encourages me to continue.

“If there wasn’t an Annabelle, I think that Wes and I would probably be dating right now.”

“But with Annabelle?”

“I don’t know and it really sucks. Well, first there is all that lying business at the beginning. I know that was some time ago, but it is still there and was a really bad way to start a relationship.”

“My sons are not always the brightest,” she laughs.

I let out a little giggle of my own as a take a sip of my tea. ‘The truth is, I’m not sure if I’m ready to be the mother figure in Annabelle’s life. I’m not even sure that is what Wes wants. I know that I can’t have Wes without her and I’d be lying if I said the entire thing doesn’t scare the ever-living shit out of me.”