You Love Somebody

46 (Anna)

Alice was completely blown away by the place. She gasped loudly in every room and looked at Anna with wide eyes. 

"This place is fucking enormous!" She exclaimed and both Emma and Anna laughed. "Does he live here all by himself?" 

Emma nodded. "Yeah when he's home, this is where he goes. I think he's dreaming of turning it into a family home; kids playing in the garden, a dog and a wife by his side." 

Alice looked at Anna and raised an eyebrow. Anna looked away shyly not sure how to react to that. 

"He's pretty misunderstood actually. Generally people think he's a casanova on the prowl for his next conquest. That's not him at all. He wants to find somebody who loves him and that he loves back and then settle down. He's close to 30, after all." Emma said and looked at Alice and Anna. "What? Why do you look like that?" She looked over her shoulder and around the room.

Alice chuckled. "Well Emma, I think I'm wondering if Anna is that somebody to him?" 

"Alice!" Anna said with embarrassment. 

Emma laughed and crossed the room to hug Anna. "I'm pretty sure." 

Anna blushed and remained silent. How desperately she wished for that to be the truth. That he wanted her and only her. She could imagine herself waking up next to him in 30 years, their kids all grown up and successful, while they were retired. Maybe Eddie still made music, but not like now. They would just grow old together blissfully. 

She snapped back to reality to Alice and Emma looking expectantly at her.

"What?" She asked. 

"How do you feel about that?" Alice repeated her question and smiled knowingly at Emma. 

The doorbell rang and Anna was literally saved by the bell. 

"Sorry, gotta get that," she said and hurried down to open the door. 

Ben was waiting outside with his back turned to the door. 

"Hey Ben, welcome!" Anna said and swung the door open to him. 

"Thanks for having me," he smiled and entered. 

Emma and Alice came down the stairs, and Anna definitely spotted a moment where Alice smiled sweetly and he held his breath. Ben went over to say hello and Emma walked over to Anna. 

"Is that a thing?" She asked curiously. 

Anna nodded. "Looks like it. I mean, nothing's happened, but I think they would like something to happen." 

Emma squeezed her arm and giggled. "Awesome. I love a good romance unfolding in front of my eyes." 

"Me too!" Anna giggled as they went out to the kitchen to assist Hannah and to let the two turtle doves have a moment to themselves.

Hannah had everything under control in the kitchen. She smiled when Emma and Anna came in and offered them a glass of wine at the kitchen island. 

"Here you are, my two beautiful girls," she said and poured a glass of white wine for each. 

Anna's heart skipped a beat. Whenever Hannah said something like that it tugged at her heart strings. The nurturing, motherly nature was only a memory to Anna, a reminder of her mom. She really liked Hannah, and she found herself craving those little signs that Hannah saw her as family. It was probably textbook; girl loses mother, grows up without a strong female presence, and craves that connection. 

She was so deep in thought she didn't realise that Eddie was in the room until he wrapped his arms around her from behind and leaned his chin on her shoulder. She looked up and smiled at him. Sometimes when he looked at her, it was as if she was more precious than anything else in the world. He made her stomach flutter and her pulse escalate.