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Anne was more than happy to admit that Fall Break was a welcome sight. There would be no Derek coming by for tutoring sessions. She would get a break from the panicked texts that came from Amanda, and the increase in tutoring sessions that the overachiever requested.
Not that Anne was disappointed in the increase in pay. Being able to add those sessions to her bank account helped Anne create a better financial buffer for her daily expenses. She liked feeling comfortable about getting food on campus instead of making sandwiches using the Musgraves money and food.
It was part of the reason she still found herself cooking every day to earn her keep. It didn’t matter that Charles and Mary dismissed Anne’s attempts at being a productive member of their little household.
But for the next couple of days, Anne could enjoy herself in peace.
No Derek being confusingly polite and talkative.
No Isa bouncing around trying to get Derek’s attention.
No Etta being smiley and happy in her ‘new’ and official relationship with Charlie.
No Mary being bitter about Etta giving up her chances with Derek and dating Charlie instead.
No Charles letting Mary have her way because it’s easier.
No nephews puking and pooping and crying and climbing and doing all of those other things that her nephews did.
Every single one of the Musgraves was going on a trip with the head of the family and they would be far away at a beach in Alabama for a nicely-timed family reunion.
Anne had been invited, but she pleaded monthly issues that weren’t as bad as she claimed. Instead, she would enjoy long baths with hot tea and candles, maybe the occasional glass of wine. She would catch up on her reading and do laundry that was not her own. She would watch whatever she wanted to on T.V. or on Netflix.
If she wanted to binge-watch The Great British Baking Show and collect baking ideas, she could.
For once, as soon as she entered the house, she could hear silence. No chattering children or females. No snoring. Just the sound of the air conditioning kicking on as the afternoon warmed up.
The introvert inside Anne rejoiced as she celebrated the opportunity to recharge her batteries.
Until there was a knock on the door.
Opening it wide, Anne started shaking her head. “They aren’t here.”
“I know,” Derek grinned. “Want to go to that Mac and Cheese place? The wait has been ridiculous and I thought that now would be the perfect time to go, but I don’t really want to go alone.”
Pursing her lips, Anne thought about it for a moment before telling Derek to wait a moment while she went and grabbed her purse. She wouldn’t think about why he was asking her. He had been trying to spend more and more time with her after their conversation on the retaining wall, and she wasn’t about to question it.
“Won’t Isa get jealous?” she asked instead of what she really wanted to ask: if this was a date.
“Anne,” Derek said in that tone that told her to not push the matter.
“Just keep in mind,” she pointed out. “I’m not about to rock the boat when it comes to you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being friends, is there?” Derek cautiously asked. He, himself, wasn’t ready to rock the boat and accidentally shove Anne away by pushing her too soon. He didn’t know if she trusted him or not.
Pressing her lips together, Anne turned away, trying to hide her actual thoughts. “No,” she shook her head. “Nothing wrong with being friends.” Hopefully, he didn’t detect the disappointment she felt.
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The rest of the semester went by quickly. Nobody really noticed the change in Anne and Derek’s dynamic, but nobody else had really been paying attention to how Anne and Derek had been acting around each other to begin with.
