In the sixth grade, he’d gotten a cochlear implant, which allowed him to more easily function in the hearing world, but the device on his head just above his ear made it obvious that he was different from others. Not to mention the way he sounded. Frankie had worked very hard in the last few years to speak normally, but he’d always sound different from people who’d been able to hear their entire life.
But not once had Annie made him feel as if his lack of hearing made him weird or different. From the first time they’d met, she’d treated him as if the fact he couldn’t hear was special. Unique. She’d started learning sign language that very day. He’d fallen head over heels for her there and then.
He hated that they lived so far away, but that hadn’t kept their relationship from blossoming and growing as they got older. This trip was his Christmas present from his dad. He was going to get to spend a whole week with Annie and her family. Frankie couldn’t keep the huge smile from his face.
Finally, it was his turn to deplane, and he sent a quick text to Annie, letting her know he was on his way.
Butterflies swirled in Frankie’s belly as he headed down the crowded hallway of the airport toward the baggage area. Would they still have the same crazy chemistry they’d had the last time they’d seen each other in person? Will she change her mind about wanting to date him? A long-distance relationship wasn’t easy, and Frankie had vowed a long time ago to always make Annie feel special and loved, even if he couldn’t be there with her.
He knew she had plans to go to college, be a part of ROTC there, and eventually join the Army. He was more than all right with following wherever her career led her. He’d move to the moon if that was what she wanted to do. Frankie would do whatever it took to make sure she knew he supported her unconditionally.
Taking a deep breath as he stepped onto the escalator, Frankie kept his eyes glued downward, searching for Annie.
At first, his eyes went straight past her. His Annie wouldn’t be wearing a skirt. But immediately, he whipped his gaze back to the absolutely radiant girl wearing red and black. God, she looked so amazing.
Annie waved and ran toward the escalator. Laughing, she tried to run up the stairs to meet him, but she wasn’t making much progress. Frankie hurried down the steps toward her—and then she was in his arms.
She smelled so damn good. That was one thing he missed with their long-distance chats. Strawberries and peaches would always remind him of Annie. He’d told her that once, and she’d merely laughed and said it was only her lotion.
Feeling her strong body against his own made Frankie long to do more than simply hug her. Lately, he’d been having more intimate thoughts about his Annie, and he worried that he’d do or say something to embarrass her. Pulling back, he smiled down at her. Her long hair seemed to have a mind of its own, clinging around his arms as if it didn’t want to let him go.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” Annie returned a bit shyly.
Frankie wondered about that, as she’d never been shy with him before.
“Good to see you.” Fletch’s deep voice sounded from behind his daughter.
Frankie reluctantly let go of Annie and turned to her dad. “You too,” he told him.
“You look good,” Emily said as she leaned in for a hug.
Frankie loved Annie’s family. Her mom and dad were awesome, and her little brothers were energetic, happy kids. They’d all welcomed him with open arms…although he had a feeling her dad wouldn’t be thrilled if he knew how much Frankie thought about his little girl in a not-so-innocent way. It wasn’t that Frankie wanted to have sex with Annie right that second—he wanted their first time to be special—but he definitely wanted to make sure she knew that he wanted more than friendship.
The gift he’d bought for her with his own money seemed to be burning a hole in his pocket. He hadn’t dared put it in his checked luggage, and even the idea of putting it in his carry-on had stressed him out. Someone could steal his backpack. No, it was safe and sound in his pocket.
“Flight okay?” Fletch asked.
Frankie nodded. He felt Annie’s hand slip into his own, and he smiled at her. God, this girl was perfect. She obviously wasn’t embarrassed to hold his hand in front of her parents, which made him feel all warm and fuzzy.
“Well, let’s go find your bag and we’ll head home. I made a pot roast for dinner. I hope that’s all right,” Emily said.
Frankie nodded immediately. “I can’t wait.” And he couldn’t. His dad tried, but he wasn’t the best cook in the world. He knew he’d be fed extremely well while he was in Texas for the next week.
Fletch and Emily walked behind him and Annie as they headed into the baggage area. Annie talked nonstop, as if she had to get out everything she’d done since the last time they’d seen each other in the next five minutes.
Frankie merely smiled and nodded as she babbled. She supplemented her words with modified sign language with her free hand. She could’ve dropped his hand to use ASL properly, but he wasn’t upset in the least that she didn’t seem to want to let him go.
His Annie was adorable…and she might not see the glances other teenage boys shot her way as they walked through the crowd, but he did.
Frankie stood taller when he was with his Annie. She did that for him. People didn’t seem to stare at him as much when she was with him, maybe because their gazes were drawn to her instead. He was all right with that. He was happy to let her have the limelight. He’d stand behind her and be her support. His Annie was born to do great things, and he felt lucky to be the man at her side.
Dinner that night was crazy, chaotic, and Frankie had never been happier. He loved watching the Fletchers interact. At home, it was just him and his dad, and things were always quiet and calm. Not here. John, being only two, was quite the handful, and the other two boys were constantly trying to outtalk each other.
Emily and Fletch did their best to keep some sort of control, but they definitely had their hands full with their exuberant boys. Annie sat next to Frankie at dinner, and they both kept meeting each other’s gazes.
Frankie had never been more relieved to see the interest in his girl’s eyes. She’d scooted her chair closer to his, so their thighs were almost touching. And while they both kept their hands to themselves, it was more than obvious to Frankie that Annie was feeling the same crazy attraction he was.
At one point during dinner, Annie reached over and took his hand in hers once more. She’d changed into a pair of jeans when they’d gotten home, so they could play in the backyard with her brothers, but he’d still felt the heat of her skin against the back of his hand when she’d rested their clasped hands against her leg.
After dinner, and after he’d read John and Doug a story, he and Annie went out onto the back deck to relax and talk while her parents stayed inside and watched TV. The lights from the Christmas tree winked and twinkled through the window as they enjoyed the balmy December Texas weather.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Annie told him. They were sitting side by side in the loveseat swing on the deck and were once more holding hands.
“Me either. But it feels as if I was just here. Except for the fact that Doug is a year older than when I last saw him. And I swear Ethan has grown a foot since then too.”