To Forgive & Hold Safe (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 4) (9 page)

I arrived home strangely feeling like I needed sleep.  I took advantage of the exhaustion, seeing as although rest had come a bit more easily over the past week, it was still sporadic.

By the time my head hit the pillows, my cell began to ring on the bedside table.

I grabbed it, reading
unknown number
on the display.  Something urged me to answer because no one called me that late unless it was from work, which in this case, it wasn’t.

“Hello?”

“It’s Hannah.” I felt the smile spread across my face.  “Oh God!  It’s so late.  Did I wake you?”

I laughed.  “You can wake me up any time, Hannah, but I wasn’t sleeping.  How was your day?”

She groaned.  “I think I’ll be hurrying to get out.  This porcelain doll treatment is a bit much.”

My tone was soft.  “They’re worried about you.  They almost lost you, you have to understand that.”

“I know.”

Silence hung in the air.

What had she called for?

I heard her take a deep breath and exhale.

“Is everything okay?” I prompted her.

“I’m fine.”

I wasn’t convinced.  “You don’t sound too sure.”

“I guess I just need time.” She sighed.  “It just feels weird you know?”

My head began to bob in agreement. “I remember that feeling.  Little things like that are bound to creep up for a while yet.  Still does with me.”

“Yeah.  Right…”

I had the feeling that there was more.  “Hannah?”

“Can you come over?”

And there it was.

I sat upright, the sheets falling at my waist while I rubbed the back of my neck with my free hand.  “You should be sleeping.” I wanted to smack myself in the face for that one.  She didn’t answer me with words, only with a sigh.  “What’s the address?”

“No, it’s okay.  Never mind.”

“Hannah, what’s the address?”  Sleep could wait.  Hannah needed me.

She provided me with the directions.  “Don’t ring the doorbell.  Just walk around the side, to the back of the house.”

Anne and Adam lived a mere fifteen-minute drive from my house in a beautiful two-story home that resembled that of my parents, who lived a few blocks over from the Donners.

I laughed and shook my head at the irony of it all.  So close yet so far.  What would have made it all the more hilarious would be if we had gone to the same school.  She wasn’t all that much younger than me, of that I was sure.

I made my way around to the back of the house as she’d instructed me to and found her on the cushioned patio swing with a thick blanket.  Her eyes were aimed up at the sky.  Pausing to look at her, I smiled.  “Wishing on a star?” I asked, which made her jump.  “I’m sorry.”

“No worries.  I hear it’s good to get the blood racing every now and again.”

Without an invitation, I sat beside her on the swing with my hands on my lap.  I felt like a nervous teenager who didn’t have a clue about dating or being around a girl.  The fact that we were in her parents’ back yard only strengthened the feel of awkwardness.

She leaned her head onto my shoulder and I felt some of my anxiety dissipate.

“This may sound absolutely ridiculous, and tell me if it does.” She shifted her head so she looked up at me. “I missed you today.”

“It’s not ridiculous at all.” I shifted my arm to wrap it around Hannah’s shoulders, while she covered us both with the blanket as we began to swing.  I’d missed her too.

A set of warm, soft lips on my forehead woke me.  The chirp of birds, the brightness behind my eyelids, and the wonderful weight atop me made me feel as if I was dreaming.

“Wake up, sleepy head.” A hand rubbed my chest.

I groaned and was damn well near blinded by the sun, but forgot all about that when I realized where I was and who I was with.

“Hannah?”

“I can’t believe we slept out here.”  She giggled into my shoulder.  “How’s your neck?  That couldn’t have been comfortable.”

I smiled. “I’m fine.”

“Coffee?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Last night, Hannah and I had stayed up talking.  I had been adamant that she sleep, but she refused.  The woman ended up cuddling into my side as I spoke about anything and everything in an attempt to lull her to sleep.  It worked!  So well, in fact, that I had fallen asleep with her in my arms.

“Good morning, Ben!” A rather chipper Adam walked out onto the patio.  “You could have used the couch instead of that swing, you know.”

I felt the heat rise in my face and my mouth opened to say something. Nothing came out.

“Relax.”  He chuckled. “I’m quite fine with it, really.  She evidently sees something in you that’s helping her.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see it.  You two are cut from the same cloth.  You’re good for each other.”

“I…uh…”

“Here you go-” Hannah’s steps faltered when she noticed her father’s presence. “Daddy, what are you doing up so early?”  She looked between her father and me, color suffusing her face as embarrassment took over.  She looked guilty, and her overall reaction had me chuckling at the same time, thinking that it was a good look on her.

“Well, will you look at that!” Adam harrumphed.  “She blushes for you, too.”

Hannah’s colour deepened and began to spread from her cheeks to her face until it had reached her neckline.

I couldn’t help myself, and teased. “Red is a nice color, isn’t it Adam?”

“The best, Ben.” He laughed along with me.  “You’d think that something was going on with-”

“No…nothing.”  She was quick to say.  “We were talking and then we fell asleep.”

“I have to agree.” I moved toward Hannah.  With a wink, I grabbed my cup of coffee from her and took a sip.  I moaned my appreciation for the hot brew.  “Thank you.”

Her eyes widened as she nodded her welcome, and then looked at her father as if signaling that he go away.

“What’s going on out here?” Anne came to join us.  “Ben?  My, you’re here early.  Welcome to our home.”

“You’re a whole night late,” Adam told her and she gave him an inquiring gaze.  “I woke up last night and heard voices.  I looked out the window and these two were on the swing.”

“I guess Adam wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep, I gather?” She looked pointedly at her daughter.

“It’s more like she refused to sleep,” I said.  “It took me a while to convince her to try.”

“And before you all ask, yes, I slept, and I slept fine,” Hannah said.

“Better than fine by the sound of it, you snored.”

“I don’t snore!”

“Of course not, sweetheart.  There’s just a small bear hiding in them bushes over there, isn’t there?”

She elbowed me in the side.  “Be careful, Carpenter, or you might regret those words.”

“Really?”  She nodded in response.  “I’d like to see you try.”  I lifted my hand and flicked her nose like I knew annoyed her in an infantilizing way.

“Oh, you will.  Rest assured, white knight, you will.” She gave me her best mischievous grin.

“I should get going.” I swallowed the last of my coffee and Anne grabbed my empty cup from me.  “I’m the only one in this morning aside from some of my kitchen staff.”

Hannah set down her own mug on a side table.  “Walk you to your car?”

Biding goodbye to her folks, she walked past me and I followed.

When I reached her side, our hands touched and I felt her cool fingers slide on the inside of my wrist until our palms touched.  I interlaced our fingers and squeezed.

We reached my car and I paused.  Our hands hadn’t parted as I fished for my car keys in my pocket.

I looked down at our joined hands, smirking. “Are you going to-?”  Her lips cut me off as they made contact with mine for a millisecond.  “W-what was that for?”  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it to happen again but…

“Thank you,” she whispered and let go of my hand.

She looked cute all bashful and shuffling her feet.  It appeared as if she hadn’t planned on her actions, taking us both off guard.

I moved toward her and brushed the strand of hair that had come loose from her ponytail.  I grabbed the back of her neck with my hand and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

“You’re welcome.  You should drop by for lunch or dinner some time when you’re up for it.”

“You should drop by for dessert.” She giggled nervously as soon as she realized her comment held a double-entendre.

I pulled away, releasing her to open my car door before looking at her. “I think I just got mine.”  Hannah’s blush pinked her cheeks for the third time that morning, making me laugh.  “And that right there was the cherry on top.”

She laughed. “Charmer.”

“Your mom seems to think so.”

“She was right.” She winked.  “Call me?”

“You know I will.”

I saw Hannah every day since her release from the hospital.  Sometimes it was for an hour, and last night we had a repeat of Sunday night where I ended up passing out on her parents’ couch, which I’ll say was considerably more comfortable than the swing.

Nothing beyond that one kiss ever happened again.  I was disappointed, but I did get plenty of lip to cheek and forehead kisses. I milked those about as much as I doled them out.  Hannah seemed to need the little bits of tenderness I was able to provide.

Later in the week, Mike and Nicole came into
Fairfax
for lunch.

“What can I get you two lovebirds?” I asked when I got to their table.

“Our usual,” Mike said.

“Sure thing.”

After serving them their drinks, I didn’t go back until their orders were ready, at which point I sat down with them for some small talk.

Nicole had me laughing as she recounted how Mike had kept her in their hotel room.  “My husband is such a horn-dog!”  She giggled, cuddling closer into her husband’s side.  It was clear she was playing up her disappointment at not having seen much of Italy, what with the sparkle in her eyes.

“I never heard any complaints.” Mike kissed her cheek.  “How about I make it up to you with another trip?”

“Hmm-”

“You’d better take it,” I heard the familiar voice say.  “Italy is worth a yearly visit.”  I turned to face the voice and her eyes were on me.  “Sitting on the job are we?”

“Hannah!” I got up to greet her with a kiss to her cheek.

She grinned.  “Any chance a girl can get some service around here?  I mean, there is a white knight that works here, right, or did I get the wrong place?”

Someone was feeling cheeky.

“Mike… Nicole, this is Hannah Parsons.”

“Congratulations on your wedding.” Hannah extended her hand, smiling.

I looked on as she shook Mike’s hand first, and then he peered up at me with a nod of approval, while she moved to Nicole.

“You alone?” I asked her.

She nodded.

“No, you’re not,” Nicole said.  “You can sit with us, if you’d like.”

I jumped into host mode.  “What can I get you?”

“The same as what you brought me in the hospital if you don’t mind.” She made a point to look around.  “I can see why people keep coming back.  This place is great.”

“You sure it’s not the owner?” Nicole blurted out.  Hannah’s head snapped in the woman’s direction, a look was exchanged between the two and then they both turned to grin at me.  “I mean, look at him!” my best friend’s wife added.

Nicole and Hannah both eyed me from top to bottom like hungry cougars.  “I know.” Hannah licked her bottom lip.  “I bet you he tastes better than any of the desserts I make.”

“I’m wondering,” Nicole bit her lip, “maybe I should have sampled a few extras before saying
I do
.”

“Now wait a damn minute, woman!” Mike said.  Nicole laughed at her husband’s protest.

“I’m not sure about that, but I’ll go put Hannah’s order in.”  I turned to Hannah. “Can you try not to stir trouble between these two while I’m gone?”

“Relax, baby, there will only ever be you,” Nicole told Mike, to which the man groaned, making both women giggle as I walked off.

When I rounded the bar with Hannah’s order, my best friend let out a boisterous laugh.  Hannah had a smirk on her face and a look in her eyes that I’d seen only moments before.  What was she up to?

I put Hannah’s order down and sat down beside her.

“I like this girl,” Mike said.

“I figured you would.” I grinned and looked over at Hannah to find that she was looking at me.  My hand found hers under the table and clasped it.  She moved it to lace our fingers together.

Mike and Nicole bid us goodbye and then there was just Hannah and I.

“I like them,” she said.

“They’re great.”

We fell silent, then I was beckoned by Derek who had come in early for his shift.  I had a quick conversation with the man before returning to Hannah’s table.  This time I sat across from her.

The disappointment in her eyes, which was masked with a glint of something else, didn’t escape my notice.

“When are you off?” she asked.

“Now, actually.  I’ve been done for fifteen minutes, but like a bad habit, I have a tendency of sticking around and helping.”

Her smile was slight, but still genuine.  “How do you feel about helping somewhere else?”

“Sure, but I need to warn you, I can’t be held accountable for ruining your recipes if this helping requires baking.”

Her lips quirked and then her smile disappeared.  “There won’t be any baking.”

Something wasn’t right.

I reached across the table for her hand.  “What’s going on?”

“I’m supposed to go back to the house today,” she explained.  “I tried with Mom and Dad a few times yesterday, but I can’t seem to be able to last more than an hour without feeling suffocated by memories.  Lee’s parents asked that I pack up his things for them to take.”

I growled and her eyes flashed to mine.  “Why in the hell are they in such a rush?” She shrugged her shoulders.  “You never explained about his parents.”

She sighed and looked down at the tabletop.  “It’s a long story.”

She wasn’t ready to elaborate just yet.  “It’s okay. I’ll go with you. We’ll get everything sorted.”

“Thank you.  I might be weak when it comes to them, but it’s probably for the best that everything is out of my sight.”

I nodded.  “It does make it easier.”