Charming Hannah (Big Sky #1)(36)

“Shh,” he says and pulls me against him hard, holding me so tight I don’t know when I end and he begins. “Stop thinking that way. I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I’m right here. And if you don’t want to go into the water for any reason, you don’t have to. I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”

“It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you’re right. No means no. I don’t think you’re different or weird. You feel the way you feel, and that’s okay.”

His hand is circling firmly over my back, soothing me, and it’s the best feeling in the world. I’m calmer now; the giant butterflies in my stomach are gone.

And I was in the water and survived.

“Do you want to go home?” he asks.

“Do you want me to go home?”

“Hell, no. We have prime seats for fireworks.” He smiles and brushes his thumb over the apple of my cheek. “I want you to stay with us, and I want to enjoy the rest of the day with you.”

“I want that too. Grace said something about iced coffees.”

He chuckles and kisses my forehead, then my nose and finally my lips.

“You can have whatever you want as long as you stay.”





Chapter Ten


Hannah

“YOU CHEATED!” JENNA YELLS below us. I’m sitting on the upper deck of Grace’s house, my second iced coffee sitting at my elbow, and Brad and I are listening to the others battling it out over ping pong below us.

“I had no idea that people put ping-pong tables outside,” I say and laugh when Max swears ripely.

“Did you see that patio? It’s huge.” Brad slips his hand over mine and gives it a squeeze. “Do you feel better?”

“I do,” I reply truthfully and lean in to kiss his arm. “Thanks.”

“Brad!” Jacob yells up. “You need to come down here and try to beat Grace. She’s beat everyone else.”

“I’m fine up here,” Brad calls down, but I shake my head.

“You should go play. I’m seriously great. I’m enjoying the view and my coffee.”

“You’re sure?”

“Completely sure.”

He kisses me quickly and then hurries down to play.

“Okay, Grace, it’s on,” I hear him say and I smile at the sound of his voice.

I do feel much better. Talking to Brad helped. I should have just told him how I felt this morning, and the whole embarrassing episode never would have happened. I live too much in my own head. I overthink and it gets me in trouble.

I need to trust. To loosen up. To go with the flow.

I smirk because going with the flow is probably not something I’ll ever do. But I am learning to trust.

I check my phone to make sure I haven’t missed any calls from the hospital just before Mary joins me on the deck.

“Do you mind if I sit with you for a while?” she asks. I gesture to the seat that Brad just vacated and offer her a smile.

“I’d love it if you joined me.”

“It’s sure a beautiful day today,” she says and takes a deep breath, watching the boats zip around the lake. “And this is a wonderful view.”

“It sure is,” I reply. “Are you from here?”

“Born and raised,” she says with a nod. “I remember some Fourth of Julys that had snow.”

“No way.”

“A flake or two, yes. Nothing that stuck, of course. Plenty of rainy days. You just never know what you’ll get around here. Where are you from, Hannah?”

“Kansas,” I reply and frown. “It’s very different from here.”

“Yes, it is. I have a friend from Kansas. How long have you been in Cunningham Falls?”

“Just about five years.” I point out a bald eagle that’s swooped over the lake, looking for his dinner. “A friend of mine took a position here a few years before that, and I’d been to visit. I never considered practicing in a small town until the position came open here and Drake called me about it. And then it seemed like the best idea I’d ever heard.”

“This town gets under your skin,” Mary agrees. “Of course, there are pros and cons to living in a small town.”

“Of course, but the pros far exceed the cons.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she says with a warm smile. After a quiet moment she says, “I like the way Brad looks when you’re around.”

“How does he look?”

“Happy. Content.” She blinks rapidly, as if keeping tears at bay. “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”

And, cue the butterflies again, but in a great way this time. Every woman wants to hear that the man they’re in love with looks at her in a special way.

“Of course,” she continues, “being married to a cop isn’t easy. And being married to the chief of police is as challenging as they come.”

“Oh geez,” I say and laugh her off easily. “We aren’t anywhere near marriage.”

“Still, you’re with him, and I can tell you from experience that it’s a job all in itself. His hours are erratic. He sees horrible things. Some he’ll tell you about, and others it’s best for both of you if he doesn’t. He will be tired and moody, and there will be times when it feels like he’s more married to the job than he is to you.