The Memory Keeper: A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance(28)

She turned away from the truck and reached into the rental car to grab her things. Liam got the suitcases out of the trunk while Hannah piled the other bags next to them.

The porch swing swayed in the cold breeze, the pillows a bit more disorganized than Gran would have had them; the rocking chairs had been pushed aside, and her geranium pots were empty, which gave Hannah an immediate punch in the gut. Good thing Gran couldn’t see that right now. She’d have a fit.

The front door swung open, and Hannah’s dad, Chuck, waved, leaning on his cane, and filling up the doorway with his broad stance and oversized belly—too many dinners at home and not enough golf. Her father was still recovering from a heart attack he’d had last year, which had forced him into retirement. After the heart attack, which had been touch-and-go, putting all of them on edge, Hannah’s parents had settled on the coast of Florida for a slower pace of life.

“My eyesight might be failing me these days,” he said, working his way down the two steps to the drive, using the cane his doctor had suggested he now use, “but this young man hasn’t been on your social media feeds.”

“I don’t put all my business on social media,” she said, making a silly face at him, ignoring the niggling feeling of shame that her father had to search her social media feeds to find out about her life these days.

Ethan came out behind her father. His hair was a bit shorter and more stylish than it had been when he was younger, and somewhere along the line he’d developed a muscular build, having shed his lanky teenage body. She wanted to run to her best friend and wrap her arms around him, but seeing how different he looked now—how grown up—made her realize how many years she’d lost.

“You pickin’ up strays?” He regarded Liam curiously before giving Hannah a lengthy look. “Hey, man. Good to see you.”

Liam shook Ethan’s hand in greeting.

“Liam drove me home when all the flights were grounded. He’s a hero, not a stray,” she said, with a big smile in Liam’s direction.

When her father reached her, he gave her a giant bear hug. His squeeze wasn’t quite as tight as it had been over the years, given his health, but the familiarity of it was still there, making her want to bury her head in his chest to shield herself from everything that was swirling around in there right now.

“Who knew that being overly cautious and booking a rental car could make me a hero,” Liam said to Ethan.

“He did a lot more than that,” Hannah cut in, sticking up for him.

Liam shrugged it off before turning back to her father, holding out his hand. “Liam McGuire. Nice to meet you.”

“Chuck Townshend.” Hannah’s father offered Liam a firm handshake. “Let me help y’all with your bags.”

“We’ve got it, Dad,” Hannah told him, grasping the handles before he could. She noted the frustration in the purse of his lips, and she knew that it went against his nature not to help his daughter, but he was supposed to be taking it easy these days.

Liam carried the suitcases inside with her father leading the way, while Ethan took the duffel bag from Hannah. “Don’t those designer jeans get dirty on the back of your horse?” Ethan teased Hannah.

“I haven’t ridden horses in years, Ethan,” she told him, hearing the drawl inch back into her voice as she responded to him.

“You ain’t done a lot in years.” He tossed her bag over his shoulder.

He wasn’t going to let her off easy, and she knew that. Family meant everything to Ethan, and he’d considered her family. She’d let him.

“Were you ever plannin’ on comin’ home?” He ran his hand through his hair, and her breath caught when she saw the wedding band on his left hand. She’d always said she’d be a bridesmaid in his wedding since he didn’t have a sister.

“What’s that?” She pointed to it.

“Life’s moved on since you left,” he replied.

“You didn’t invite me to the wedding?” she asked, hurt that he hadn’t even so much as called her to tell her.

“I didn’t think you’d care,” he said honestly.

His words cut her like a knife. How could he ever think she wouldn’t care? She’d have stopped everything and come home to his wedding. But then it hit her: while she’d been working like crazy, meeting deadlines, and moving up the corporate ladder, on his end, all Ethan had heard was silence. And her silence had felt like indifference. Sadness plumed in her stomach. She’d never wanted him to think for one minute that she was uninterested in his life.

“Did Gran know you were getting married?”

He shook his head. “We kept it small. I told her when I went to see her at the hospital, so she knows now…”

Still in shock, Hannah reached down and grabbed the last of the bags, slinging it over her shoulder. Ethan gently slid it back off and carried it for her.

“Your mama’s been at the shop all day, organizin’ to get it into some kind of order,” Ethan said, moving the conversation on. “I’m sure she’ll want to kick her feet up when she gets home. Good thing, since it’s your birthday.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Her dad called from the doorway. “We’ve got a few surprises for you.”

“Y’all didn’t have to do that,” she said, but she was glad they had. She hadn’t been sure what she was going to find when she got home, and Ethan’s news had hit her like a ton of bricks.