The Memory Keeper: A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance(56)

“Ready for your stories?” Liam said to Noah. “We need to get you in bed. It’s way past your bedtime.”

Noah took Hannah’s hand and walked with her down the hallway.

“I didn’t know your grandmother was a farmer,” she said to Noah, wondering how one woman could take care of this whole farm all by herself.

“Yes. She grows lots of stuff for the shops and the farmer’s markets,” he told her as they walked. “I get to have all the strawberries I can eat.” They stopped at an open door. “This is my room when I’m at Grandma’s house.”

Hannah stepped inside. A model train and track circled the ceiling and there were more locomotives on the bedding. “Do you like trains?” Hannah asked.

“Yeah,” Noah replied. “My grandpa used to collect them.” He grabbed a book and held it out to her before crawling under his covers.

“Oh, that’s nice.” She kneeled down at the side of his bed and opened the book. As Noah snuggled under his blanket, Hannah started to read. Noah looked at her with sleepy eyes, complete innocence in them, and her heart wanted to burst. Suddenly, she longed for moments like these, building her family, and spending precious slips of time knowing that it was about so much more than just the story she was reading. Before she could even get the book finished, he was asleep.

She realized Liam was watching her intently, curiosity in his eyes, and a fond smile on his lips.

“He was tired,” she whispered to him as they left the room.

Liam closed the door, latching it quietly. “He was exhausted. It took all his energy to stay up until you arrived. Sorry you had to come all the way out for that.”

“It’s no problem,” she said. “I enjoy being with him.”

Liam smiled. “We went round and round about reading his stories until he asked to call you. He didn’t want me to do it.”

“Don’t you normally read him his stories?” Hannah asked.

A guarded look came over him. “His nanny reads them usually,” he said. “She’s typically the one there with him when he goes to bed.”

Hannah nodded. “That has to be difficult for you, not to see him before he goes to sleep,” she said, as they walked together back down the hallway to the living area.

“Yes. It’s… hard.”

Hannah understood grief and how it could ravage the mind and heart. As much as a month after Pop-pop’s funeral, she could be going along with her normal day and still burst into tears over him, the finality of him being gone totally overwhelming her.

“While you’re here, can I ask a totally random favor?” Liam asked.

“What’s that?” she replied.

“My mom needs a dish to take to her book club tomorrow, and I told her I’d help her make one, since she’ll be out so late tonight.”

“That’s nice of you,” Hannah said.

“It was the least I could do to repay her for watching Noah for a week, and having to rush home to get to her benefit with him in tow.”

Hannah stepped up beside him. “What are you going to make?”

“That’s just it. I have no idea. I’m not really a cook…”

She laughed quietly so as not to wake Noah. “So you want me to think of a dish and help you make it?”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, you’ve got the right person,” Hannah told him. “I love cooking and I don’t get to do it enough.” She took him by the arm. “Take me to your kitchen, sir,” she teased. “Let’s see what ingredients you have.”

“I think my mother was scared to see what I was going to come up with—I could tell by her face,” Liam said. “I’m sure she’s expecting a bag of chips and peanut butter sandwiches.”

“She’ll be very surprised then. There won’t be a peanut butter sandwich in sight,” Hannah said as she peeked into the fridge. “She’s got a great array of vegetables… And what’s this?” she asked, pulling out a large tub and removing the covering. “Oh! Chicken—that works.” She handed it to Liam who set it on the counter. “Do you have a deep dish I can use to make a casserole?”

Hannah washed her hands, drying them on the kitchen towel while Liam pulled a baking dish from the cupboard and set it next to the chicken.

“What vegetables do we need?” he asked, as he got out a bunch of carrots and an onion.

“Definitely grab the broccoli. Do you have any other vegetables in the freezer? Oh, and I’ll need a few large bowls for combining ingredients.”

While he opened the freezer door and took a look, Hannah asked, “Who cooks for you at home in Charleston?”

“I just order prepared food—I usually work through my mealtimes. Elise, the nanny, cooks for Noah.”

“When was the last time you sat down at a table and had a nice dinner?”

He stopped and turned toward her, homing in on her. “At your grandmother’s with you.”

Hannah’s cheeks flushed, and she took in a breath to keep the flutter that the memory had caused at bay. “I meant before that,” she said, but he was already remembering that night again too, she could tell.

Then, all of a sudden, he closed right up. “I don’t recall,” he answered. He pulled a bag from the open freezer. “Mom has these mixed garden veggies. They’re already diced—”