The Memory Keeper: A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance(77)
“Thank you for thinking of me,” she said.
“Ah, it happens a lot lately.” He came back around beside her.
Hannah leaned over and kissed his cheek, lingering there, wanting to kiss his lips but unsure of whether to make the move. Slowly, he turned his head, his lips brushing hers, his breath intoxicating, the warmth of him as his hands found her arms making her lightheaded.
“The problem with kissing you,” he whispered, “is that every time I do it, it gets harder to wait until the next time.”
He pulled back, and she took in a steadying breath.
“And that’s terrifying,” he said.
“It shouldn’t be terrifying to care for someone,” she said.
He sat back, leaning on his hands, confusion written across his face. “I carry this constant weight of needing to make sure that I honor the memory of my wife. But I couldn’t get you out of my head, and all I could think about was how soon is too soon? Have I proved to Alison how much her life meant to me yet? It makes moving forward very difficult.”
“Remember when we talked about how the universe lines things up? Maybe that’s why I got into the car with you at the airport. Perhaps it was a sign to say it’s okay.”
“I stood there in that shop the other day, staring at the pendant and wondering if I should buy it, and I kept thinking about what might have happened if I’d have mustered the courage to talk to you instead of your friend Morgan all those years ago.”
She gazed into his emerald eyes.
Liam put one hand on her face and drew her in, pressing his lips to hers as his other hand moved behind her head, laying her down on the blanket. Under a deep-purple sky, the sun having dipped behind the city skyline, his mouth moved on hers urgently, the feel of it like heaven. Her fingers found his and she laced them together, their breath mixing as their lips moved perfectly together, the clean, spicy scent of him intoxicating, and Hannah knew she didn’t ever want to be without this feeling. This was the start of something huge.
Twenty-Eight
Hannah sat outside in a rocking chair on Gran’s porch with her cup of coffee, her laptop on her legs. The morning sunlight filtered past the budding trees in the back yard, giving them all a golden shine. It was shaping up to be a glorious day.
“Hey,” Georgia said, coming outside and dropping down in the chair next to Hannah, holding her own cup of joe. Jerry sniffed his way around the porch.
“I just sent the gorgeous photos you took to my art department at work, so they can get them cropped and filtered for the magazine spread. And, uh…” Her heart thumped in her chest just saying it. She swallowed.
Georgia leaned toward her. “What?”
“I sent in my resignation.”
Georgia’s eyes grew to the size of quarters.
It was the strangest thing. She’d sent over the photos for the new feature, explaining the vision to Amanda and how the new images could replace certain previous ones. Then, as if on autopilot, she opened another email to her boss and told him she’d made the decision to explore other opportunities. She’d sat there stunned for a second, before she realized that her brain had just had to catch up with her heart.
“You what?” Georgia asked.
Hannah nodded in response to Georgia’s question, fear and excitement like a whirlwind inside her, making her feel alive. “I gave them my two weeks, but when I said I needed to be here for Gran, my boss responded, telling me that I’d never taken a day off in the entire time I’d worked there until now, and I’d been on call seven days a week for years, so he was going to give me paid leave for the month. Then he wished me luck and happiness in my new life. My assistant director, Amanda, will take over immediately. I couldn’t believe it.”
“How do you feel?” Georgia asked.
“Nervous,” she replied honestly. “But amazing. It’s time to start a new chapter in my life.”
Georgia crossed her legs underneath her in her chair. “You know, I’ve been thinking the same thing,” she said. “I’ve been holding on to this need to find people like me, grasping at anything to pin down some reason why my father dropped off those photos. But at the end of the day, my parents signed the veto and didn’t want me to find them. Maybe it’s because, while they’re decent people, and wanted me to see where I came from, they aren’t actually my people. I look around at you and everyone I’ve met here in such a short time, and I feel more myself with y’all than I ever have. And I’m arranging flowers, taking photos, designing the shop—all the things I’m good at. It just feels right to stay here.”
“I wish I could guarantee that you could work at The Memory Keeper,” Hannah said honestly.
“Even if I can’t, I know this is where I’m supposed to be. I’ll figure it out.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Hannah corrected her.
Georgia reached over and gave her a hug. And Hannah knew that this was where she belonged too.
“Oh my goodness!” Hannah said, when she came into the shop after stopping by the hospital to see Gran. Liam was on the brand-new rolling ladder he’d converted for them, adjusting the wheel on the old track. “That’s gorgeous, Liam!”
“Surprise,” he said. “I’m glad you like it.” He pulled a pencil from behind his ear, marking something and then putting it back, then looked down at her with an affectionate grin. He pushed against the track and snapped a piece of the ladder in place.