“Are you in trouble? Is that what this is about?” The subtext to that statement was more than clear.
“No, Mom. There’s no baby on the way. How could you even ask me that?”
“How could I not? You show up at our house with some strange man you married since we last saw you a few months ago? What happened to Brian? We liked Brian.”
“I was never going to marry Brian,” Hannah said dryly.
“Why not?”
She hadn’t confided in her mother for years. Kate and Riley fulfilled that need. But still, how had they gotten so far off base that her mother couldn’t tell Brian wasn’t long-term? She debated what to disclose. “Because he didn’t want to marry me.”
Her mother crossed her arms. “So you cheated on him?
“I didn’t cheat on him,” Hannah said, throwing her hands up in the air. She had spent a lifetime making smart decisions and safe choices—her mother’s voice lived in her head, guiding her down the expected road. Wasn’t she allowed a detour? Stephanie had taken several, and their mother had never questioned her integrity. Stephanie was all heart, but Hannah always led with her head. She still was, but her mother didn’t deserve to know that now.
“When I realized I had more than platonic feelings for Will, I broke up with Brian—before anything happened,” Hannah continued. “God, Mom. Who do you think I am?”
“I don’t know at this point, Hannah! Why did you get married to someone you barely know? Where did you even find him?”
She hoped against all hope that Will was far enough away that he couldn’t hear her mother. Maybe her father had taken him out to the garage to show off his midlife-crisis sports car. She could hope.
“Where did I find him? He’s my friend. Will Thorne, remember, from college?”
Her eyes narrowed. “That boy who lived with you rent-free for almost a year?”
Now wasn’t the time to inform her that Will had indeed paid rent. He’d paid most of it, allowing Hannah and Kate to pocket nearly all the money their parents had funneled into their rent fund.
“What does he need now?” she asked. “Or is he paying you? What have you gotten yourself into?”
“Hannah.” She jumped at the sound of Will’s voice and at the weight of his hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t used to hearing her actual name out of his mouth. It shook her more than his somber expression. He had heard, if not everything, enough. She knew he would argue for her, use every skill in his lawyer toolbox to talk her mother down. It wouldn’t work, but he would try. Which was exactly why he was worth it.
“It’s okay, Will.” It wasn’t, but what else could she say in that moment? “Mom, please. I’ll tell you the whole story. It’s not a bad one.”
She shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t want to hear it. How could you do this?”
Hannah straightened. Was her marriage unexpected? Yes. Would she have gotten this reaction if she’d come home with Brian’s wedding ring on her hand? Probably not. She pushed herself to her feet and took Will’s hand. Her eyes shifted to her father, standing in the doorway. His expression was clouded—whatever he thought, he wasn’t going to save her now.
“I thought you’d at least be a little happy for me.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Because I’m happier than I’ve been in years.”
Neither of her parents spoke. Her father stared down at his shoes, and her mother glared at the family portrait hanging over the mantel.
Only Stephanie stepped forward. “Hannah.”
She shook her head and turned to Will, meeting his worried gaze. “Let’s go home.”
Chapter 28Will
Will might not have been party to a full-on Hannah meltdown in several years, but he still knew how to handle them. He called in the big guns—meaning he had texted Kate an SOS before they even hit the parkway. Kate and Hannah had been locked in the guest room for over an hour. At first, there had been the occasional sob or laugh, but it had been quiet for too long. He was starting to worry. Hannah had left with him, had asked to go home, but that didn’t mean she would stay with him. Complete parental abandonment nullified any agreements they had made. After all, Will had a heart. He’d told her as much in the car, but she only shook her head and continued clicking through his radio presets.
He wanted to knock. He’d stood in front of the door, hand at the ready, more than once. But he was probably the last thing Hannah needed right now. He sat down at the kitchen nook. Clara had left a note about the dry-cleaning delivery for Wednesday morning. She’d sent in his tuxedo for the party—his father had insisted on black tie. Hannah’s dress—he had no idea how she’d found time to go to a boutique—was being hemmed as they spoke. She’d refused to show him a photo of it. Traditions, she’d explained. He wondered if he’d ever get to see it.
Will flipped through a stack of unopened mail. She’d never taken him to the laundromat. It had come up again during their conversations around keeping the apartment clean, but there hadn’t been time. He wished they had that experience. He should’ve made the effort. But time had seemed like the one thing they didn’t need to worry about.
“Will?” Hannah stood in the doorway of the guest room. Her eyes were puffy and red and her hair in a messy bun, strands sticking out everywhere. Her feet were covered with fuzzy pink cat socks, and she wore loose yoga pants and a tattered, faded University of Iowa shirt. He’d seen Hannah like this before. It was never good. He walked up to her and enveloped her in his arms. He felt her stiffen before relaxing into his embrace.
“I’m sorry I shut you out,” she said against his chest.
“Don’t apologize.” He squeezed her tighter. “Are you okay?”
She laughed against him. “Not really, but Kate and I are going to drown my sorrows in Twilight, and I know watching it without you is grounds for divorce.”
“That it is,” he said, his lips quirking up at the sides. “Please tell me we’re skipping the awful first one.”
“We can’t watch them fall apart before we watch them fall in love.” She’d said it with a perfectly straight face and not a hint of irony. And he loved it.
“I hate when you have sound logic.”
She smiled against him. “I always have sound logic.”
“That is so far from the truth,” Kate said from within the guest room. “I’m all for skipping awkward Jacob and going straight to hot Jacob.”
Hannah straightened and marched back into the bedroom. “Excuse me, but we are drowning my sorrows, and I say we are starting with creeper Edward.”
THEY WERE HALFWAY THROUGH Eclipse. Kate had passed out before they’d even gotten to the opening meadow scene, and Hannah, despite her best efforts, kept dozing off. Will clicked off the television. They hadn’t said much during the movie, but he’d gotten out of them that most of their earlier conversation had been about whether to invite her parents to the party. That meant she didn’t want to end things. Or maybe she didn’t think she could. He needed to be sure either way.
