Page 94 of Catch and Release

“How sorry are you? Because Hanna is in the car and we’d love to take you to dinner.”

Shawn chuckled. “Pretty sure if I say no, she’ll come yell at me.”

“Probably,” Tucker grinned.

“Give me ten minutes to wrap this up?”

Tucker nodded and turned around. Shawn hopped back on the boat and finished hosing it off, then headed to the parking lot where he found Tucker and Hanna leaning against their truck waiting for him. As soon as he came into sight, Hanna beamed and ran toward him, then jumped into his arms and gave him a huge hug.

“You’re in trouble, mister,” Hanna said as he lifted her off the ground.

“Will it help if I pay for dinner?” he set her back down and she chuckled.

“It’s a start,” she responded.

He told them he’d follow them to the restaurant, so he hopped in his truck and drove five minutes down the road to the main cafe in town. A few minutes later, they were seated in the restaurant with drinks on the table, and an awkward silence ensued.

Shawn didn’t know where to begin.

“I’m sorry I went AWOL on you guys,” he finally said. “I know that barely begins to make things right.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t,” Hanna said, crossing her arms.

“Babe, go easy on him,” Tucker nudged her with her shoulder.

“Why should I? He disappeared on us.” Her scowl melted into hurt. “Did we do something wrong?”

Shawn ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. He’d only known Hanna for a few years, but they’d become close after she started dating Tucker—and even closer when they got married. He’d hurt her. He’d hurt both of them.

“I was jealous,” he said, staring at his twiddling thumbs to avoid eye contact. “Of what you guys have. It was hard being around you. I know that’s not fair. I’m happy you two are happy. You know that. It’s just… hard watching two of your closest friends be in love and have something I’m not even close to having.”

Willa flashed through his mind, but he wasn’t ready to bring her up yet.

“Then my grandpa died, and I moved in with Grams. And I guess it just got easier to flake on things. I was sad, and Grams needed me, and… God, I don’t know. I was a shitty friend, and I’m sorry.”

When he looked up at them, Hanna’s hand was over her heart and her eyes were misty. Tucker was looking at him with a mix of regret and concern.

“I’m sorry, man,” Tucker said. “We had no idea. I thought you just, you know…”

“We thought you were going to continue being a playboy for the rest of your life,” Hanna finished his sentence with a smirk.

Shawn chuckled. Trust Hanna to get right down to the heart of things.

“That was the plan,” Shawn responded. “But then…”

They looked at him expectantly as he trailed off.

“Then I was the best man in your wedding. And I saw how happy you two were. And it made me realize I wanted that too.”

“Oh, Shawn,” Hanna squeezed his hand. “I want that for you, too.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty friend.”

“All is forgiven,” Hanna said with a smile.

“It’s all good, man,” Tucker added.

“That easy?” Shawn said, breaking eye contact with his friends. “I’ve been putting off this conversation for a while. I should’ve come to you sooner. Way sooner. I know that. And I’m better than this, too. But a few weeks became a few months and it just became easier to avoid talking about it.”

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