Page 45 of Sultry Nights

Her mom giggled at her own joke, and Hanna shrugged her shoulders and looked at her phone. It was her friend Jalyn.

"Hey, Jay. Nice to hear from you."

"Well, I haven't heard from you in a couple of days. I've been wondering what's going on."

"Well, nothing's going on. I mean, what do you mean what's going on?'

"I mean I haven't heard from you in a couple of days. I normally hear from you at least once every other day."

Hanna stopped to lean on the table. "Well, you know you could have called me sooner if you wanted to. What's going on with you that you haven't called?"

Jalyn was silent for a moment. She finally responded, "All right ya got me. Nothing's really going on. I was just sulking because you weren't calling me."

Hanna chuckled. "Well, that's stupid. Just call me when you want to call me. I've been a little busy. That's all. There's a big fishing tournament in town, so the Sandbar ordered extra buns for sandwiches. I have a lot of cinnamon rolls rolling out the door. No pun intended. And I've had a few dates with Quinn. Well, I guess maybe three."

"Three dates? Oh my God. Have you guys...have you...?"

"Stop it. Don't ask. My mom's here, by the way."

"Oh no, she can't hear me can she?"

"No, not really. She's trying to though." Hanna glanced at her mom. "Aren't you, mom? Trying to listen to what Jalyn's saying."

"I'm not. I'm not. I'm just rolling out these cookies. I'm not trying to overhear or eavesdrop or anything. You're standing right next to me."

Hanna laughed. “Anyway Jalyn, Quinn's coming over to my mom and dad's house tonight to meet the parents. So that's what's been going on."

"Oh my God. I would love to be there and see that."

"Tell her she's welcome to come and join us."

"So you can hear?"

Jalyn said, "Oh my God she can hear me?"

Hanna shook her head. "I don't know. She's got selective hearing, but I think she heard everything."

"Oh my God. I'll have to remember that next time I call. I'll ask if you're alone first. Apparently, it's a good question to ask since you're also dating Quinn Kurtz now."

"Stop it. Oh my God." She took a deep breath. "Anyway, dinner at six. Dad's making steaks for all of us. Quinn's bringing wine. Why don't you bring a dessert?"

"You want me to bring a dessert? You're the baker."

"I bake desserts all day long. If you don't want to bring a dessert, how about you bring, I don't know, an hors d'oeuvre."

"That I can do. I'll bring the hors d'oeuvre. I'll see you around six o'clock tonight. And tell your mom I said hi."

Her mom grinned and yelled, "Hi, Jalyn, I'll see you later."

Hanna shook her head as Jalyn laughed, then ended the call.

24

Quinn knocked on Hanna's door. If he was being honest with himself, he was excited about formally meeting Hanna's parents. Though he knew of them or about them for years. He didn't know they had a beautiful daughter that he'd one day be totally smitten with. For some reason, that changed things.

She opened the door and the smile he was greeted with nearly took his breath away.

"Hi, I hope you're ready for this." She chuckled.

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