Page 131 of The Best Friend Power Play

"And by worst you mean?"

"Worst."

He laughs, and after a few seconds, I cave and do the same.

"Now, let's circle back." His laughter is replaced by seriousness. "Please stop thanking me. You've done it multiple times. So have Chester and Katie."

"Paying for their college education is a big deal," I shoot back. "All three of us appreciate it more than we can say, so forgive us if we'd like to at least try. And while we're at it, thank you for paying to hire staff to look after the flower shop while we're away."

He smiles at me even though he's shaking his head. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

"Nope." I spear a piece of pasta onto my fork. "For someone who didn't think they were capable of grand gestures, I have to say, you've really outdone yourself. Prepare for a lot more gratitude to come your way."

"Fine."

We keep eating.

I never expected Culver to contribute financially the way he has. Paying Katie's and Chester's college tuition is an incredible gift and gives them a chance to start their post-college lives without being burdened by a mountain of debt.

And I wouldn't have been able to afford coming here to Italy while keeping the flower shop open at the same time. Culver has generously paid to hire three staff members, plus he's covering all running costs.

After we finish lunch, he heads off to his cooking class, leaving me to putter about.

I clean up the few dishes in the sink.

Read a sweet romcom because I am now officially addicted.

Paint a little in the small studio at the back of the house.

Catch up on all the missed WhatsApp messages from The Fast-Talking Five.

In short, I do all the stuff I never had time to do before when I was too busy working or looking after the twins.

The house is quiet, and despite being thousands of miles from home, I feel…settled.

I still don't know what I want to do with my life. Neither does Culver.

Our lease on this place runs out in a month, and since the owner intends to come back, we have to leave.

To where? No idea.

Okay. That's not entirely true.

I may or may not have drafted a spreadsheet with possibilities of places we might like to visit next.

Yep, I'm still the same list-loving, over-analytical Hannah…but, like, a more chilled-out version.

It's probably the daily pasta.

And the lack of responsibilities.

And being with a man who shoulders the burdens with me, who makes me feel safe and looked-after, and who gives me the freedom and time and space to figure things out. I've grown a lot and am so much more confident in who I am as a person, but there are still many pieces of the Hannah puzzle I've yet to discover.

The same goes for Culver. He’s toying with the idea of cooking as a career, but nothing is set in stone.

And that’s fine.

Life isn’t about having everything figured out.

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