Page 11 of Billionaire Unforgettable: Tanner

The Hannah I’d known wasn’t a liar, but then again, from the moment she’d up and left like that, I’d assumed I hadn’t ever known therealHannah.

My mother finally met my gaze, and she looked irritated as she dropped the pretense. “It was time, Tanner. The people in this town have treated Hannah poorly since she came back to Crystal Fork. They’re assuming thatshebrokeyourheart.”

“She did,” I informed her.

Mom rolled her eyes. “No one would know that judging from your behavior after she left. You never discussed it. Even mentioning Hannah’s name after she left was off-limits. I love you, son, but you’re an idiot sometimes.”

I frowned at her. I was thirty-nine years old, and in all of those years, my mother had never called me an idiot. “I didn’t want to talk about it.”

It had taken me years to even open up to my brothers about my suspicions that Hannah had left me for another man, and my broken heart wasn’t something I’d really wanted to discuss with my mother.

I was bitter and angry right after Hannah had left. Anything I would have said back then wasn’t something for my mother’s ears.

“You didn’t want to talk about much of anything except business,” she told me. “Hannah was supportive of you and patient. But there’s only so much a woman can handle beforeshe’s just…done. I won’t claim that I know everything that went on between you and Hannah, but I was here, Tanner. I saw the obsession you and your brothers had with KTD Remington. There was no room for anyone or anything that would distract you three from your goals. There was no room for Hannah in your life anymore.”

“That’s not true,” I said angrily. “I loved her. I was going to marry her. We were building a life here in Crystal Fork.”

“Hannah was trying to build a life here,” my mother said, disgusted. “You were never here, and when you were here physically, your mind was someplace else. You can’t take a woman for granted for that long and not expect her to feel unappreciated and unwanted. She moved back here for you, Tanner. Becauseyouneeded to move here when Kaleb established the headquarters here. Her career opportunities were limited, but she loved you.”

I raked a frustrated hand through my hair. “I know she had a thriving career in New York. I told her I’d make that up to her somehow.”

Hannah had built a huge clientele at a salon in Manhattan. She was well known there for her creativity and her variety of skills. She’d had her own ambitions, and she’d worked her ass off to get trained in every up and coming trend in the market.

“And how did that ‘making it up to her’ thing go for you?” she questioned drily.

I leaned back against the kitchen counter and tried to remember what exactly I had done to make it up to her.

Honestly, I didn’t remember talking about it with Hannah after we’d moved to Montana.

“I don’t recall,” I said truthfully. “She was working at our salon here.”

“And she hated it,” Mom informed me. “Hannah was up on all of the latest techniques and skills, and Tina was, and stillis, old school. If Hannah suggested anything, her ideas were shot down immediately. You know this town doesn’t really like change. People who want services that are more creative go to Billings.”

“She should have talked to me about it,” I said thoughtfully.

“She did,” my mother answered. “I think your favorite response was to tell Hannah to do whatever made her happy. You were never listening to her, Tanner, and that went on for a very long time. Can you really blame her for finally giving up? Plants and flowers need some kind of attention to thrive. Relationships are no different. Your father and I were married for decades, but we never forgot to be available to listen to each other without distractions. If you don’t, a relationship will wither and die.”

I pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and sat at the table. “Shit!” I cursed. “Is that really what happened? I thought that Hannah had found someone else. She just…left. Without a single word.”

For once, my mother didn’t bother to scold me for cursing.

She sat down across from me with a somber expression. “She was withering and dying, Tanner. She had to do something to save herself. There was never anyone else. She was crazy in love with you.”

I wanted to stay pissed off, but none of this was Mom’s fault. “I wish I would have known this seven years ago.”

She shook her head. “You weren’t ready to listen, and I’m not sure it would have made a difference back then. Your head was somewhere else.”

“I loved Hannah,” I protested.

“But you didn’t learn to appreciate what you had,” she shot back. “I’m sure you thought you’d have plenty of time to spoil her and listen to her in the future, after you’d built KTD into a mega holding company. But putting love on hold indefinitelywasn’t fair to her, Tanner. Now, she’s back in Crystal Fork and being treated horribly for something that wasn’t her mistake.” She let out a long sigh. “Maybe I shouldn’t have set you up, but I guess I was hoping that if you two started being friendly, people would treat her better. Forgive me?”

I let out a long breath as I nodded. “I understand why you did it. But next time, just talk to me first.”

I couldn’t stay angry at my mother for something I’d done.

To be truthful, I probably was a major dick to Hannah, and I hated myself for that.

For years, she’d been my rock, and I’d taken that for granted.

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