Page 66 of Twins for the Silver Foxes

Snow trickled onto the windshield. Arthur flipped on the wipers and leaned in closer to the steering wheel. “Anyone got eyes on her? Check your phones for missed calls or messages. Megan, can you check mine? It’s in my coat pocket.”

Surprise widened her eyes but she dug into his coat and found the phone. Tapping the screen to wake it up she froze as a picture of her from the previous Christmas filled the screen.

“Anything?” Arthur asked then rattled off the lock code.

Megan unlocked the phone and did a quick scroll. “Nothing.”

“There.” Ryland pointed. “Blue bench in front of the market. Pull over, Arthur. There’s an open spot.” He unlocked his seatbelt and reached for the door handle.

I beat him out of the SUV and tore across the road, over the sidewalk straight to Hannah’s side.

She sat on the bench with Liddy in her lap, the two of them huddled up close together as snow peppered the air and landed on their hoods. Liddy spotted me and pointed. “There’s Scott.”

“Where’s Chad?” I caught Liddy when she jumped into my arms. She hugged me, then lunged for Ryland.

Hannah stood and swiped snow from her face with a gloved hand. “He’s gone.”

“Are you cold? Do you need a blanket?” Arthur and Megan joined us. “You should have gone inside where it was warm.”

“I needed to be out here.” Hannah held her arms tight to her sides, her hands gripping her coat.

I pulled her in for a hug. “I’m going to destroy him for what he did.”

She snuggled against my chest, her body shaking. From fear, anger, or cold, I couldn’t tell. “He’s gone, Scott. It’s over, and I’m fine.”

“Fine my ass. You’re shaking.” I framed her face in my hands. “Tell me where to find him.”

She shook her head. “No. It’s my fault for letting him get to me. I just don’t understand how he could walk away from Liddy a second time.”

Liddy seemed none the worse for his abandonment. She chattered away in Ryland’s arms, telling him all about Santa and his reindeer. I brought my attention back to Hannah. “That’s not on you. Nothing you or Liddy did is the cause of this. The man’s an asshole.”

“Agreed.” Arthur grinned at Liddy when she patted his face and asked if he wanted to see her Santa picture. The distraction kept her from hearing most of the conversation… I hoped.

“He tried to kiss me.” Hannah turned stiff as wood in my arms. “It was disgusting, and I pushed him away. That’s when I told him I was pregnant.”

I held on to the tail end of my anger, keeping it leashed and out of my way. “He forced himself on you?”

“Just the kiss.” She shuddered. “That was enough. I guess he thought that I’d go right back to sleeping with him because I agreed to see him today, though I have no idea where he got that idea.”

There were not enough foul names in all the languages combined to express my hatred for this piece of shit. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“He left as soon as I told him I was pregnant. Basically ran away like I’d threatened to take all of his money and light it on fire. It brought back all those old feelings of rejection and being alone. I’m so tired of being alone.”

It was the first time she’d mentioned that particular need, and it resonated with my own loneliness. “You’re not alone, Hannah. We will always be here for you.” For her, Liddy, and the babies. All three of her children were loved by all three of us. “Your emotions are valid. Don’t ever let anyone make you think you need to bottle them up to make them more comfortable.”

Megan made a noise almost like a laugh, but her expression remained cautious and openly curious. She was the best I’d ever seen at making her emotions everyone else’s problems. That didn't make them wrong or bad, simply difficult.

“I miss Dad.” Tears leaked from her eyes and swept down her cheeks. “He never, not for a second, let me feel unwanted. He lost Mom, and that almost broke him, but he didn’t let it come between us. He loved me unconditionally. Like a child should be loved.”

The snow intensified, fat flakes swirling around us. We were back in our winter wonderland snow globe, the lights from the shops enhancing the effect. Christmas carols filtered in from a distance. Arthur, Ryland, Megan, and Liddy created a circle around me and Hannah. We were wrapped up in our own little cocoon of love.

“You are still loved. And wanted.” I wiped her tears away. “You will never be unwanted. There is not a thing you can do that will change how we feel about you.” It wasn’t exactly saying I love you, but I’d never come this close to falling for a woman before. Admitting I’d die for her was one thing; making myselfemotionally available was something else, a deeper something I hesitated to fully express. I meant every word, I loved her. I’d tell her soon, but not when emotions were so high she might discount my words later as being said in the heat of the moment.

“We should get off the sidewalk.” Ryland tipped his head toward a growing crowd. “We’re gathering attention.” He spun his camera bag around. “I’ll see if I can keep them from coming closer.” He snapped a picture of the shop behind us, grinned, then waved at the couple strolling past before snapping a second picture. “These will look great in the newspaper.” The couple smiled and walked a little faster.

“The hell with it.” I didn’t give a damn if the whole world saw. I kissed her cheek. “We’ll take care of you and the kids for the rest of our lives.”

“Scott.” She whispered my name in that delicate tone. “You don’t have to say that.” And that response was the very reason why I waited to tell her I loved her. She’d find a way to discount the words, and I was man enough to admit I was too fragile to have her throw my love back in my face. When I told a woman that for the first time, it would be Hannah. I’d never love anyone the way I loved her.

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