Page 146 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“Life sometimes deals us sobering blows,” she continues. “Take Perry, for example. It’s true he’s always been exacting, a little grumpy, but it’s been so much worse since his divorce. That woman, she stole the light right out of him.”
I bite my tongue, wondering if I should mention the email about Perry’s reunion.
“But he’ll find it again,” Hannah continues. “That light. And when he does, he’ll make someone really happy. I truly believe that.”
My heart starts pounding in my chest. Is she telling me this because she senses I might be that someone? I barely keep myself from throwing my arm in the air and yelling,I volunteer as tribute! Me! Pick me!
Instead, I smile warmly, channeling my cool-as-a-cucumber inner zen.Just kidding.I have no inner zen. I might as well be lapping at Hannah’s heels like a lost puppy who has finally found home.
“I hope he does,” I say, my tone oh-so-chill. “He deserves to be happy. We all do.” I add this last part to make it clear I’m talking generally. I have no reason to bespecificallyconcerned with Perry’s happiness. Absolutely no reason at all.
Hannah eyes me. “You deserve it too, Lila.”
Oh my.That did not feel general. Is she actually trying to tell me something? Butno.She can’t be. We just met. She wouldn’t be thinking—
I almost jump at the sound of a new voice. A deep voice. A voice belonging to a man I can only pray didn’t hear any of that conversation.
“I thought I might find you here,” Perry says.
I spin around, tripping over Hannah’s foot so that she has to reach out and grab me, her hands latching onto either shoulder to stabilize me. “Perry,” I say, my eyes darting to Hannah.
She gives her head the tiniest shake as if to say I have nothing to worry about.
“The reports are finished,” I say quickly, not wanting to look like I was slacking off. “And then I tried to get connected to the Wi-Fi so I could check my email and—”
“And then I stole her,” Hannah says. “I had a computer issue she helped me sort out, then I thought little Sweetpea here could use some socializing.”
“I’m sure it was completely coincidental that you made your way to the farmhouse this morning,” Perry says, shooting his mother a knowing look.
I look from him to Hannah and back again, not entirely sure what’s happening.
Hannah only shrugs. “I have as much right to be at the farmhouse as anyone else,” she says with a casual wave of her hand.
“Mmhmm. I’m sure that’s all this was.” Perry crosses to where we’re standing and leans into the goat stall, scooping Sweetpea into his arms.
Because, you know, he needed something else to make him attractive. The hair and the muscles and the eyes aren’t enough. Now he’s going to carry around baby farm animals, snuggling them close to his chest, and—oh my word.
Did he just KISS the baby goat in his arms?! Does heknowwhat he’s doing to me?
Hannah nudges me with her elbow. “You’re staring, honey,” she whispers under her breath. “Rein it in.”
I press my lips together and throw my eyes to the wood slats overhead, forcing a few slow, intentional breaths. I’m fine.JUST FINE.
“Are you getting hungry?” Perry asks over the top of Sweetpea’s head.
“Mmhmm,” I mumble, still not trusting myself with words.
Perry eyes me before his gaze shifts to his mom. “Do you need her for anything else? Or can I steal her back?”
Oh, please steal me back. Steal me so we can ride off into the sunset like in those old Westerns Grandpa Jamison likes to watch.
“Son, you need her a lot more than I do,” Hannah says, giving Perry a look that canonlymean one thing.
This is not happening.
I am not standing here in the Hawthorne family barn, listening to Hannah Hawthorne joke about her oldest sonneedingme, of all people.
Perry shoots his mom a look I can’t read, his jaw tensing, before lowering Sweetpea back into her stall. He turns to me like nothing in the whole wide world is out of the ordinary. “Ready to go?”
