Page 43 of Living for Truth
The best part of her outfit is the necklace around her neck.
My necklace.
She’s effortlessly beautiful, andIget to look at her all day long.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I say, holding my hand out for her to take it.
To my utter delight, she interlaces our fingers together. “Good morning.” She turns to her mom. “I’ll be gone all day. I have my key.” Then she drags me down the porch steps to my car.
Strange.Their relationship is strained on a good day, but today seems different. Worse, somehow. It’s clear Hannah doesn’t want to talk about it, though because after I open the door, help her in, and climb into the driver’s seat, she says as chipper as she can, “What do you have planned today?”
“I thought we’d stop and get coffee at Daily Rise, then I have somewhere I want to take you to get your birthday present.”
She frowns. “Coffee sounds good; I love Daily Rise. But you already got me a birthday present.” She brings her hand to her neck and fiddles with the butterfly.
“That was only part one. I couldn’t give you your full gift at dinner.”
“Morgan…” she warns. “I said no presents.”
“I already broke that rule, Butterfly. You’ll find I’m quite the rule breaker.” I give her what I hope is a charming smile, and she rolls her eyes.
We pull up to Daily Rise and order—a classic cold brew for me and an iced caramel and vanilla latte for Hannah—then Hannah turns to me and asks, “Are you doing anything the weekend after next?”
I go over my mental calendar. Since Aly’s going to lunch with her mom next Saturday, there’s nothing on my schedule other than family dinner on Sunday. I tell Hannah about dinner, and she waves me off. “I was more worried about Saturday.”
“I’m free.” Is she going to askmeon a date?
“My cousin Elli’s boyfriend is performing with a big band, Keely and the Kissers. They’re stopping in SaltLake that Saturday. Would you… Would you want to go? With me?”
I’ve never heard of the band, but it’s been a while since I’ve gone to a concert. Besides, why would I turn down an opportunity to spend more time with Hannah?
“I’d love to. Let me make sure someone can hang out with Aly, but I should be good to go.”
Hannah lets out a sigh like she’s relieved I said yes. How could she possibly think I’d say no?
“My cousin Emma will be there, too. She lives in San Diego now, but she’s visiting Utah during that time. So it’ll just be you and us girls until Wes can join us. Is that okay?”
I don’t think she knows her wanting me to meet her cousins means more to me than meeting her parents at this point. These are people Hannah chooses to be involved with. But it does beg the question, “Do they know we’re fake dating?”
Hannah blushes. “Kind of.”
Kind of?What the hell does that mean?
I don’t get a chance to ask because we’re given our drinks, and it’s time to drive to our second destination.
We make casual conversation about our weeks while we drive, and the comfortable silences in between make it feel like this is a regular Saturday morning. I can imagine Aly in the back seat, inputting her own opinions while we drive to a farmer’s market or head to get groceries.
The fantasy is so vivid it makes my heart ache. I want that. I want it so badly I can taste it.
When I stop in front of the store we’re going to, Hannah looks over at me skeptically. “Why are we here?”
Instead of answering, I hop out of the car and open the door for her, then lead her to the door of White Lilly Books—a local independent bookstore. The bookstore is a perfectly square building painted white, with a bright blue door, and a mural of The Great Salt Lake on one side. It sits nestled between a philly cheesesteak shop and a clothing boutique.
“Morgan,” she whispers as the bell above the door rings, but I ignore her still.
Jethro—the owner—a white man in his early sixties, with gray-blonde hair in two long braids over his shoulders and the kindest green eyes, makes his way around the checkout desk. He’s probably only five-foot-ten, wearing jeans and an old Johnny Cash t-shirt today, along with his cowboy boots. He looks like a young Willie Nelson.
“Morgan, good to see you, my boy.” He grasps my hand tightly and turns to Hannah, who offers him her hand. “You must be the lovely Hannah Morgan told me about.”
