Page 2 of Love Like This

And someone to share it with.

Like I said, my grandma.

Yeah, okay. We’ll go with that for now.

Maybe if I promised to bring her back to see him on a regular basis she’d agree. But when I see him take her hand, and the smile she gives him when he keeps it, I know the odds are not in my favor.

“They’re cute, aren’t they?” A man asks from my side, startling me.

“They are that.” If the owner of that voice is as sexy as it suggests, I’m doomed.

Turning to see him, I discover that word doesn’t cover it.

Screwed is more like it.

Yes. Let’s do that.

That’s not what I meant and you know it.

Thank goodness you have me then.

“I’m Seymour,” he introduces himself, hand extended and waiting for mine to take it.

“Hannah,” I return in kind, pressing my palm to his and shaking it. I’ve read about a single touch making your skin tingle, usually signifying you’ve found your other half, but this is not a romance book or movie. That stuff doesn’t happen in real life. Right?

“I’d ask which one is yours,” he teases, indicating the two occupants in front of us, “but I already know the answer.” I laugh, as I’m sure he intended, my eyes staring where we’re still joined. He follows my gaze, shrugs when I look at him, and maintains the contact. Okay.

“That’s my grandma making goo-goo eyes at….”

“My grandpa who is most definitely returning them.”

“We can hear you,” My grandma hollers without shifting to see us.

“We’re old, not deaf,” the man tacks on, making my grandma giggle.

It makes her sound ten years younger, which is saying a lot. She’s still quite spry and a force to be reckoned with in her sixties. She had my dad later in life, medical issues preventing them from conceiving prior to that, and a second time after his birth. Once grandpa was gone, she suggested moving here, declared the house to be too much for her on her own. Said she hated being there alone.

At the time, I was in college and preparing to start my career. She wouldn’t hear of me taking over her home and both of us being there. My professional life is now established and I can work from anywhere I decide to set up shop, so to speak. My business degree isn’t exactly being used as I’d intended, but it is being used, which is really all that matters.

Hannah’s Homemades was initially a way to indulge myself by doing the things that brought me joy. I never expected it to take off to the point I could quit my full-time, soul sucking, job and become self-employed.

I know I got lucky. That’s not to say I’m not talented at what I do, my creations wouldn’t sell if I didn’t at least have some modicum of it. But one of my items happened to find itself in the hands of the right person and boom.

Success.

It took a lot of hard work to get there, but there will always be haters that feel it’s their duty to bring somebody down a peg or two. To them I said nay, nay and went about my business, as I wanted them to go about their own.

The town of Sweetville is perfect. It’s small, cozy, and everybody looks out for each other. It being within thirty minutes of my grandma was the icing on the cake. Not only could I see her more frequently, but if I am able to convince her to move, we won’t have to go far from where she resides now.

“Missy, I’ll save your breath for you. I’m not leaving,” Grandma interjects as I start to head inside. I sigh, unwilling to give up, though accepting defeat for this moment.

The tug on my arm stops me. Seymour is still holding me. I glance at him in time to see him tip his head to the side, indicating he wants to talk to me away from the door. I nod and let him lead me far enough down that we shouldn’t be overheard.

“You’re trying to get your grandma out of here?” His tone isn’t full of judgment but understanding. Sympathy.

“Yeah. I want her with me. I’m renting a house and have more room than I need. She shouldn’t be here. I couldn’t figure out why she was so determined to stay. Now I know.”

“Don’t want to separate the lovebirds, huh?” He chuckles. “They must’ve been sneaking around because this is the first time they’ve been seen together by me.”

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