Page 86 of Playing it Country

My father stares at Otto who rolls his lips inward to hide his smile before calmly saying, “The parents don’t know if they’re having a boy or girl so someone else is given the results and they set up something like a cake or confetti-filled balloons so it’s a big surprise for everyone.”

I shrug. “That sounds nice. I vote cake.”

“You don’t get a vote,” Hank groans.

“I can’t believe you want to be surprised like that,” Waylon says in disbelief and then pauses. “Actually I can’t believe your wife agreed to that.”

“You’ve met Isla, right? She isn’t doin’ anything she doesn’t wanna do,” Hank says. Sorren’s lips twitch as he looks at Waylon before turning back to the job in front of him.

Hank’s words echo in my head, but I’m not thinking about Isla. I don’t know how I went and fell in love with the first girl I’ve been with in six years, but it happened, and looking around the space in front of me, I hope like hell I’ll make her wanna stay.

36

HANNAH

“They want to do one of those video conference things so I can meet the team.”

“It makes sense, but do you want to?” Aunt Holly asks carefully during her daily phone call to me. Sighing, I look out the living room window. With conflicting work schedules, I haven’t seen Case for more than a couple of minutes in days.

At first, I needed space to process everything, but now it feels like he’s pulling back and I can’t help wonder if he’s already moved on in his mind. Like he’s distancing himself emotionally before I’m even gone.

“What are you thinking about?”

“It feels like a mistake,” I admit quietly.

“Which part?”

“Leaving? Staying? Take your pick.”

My aunt hums on the other end of the line. “You know your uncle and I will support you in whatever you choose.”

“I know.” I snort. “My parents already think it’s a done deal.” My mother had congratulated me and ignored any of the concerns I’d voiced.

“Your parents have been trying to live vicariously through you for a long time. You don’t have to do what they want, and I’ll take the heat if you want to stay in town and fall in love with Case Thayer.”

I’m already half in love with Case Thayer.

I slowly work through everything she just said. The thought had never occurred to me that my parents had been attempting to live their lives through me. They’d been traveling and by all accounts happy.

“Is this job your dream or theirs? It’s okay if dreams change and it’s okay to wander and it’s okay to settle down.” Aunt Holly pauses then says, “You’re the only one that can know one way or the other.”

“Sometimes I wonder if I’m not reallyyourkid.” She laughs but I’m not kidding. We’ve always been like this—she’s my best friend and my sounding board, and even my Uncle Marcus and I have this connection I don’t feel with my parents. It’s like anything outside their immediate grasp is uninteresting to them.

“Well, I love you like my own, that’s for sure.”

I smile. “Thanks for letting me come down here.”

“You’re always welcome; you know that.”

“It’s been nice being able to breathe.”

“The life of a free spirit can be exhausting too, Hannah. It’s okay to like stability and quiet—although you picked the wrong family to be involved with for that—but what I mean is it’s okay to decide things that were working for you before aren’t working now.”

“You know, it’s crazy, “ I muse. “I thought I hated crowds and big gatherings, but I think I’ve just been doing it wrong all these years.”

“Clementine Creek will do that to you.”

“The Thayers too.”

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