Page 11 of Forever After All

Was he, or was that goofy grin just his normal happy expression?

This was never going to work. She wasn’t the smiling kind. If Hanson turned out to be all bubbles and rainbows, they were already on the fast track to destruction.

She made sure her truck key was in one pocket of her coat and her money in the other before opening the door. “Hey. You made it.”

“I’ve been waiting on you,” Hanson said as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder at a sleek silver car.

“Is that yours?” Jess asked.

“Yep. Bought it myself.” His smile got even wider. “Sorry, it’s kind of exciting for me. I have a mound of student loans, but it’s pretty exciting to say I don’t have a car payment.”

Jess studied the little car. It was way too tiny for her liking, but she could appreciate a big, responsible purchase.

“That’s cool. I was excited when I bought my own place.”

Hanson offered her his arm, but she just stared at it. She’d never been a big toucher. If the job warranted it, then yeah. Just holding onto the arm of a stranger? Not so much.

He must have picked up on her hesitation because he lowered his arm. His smile, however, didn’t falter. “You have your own place?”

“Yeah. It’s not much, but it’s mine.”

There was something about having a place she could call home. It was almost like her safety blanket. After growing up in a house that felt more like a prison with regular corporal punishment, it was an immense relief to go home alone in the evenings.

No one would slap her to the floor.

No one would tell her she was a waste of space.

No one would remind her that she was too stupid to live.

Just the blessing of silence. Her little house was worth every penny she paid for it.

Hanson opened the door to the restaurant and stepped to the side for her to enter first. “That’s so cool. I’ve been living with my college roommate. Well, I was before I came here. Now I’m living with my mom.”

“How long will you be here?”

Hanson shrugged. “I guess until she doesn’t need me anymore.”

So, had he agreed to be his mom’s caretaker until she died, or just until she recovered from an injury? That was a big commitment either way. Yet, he didn’t seem bothered or inconvenienced.

The dark-haired hostess greeted them with a warm smile. “Hello. Welcome to Marshall’s.”

Hanson stepped up beside her and rested a hand on the small of her back. “Table for two.”

Jess stiffened. Why was he touching her? Maybe he was expected to touch her. What did she know? She should have bucked up and asked one of the girls about dating. Linc hadn’t mentioned touching, but he’d seemed pretty convinced a kiss shouldn’t happen on the first date.

At least there was that. If she was this wound up by a touch, she might take Linc’s advice and deck him if he came in for a kiss.

When Hanson’s hand pressed firmer against her back, she followed the hostess at a quick enough pace that he couldn’t keep up.

When his hand fell from her back, she took a much-needed breath.

The hostess led them to a table, and Hanson took his seat across from Jess.

Hanson picked up the menu. “So, what–”

“I don’t like being touched.”

There was probably a better way to get the point across, but she didn’t know how to soften it.

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