Page 12 of Forever After All

Hanson nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right. I shouldn’t touch you without permission.”

He didn’t seem mad. In fact, he seemed to truly agree with her. He sounded sincerely sorry.

“Thanks. I just… I know lots of people hold hands and hug and stuff, but it’s always made me uncomfortable.”

Should she skip the part about how her mom had jerked her to the floor by her hair? Or the way she’d twist the skin of her arms in opposite directions until they burned?

Yeah, touch had never been fun for her. This guy probably wouldn’t understand.

“I get it. I was actually really sick when I was little, and I had to take this medicine that pretty much killed my immune system. I couldn’t hug my family for almost a year.”

Jess stared at Hanson. “Wow. That sounds bad.”

Hanson looked down at his menu, but he didn’t seem to be reading it. “Yeah. It was. It took a while to get back to…” He waved his hand in the air. “I don’t know. It took a while to understand what touch even meant.”

Jess looked at her menu. Whatdidtouch mean?

The waiter stepped up to their table and introduced himself. “What can I get you to drink?”

They both ordered water, and the waiter explained the specials.

“Are you ready to order?” Hanson asked. “I’m starving.”

Jess picked up her menu. It was a good thing Hanson was so open. It was nice knowing what he was thinking so she didn’t have to guess.

“Sure.”

Hanson nodded, indicating she should go first.

That was one of the signs Ava had talked about. She’d noticed which of her dates had allowed her to order first and which ones put themselves first.

Apparently, there was a difference.

“I’ll have the pork chop,” she said as she handed the menu to the waiter.

“Are you sure you don’t want a steak?” Hanson asked. “They’re fantastic here.”

“Of course I want a steak, but they’re pretty expensive.”

If they were splitting the bill, she’d rather not blow a week’s paycheck on one meal. If he was paying, she didn’t want to order the most expensive thing on the menu.

But he’d asked if shewanteda steak, and she did want it. She just had reasons not to order it.

“Go ahead. It’s my treat tonight,” Hanson said.

Jess waited two full seconds before reaching for the menu she’d just given the waiter. “I’d like to change my order to the ribeye.”

“Twelve ounce or fifteen ounce?” the waiter asked.

“Twelve.”

“How would you like it cooked?”

“Medium.”

Hanson handed over his menu. “I’d like the New York strip. Medium.”

The waiter took down the last of their orders. “I’ll get this right out to you.”

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