Page 65 of Until Hanna

“I think your guy already took care of that for you.” Her mom waves toward the house. “I didn’t have a chance to really look around before you got here, but from what I saw, it’s perfect.”

“You already rented this place?” Hanna’s eyes come to me, and I don’t know if I should say yes or no, because her expression is giving nothing away.

“If you hate it, we can find something else, but I’m sure you noticed that Douglas lives right down the block. I figured you’d like that. Plus, they allow pets, so you keeping Mizzy won’t be a problem.”

“You did this without even asking me?”

Fuck.

“Hanna,” her dad says, sounding like he’s about to step in, and she holds up her hand.

“You haven’t been in a good place, and I know this is something that’s been stressing you out. So I wanted to take this off your plate before I have to leave.”

It’s not the sentence; it’s the single word at the end that causes her eyes to water. Yeah, I really gotta figure something out, because I can tell she won’t be able to do this for much longer, and I know I won’t either.

“I don’t know if I should be mad or if I should kiss you.”

I take the option away and lean down to touch my lips to hers. “You can be mad later,” I say when I pull back, and she bites her bottom lip.

“Let’s go have a look around.” Her mom puts her arm through hers. “While Dad and I are here, you and I can do some shopping and pick up whatever you need to make it yours.”

As Hanna and her mom head up the steps into the house, her dad and I follow on their heels.

The inside looks just like the pictures Douglas texted me after I stole his number from her cell and asked him for some help. The front living room is small and already has a couch and TV. Through an arched doorway is the kitchen, with a door that leads to a fenced-in garden, and down a short hall is a simple bathroom and two bedrooms. One is slightly bigger than the other, with a queen bed and a dresser in each.

I watch her take everything in as she walks through the house with her mom, and it’s like a physical weight is lifted off her shoulders.

When her parents both step outside to see what’s in the shed in the backyard, she stays with me and watches them until they disappear inside the small structure.

“I love this place,” she says quietly, and I dip my chin to look down at her. “Are you sure I can afford it?”

“Yep.” is all I give her, and she sighs like she knows I’m lying and gives me her weight.

CHAPTER20

hanna

Ipad into the kitchen, where I can hear Walker on the phone, finding him shirtless at the counter with his back to me, a cup of coffee close. His eyes come to me over his shoulder, and his face instantly goes soft as they travel from his shirt that I put on to my bare feet. “Morning, baby.”

“Morning.” I step up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist, and rest the side of my head against his back.

“Ham, I’ll call you back,” he says, then pauses. “I will. Yeah. Talk later.” He pulls his phone from his ear and places it on the counter before covering my hands with his.

“Sleep okay?”

“Yes.” I leave out that I always sleep better when he’s home and that I hate it when he’s gone. “You should have woken me when you got up.”

“Did you want to go for a run with me?”

“No.” I let out a chuff of laughter.

“That’s what I thought.” I hear the smile in his voice. “You were tired.”

I was, but that’s because it has been a whirlwind few weeks. Between my parents coming to visit, moving into my new place, going with my mom and dad to visit my grandparents in Florida, then coming home and spending two days in Scotland with Walker before working three days in a row so I’d have a few days off with him before he has to go back to work again, it’s been wild.

“Is everything okay with Ham?”

“Yeah, he was letting me know he and Otto made it to Jamaica.”

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