Page 50 of Erik's Redemption
He crossed the room to their table, and she cocked her head. “Hey. What are you doing here?” She nibbled her lip, hating that Brigid was suddenly tense beside her. She inched closer to her friend.
“I’ve heard you mention this place a dozen times or so. Thought I’d see what the fuss is about.”
Henry grinned. “The fuss is that the drinks are amazing, it doesn’t smell like beer and sweat, and it’s not so loud that you can’t have a conversation. You’re here alone?” he asked.
Leo lifted a shoulder. “Yeah. No better way to make friends than to show up somewhere alone.”
Hannah’s phone vibrated, and whatever Henry said next was lost on her when she saw Erik’s name flash on the screen. Her skin tingled as she opened the text.
Erik: Hey. Just noticed your Honda’s gone. Hope you’re okay. X
He’d been checking in a lot more than usual over the last week. Texting. Bringing over meals, but not asking to stay to eat with her. Never expecting more from her than she was ready to give.
Everything about him made her want to take him back. His tenderness. His concern. No one had ever needed her to be okay as much as he did.
Her fingers hovered over the keys, unsure how to respond.
A shoulder bumped hers, and she looked at Brigid to see a soft smile on her friend’s face. “I’m glad you’re talking to him again. I was really worried for a while there. I want you to be happy.”
“Thank you. I wantyouto be happy too.”
Brigid’s smile faltered, and she opened her mouth to say something, but Henry spoke first.
“Hannah, you didn’t.”
Her gaze shot up. “I didn’t what?”
“You dedicated asecondshelf in your work cabinet to cereal?”
Hannah gasped, her gaze whipping to Leo. “You told on me?”
His eyes widened, and he held up his hands. “I didn’t know it was a secret.”
Henry threw up his own hands. “That’s it! It’s time for a cereal intervention. Come Monday, I’m going to your office and taking anything I deem to be excess.”
Hannah groaned, while Leo and Brigid laughed.
Over the next hour, her friends made her smile and laugh more times than she could count. It was nearing ten by the time exhaustion started to pull at her limbs. Not only that, but her poor feet hurt after a long day in heels, and her lack of alcohol did nothing to dull the pain.
She said a quick goodbye to her friends, thankful that Brigid seemed a bit more relaxed in Leo’s company, then headed for theexit and stepped outside. The cool evening breeze brushed over her skin, causing the fine hairs on her arms to stand on end.
But that wasn’t the only thing that had her skin cooling.
It was that same feeling she’d been getting so often lately…that someone was watching her.
And the eyes on her didn’t feelgood. The feeling reminded her of when she was a teenager and had been placed in some unsafe homes. She’d get the same uncomfortable pit in her belly.
She forced a deep breath into her lungs, then covertly scanned the area. But all she saw were people moving to and from their cars and into the bar. No one was watching her. In fact, no one was paying her one bit of attention.
Once she reached her car, she quickly unlocked the doors and slipped behind the wheel, then immediately locked them again, hating the tremble in her fingers.
You’re fine, Hannah. No one’s watching you. You’re safe.
She hadn’t received any more texts from that number. No more notes left at work, telling her they knew what she’d done. She hadn’t figured out who was responsible, of course. There’d been too much going on, and a part of her—the naïve part—was hoping she could just forget about it and the person would disappear.
Ha. When did trouble ever just disappear?
She shook her head, quickly starting her car and leaving the bar.
