“Sir?”
Will looked up at his associate. They always looked so young. He didn’t remember looking that green out of law school. “What is it, Matt?”
“You have a visitor.” Will looked past his associate but couldn’t gather who was standing in the threshold beyond the fact that it was not Hannah.
“You don’t need to deliver guests to my office.”
The young man nodded. “I was coming to give you this, actually.” He handed Will an overstuffed file. “Everything on the Lancosta case.”
As Matt walked out, Jon walked in. Will stared up at his older brother incredulously. Had he really stepped foot in Flannigan O’Hare Mahon on Will’s second day?
Jon sat down in the chair across from him. After giving his brother a once-over, Will swallowed the anger roiling in his stomach. Dark circles underlined the dullness of Jon’s eyes, his skin was pallid, and the boisterous demeanor that defined his brother was absent.
“What are you doing here?” Will asked, leaning back in his chair.
Jon slid a file folder across the desk. “Dad tried to get rid of Hannah. He had me quietly get annulment papers together the moment your marriage license hit the public record. And then he asked me to set aside funds—he used them to invest in her magazine.”
So their father had known about their marriage all along. Will wasn’t surprised. Jonathan paid a great deal of money for information, monitoring the public record for anything that might tarnish the Thorne name. Will glanced at the paper, shaking his head at the number Jonathan had been willing to pay to break his son’s heart.
“Why are you telling me this?” For whatever reason, Jon was extending an olive branch, but Will wasn’t sure he wanted to take it.
“You deserved to know, and so does Hannah.” Jon looked up, his expression heavy with regret. “I didn’t know you really loved her.”
“More than anything,” Will said, dropping the folder back on his desk. There was more to this gesture than either of them would say aloud. Jonathan was stubborn. He wouldn’t want to let Will just go. But what Jon had handed Will was sizeable leverage should he need it.
Jon stood to go. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up and reminding Will of a much younger version of his brother. “That night with Madison... when Hannah... It wasn’t the first time, was it?”
Will hadn’t been expecting that. He shook his head, not trusting his words.
“Did you two ever...?”
“Yes.”
Jon cursed, but there was no anger behind it, only dawning recognition.
“It was so early on, Jon—before she was ever your fiancée.”
Jon looked at his brother, his expression crestfallen. “She’s not my fiancée anymore.”
Will ran a hand through his hair before clasping both his hands in front of him. “Does she know that?”
Jon shrugged. “She will in another hour or so.”
Could the whole saga really be over? Will closed his eyes. “I’m sorry about you and Madison.”
The words rang true, and relief washed through him. Whatever he decided about where the Thorne family and all that came with its name fit into his new life, Madison would not be a part of it.
Jon hesitated, his hand on the door and his body already making to leave. The heavy set of his shoulders told Will he couldn’t stay much longer without breaking down, and Jon wouldn’t do that in public. He’d hadn’t when their mother died, and he wouldn’t do it then over a woman, no matter how much his love for her might have cost him. “For what it’s worth, little brother, I’m sorry as well.”
Chapter 54
Hannah
Hannah added a third box to the stack in front of her. If she never moved again, it would be too soon. Hannah and Binx were heading out in a few days. The inaugural issue of Deafening Silence Boston was off to design for finishing touches. The next issue would feature some of the interviews she and Camila had done this last month and a few Camila would do herself in the coming days. After that, the Boston edition would be led by another editor—they were sending someone out from the LA team to run it full-time. Any loose ends Hannah could tie up perfectly well from New York. She hadn’t officially given her notice, but turning down the promotion had laid down cards that only led to the end of her time at Deafening. Hannah knew it. Riley knew it. Not that Hannah couldn’t stay. She could—Riley had been clear. But Deafening had been a haven, and it was time to see what she could do outside of its walls.
She plopped down on the couch, unsettling Binx, who glared at her before slinking off to his food bowl. The sight of his crate put him in a mood, but she knew he’d forgive her by dinnertime. Binx was a fickle lover.
An unknown number flashed on her phone screen. She answered in case it was someone calling about an interview. She and Camila had put out a lot of feelers in the last month.
“This is Hannah,” she said.
“Hi, Hannah. This is Jackson Mendez, editor in chief of Talented.”
Hannah clutched the phone tightly to her ear. Why was Jackson Mendez calling her? She tried to keep her breathing steady. Talented was the real deal. If you wanted to work in entertainment journalism, there was no better option—not that they trended toward the artists she was used to interviewing.
“Hello, Mr. Mendez,” she said, doing her best to sound normal.
“Jackson, please.” He cleared his throat. “A little birdie told me that you’re looking to make a move.”
Riley had said she’d put out feelers, but Hannah hadn’t thought that included Jackson Mendez. “I am.”
“Then I’d like to meet you,” he said. “We’ve been talking about expanding our audience, and that means interviewing more than pop artists. Atlas Genius, Dreamers, the Wombats—we want them all on our covers. We need someone who understands those bands, who relates to their fans, and who can build our audience. After talking to Leonard Nulty last week and following your career for some time, I think that person is you.”
Hannah covered the mouthpiece on her phone and silently screamed, her arms and legs kicking out wildly. This was real life. This was her life.
“That sounds amazing,” she said, her voice edgy and jilted. “Those artists deserve to be on your cover.”
“That’s what I like to hear. I’m very excited to see what you did with Leonard’s interview. You made quite the impression on him.”
“If only he hadn’t been saying goodbye,” Hannah said with a laugh.
“When he makes his comeback—oh come on, you know he will—I think you’ll have first dibs.”
The fangirl in her held onto the idea that Jackson Mendez, who knew things, thought there’d be a Nulty resurgence. If Jackson Mendez said it, it was likely to happen. He might write about the A-list, but he most definitely knew the whole spectrum—maybe Leonard most of all.
“You’re still in Boston, right? How about lunch tomorrow?” he asked. “I could use a trip to Boston. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen Alicia. I am her godfather, you know.”
That was another thing Hannah hadn’t known about Leonard Nulty. His music told so much, but not everything—not nearly everything. Perhaps that was the point.
“Lunch would be great,” she said, her hands shaking.
“Perfect. My assistant will be in touch with you.”
After a few more pleasantries, they hung up. Hannah threw her phone on the couch and looked around the tiny apartment. It was possibly the biggest moment of her life, and she was in Boston, alone. She didn’t even know who to call. Will? Her mom? Kate? In that order? She spun around, her arms out, before sinking back down onto the couch with a squeal.
Deciding to leave Deafening Silence had felt like the end of a love affair that had nowhere to go but forever. She hadn’t even fully processed it or considered where she would go from there. But the universe had plans for her. It knew her dreams better than she did. Talented had been the dream. It had been one of the many internship rejections t
hat had led her to Europe, away from Will, and to New York with Kate. It had led her to Riley. And Riley had led her back.
Chapter 55
Hannah
The brownstone smelled of paper. It always had, but Hannah had gone nose blind to it long ago. The scent hit her then, throwing her back in time to her early days huddled with Riley, typing and deleting and typing the same article again until it was Riley-worthy, a standard that became more stringent the more Hannah honed her craft. The bustle of every day at the magazine went on around her. Interns scrambling, editors arguing over article placements, Riley in the middle of it all—the conductor of the Deafening Silence orchestra. All that was left to do was sign some invoices, code some expenses, and dwindle the remaining hours she had left as a member of the Deafening Silence New York staff. She would always be family. She sat down at her desk where, almost five months ago, white carnations had appeared on her birthday. Nothing had been the same after that. Will had been the butterfly that set off the tsunami.
She dropped their framed wedding photo into the box on her desk. It was already spilling over. One of the interns had started packing her things for her. Desks were a hot commodity at their office. Emily wanted Hannah’s desk, and Henry—who had officially become a staff writer—wanted Emily’s desk, which was Hannah’s first desk. Essentially, they were kicking her out.
She’d accumulated a lot of crap in five years. There was an entire box of every issue she’d ever been featured in, which, for New York, was all of them. It was quite the collection, and she hadn’t even needed it for a writing sample. She added the photo of Binx as a kitten—sprawled out on the couch with his tummy exposed, his paws in the air—to the box. He’d been none too happy to be dropped off at Kate’s, which was as unfamiliar to him as Boston, but at least he was out of his carrier. A box of cat toys would be in his future as penance.
Hannah wiggled her mouse until her computer came to life. Her inbox was eerily empty except for one new email that had come through since she’d checked at Kate’s. She squinted at the sender’s name—why was Leonard Nulty emailing her?
A little something from the home studio. You and Will deserve a Wilderness song as your wedding song. Have your second first dance to this. (If I find this on Spotify, I know your boss(es)!)
Hannah pulled her headphones on and clicked on the link. The familiar opening of her wedding song started, on piano, not guitar. And then Leonard Nulty’s voice, scratchy and imperfect, broke through. He’d covered their song. She blinked back tears. He’d gifted them the one thing they didn’t think they would ever have.
“What are you doing here?” Riley’s voice cut through the music pouring out of Hannah’s headphones but just barely.
Hannah pulled them down around her neck. “Remembering.”
“Me too.” Riley sat on the edge of the desk. “Are you staying long?”
Hannah shook her head. She hadn’t even planned on coming here today. But after stashing Binx at Kate’s, she found herself walking toward the subway. Everything about the trip there was nostalgic, from the ebb of the subway to the college students loitering in the park. She would miss that life. Talented was in midtown with a view of Radio City Music Hall. At least the MoMa and the tree at Christmas would be close by. Lunch breaks would never be boring. Not that they had been in the Village.
“Will’s actually meeting me”—she glanced down at her phone— “now. I’ll come back tomorrow to finish packing.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Riley said, adding a cat-shaped sticky-note holder to the box.
“I can come back and do it.”
Riley shook her head. “Let me do this for you.”
“You’ve already done so much for me,” Hannah said, wiping at her eyes. She was being silly. She’d see Riley in a few weeks at Jo’s christening. She was godmother, after all. This wasn’t goodbye, and yet, it was.
“Likewise, Hannah Abbott-Thorne. Likewise.”
Chapter 56
Hannah
Hannah stepped out of the subway to a sky streaked with red, orange, and pink. It was a gift at the end of the blustery day. She glanced down at her phone. Will had responded with a thumbs-up to her running-late text, not exactly a ringing endorsement for their reconciliation. She reminded herself not to overthink it. A thumbs-up was just a thumbs-up.
She clicked on Kate’s latest message. So, I was thinking for episode 50, we need to go big. What do you think of Bitching about Boyfriends #50 – The Marriage Pact?
Hannah stopped under the awning of Blue Jean’s to take in Kate’s message. Kate was half-kidding, Hannah was certain, but with a boyfriend as perfect as Patrick, she was running low on material.
Maybe, she typed. If everything goes well. And AFTER I tell my parents.
Kate’s response was quick. Everything will go fine, better than fine. Good luck! Love you! Send pictures!
Hannah pocketed her phone and continued down the street. A few blocks later, Will came into view. He stood outside Kate’s building, his hands in his pockets. Even from a distance, she could tell he was nervous. She picked up her pace.
“Hi,” she said, stepping in front of him.
Up close, the nervousness extended from his antsy feet up to his eyes. She’d told him about the job offer. He was the second person she’d called after Kate—Kate first because Kate would know who Jackson Mendez was without context, and she had a list of selfie requests for a situation just like that. She’d lived Hannah’s dreams with her. Will had been excited, but she knew he wondered what it meant for them given her new benefits package. But that had been the past. Will had asked her to choose her future. It was time she did.
“Hi, Mrs. Thorne,” he said lightly.
Hannah’s heart fluttered at the nickname. She had always loved it despite its teasing nature.
“Walk with me?” he asked, holding out his hand.
Hannah wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck. She didn’t want to walk—she wanted to talk to him and hold him and make him believe—but she took him by the hand anyway.
They walked a block in silence. She couldn’t help but notice the changes in him in the few weeks they’d been apart. He looked healthier, lighter. She imagined a weight had been lifted since he quit Wellington Thorne and started over. It hadn’t been easy on him. She knew he was nervous from their limited conversations since they dissolved the pact. But Will would be happier out of his father’s shadow. The boy she’d known in college had been free—anxious about the future but uninhibited. The man he’d become had been fighting to prove himself. But after stepping away from Wellington Thorne, he didn’t have to prove anything to anyone—to be anyone but himself.
They stopped at a busy intersection. Unease grew in Hannah as the silence between them extended. She’d made her decision, but maybe he’d made one too. Maybe they didn’t align.
“Are you still staying at Daniel’s?” Hannah asked.
Will shook his head as they crossed the street. The path was familiar. She and Kate had walked between their apartments countless times in the last few years.
“Right now, I’m in a hotel. But I was thinking, maybe we could stay here?” They stopped in front of her building. Ronny waved in greeting and held open the door. He mouthed a welcome before turning his attention to the next tenant. “I talked to your landlord, and we’re good to stay here until your lease ends if you want.”
We. He hadn’t given up hope. Hannah’s gaze shifted from Will to the apartment as he unlocked the door. Nothing seemed out of place, except perhaps Hannah herself. She wondered if it had always been this small and where Will would fit among her things.
“Thank you. You didn’t need to do this.”
“I did, though,” he said, walking through the small space. It was odd to think he’d been here so few times. That one of the biggest parts of her life had almost never been in her home. “Consider it my husbandly duty.”
She shook her head and leaned back against the couch. “Do I ge
t to go now?”
Will narrowed his eyes at her. “What do you mean?”
“I have something to tell you, but you won’t stop talking.”
He waved his hand in front of himself, clearing the path. “By all means, Mrs. Thorne.”
She grinned and plugged her phone into her speaker system. She scrolled until she found Leonard’s musical wedding gift. The opening chords started. Hannah led Will around the back of the couch to the same spot where he’d proposed. She dimmed the lights. Leonard’s voice filled the small apartment.
“Is that...?” Will trailed off when Hannah got down on one knee, taking his hands in her own. “What are you doing?”
She smiled up at him. “Proposing, dummy.” Clearing her throat, she continued. “When you came back into my life almost five months ago, I didn’t expect this. I thought it would be like that semester of college where you crashed on our floor.” She shifted on her knee. “God, this is really uncomfortable.”
Will laughed. His eyes glistened with tears. “Five months ago, you wouldn’t even have been able to kneel like that.”
“I know,” she said. Her hands trembled where they held his. “The more time I spent with you, the closer to you I wanted to be. I grew to love you, slowly and then completely. There is no other choice for me. It has to be you. Not because of the pact or our history but because of the man you are and the man you are working to become.
“I love you, William Anderson Thorne. I promise to choose you every day for the rest of my life.” She stood up, looping her arms around his neck. “Marry me. Marry me again.”
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