by Jenny Hale
Liam considered his choice once more. “But we could match.” He grabbed another orange sweatshirt in a smaller size, this one reading: “Butter my biscuits.”
“Never,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut in amusement. She grabbed a green-and-yellow scarf, wrapping it around her neck.
“Stunning,” he said. Then he plopped the matching beanie on her head. “Perfect. And it would go with this. He held out a white sweatshirt with the state motto—“Virginia is for Lovers”—in black block font, the state below it in green, with a zipper running through it. His gaze lingered on her long enough that she felt the need to slide the silly hat off her head and be serious. But then his phone rang, tearing through the moment. “It’s my mother,” he said, apologizing with a quick glance before hanging the sweatshirt back up and stepping out of the shop.
After paying for and putting on the warmer zip-up hoodie she’d purchased, Hannah sat beside her suitcases on a bench in the hotel lobby, waiting for Liam and Georgia. Liam was still on the call down the hall, and he hadn’t noticed she’d come out. Georgia wasn’t back yet, so Hannah sent a text to her mom to check in on Gran.
I haven’t gone to see her yet today, her mother texted back, a long string of words filling Hannah’s screen. I’ve been at Gran’s shop. I spent all evening going through the books to send off the P&L, and she’s hemorrhaging money. It’s worse than your dad and I thought. I tried again to get in touch with the leasing agent, but haven’t gotten an answer.
No one seemed to be getting answers from this leasing agent. She texted back, Gran is such a levelheaded woman. She has to see it’s time to retire.
Her mother returned: I fear with her health, she’s going to *have* to retire. Not to mention that, if she doesn’t, your dad and I won’t have a penny to our names.
Hannah replied, I should be home this evening and we’ll talk about all of it then.
Her mother came back: Okay, honey. Be safe and see you this evening.
Hannah dropped her phone into her bag, and when she looked up, Liam had moved to another bench just down from her, his phone in his hand on speaker as he typed frantically on his laptop. He was so absorbed in what he was doing that he hadn’t seemed to notice she was sitting there. Hannah picked her phone back up and scrolled through social media, waiting for him to finish the call, trying not to eavesdrop, but it was difficult with the way the sound carried down the empty, airy lobby.
“Have you considered going to see someone?” a woman’s voice came from Liam’s phone.
“That’s not necessary, Mom,” Liam replied, his eyes on the screen of his laptop as he typed feverishly. “I’m fine.”
“You think you are, but I’m telling you right now, Noah definitely isn’t, and neither are you. You can’t just abandon your son.”
Abandon his son? Hannah shifted her eyes discreetly toward Liam, his fingers now stilled on the keys. He was still staring at his screen, but it was clear that his mind wasn’t on whatever was in front of him.
When he didn’t respond, his mother’s voice came through again. “He barely knows you, Liam.”
Liam set his laptop on the bench and took his mother off speaker, putting the phone to his ear, standing up, and speaking quietly enough that Hannah couldn’t hear what he was saying. She dove back into her social media, her mind not really into it as she considered how much had changed between the time she’d known Liam and now.
The man she’d spent the entire day with yesterday, the person she’d woken up to this morning—that person didn’t seem like the kind of man who would abandon a child…
“Happy birthday,” Liam said, suddenly joining her. “I should’ve said that earlier.”
Hannah stood up to greet him. She had so many questions, but she knew she couldn’t ask any of them. “Thank you,” she said.
The corners of his mouth twitched upward as if he were trying to deny the grin that wanted to surface. His gaze slid down Hannah’s new “Virginia is for Lovers” sweatshirt, and a glimmer of humor drifted into his eyes. “You took my suggestion,” he said.
“Yes. Thank you,” she replied, pulling her coat over the sweatshirt.
He finally smiled at her, a broad, honest smile.
Georgia came shuffling toward Hannah excitedly, bundled up and holding a paper to-go coffee cup in one hand while dragging her suitcase with the other. Jerry was peeking out of his bag. “How’s everyone?” she asked.
“Great,” Liam said.
After the conversation she’d just overheard, Hannah knew his answer was false.
“How’s the birthday girl?” Georgia asked. “We should do something fun for breakfast to celebrate.”
“It’s fine, really.” Hannah didn’t want to take up everyone’s time, but Georgia had already jumped in again.
“We could go to a nice restaurant and eat instead of grabbing something on the go,” she suggested. “What do you think, Hannah?”
“You really don’t need to make a big fuss…”
Liam tipped his head to the side and studied her. By the look on his face, he seemed interested in her newfound caution. “It’s your birthday. It’s the big thirty-five, right? You only turn thirty-five once,” he said.
“Okay,” she replied, hoping that by conceding, he wouldn’t question her change in demeanor. She hadn’t meant it to show.
Hannah really didn’t want to delay the trip any longer than she had to. She wanted to get to Gran’s as soon as possible. But it looked like she was outnumbered.
The closest place open for brunch was Dos Pablitos, a Mexican restaurant about a block away from the hotel. Hannah meandered through the crowd between Liam and Georgia as they followed the hostess to their table.
“Hang on a second,” Liam said, sliding back out of the booth as soon as he’d sat down. “I’ll be right back.”
While he was gone, a waiter arrived and served them chips and salsa, handing them the menus. Hannah looked up and spotted Liam across the restaurant, eyeing an enormous sombrero that hung underneath a sign saying “Feliz cumpleaños,” which Hannah remembered from her ninth-grade Spanish class meant “Happy birthday.” He waved, grabbing the attention of the hostess. She nodded and Liam lifted the large hat off the wall, bringing it over. He slipped into the booth beside Hannah and set it on her head.
“That’s better,” he said, picking up his menu.
“It’s a good look for you,” Georgia said with a giggle.
Hannah grabbed hold of the enormous brim and adjusted it on her head.
“Yes, it’s becoming,” Liam agreed, the corners of his mouth twitching upward again with amusement.
“Ah! It is your birthday?” the waiter asked as he approached their table, smiling from ear to ear, showing off his bright white teeth.
“Yes,” Hannah replied, feeling self-conscious as a few people turned to look.
“And how many years have you?” he asked, in broken English.
She tipped the front of the sombrero up to see him better. “Thirty-five.”
“Thirty-five!” he called out, entirely too loudly.
Suddenly two guys with maracas came dancing toward her, all the wait staff falling in line behind them singing,
“Feliz cumpleaños a ti
We know what we see
A beautiful lady
Not a day over twenty!
Cha-cha-cha!”
They all cheered, the two men shaking the maracas, as others in the restaurant clapped.
When they all left, Hannah realized Liam was looking at her warmly. “Your cheeks are the color of a fire engine,” he said.
“That was the best thing I’ve ever seen,” Georgia said. She grabbed a chip and scooped up some salsa. Then she subtly eyed Liam as if to say, “See how he looks at you?”
Liam’s phone buzzed suddenly.
“Oh,” he said, a wave of something crossing his face. “Do you mind if I take this video call? It’s my son, Noah.”
Before Hannah could process any
thing more, he’d answered it, and the face of an adorable boy filled the phone screen. He had freckles and dark hair, the shape of his serious mouth just like his dad’s, his innocent face hypnotizing her.
“Hi, Daddy,” he said timidly. “Grandma said I should call you.”
“Hi, Noah,” he said. “I’m glad you did.”
The quiet lightheartedness that Liam had just shown them with the sombrero had quickly left him with this call. His shoulders seemed tense, his face full of thought. This wasn’t the reaction a father would usually have when he hadn’t seen his son in days. Instead of being jovial and silly, he was guarded.
“I’m having fun with Grandma,” Noah said, his high voice like an angel’s. “We played on the beach.”
“That sounds like fun,” Liam said.
Noah nodded. There was an underlying sadness in his face that mirrored the one Hannah had seen in Liam’s at times, and she wondered about it.
“Who is the lady in that big hat?” she heard Noah ask, as Liam moved his phone closer to her. She only just remembered she was still wearing the sombrero. “She’s funny,” Noah giggled.
“This is Hannah. She was nice enough to come along with me on the trip home since I can’t take a plane. And this is Georgia.” He twisted his wrist to turn the phone around so Noah could see Georgia. “They’re my new friends.”
“Will I get to meet them?” Noah asked.
“Maybe,” he replied, diplomatically.
His answer caused Hannah to consider the fact that, after this, they would all go their separate ways.
“Can we?” the little boy pressed. “I want to meet Hannah so she can bring her hat.”
“You like this hat?” Hannah said, leaning into view. She grabbed a tortilla chip and scooped up some salsa, popping it into her mouth. Seeing the little boy’s face lightened her mood considerably.
“I want to wear it. Would you let me wear it?”
“I would, except I borrowed it from this restaurant. It’s my birthday today and this is the birthday hat.”
“Will you eat cake?” Noah asked.
“I did have some cake earlier,” she replied.
Noah’s eyes grew round, and he broke into a delighted expression. “What kind was it?”
“It was vanilla on the inside and chocolate on the outside,” Hannah replied. “Your daddy bought it for me.” The waiter came by and brought them waters. Georgia told him they’d need a minute more.
“Daddy, will you buy me cake one day?” Noah asked.
“Sure,” Liam replied, tilting the phone back in his direction so Noah could see him.
“What kind of cake did you have for your last birthday—can you remember?” Hannah asked, making conversation. It was easy to talk to the little boy. He seemed just darling.
“It was a white bread kind with the white icing on top,” he replied excitedly. “And it had special balloons with my name on them! I love balloons…”
“That sounds like a fun cake,” she said. “Did you pick it out? Or did your dad?”
“Daddy doesn’t buy me cake. Elise does.”
“Who’s Elise?” Hannah asked.
“My nanny.”
“Oh,” Hannah said. “So did she pick out your cake?”
“Yeah, she always gets good stuff.”
“It definitely sounds like it,” Hannah said.
“I ate two whole pieces at my birthday party!” he said.
Hannah laughed. “And how many did your daddy eat?” She grinned at Liam but he looked worried, withdrawn.
“He didn’t have any cake,” Noah said. “He works till after I’m in bed.”
“Hey, buddy, I’m going to go, okay?” Liam said. “I’ll be at Grandma’s to pick you up when you get home from the beach.”
“Okay,” Noah said, but he seemed more hesitant about that than excited.
“See you soon,” Liam told him.
“Bye, Daddy.”
It occurred to Hannah that when they’d talked about renting the car earlier, his reason for going to Franklin was to secure the real estate funding and collect his inheritance. Wouldn’t any parent have first said they were picking up their son? Certainly that would come above money, right?
Maybe it would be better to focus on her life instead of someone else’s, she thought.
As they resumed the journey home, Hannah alternated between pretending to read the book she’d brought for the beach and closing her eyes to give them relief. The latter won out, and not long into the second leg of their journey, she drifted off. When she woke, she realized that they’d driven well over half the distance to Franklin.
“I’m so sorry,” she said to Liam. “I was absolutely exhausted after yesterday and I zonked right out. I thought we were going to take turns driving.” She tucked the book she’d placed on her lap but had never actually read back into her bag.
Liam pulled into a parking space at a rest stop along the highway. “You looked too deep in sleep to interrupt you.” He cut off the engine and turned around. Georgia was also asleep in the backseat, with her headphones on and her crossword in her lap.
“Wild bunch you’ve got here,” Hannah teased, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Liam smiled. “Wanna lock her in and take Jerry for a quick walk to stretch our legs?” he asked.
“Sure.”
She pulled on her coat and zipped it up to her chin before she reached back to grab the leash and scoop up Jerry. She clipped on his leash and set him on the grass. The clouds had parted, revealing a bright-blue sky, the sun beaming down in long, glorious rays through the trees, but the temperature was still quite cold. Hannah paced beside Liam as they led Jerry across the yard at the rest area.
“We’re making good time,” he said, obviously trying to fill the silence with conversation, but the look on his face made her wonder if he had more to say. “We only have about two more hours left to drive.”
“When will your son get there?”
“Not sure. They’re flying home sometime tomorrow,” he replied. “My mother watches him for me a lot when I travel for more than a night or so. He keeps her busy, which is good. She’s been alone a lot since my dad died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s been a dark time for my family,” he said. Then he stopped walking. Jerry sniffed around by their feet. “Can I admit something to you?”
“Sure.”
“My attention went right to you yesterday at the baggage claim. You floated in with that big smile, a flower in your hair, as if you’d brought the light in when you came… It sort of made me notice the cloud I’ve been walking under.”
Both their lives seemed to be full of obstacles at the moment, and they’d probably be terrible for each other, but Hannah was beginning to feel something for him. She wanted to be careful with her next steps, but there was something pulling her toward him. She couldn’t put her finger on it. The two of them walked the path around the yard.
“I couldn’t help but see you,” he added. “You make things seem better just being there.”
“Wow,” she said, shocked that he was voicing these kind things to her. “I’ve never had anyone in my life tell me something like that before.”
He turned to her, his face serious. “You should.” The affection in his eyes was intoxicating.
While she knew they both had a lot on their plates and should probably go their separate ways, she found herself saying, “You don’t have to stay in a hotel when we get to town.”
“What do you mean?”
“You could stay at my gran’s house with my parents and me until your mom gets back.” She wanted to return the kindness Liam had shown her by giving her a ride home. “She has a third bedroom that won’t be used. You’re more than welcome.”
“I’d hate to impose on your family,” he said, shaking his head.
“You wouldn’t. I’m sure they’ll be fine with it. And you’ll have your own bathroom and everything. I usually sl
eep in that room, but I can sleep in Gran’s room, so you can have it. It’s really fine.”
“What if your grandmother gets better suddenly and needs her room?”
“Well, by the sound of my mother’s worry on the phone, I doubt it would happen that soon,” she said. “But if by some miracle she does, I can always take the sofa.”
“That’s really nice of you to offer.” He seemed to be deliberating.
Hannah knew that getting involved in Liam’s life might not be a good move for her, yet a buzz vibrated between them that she couldn’t ignore. “There will probably be a heart-shaped birthday cake… Just saying.”
“All right,” he said. “You twisted my arm.”
And suddenly, Hannah could see exactly what Georgia had described in the hotel room earlier. She couldn’t deny the happiness she felt when she saw it.
Liam’s phone pulsed in the car’s cup holder between them. “Do you mind answering that for me while I drive? It’s Noah,” he said with his eyes on the road, focused on the navigation as the weather shifted again and they moved through the traffic in the falling snow.
Without a lot of time to think it over, Hannah accepted the video call and Noah’s adorable face popped up.
“Hi,” he said, with a big grin that stretched to his dimples on each cheek. “Did you have to give back your hat?”
“Sadly, yes,” she replied.
“Oh. I wanted to try it on.”
Hannah laughed. “If I see another one, I’ll be sure to tell your dad where to get it.”
“Okay,” he said. “Where’s my daddy?”
“He’s driving in the snow and he has to concentrate. What are you doing right now?”
“I’m on the deck of the beach.”
Noah wobbled the phone to reveal the glistening, turquoise waters behind him, giving Hannah a pang of wistfulness, as the reality of where she was compared to where she originally thought she’d be at this moment pushed its way into the front of her mind.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, lost in thought for a second.