Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Phone tree? What the fuck is a phone tree?” Tanner asked.
“You’d know since you seem to know all the town fucking gossip.”
“Fine. Next time I hear something about her, I won’t tell you what’s going on.”
“Why are you telling me this? Hannah is just an old friend. Not really even that.”
“Don’t be an asshole. I know you were going to ask her out, remember?”
Fuck. Telling Tanner that had been a mistake.
“Do not tell anyone that.”
Tanner’s face softened slightly. “You know I wouldn’t do that to you, brother.”
He wouldn’t either. Tanner had always kept his secrets. The two of them had always been fighting as kids. But the minute someone outside their family went for one of them, the other one would come to their defense.
“You could ask her out now.”
“Are you trying to get a second job as a matchmaker?” Raid asked him.
A strange look came over Tanner’s face. “I just want you to be happy.”
“Look, yeah, I was going to ask her out. But I’ve had time to think. We’re not suited. She has ‘white picket fence and kids’ written all over her. That’s not for me.”
Yeah. Right.
Tanner just shook his head and got up to get another round.
Raid tapped his fingers on his thigh thoughtfully as he watched Hannah reach her friends. They each hugged her, but he noted she didn’t hug them back.
That wasn’t normal either. He’d seen her in here several times with the other girls. And they were always touching each other. They were always laughing. Teasing each other. They were a close-knit group.
But there was something wrong. He frowned as he watched. What was it?
Then it came to him.
Hannah wasn’t smiling. She didn’t look upset or uncomfortable or as though she was in pain.
She appeared indifferent. Cold.
Just what the fuck was going on with her?
Hannah felt terrible.
She wasn’t comfortable. Her stomach and head hurt. And she felt like she was going to break into tears at any moment.
But she didn’t let any of that show.
Because if she showed any cracks in her armor, then her friends would take advantage. They’d press any button they could find, digging their way in deep until they figured out what she’d been hiding from them.
But she couldn’t let them see what was going on. She knew the way she was acting confused and hurt them. And she hated that. But she couldn’t let herself crack.
“Okay, spill,” Melody demanded.
Whoa. Déjà vu. Only the last time that Mel had said those words, they’d been demanding information about Raid.
God, that seemed so long ago. She’d give anything to go back to when her only worry had been how she was going to embarrass herself in front of Raid.
That night had been the turning point in her life, though. From now on, there was going to be a pre-Steven and an after-Steven.
And the after-Steven Hannah . . . well, that wasn’t something she really knew how to deal with.
Hence, the reason she was trying to hide from everyone until she figured out this new-Hannah.
The one who grew scared when her phone beeped.
Who didn’t know how to act around people she’d known for years. How to pretend to be happy and normal. It was so hard. She didn’t know how old-Hannah did it.
But then again, old-Hannah hadn’t had to do anything. Because she’d been happy. She’d had friends she loved and a job she adored.
Old-Hannah had thought that she was safe, living in a town where people watched out for her.
Stupid, naive, old-Hannah hadn’t realized the dangers that lurked just outside Haven’s borders. Where people didn’t care about her. Wouldn’t look out for her.
Why hadn’t she been content with what she’d had? Why had she gone looking for more?
So damn stupid.
“Hannah? What’s going on?” Josie asked.
“What do you mean?” She tried to smile. It was difficult. It took so much damn effort. Energy that she really didn’t have.
“This isn’t you. Why are you wearing those clothes? Why have you been avoiding us? What the fuck did Steven do to you?”
She winced as Melody spoke loudly, drawing attention from those around them. Brye was at the bar, watching them.
Watching her. And there was concern on his face.
“Nothing. You’re imagining things.”
Melody’s head snapped back as though Hannah had slapped her.
Inwardly, Hannah winced.
Old-Hannah wanted to reach out and take Melody’s hand. To apologize, beg for forgiveness, then lay everything at her feet. But she just couldn’t . . . she didn’t want them to know what happened to her.
It wasn’t fair to them . . . she knew they’d blame themselves even though it wasn’t their fault. The only person at fault was Steven.
And her.
New-Hannah couldn’t tell them what had happened. Because she was ashamed and embarrassed. And because she was trying to hold herself together.
“I’m fine,” she finally said. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“No?” Carlie asked.