Chapter 28 #2
Cole picked off a piece of the ruffled edge and held it up. “It’s not bread. It’s crust. Since you don’t trust yours, then trust me,” he said softly.
“It’s the texture,” she whispered, scanning the room to see if anyone watched.
“Stay with me,” he said softly. “It’s only you and me. I’ve watched Edie make her pies with sugar, flour, salt, water, and butter. It makes the crust nice and flaky. Like the pancakes, it tastes buttery.” Cole bit into a piece and held out the rest to her. “Go for the win, Hannah.”
She swallowed as she stared at the golden crust.
“Edie makes them fresh daily. Once you taste it, you’ll know there’s never leftovers. It doesn’t have time to mold or harden.”
She leaned in and opened her mouth while keeping her eyes on him. He placed it on her lip and she pulled back. Spitting the piece into her napkin. Tears welled in her eyes as she ran from the center, running blindly toward his truck.
“Hannah, wait,” he called, running after her. She heard his footsteps getting closer, and sheer panic ran through her. She dodged and increased her pace.
An arm scooped her up at the waist and pressed her against the brick building. Her breath came out rapidly as she twisted and struggled against him. Two hands cupped her face, forcing her to look at him.
“It’s me, Hannah. I’ll never hurt you,” he insisted. “I’m sorry I pushed. You weren’t ready.”
Her hands grasped his wrists. “I hate this. I detest feeling like some stupid ninny,” she spat. “Scarlett runs into fires, and I run from bread.”
Cole shook his head. “You ran because I pushed you. You make strides every day, like driving tonight. Some days, we take two steps forward and one step back, but you’re still moving toward your goals. Don’t stop because I acted like an idiot.”
“You’re one of the kindest and most gentle people I know. Animals gravitate toward you because they know when they meet a good person,” Hannah said shakily. “I don’t know why I ran except I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“I’m not your father, Hannah. You want to know why I’m here?
I lost my best friend, John, the day Brody got injured.
I want to know who killed him and why. I’ve spent months feeling lost until Cookie told me about this job.
I searched the website, saw the mountain, and something called me here.
It sounds stupid when I say it, but I believe you brought me here. ”
“Me?” she asked, confused.
Cole stepped back, giving her room. He wiped his forehead.
“Yeah. It’s like we have a connection I can’t explain.
When I took the pinecone Brody brought you, I saw something in your eyes.
I think about you all the time, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.
I’m your friend above all else. Kassie will kill me, but I can’t help it, Hannah.
I want you to heal, and then I want to date you. ”
“Me?” she asked again.
“Yes, Stormy,” he chuckled. “You keep me guessing.” Cole brushed the hair away from her face. “Did I make this awkward?”
She pressed his hand against her cheek. “I like you, too.”
He leaned in and hesitated, his mouth hovering over her lips as he waited to see how she’d react.
Hannah made up the distance between him as she reached for his shoulders, pulling him closer.
His tongue traced her bottom lip. “You taste like your side of ice cream,” he murmured, exploring her mouth.
His hand went to her waist and rested casually, giving her space.
Hannah moaned softly, enjoying his kiss. Heat flowed from her belly and between her legs as he explored her mouth and nuzzled her neck.
“Let’s go home,” he said softly, his voice sounding a bit strange.
She nodded and took his offered hand. He handed her the keys. “Do you feel good enough to drive?”
Hannah took stock of her body, still learning how to interpret its signals. Cole made her feel like she walked on air. The heavy, dark feeling she carried retreated into the shadows. Something lurked in the dull recesses of her mind, warning her, but she felt the soft glow of the moon fill her.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she assured him before getting into the truck. Her confidence grew as she made it up the mountain without a hitch and drove the speed limit. She passed him the keys as they entered their cabin.
“Do you feel tired? Cookie and Fiona will arrive in the late afternoon. I can’t wait for you to meet them,” he said as he released the dogs from the crates.
Nine ran toward Hannah and then to Cole, yipping and swishing her tail in excitement. Brody approached Hannah and nuzzled his snout in her hand, demanding attention.
“I’m never sleepy at night. When I close my eyes or lie in the darkness, the shadows come. Thank you for putting my lights up in my room and my lantern. I forgot to ask Scarlett if I can stay with her while you visit with your friends,” she said, removing her coat.
“I don’t want you to leave,” he confessed. “You’ll love Fiona and Cookie.”
“They can have my room. I can sleep on the coach,” she offered.
“I’m taking the hammock outside or the couch, depending on the weather,” he told her. “Please don’t leave. If I made you feel uncomfortable, I apologize.”
“Do you want to lie on the hammock with me and watch the stars?” she asked, hoping to stem his concerns. “I’m not upset. Sometimes, I’m mad at myself. I’ve lost two years of my life, and I hated every minute in those hospitals. It makes me feel weak and proves my father right.”
Cole picked up the warm blankets from the basket and followed her outside. He kicked off his shoes and lay down, holding the blankets up for her to join him.
Hannah slid in, and he tucked the covers over her.
“Your father’s wrong. If he saw how far you’ve come in such a small amount of time, he’d eat his words. You’re doing great,” he said, turning on his side to face her.
“Two years doesn’t constitute a small window of time,” she said thoughtfully. “I didn’t talk because I felt terrified. Do you want to know the worst part?”
“Tell me.”
“I can’t tell you what happened. After days of watching my friends die, they raped me.
I blacked out, and they revived me with water.
I have scars and medical reports which tell me what they did, but I only remember brief flashes.
Claire says it’s my brain’s way of protecting me.
Yet, I felt frozen in fear until I met you. ”
Cole’s thumb caressed her cheek. “I have a confession. My friend Cookie and his wife agreed to come because I asked them. Cookie met Fiona during a mission. I thought it might help you process everything if you knew you didn’t have to go it alone.
It’s one thing to talk to a therapist and have them analyze everything, but quite another to have a friend who understands. ”
“I’m not ready to talk about it with strangers,” she said, feeling panicky.
Cole pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “You don’t need to talk. I want you to listen. Let’s face it, if you can listen to me chatter all night and not say a word, you’ve become a master at it,” he teased.
She smiled as her hands played with the buttons on his shirt. “It only became difficult when you read about Tad and Vera and his long hose. I debated on whether to put you out of your misery or let you keep reading for the amusement.”
“Why, you little minx,” he exclaimed as he tickled her.
Hannah’s laughter filled the porch as she squirmed away from his fingers. Brody barked from inside his crate and Nine decided to join in.
“It appears I have two protectors,” she said when he stopped.
“No, you have three,” he murmured as he kissed her gently.
Her heart raced as his voice deepened, vowing his protection.
Hannah knew if she wanted to feel truly free, she needed to learn how to protect herself first. Good men died attempting to defend her from further harm.
In the end, the rebels took what they wanted and she lay helplessly on the ground.
She never wanted to depend on someone else, and yet Cole gave her the security she longed for.
Hannah didn’t trust herself to know the difference between protection and security, but she longed for something more.
Did she feel brave enough to discover it?