9. Hannah
9
HANNAH
I sit on the wooden rocking chair on Kane’s front porch, watching the clouds drift lazily up above. It’s a bright afternoon in the woods, and sunshine warms my bare legs as I roll up the sleeves of the flannel shirt I’m wearing. I found it in Kane’s closet. It smells like him, and I keep burying my face in the material, taking deep breaths as I wait for him to come back home.
There’s a raw soreness between my legs, a tenderness from yesterday with Kane. He pushed my body to the limit. I lost count of the number of orgasms he gave me, and my heart flutters at the memory. I lean back in the chair, rocking gently, listening to the swaying of trees and the chatter of birds in the sky above as I replay my day with Kane in my mind. It was like a dream. I’ve never felt so connected to another person before, and thanks to him, Cherry Hollow feels more like home than ever.
Wherever Kane is, that’s where I want to be.
I just wish I could tell him the truth about everything. There’s still a huge part of myself that I’m holding back, but I’m terrified that Kane won’t want me if he finds out. It’s the one thing stopping me from tearing all my walls down, and I don’t know how to get around it.
I’m still pondering it when the sound of a truck nearby makes my heart soar, and I beam as Kane pulls up in front of the cabin. Waving, I watch as he gets out of the driver’s seat and starts walking toward me, a strange expression on his face. My smile falters, uneasiness gnawing at my stomach.
Something is wrong. I can feel it.
“Hey…is everything okay?” I ask as he climbs up the porch steps.
“Hey.” Kane grabs a chair from the other end of the porch and places it beside me, sitting down with a sigh. “Sorry, I forgot the sandwiches. Something happened at the bakery.”
“What happened?”
Kane looks at me and says four words that make my stomach lurch painfully. “I met Andrea Ryan.”
Oh no.
Panic rises in my chest, making my heart thump in a sickening rhythm. This isn’t how I wanted him to find out. God knows what Andrea told him about me, but I’m sure it was nothing good. I suck in a breath and bury my face in my hands, tears stinging in my eyes. Everything is about to crumble around me. Whatever me and Kane have…it’s about to fall apart, all because of my lies.
“Hey,” Kane says, his hand reaching for mine. “Talk to me, Hannah.”
I lift my head and his face falls when he sees my tears.
“I’m s-sorry.” My voice is thick with emotion. Kane squeezes my hand, but it only makes me cry harder. “I lied to you.”
“Come here.” He pulls me out of the rocking chair and onto his lap, and I wrap my arms around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder. “It’s okay,” he murmurs softly. “It will all be okay.”
I take several deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down as Kane rubs my back. Hiccupping, I dry my eyes and pull away from his chest, wiping fruitlessly at his shirt.
“Sorry, you’re all wet now.”
“I’ll live, Ginger Snap.” He smiles at me, pressing a quick kiss on my cheek.
There’s a flicker of hope in my chest as he holds me tight. He doesn’t seem disgusted or angry like I worried he’d be.
“Tell me everything,” he continues, running a hand through my hair. “Don’t hold back, okay?”
I nod, heaving a deep sigh. “I’m…I’m not from Winterdale. That was a lie. I was born and raised in Silvercrest, and my dad has been mayor there for as long as I can remember.”
Kane nods, looking unsurprised. Andrea obviously filled him in on my real identity.
“I know it sounds weird, but I didn’t spend much time with my parents growing up,” I say shakily. “They were always so obsessed with social climbing and wealth—appearances are everything to them. I’m pretty sure they only had me in the first place because they wanted a family-friendly image. I was sent off to boarding school as soon as possible, and at home, I was mostly raised by live-in nannies.”
Kane frowns, looking troubled, but he doesn’t interrupt me.
“People find it hard to believe,” I say, “but my parents felt more like strangers most of the time. I hardly ever saw them, unless they wanted me for a photo opportunity to promote their image as the ideal all-American family. I know I shouldn’t complain…we were wealthy, privileged?—”
“Of course you should complain,” Kane grunts. “Your parents didn’t act like parents. That’s something any kid has a right to complain about.”
I press my lips together and nod. “Well, what I didn’t know is that all our wealth was being paid for by dirty money. God, the stuff they were up to…” I shake my head. “They were stealing public funds, laundering the money, and keeping it for themselves. But that wasn’t enough for them. They wanted to be richer, so they started doing deals with criminals. Bribing police officers to turn a blind eye, using their power to help people traffic drugs into the state and taking a cut of the profits for playing their part.” Shame crawls up my throat as I speak. It’s hard to admit that the couple who brought me into the world are such crappy people.
“You probably know all about it,” I say. “Seems like the entire state knows the story.”
Kane nods. “I know bits and pieces. Been hearing a lot of talk about it.”
“There was plenty of other stuff. My dad was sexually harassing female employees. My mom was rigging the mayoral elections, buying votes so my dad could keep his role.” I let out a shuddering breath. “It’s awful. I’m so ashamed of everything they’ve done.”
“So that’s the real reason you came to Cherry Hollow?” Kane asks, rubbing my shoulder.
I nod. “It was a huge story in Silvercrest. People were furious, and rightly so. They hate my parents’ guts, but a lot of them hate me too. They think I was involved.” My voice breaks, but I don’t stop talking. “But I wasn’t. I had no idea what my parents were doing. When they were arrested, I was in total shock. Sure, I knew they were bad parents, but I didn’t know they were criminals. I swear I didn’t.”
The desperation in my voice makes me cringe, but I need Kane to believe me, even if nobody else does. His opinion matters more to me than everybody else’s put together.
“Of course you didn’t know,” Kane says firmly. “That’s exactly what I told Andrea.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. And Diane banned her from the bakery.”
I gulp. “So Diane knows too? She knows I lied?”
“Yes, she knows. But she’ll understand, Hannah.”
Thinking of the lies I told Diane is enough to bring fresh tears to my eyes. “I hope so. I hated lying to you both, but telling the truth was so hard.”
“Hannah, I get it.” Kane squeezes me tighter against him. “You needed a fresh start. Didn’t want people like Andrea being able to follow you.”
“Exactly. Only that part didn’t work out so well.” I bite my lip. “Lots of people in Silvercrest are convinced I was in on the whole thing. Andrea is one of them.”
“Fuck what they think.”
I look into his warm brown eyes. They look fierce and determined, and my heart skips a beat as I ask, “It doesn’t bother you that my parents are criminals?”
“I don’t give a shit who your parents are, Hannah. They’re crappy people, and you’re nothing like them. You’re sweet and kind, and you’ve got a good heart. And anybody who thinks you had anything to do with your parents’ crimes obviously doesn’t know you. So screw them.”
He says it with so much conviction that I immediately throw my arms around him, hugging him tight. My heart is bursting with affection. Knowing that Kane believes my story means so much, and an immense weight has finally been lifted. He knows the truth, but he’s not running. He’s not telling me to leave. Instead, he’s holding me tight and telling me none of it matters.
“Thank you, Kane,” I murmur against his shoulder. “You’re the best.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, Ginger Snap.”
I giggle, but it falters quickly when I ask, “Do you think the town will be mad at me? All the people from the bakery? What about Diane?” I wince at the thought. “She’s been so good to me, and I lied to her about everything. Even my name.”
“Diane will understand, and so will everybody else,” Kane says firmly. “You’re a part of this town now, Hannah. We protect our own out here, and if anybody causes you trouble, I’ll have your back. I won’t let that Andrea woman get anywhere near you.”
My throat clogs with emotion as I look at Kane, tracing his cheekbone with my finger. This man is magic. I tilt my head and lean in, pressing my lips against his, and he instantly grabs my chin, kissing me back hard. His beard brushes my face as he pulls me close, and he makes a noise deep in his throat before breaking our kiss, resting his forehead against mine. I close my eyes and listen to the sound of his breathing, feeling completely at home in his arms. My body softens against the hardness of his chest, my fingers absent-mindedly brushing the swirling ink on his forearms.
“I’m sorry again that I lied to you,” I tell him quietly. “It was a mistake. I should have trusted you with this sooner.”
He shrugs. “Maybe I’m not the easiest person to confide in. Some people think I’m too bossy. Can you believe that?”
I let out a dramatic gasp. “No way!”
“I know. Crazy, right?”
A giggle escapes me. “I like that you’re bossy.”
Kane raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“I like how you are.” My mouth goes dry at the look on his face. “I like everything about you.”
His lips twitch into a small smile, eyes glittering. “I like everything about you too, Ginger Snap.”
“Including my inability to read signs?”
“Are you kidding? That’s my favorite thing about you.”
I laugh. “And you’ve forgiven me for winning the cherry pie contest?”
“Not yet.”
“Still too raw to talk about?”
“Watch yourself, princess,” he grunts. “That smart mouth is gonna get you into trouble like it did yesterday.”
I grin at him, and he kisses me hard on my open mouth, teeth clashing, tongues sliding together.
“I’m just teasing you,” he murmurs against my lips. “I’m proud as hell that you won. I’m always rooting for you. Always.”
My heart flutters at his words.
“Me too, Kane.” I lean in for another kiss, but he grabs my chin and stops me in my tracks, forcing me to look at him.
“I love you, Hannah,” he says, his deep voice sending shivers through me. “You’re my girl now, no matter what happens. I’m going to take care of you—you know that, right?”
The world stands still. I can’t hear the birds or the swaying branches, can’t see the trees or the sunshine. All my attention is fixed on this incredible man.
My man.
My dream come true.
“I love you too,” I whisper, heart in my throat as Kane’s eyes stare into mine. “You feel like home.”
He lets out a deep breath. “I’ll always be your home, princess. And so will this place, if you want it to be.” He gestures to his cabin. “I want you here with me. I want to keep you safe.”
My eyes are filling with tears again. But this time, it’s pure joy streaming down my cheeks.
“I’d like that, Kane,” I say. “I’d like that more than anything.”
He gives me the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. It looks like a light has turned on inside him, and he’s radiating sunshine as he takes my face in his hands and kisses me. I feel like I could start floating any second, dancing in the sky, bouncing over the treetops. In my heart, I know I’ve found my person. The love of my life. And with him by my side, I know everything will be okay. There’s nothing that Andrea or anybody else can do to hurt me with my protective lumberjack in my life. My past in Silvercrest has never felt further away, and as Kane lifts me up from his lap and carries me inside my new home, I know the future will be better than I can even imagine.