Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
H annah
“I think these fixtures will look amazing. What do you think?” Katherine asked.
“Yeah. Those are nice.”
“Okay, what’s wrong? You’ve seemed off all day.”
“Lucy told Alex some lies about me, and he confronted me yesterday. His tone was so accusing and?—”
“And what?” Katherine asked.
“I don’t know. After we argued a bit, he left before we each said something we’d regret. I have no idea why that child hates me so much.”
“Listen, Hannah.” She hooked her arm around me. “I don’t think it’s you. I think it’s the thought of you.”
“What do you mean?” My brows furrowed.
“Her mother passed away. She was sent to live with a father she barely knew in a city she hated, and now, she’s moved again to a new place with a dad who’s probably around more than he ever has been. She wants her dad to herself and sees you as a threat of becoming between them.”
“You think so?”
“I had a friend back in college. She and her dad were super close. After her mom passed away, her father met a woman, and my friend did everything she could to make her father see this woman wasn’t good. She lied and purposely sabotaged their relationship. When I asked her why she did that, she said that she was afraid the woman would take her dad away and he would get so wrapped up in her that he would forget about his daughter. She saw it as losing her father like she did her mother.”
“Well, Lucy doesn’t have to worry about that because I’m not seeing Alex anymore. I moved here to start over, not get involved with a man and all his drama. I’m not going down that road again.”
“But you’re in Harbor Falls, my friend. The town where love blossoms.” A smile crossed her lips.
“Harbor Falls can shove love up its ass,” I said, and Katherine laughed.
When I arrived home, I saw Adalyn sitting in her car in the driveway.
“Hey, sis. What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.” She pulled a garment bag from the back seat.
“Okay. What’s in the bag?”
“You’ll see.”
I unlocked the door, and we stepped inside.
“Oh shit.” She placed her hand over her mouth, running up the stairs.
I grabbed the garment bag she threw down and followed her.
“Are you okay?” I asked, unzipping the bag and taking out the long, plain white satin dress.
“Yeah.” She emerged from the bathroom. “Sorry about that.”
“What is this?” I held up the dress.
“That’s what I need to talk to you about. Colin and I talked, and we’re getting married next month.”
“Excuse me?” My brow arched.
“We don’t want to wait, and I want to walk down the aisle before I start showing. I know there’s no time for you to design and make a dress from scratch, so I bought this and thought it could be your canvas.”
“One month?” I arched my brow.
“Yeah. We’re getting married at the gazebo at Rosie’s and having the reception on the property with big, beautiful white tents decorated with lights and your beautiful flowers.”
“Then I better get designing.” I hugged her. “And not only the dress.”
“You are the best sister ever. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
After she left, I took the dress downstairs and hung it in front of me while I sat on the couch with my sketch pad. A knock on the door startled me.
“Come in,” I shouted.
The door opened, and Alex walked in.
“Hi.” He walked over, his hands tucked tightly in his pants pockets.
“Hey.” I stared at the dress.
“Can we talk?”
“Now really isn’t a good time, Alex. I’m busy.”
“You’re still upset with me about yesterday,” he said. “What is that?”
“Adalyn’s wedding dress. She called it my canvas and gave me a month to finish it.”
“A month?”
“Yeah. Apparently, she and Colin are getting married in a month. She sprung the news on me earlier.”
“I heard she was pregnant. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“When was I supposed to? In between you accusing me of being a bad babysitter to your daughter?”
“I didn’t say you were a bad babysitter, Hannah.”
“You might as well have, Alex.”
“I apologize. Lucy is still adjusting to everything.”
I took the pencil to my sketchpad. “Is there anything else?”
“No. I’ll let you get back to your work.” He turned and walked out of the house.
Throwing my pencil down, I sighed.