21. Hannah Jane
21
HANNAH JANE
N o sex. What the hell was I thinking?
Honestly, I thought that Isaac was going to say no. There was no way in hell he was going to agree to labeled, monogamous dating with no sex.
He was all about the benefits.
But, to my surprise, he did. It nearly knocked me over. I felt like a lion tamer.
I, Hannah Jane Hayes, was Isaac Lawson’s girlfriend.
We spent two more days in New York together, soaking up the city and doing all the touristy things he hated.
We snuck into a Broadway show, ate hotdogs from corner carts, and saw the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. I even convinced him to visit the top of the Empire State Building—after hours, of course.
Isaac wasn’t above using his status for special access. It helped with the somewhat clandestine aspect of our newfound relationship status.
We agreed to keep things quiet until I figured out a way to tell the poker club. It wasn’t that I was ashamed to be with Isaac. It was that I didn’t exactly know how my friends would react, given his reputation and my history of safe dating.
I wanted to control the fallout as much as possible. Luca and Maddie would come around the fastest, but Chase—I wasn’t so sure about him.
For the first time since we met, Isaac and I slept in the same bed and didn’t have sex.
It was weird.
We awkwardly stood around the bedroom before he finally flopped down in the middle of the mattress and stretched out his arms. I rested my head in the corner of his chest and laid beside him, stiff as a board.
Isaac poked fun at me until I loosened up and snuggled in close. He pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead and whispered sweet nothings until I drifted off to sleep.
The week after returning to Beaufort had been a learning curve for both of us. Isaac had never played the role of devoted boyfriend, and I had to accept that I was dating someone who thrilled me, but still made me feel a little scared.
I worried that he would break my heart in unmendable ways.
It wasn’t that I intentionally dated guys who bored me to tears in the past, but I liked ‘safe.’ I was okay with not having the most exhilarating life as long as it was predictable.
And Isaac Lawson was anything but predictable.
I was the kind of girl who went to amusement parks and watched the shows. I took pictures and made schedules for what times we would meet up to eat. I stood to the side and held everyone’s bags while they rode the roller coasters. I didn’t feel the need to have my body flung into the air at ninety miles an hour.
Being of sound body and mind and agreeing to be in a relationship with Isaac? Well, hell—that was the scariest ride I could imagine.
My heels clicked across the familiar worn wood floor that was always covered with peanut shells and stray pretzels. Martina McBride blared out of the jukebox, and pool balls clacked in perfect time.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Bridget said from behind the bar at Jokers. “So, you are alive.”
I plopped my tired wedding planner ass on a barstool. “What do you have that will make me forget about having to deal with the florist from hell today?”
Bridget presented me with her finest bottle of bottom-shelf tequila. “You gonna drink it straight, or would you like me to mix you something?”
I rested my elbows on the sticky bar, too tired to be bothered by the spots it would leave on the sleeves of my blouse. “Make it a margarita. Extra happy juice.”
Bridget snickered. “You got it, babe.”
My phone buzzed, and I fished it out of my handbag.
Isaac
It’s been way too long since I’ve seen you and even longer since I’ve been inside you. Why are we doing this again? I’m dying.
I pursed my lips, hiding my smile, and texted him back.
Hannah Jane
We’re doing it the right way so we can really get to know each other. It’s hard to get to know you when all I want to do is get you naked every time I see you.
Isaac
And having mindblowing sex is the wrong way?
Hannah Jane
I miss you too.
Isaac
Hope you have a terrible day, Princess.
Hannah Jane
I hope your day is worse.
I sent a kissing face emoji with my last text. It would have to do considering he was all the way in England. My mind wandered, thinking about the photos he showed me of his London flat. I couldn’t wait to visit.
“What are you all smiley about?” Bridget asked as she slid a salt-rimmed glass my way. “You were acting hella weird at Maddie and Luca’s during Thanksgiving, and then you just up and left town.”
I plucked out the paper umbrella and downed half of the margarita in one gulp. Damn florists driving me to drink. “Just busy.”
“It’s your slow season.”
“Visited my folks after Thanksgiving. Wedding this weekend, and then I’m going to Texas next week to help Maddie and Luca with the restaurant opening. Then it’s Christmas and New Years, and a flood of emails from happy-brides-to-be with their shiny Christmas present engagement rings. And then the cycle starts all over again.”
“That’s the way life goes.” Bridget smirked.
“Can people please stop getting engaged over the fucking holidays?” I paused to sip my drink. “They all get engaged at once, and it makes scheduling impossible. Engagement season is worse than wedding season.”
“I’ll tell Kyle to propose midsummer,” Bridget said with a laugh.
I licked some of the salt off the rim and took another sip. “How are things between y’all? Before Thanksgiving, it sounded like you were going to break up with him.”
The bell above the door chimed, and Chase walked in with Layla—the woman he had knight-in-shining-armored from a handsy drunk. She was gorgeous.
Chase wore a Beaufort Police Department hoodie and a pair of jeans that had seen better days. Layla had on light blue scrubs and had a badge reel clipped to her uniform, showing off her hospital ID. Her glossy black hair brushed halfway down her back. She gave Bridget a cheery wave, but Bee didn’t return the gesture. Awkward.
Bridget scrubbed the bar with her towel so hard I was sure it was going to disintegrate. “Kyle and I worked things out,” she mumbled. “Things are fine.”
I didn’t believe that for a second.
Chase wandered up to the bar, pressed his hands against the chipped oak, and grinned at Bridget. “Hey, darlin’.”
It didn’t matter that things had been awkward between the two of them since Layla came into the picture. Chase always had a soft spot for Bee. I wondered what things would be like when Bridget and Kyle actually got engaged. Maybe that would be the kick in the pants Chase needed to settle down.
I just hoped their friendship could survive it.
I hoped the poker club could survive it.
The only thing keeping the nine of us from taking sides was the unspoken agreement that Chase and Bridget never talked about their obvious attraction to each other.
But if I could just lock those two in a room with a bed for twenty-four hours...
“Hey,” Bridget mumbled as she pretended to check the liquor stock on the shelf behind the bar. She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a raised eyebrow. “What can I get y’all?”
“Can I, uh, get beer and a sweet tea?”
She popped the top off a bottle of beer and slid it to him before filling a glass with sweet tea. “I’ll put it on your tab,” she clipped, effectively dismissing him.
He grabbed his drinks and wandered back to the pool tables where Layla was waiting.
“Damn, Bee,” I said, “That was cold.”
“What?” she said innocently.
I shot her a pointed look. “You know what. ”
The girls in the poker club—the sexy six, as we called ourselves—had a group text that was estrogen only. Luca, Steve, and—most importantly—Chase were not in it.
Our discussions as of late had circled around Chase’s infatuation with Layla. Since Mel worked with her at the hospital, she gave us the inside scoop.
Layla was a nurse in the emergency department. Born in Iran, raised in New Jersey. Fluent in three languages, whip-smart, and one of the best nurses Mel had ever seen. She was working in the ER while she studied to get all the certifications she needed to become a flight nurse. To add insult to injury, she was beautiful, had a great sense of humor, and never met a stranger.
There was literally no reason to dislike her. Well, except for the obvious. She wasn’t Bridget.
It didn’t take long for Chase to charm the scrub pants off of her. According to Mel, The night after the bar incident, Chase showed up to the emergency department to see Layla while he was on duty.
“It’s not serious,” I told Bridget. “He hasn’t mentioned bringing her to poker night.”
“Yet,” Bridget mumbled.
My phone buzzed again, and I tapped at the screen.
Isaac
I’m going to need specifics on the whole celibacy thing.
I couldn’t hide my smile.
Isaac
Is phone sex on the table? What about sexting?
“You’re smiling again,” Bridget said with a smirk of her own.
I dropped my phone in my lap and downed the rest of my margarita. “It’s nothing,” I said way too quickly.
Hell’s bells—Bridget was better at sniffing out the truth than a bloodhound .
“Chase said you’re seeing someone,” Bridget said matter-of-factly.
“And when did you get off your high horse and actually have a real conversation with Chase?” I countered.
Bridget stole my empty glass and didn’t even bother offering me another round. That’s how she got all the good gossip: withholding alcohol until we ‘fessed up. The woman played dirtier than a CIA interrogator.
“I didn’t,” she clipped. “I’ve been mighty comfortable wearing my petty pants lately. I heard you were seeing someone from Maddie, who heard it from Luca, who heard it from Chase on Thanksgiving when they hauled Isaac downstairs to get in his face about him getting handsy with you.”
“I’m— " I struggled for words. Oh, fuck it. I couldn’t lie to Bridget. “It’s new. Very, very new.”
She grinned and rewarded me with another margarita. “Anyone I know?”
I sipped my margarita.
Bridget had a wild look in her eye. “So, it is someone I know. Who?”
I chugged my margarita.
Chase sauntered over and dropped down onto the barstool beside me. “Slow down there, HJ.”
He would either be my saving grace from this conversation, or Bridget’s partner in crime.
“You keep going, and your Christmas decorations are gonna be lopsided,” he warned.
I tipped my head to the side. “Huh?” Oh boy. Hello, tequila, my old friend.
“Okay,” Chase said, handing my glass back to Bridget with the happy juice still in it. “I’m cutting you off.”
“You,” I said, stabbing him in the chest with my finger. “Can’t do that. ”
Bridget smirked. “Maybe not. But I can.”
I whipped around, looking for Layla. “Where’s Linda?”
“Layla,” he corrected.
“Mhmm. Where’s Lindsay?” I giggled and hiccuped.
Bridget turned to the liquor shelf and laughed under her breath.
Chase cut his eyes to Bridget’s back and scowled. “ Layla had to go to work.”
“Don’t be like that,” I chided. “I’ll keep you company, Chasey.”
“Hannah here was just telling us about her new boyfriend. Weren’t you, Han?” She said it so innocently. I knew that sound. Bridget had liquored me up and was preparing to wring me dry for information.
I stuffed my phone into my handbag and hopped down from the stool. “I think it’s time for me to gracefully bow out,” I said, giving the two of them a low curtsy as I teetered on my stilettos.
Chase chuckled and handed Bridget his debit card. “I’ll cover Tipsy McGee’s drinks too.”
“Awww!” I swooned. “Chasey! You don’t have to do that.” Have the walls in here always been that lopsided?
Bridget gave him his card back with orders to stuff me in his car and drive me straight home.
“You don’t remember texting me, do you?” he asked as he guided his truck down our street.
“What text?” I sighed. The buzz was wearing off.
Dammit—I missed girls’ night while I was in New York with Isaac, and now I really needed to blow off some steam.
“The text that said you wanted to put up your Christmas decorations tonight like we always do?”
Ah, fuck.
I remembered making a voice memo on my phone, asking Chase to help me put up decorations, and then accidentally texting it to him .
Of course, I had to deal with the florist from hell before I could follow up with Chase.
That damn florist was going on my vendor shit-list for sure. That was if Maddie didn’t kill him for fucking up the cake flowers first.
Speaking of my phone… I rummaged around in my black hole of a handbag and pulled out my phone. I had four unread texts from Isaac.
Isaac
You never said anything about self-service pleasure. So, I’ve been tapping into my spank bank and getting off to the thought of you using those toys you have in your bedroom.
Isaac
Fuck. What about Christmas? I’m supposed to get you something, right? Do we spend the holiday together or separately?
Isaac
Is there a boyfriend manual? You know, something with clearly defined rules and expectations?
Isaac
Why am I even asking? You probably have color-coded binders, spreadsheets, and flow charts detailing the “right way to have a relationship”. Can you send them to me?
Freaking Isaac Lawson. My heart pounded violently against my ribcage. His panic from across the Atlantic was the most endearing thing he could have possibly sent me. He was trying. He was really, really trying to be good at this dating thing.
“Everything alright over there?” Chase said, glancing over from his seat behind the wheel.
“Mhmm,” I hummed, firing off a text.
Hannah Jane
I may have had some tequila, and I may not be of sound mind to give you boyfriend lessons. I shall refer you to the movie masterpiece, Bridget Jones’s Diary. I like you very much, Isaac Lawson. Just as you are.
Isaac
I like you very much too, Miss Hayes. But I still hope you have a terrible day.
Hannah Jane
Have a terrible day. Or night. Did I mention I may or may not be sober? Maybe I’ll keep my heels and pearls on and text you a surprise.
Isaac
Hell yes, ma’am.
“Earth to Hannah,” Chase said, snapping his fingers. We were sitting in my driveway. “Where’d you go?”
“I’m here,” I grumbled, flinging the door open and hopping out. The December air was frigid. I wanted pajamas and carbs—in that order.
Chase followed me inside. I lazily kicked off my heels and started up the stairs.
“So, you and your booty call, huh?” he asked, helping himself to my cereal stash.
“I want Apple Jacks,” I hollered from my bedroom. I yanked on a pair of joggers and a soft sweater before padding back downstairs.
Chase sat on the couch with a cereal bowl in his hand and a bowl on the coffee table waiting for me. The box of cereal was between us for refills. “So,” he said, stuffing a spoonful into his mouth.
“Christmas decorations are in the attic.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Boxed up by room and alphabetically organized,” he teased . “You gonna tell me about your boy toy?”
I stuffed my mouth full of red and green loops .
Chase chuckled. “I forget you get like this when you’re buzzed.”
“Get like what?” I said with a mouthful of cereal.
“Stubborn as a mule,” he said, pointing his spoon at me. “And a little strippy. Keep your clothes on.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m always stubborn. At least I came willingly. I didn’t even try to drive.”
“Yeah, because you knew I’d just pick you up and throw you in the back of my vehicle if you pulled your keys out.” Chase spooned the last bite out of his bowl before setting it on the coffee table. “You’ve barely been around, and you’re acting all squirrelly. Do I need to be worried about this guy?”
The buzz was gone.
“Nope, I have it handled. It’s just new, and I’m not ready to kiss and tell until I know if it’s going to stick.”
“That’s fair.”
“You know,” I began, taking our dishes to the sink. “You shouldn’t be taking Layla out to Jokers.”
Chase’s smile fell as we walked up the stairs to get to the attic. “Pretty sure I have the same right anyone else does to take whoever I want to Jokers.”
“You know what I mean,” I said, waiting at the bottom of the attic’s pull-down stairs. He handed me box after box, labeled tree ornaments, nativity scenes, and miniature trees.
I went classy with my Christmas decor. No animatronic reindeer or inflatable Santas. It was a white lights, red ribbon, and green garland only kind of house.
Year after year, Chase threatened to put up blinking, colored lights. And, year after year, I threatened to break into his house and poke holes in all his condoms. So, the decorations stayed just the way I wanted them.
“What’s with all the two-by-fours in your truck?” I called up from the bottom of the ladder as I shivered in the wind.
Chase teetered on the top rung, where he was draping garland along the outside of my house. “Does that look even to you?” he shouted.
I stepped off the bottom of the ladder and prayed he didn’t fall. I took a quick look from the end of the driveway. “Perfect,” I called back.
“That’s the last one,” Chase said, climbing down the ladder and wiping his hands on his jeans. He pointed to the lumber in the bed of his truck. “Finally fixing up the cottage. Might make it an short-term rental.”
I peered through our middle neighbor’s yard and looked at the sagging cottage in Chase’s backyard. Dilapidated shed was more like it.
I cringed. “Good luck with that.”
Chase chuckled and crossed his arms. “You gonna finally pay up for all my years of Christmas decoration goodwill?”
I grinned. “Let me get my wallet.”
He shook his head. “Nah, I just meant I’ll need help decorating the cottage when it’s ready.”
“You just tell me when and where.”
We gathered up the empty decoration boxes sprawled across the porch and packed them inside one another. “So, you’re really not gonna talk about your new man?” Chase said as he hauled the boxes into the laundry room.
I sighed. I wanted a chance to get settled into things with Isaac before I threw him to the wolves.
When would love stop feeling scary?
I paled at the thought.
“Love” was the one four letter word that should be used with extreme caution.
“You gonna bring him to poker night?” Chase asked.
“Are you gonna bring Layla?” I countered.
Chase cracked a smile. “Maybe.”
“Be straight with me, Chase. What are you doing with her? ”
For once, he didn’t look like the good-time guy we were all used to. His lips pursed, and there was sadness in his eyes. “I’m doing what I think is best.”
That threw me for a loop. “You’re seeing her to make it easier on Bee?”
Chase shrugged. “Kingsley can’t get pissed at Bridget for being around me if I’m seeing someone else, too.”
“So, you’re just leading Layla on?”
He shook his head. “She’s new in town. We hit it off. I’m not leading her on. She knows what’s up. We enjoy each other’s company.”
I leaned against the washing machine. “Bridget saw y’all.”
His brows wrinkled together.
I sighed. “Bee was pissed at Kyle, so she slept over here and saw you and Layla making out on your front porch.”
He muttered something colorful under his breath but shrugged it off. “I’m trying my best here, Han.”
I gave him a sympathetic smile. “I know.”
Chase shook off the dejection and followed me out. “Just know, I ain’t taking the damn decorations down if you don’t tell me who you’re seeing and let me run a background check. You’ll be stuck with mistletoe until Independence Day.”