Chapter 28
CHAPTER 28
H annah
The following morning, after I knew Alex had left for the day, I packed my bags and left. As much as I wished it was permanent, it was only temporary. Adalyn knew I didn’t want to stay there, so she asked me to move back in with her until the wedding and then asked me to house-sit while they went on their honeymoon. My mom and Antonio were returning to Harbor Falls today for the wedding this weekend, and I needed to put on my happy face.
As I made the wedding flower arrangements, the bell above the shop’s door rang, and Colin and Adalyn walked in.
“Well? How did it go?” I smiled.
“The baby is perfect.” Adalyn grinned with happiness. “All of the test results are normal. Want to see your niece or nephew?”
“Of course, I do.”
She reached inside her purse and pulled out the sonogram picture.
“Oh my gosh. Is this the baby right here?” I pointed.
“Yep.” Colin grinned like a proud father.
“Gender?” I arched my brow.
“In this sealed envelope.” Adalyn pulled it from her purse.
“Excellent.” I grinned. “Tonight, we’ll find out if it’s a boy or girl.”
“We really don’t need a gender reveal?—”
“Stop. Luis and I already discussed it, and you’re having a gender reveal party.”
After they left, I opened the envelope and smiled when I saw the gender. Calling Annie, I told her the gender and asked if she could bake a cake.
“Annie, you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone you know the gender.”
“I swear, Hannah. I won’t say a word. Oh my gosh! This is going to be my best cake yet.”
“Thank you, Annie. I appreciate it.”
“You know I’d do anything for Colin and Adalyn.”
Later that afternoon, my mom and Antonio walked into the shop.
“There she is.” My mother smiled.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Antonio.” I hugged them both. “How was your flight?”
“It was good. We thought we’d stop to see you before heading to Adalyn’s. Is there anything we can do to help for the party?”
“I would be forever grateful if you could swing by Annie’s shop and pick up the cake.”
“We’ll go do that now. Do you need us to stop by your place and pick anything up?”
“Uh, no. I’m actually staying at Adalyn’s for a while.”
“Why?” Her brows furrowed.
“Well, with the wedding in a few days, it’s just easier. Besides, I’m housesitting while they’re on their honeymoon.”
“Oh, okay. Is that handsome Mr. Harbor coming tonight?” A sly grin crossed her lips.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Uh, no, Mom. He’s really busy right now between the town and his company back in Chicago.”
“Even at night?”
“Yeah. Anyway, I have to finish this arrangement for the party.”
“Aw, blue and pink carnations. It’s beautiful, darling.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you later.”
I didn’t want to tell her what happened between Alex and me because I didn’t want to hear one of her lectures.
“I’m leaving, Mary.”
“Okay. Have fun tonight.” She smiled.
I arrived at Adalyn’s long before she and Colin came home. Setting the large arrangement in the middle of the island, I stepped onto the patio decorated with a large sign that read Boy or Girl and numerous blue and pink balloons.
“It looks great out here.” I hooked my arm around Luis.
“Thank you, darling. I can’t take all the credit. Your mom and Antonio helped.”
After we ate, it was time to reveal the gender of Colin and Adalyn’s baby. Handing them a cake knife, Colin placed his hand on Adalyn’s, and they cut into the cake together, revealing a pink color inside.
“It’s a girl!” Colin shouted, grabbing Adalyn and hugging her tight.
Everyone clapped with excitement and then congratulated them.
“A little girl.” Rosie grinned, walking over to me. “I cannot wait to meet that precious child.”
“You and me both, Rosie.” I hooked my arm around her.
A Few Days Later
A lex
“I’m so excited for Adalyn’s wedding tomorrow!” Lucy beamed, swimming over to the edge of the pool. “I’ve never been to a wedding before.”
“I’m sure you’ll have a good time.” I smiled.
“Dad, where’s Hannah been? I haven’t seen her at all in a few days. I haven’t even seen her car in the driveway.”
“Good question. I was wondering that myself.”
“What’s going on between the two of you? Did you get into a fight or something?”
“No. Why would you ask that?”
“Because you’re not seeing her anymore like you were, and now, she hasn’t been home in days.”
“I’m sure she’s probably been very busy with the shop and wedding.”
“It still doesn’t make sense why she hasn’t been home. I got up last night for a bottle of water, and I looked out the front window to see if her car was there, and it wasn’t.”
“As I said. I’m sure she’s very busy.” I scrolled on my phone.
“Dad?”
“Yes, kiddo?”
“I like Hannah and I’m sorry I tried to get her in trouble with you. If she left because of me?—”
I stopped scrolling and looked at my daughter. “She didn’t leave, Lucy. And even if she did, it had nothing to do with you.”
“So, then you admit that you did something to her. Because I remember the night she watched me after Mara had to leave for the airport. You said you were going to talk to Hannah because you forgot to tell her something. It’s been since that night she hasn’t been around. What did you say to her?”
I stared at her blankly for a moment because I didn’t know what to say. I certainly wasn’t discussing this with my eleven-year-old daughter.
“We had an adult conversation, and that’s all you need to know.”
She climbed out of the pool, wrapped the towel around her, and sat in the lounger next to me.
“If you hurt her feelings because of me, Dad?—”
“Lucy, it had nothing to do with you. I’m just not in the right headspace to be seeing someone right now.”
“So, you did tell her you didn’t want to spend time with her anymore. Didn’t you?”
“I’m a very busy man, kiddo. Between my work here and in Chicago and you, I don’t have time to deal with anyone or anything else.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call seeing someone you really like ‘dealing’ with someone. You make it sound like she was a problem.”
“No, sweetheart. She wasn’t a problem at all. I can’t divide my time equally right now. That’s all, and it’s not fair to her. I thought you didn’t like Hannah?”
“It wasn’t that I didn’t. She’s really nice. I was just afraid that if the two of you got serious, she would take you away from me. But, after talking with her, I know that’s not true.”
“You told her that?”
“Yeah. She said you love me more than anything, and nobody could ever take you away from me.”
“She’s right. I wish you would have told me how you felt instead of saying things that weren’t true.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” She looked down. “If you find time to include her in our lives, I’m okay with that.”
“I appreciate it, sweetheart.” I held out my arms, and she leaned over so I could hug her.