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Hannah’s head turns, and her gaze drifts out across the front yard It’s as if she’s afraid to believe what I’

I bring a hand to her face, grip her jaw gently, and turn her back to me “It’s not easy foryou that it was fear of losing sos I’ve done It was incredibly idiotic of s off nohen I’d just fallen in love with you, it wouldn’t hurt as bad as if I were more deeply in love with you and you died on me”

“I’ to die,” she asserts stubbornly

“I don’t know that,” I return softly “And it’scope with it It’s up to ive up control of my fate and future”

Hannah’s head tilts “And how do you get there?”

“By accepting that you’rethe risk and putting myself out there”

“And you’re ready for that?”

I smile “I didn’t knoas until Kyla told e pauts to call it over, because I was still trying to figure shit out But knowing that you wereplans to move on, well… I kneithout a doubt I was ready for it I tried to hop a plane yesterday afternoon, but everything was fucking booked This was the earliest I could get here”

Hannah graces me with a small smile

A true smile that doesn’t look forced or pained

It gives me hope

I step back froet back to your fa at the Eastover Inn in town Maybe we could talk again over breakfast or so”

I turn to the porch, waiting for her to stop me

To give n she’s heard what I’ve said—has realized that even duiven their weaknesses

I make it to the third step dohen the front door opens It’s not Hannah who stops me; it’s her mother “Wait a minute”

Turning around, I find her standing there with her hand on Hope’s shoulder Hope’s expression is uncertain

“Hope needs to talk to you again,” she says frohter

Hannah watches carefully, not saying a word

Hope inches out, darting a glance at her mom It’s a silent question if it’s okay that she interferes in our discussion