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Now she felt herself shutting down again, ready to protect herself.
Suzanne offered her hand to Adam. “I’m Suzanne. Good to meet you. I apologize for this rather crazy household.”
Hannah could imagine how this seemed to Suzanne. Hannah has a love life! Finally.
She felt the same suffocating pressure she always felt when she was back home.
Adam shook her hand, all charm and confidence. “I’m the one who should be apologizing for descending unannounced. I’ve booked a room at the pub—”
Oh great, Hannah thought. So now the whole village would know Hannah McBride finally had a man. He might as well have taken out an ad in the local paper.
“You don’t need to stay there. We have plenty of room. I’ll call the pub and cancel your reservation.” Suzanne enveloped him with the same warmth and welcome that ensured that Café Craft was always bursting at the seams with people.
It hurt Hannah that it might not occur to Suzanne that this wasn’t what she wanted.
No one paid attention to what she wanted or needed. No one seemed to care. All they cared about was that she fitted into the way they saw the world. That her life was the way they wanted it to be.
Melly’s eyes were round with admiration. “Are you a prince?”
Adam laughed. “Now, why would you think that?”
“You’re very tall, and you have dark hair, and you look a bit like Prince Charming.”
“I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not a prince.”
“Are you Aunty Hannah’s boyfriend?”
Adam paused. “I’m her friend.”
Ruby stepped forward. “Did you fly in an airplane?”
“I did.”
“Did you see Bugsy?”
“Okay, I’ve got this—” Beth stepped forward and scooped Ruby up. “You girls should be in bed! Why are you up so late?”
“Because Daddy let us for a treat. He didn’t think you’d find out.”
“Traitor,” Jason muttered. “Come on, girls. Upstairs.”
“Will you read us another story?”
Hannah was feeling trapped and on the verge of panic. She was going through possible scenarios in her head—Tell Adam right away? Postpone telling him?—when Beth spoke.
“As a special treat, would you like Aunty Hannah to read you a story?”
Melly looked as if Christmas had come early. “Tonight? Yes!”
“Yes!” Ruby echoed. “As long as she does it with voices.”
Jason’s gaze flickered from Hannah to Adam. “But Hannah probably wants to—”
“It would be such a treat for the girls,” Beth said quickly. “I’m sure Adam won’t mind. There’s a fire in the living room and Dad has an exceptional bottle of single malt. We’ll entertain Adam while she reads to the children. Thank you, Hannah.” She made it sound as if Hannah would be doing her a huge favor and Hannah felt her throat thicken.
Beth wasn’t pushing her toward Adam. She was giving her the opportunity to gather her thoughts.
She turned to Adam. “Do you mind? Make yourself at home and I’ll be down as soon as I’ve settled the children.” She said it as if “settling the children” was something she did often, and the faint lift of his eyebrow was the only indication that he recognized an avoidance tactic when he saw one.
