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“True.” They’d reached the restaurant now and she pushed the door open to let Ava go in ahead of her.
She stopped and looked back over her shoulder when she heard someone calling her name.
“Hannah! Hey! I thought I was never going to catch up with you.”
“Willow! What the hell? Your mom said you weren’t coming home for the holidays – that you were still in France.”
Willow laughed. “I was. Until she had her little scare.”
“What scare? Is she okay?”
“Ugh. She’s fine. Are you going in?” Willow jerked her chin at the door, which Hannah was still holding. Ava was waiting patiently.
“I am. I … well, I guess I’ll introduce you to Grady, and this is Ava. Ava, this is Willow. She’s an old friend of mine. We went to school together.”
Ava smiled. “Willow. That’s a pretty name. It’s a tree, too. And it’s …” She frowned. “It’s nearly a pallydrome.”
“Oh, my God! You’re adorable! And so damn smart, too!”
Ava smiled at her cautiously.
Willow looked at Hannah. “Where did you … what’s …? She’s not yours, is she? It hasn’t been that long since I’ve seen you!”
Hannah’s heart thudded to a halt. The last thing she wanted to do was say, especially in front of Ava, that she wasn’t hers. She might not have given birth to her, she might not have known her for all that long, but in her heart, Ava was hers just as Grady was.
She smiled at them both and rested her hand on Ava’s head. “Actually, she is mine. Maybe not in the traditional sense that you’re thinking of, but Ava’s my girl.”
She remembered why she loved Willow so much when her old friend gave her a knowing smile. “Well, that’s just awesome.” She looked at Ava. “I’m not surprised you’re so smart if you’re Hannah’s girl. I’d say that you’re lucky to have each other.”
They had to step to the side to let a group of people come out. And then they went inside. Hannah scanned the place for Grady, but she didn’t spot him. Molly spotted them though and she came hurrying over with a big grin on her face. “Willow! I thought you weren’t coming.”
She let out a short laugh. “Everyone I’ve seen so far has said that. It’d be nice to hear,it’s great to see you, just once.”
Ava looked up at her and tapped her hand.
“What’s up, precious?”
Ava smiled. “It’s great to see you.”
Willow laughed out loud. “I love this kid. You’re awesome. Are you sure you’re Hannah’s? Can I steal you?”
Ava shook her head and grabbed Hannah’s hand as she leaned against her. “No. We’re a family now.”
“You are?”
Hannah met Molly and Willow’s curious looks with a big smile. “Yes. We are.”
Willow gave Hannah a hard stare. “What are you not telling me? What – or who – is the missing piece?”
Molly answered before Hannah could, and she wasn’t smiling anymore. “You remember Grady, don’t you? Ava’s Grady’s niece and …”
Hannah’s heart started to hammer. There was only one reason Molly would look so worried. Willow was … outgoing. She knew how to have fun. She didn’t go in for anything much more than fun, and she … She was a female version of what Grady had said he was like. She didn’t do relationships. She had fun and moved on. If the look on Molly’s face was anything to go on, Hannah would guess that Grady and Willow had had fun together at some point in the past. She swallowed. She didn’t know how she felt about that. It shouldn’t be a problem, but it kind of felt like one.
Willow was shaking her head. “Grady? Doesn’t ring any bells.”
At that moment, he appeared beside Molly and smiled at them. “There’s my girls, I was starting to worry.” He picked Ava up and sat her on his hip, kissing her cheek and then leaning in to give Hannah a peck. He was seemingly oblivious to the way the three women were looking at him.
No one got the chance to say anything before a woman came up to Willow.
