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“You two know each other?”
Hannah’s brows furrowed. “This is Blossom Berry Falls. Everyone knows everyone.”
“Right. I forgot.”
“It’s good to see you two together again.”
Before Hannah could squash her theory, I took the reins. “Can we see the house now?”
“Yes, of course. The door is unlocked. Why don’t I let you two explore, and I’ll meet you back on the porch.”
“Thank you, Becky.”
With my hand on the small of Hannah’s back, we approached the old farmhouse, its weathered exterior a bit more prominent the closer we got. The wooden planks creaked beneath our feet as we stepped onto the front porch, overgrown with live moss and surrounded by untamed weeds.
I glanced at Hannah, imagining us living here as a family. Pushing open the heavy, paint-chipped door, we stepped inside. We found ourselves standing in what seemed to be the living room, the remnants of an old sofa covered in a dusty white sheet and worn-out armchairs flanking a large red-brick fireplace.
“Wow,” she whispered, her voice carrying a mixture of awe and sadness. “This looks nothing like I remember.”
“Yeah,” I replied, feeling a sense of sadness for this once-lively space.
We slowly made our way through the house, the wooden floorboards protesting with each step. Broken beams of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the curtains, casting patterns of light and shadows on the walls. Cobwebs stretched in the corners, giving it a very creepy vibe.
In the kitchen, we found a rusty sink and an old four-burner stove. A retro-style fridge, along with a large wood table, also filled the space.
Hannah walked around the perimeter, not touching anything. “It doesn’t look as though anyone has been here in years.”
“Because they haven’t.”
I went on to explain what Becky told me about the property. “A lot will need to be done, or it can be knocked down and a new structure can be built. It’s the land that is amazing. Come on, I want to show you something.” Grabbing her hand and thankful that she let me, I went out the back door and pointed at the barn a distance away. “It’s great, right?”
“Um ... sure. For what exactly?”
“Pitching facility. When you mentioned that Jimmy goes to baseball camp, it got me thinking about the team, and having spent more time with them, there’s a lot of potential. Small towns sometimes get looked over. If I turn that barn into a training facility, there’s no telling what can happen. I can bring in some other pro players to help. They’d love it.”
Hannah nodded. “That sounds wonderful. Jimmy will love it here.”
“Will you?”
She spun around so quickly her sneakered foot caught on a raised floorboard, sending her into my arms. Her hands crept up my chest, prompting my blood to flow right into my pants. “Cash ...”
I linked my hands behind her waist, and she looked up at me and me down at her. “I want a home for all of us. Me, you, and Jimmy. It’s how it should have been from the start. And before you say no, just think about it.”
“This is all too fast, and my home was my grandmother’s.”
Her house was very nice, but small. That being said, I’d live in a shed if it meant being together. “You’re right. This was wrong of me. I’ll tell Becky I’m not interested.”
“Cash, if you like it, you should buy it. What about the training facility?”
“It was just a thought. Maybe down the road, I’ll revisit the idea. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Hannah was quiet the entire ride back to her place. My mind whirled with how dumb I was to push the issue. Although I did need a place to live. Maybe I’d just see if I could stay in my rental long term. At least I’d be close to them.
We turned down the street next to the park, and Hannah looked over at me. “Can we stop?”
“Sure, is everything okay?”
“Yes, I just want to talk for a minute.”
