AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"That's what friends are for. So, tell me more about Joel. What do you like about him?"
"Well, he's a good guy, and he checks a lot of my boxes."
"Like what?" Hannah persisted.
"He wants to live in Whisper Lake. That's a big one."
"Are you sure about that? I thought he was just here while his company develops the property on the west shore. I know that's at least a two-year project, but what about after that?"
"He's staying. There is so much land available for development in this area, he could work here for years. He's been in New York City most of his life, and he finds the quiet here very appealing."
Hannah didn't look like she completely believed her, but for once, she kept that opinion to herself. "What else do you like about him?"
"He's ready for a relationship. He wants a family. He wants children, which is important." She paused. "I like that he's a normal guy. He's not addicted to danger. He doesn't need an adrenaline rush to feel alive."
Hannah gave her a pointed look. "Now, you're talking about Kevin."
"It's hard not to compare everyone I meet to my ex-husband," she admitted. "But I'm trying not to do that. Like I said, it's early days. We'll see how it goes. I'm not very good at dating. I fell for Kevin when I was sixteen. And I was married a long time."
"It's been three years since the divorce."
"And I have gone out with a few guys, but they were not anything close to right. And I need to be careful. I can't make another mistake."
Hannah frowned, concern in her gaze. "I understand. But I have to say one thing."
She steeled herself for whatever was coming. "What?"
"I don't want you to run so far away from the kind of man Kevin is that you pick someone for the wrong reasons. Just because someone isn't like Kevin doesn't make him the best match."
"I know that. But I've had a lot of time to think about what I want in a future husband and what I don't want."
"Okay, I had to say it."
"I know you're being protective, but I can take care of myself." She paused as she looked around the room. "But first I need to take care of this house."
Hannah suddenly squealed and grabbed her arm, pointing across the room. "Maybe you should take care of that first. Or we could just back away and never return, not until you get someone in here to clean up."
At first, she didn't know what Hannah was talking about. Then she blinked at the sight of an enormous spider moving across the floor. She wasn't a big fan of spiders, but clearly not as scared as Hannah was. She was already inching her way to the door. "I can't believe after all the things you see as an ER nurse that you're turning pale at the sight of a spider," she chided. "I thought you were the brave one."
"Not when it comes to creepy-crawly things. Let's get out of here."
"I'm not going to let a spider run me out of this room. I'll take care of it."
She moved across the floor, lifted her leg, and smashed her boot down on the spider. She hit the spider dead on, but she raised her foot and smashed it again, just for good measure. As she did so, she heard a loud cracking sound and suddenly the floor fell out from under her.
She flailed her arms as she fell, then grabbed on to the leg of a nearby dresser to stop her slide, but at that point, she was up to her waist, with rough edges of boards cutting into her skin between the gap of her sweater and leggings.
"Mommy?" Leo shouted. "I can see your legs."
"It's okay," she yelled. She turned to Hannah, who was staring at her in shock. "Go downstairs and get Leo out of the house. I don't want the ceiling to come down on top of him."
"What about you?"
"I'm okay. Just get Leo." As she finished speaking, the doorbell rang, followed by the sound of a man's voice.
"Hello? Anyone here?" he called out.
"My mommy is up there," she heard Leo say. "Those are her legs."
