The silence that follows is heavy, broken only by the sound of Hannah exhaling slowly.She turns to me, her hands trembling just slightly as she pushes a strand of hair out of her face.
“Thanks for...whatever that was.”Her voice is softer now, the strength from earlier fading just a little.
“Anytime.”I gesture to the container in my hand.“I, uh, came to return this.Thought maybe we could have coffee.”
Her lips twitch, and despite the tension, she smiles.“Coffee sounds good.”Hannah glances down when a wide grin lights up her face.
“What?”I ask, caught off-guard by her sudden expression.
“I knew she’d like you,” she says, motioning to the gray cat now weaving around my boots.
The cat rubs against my leg, her purring audible even over the distant hum of the wind.Then, as if satisfied with the attention, she pads back inside the house, tail high in the air.
“Grace is a good judge of character,” Hannah adds, her smile softening as she looks up at me.
“Well, that makes one of us,” I tease, earning a quiet laugh.“And don’t apologize for him,” I add, nodding toward the driveway where the rental car had disappeared.“To me, it seemed like you handled him just fine.”
Her eyes light up with a mix of pride and disbelief.“I did, didn’t I?”She rocks back on her heels, clearly impressed with herself.
“Yep,” I confirm with a slight grin.
“So...”Her voice turns playful, her head tilting as she watches me.“Does this mean I’m cooking you dinner too?”
The memory of her cookies flashes through my mind, a lingering bad dream, and I hesitate.“Ah, no.This was just supposed to be coffee.”
Hannah glances at her watch, then quirks an eyebrow at me.“Yes, but it’s almost dinner time.I could whip us up something?”
“I don’t want you going to any trouble for me,” I say quickly, watching her frown ever so slightly.“But there’s a bar in town,” I add, hoping to salvage the moment.“They’ve got the best burgers and pizzas around.”
Her expression brightens instantly.“Okay, but it’s my treat.”
I chuckle, shaking my head.“Not a chance.”
She narrows her eyes at me, mock-challenging, but doesn’t push it.Instead, she steps back, motioning toward the house.“Come in while I grab my coat.”
As she disappears inside, I glance down at Grace, who’s watching me from the doorway, tail flicking lazily.
“Looks as though it’s just you and me, huh?”I mutter under my breath.
The cat blinks slowly, unimpressed, before turning and sauntering inside.Smiling to myself, I follow, wondering just how much trouble I’ve signed up for with Hannah, and finding that I don’t mind one bit.
Hannah leads me into her kitchen, her voice light and inviting.“I’ll just be a minute, but make yourself at home.There’s coffee, tea, or a cold drink in the fridge if you’d prefer.”
I nod, my eyes scanning the cozy space.The counter is cluttered with at least a dozen different types of tea, each in a colorful box or tin, but there’s only one brand of coffee.It’s the same one I keep at home.A small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as I open the canister and fix myself a cup.
Taking a seat at her dining table, I cradle the warm mug in my hands, the rich aroma filling the air.I don’t sit alone for long.Grace leaps gracefully onto my lap, her soft gray fur brushing against my hands.She circles once, her tail flicking, before settling down with a satisfied sigh.
“You should be afraid of me, cat,” I mutter, stroking her fur despite myself.
“Grace,” Hannah corrects with a grin as she sweeps back into the room.“And she’s a good judge of character.”
“Yeah, you said that already,” I reply, looking down at the ball of fur in my lap.“But she’s got it wrong this time.”
Hannah’s smile softens as she watches us.“I don’t think she’s ever wrong.”
Hannah has changed into a fuzzy, black jumper that hugs her curves in all the right ways, and her hair is brushed out to frame her face, a golden halo that catches the light.I glance down at my outfit—a simple long-sleeved black shirt under my cut—and I suddenly feel underdressed.
“It’s not a fancy place,” I say, hoping to set the tone.
