Page 18 of We Can Forever

HANNAH

“Here you go. Good as new.” Nathan pats my car’s bumper, which shines like it just came off the lot.

“Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Especially after I was the one who caused the accident.” I glance at Michael, still feeling like a total doofus for backing into him.

But he doesn’t even blink. “It’s no big deal.”

“And maybe it was meant to be,” Nathan adds. “I need to, ah, make a call. See you later. Nice to meet you, Hannah.”

He slips into the shop’s office before I can respond, and Michael and I are left alone next to my car.

From the other side of the office window, Nathan peeks at us. The second he sees me noticing, he quickly turns away.

“It doesn’t look like he’s making a call,” I comment with a smile.

“Yeah.” Michael rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

“I don’t mind,” I chuckle. “I like him. It was really nice of him to take care of my scratch.”

“What are you doing tomorrow night?” Michael stuffs his hands into his jeans pockets. In the garage, his cologne is easier to pick up, and the woodsy scent has butterflies flitting through my stomach.

“I’m having drinks with a friend. Maya. The art teacher at school.”

“What about the night after that?”

“Hopefully, going out with you.”

The response is my attempt at confidence, but the moment the words slip out, I want to snatch them back, they’re that cringey.

Michael doesn’t seem to agree, though. He chuckles and takes a step closer to me. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

My breathing starts to speed up. He’s so close, only a foot away, the flecks of amber in his eyes shining under the shop’s lights.

What will I do if he takes one more step forward and closes the distance between us? It’s been so long since I’ve kissed someone, but I’m craving—no, aching—to be touched by this man.

“I’ll call you.” He steps away, and it’s like my heart is torn in half.

Somehow, I manage to find my tongue. “Okay. Thank you. And thank you again for this.” I gesture at my car.

“It’s my pleasure.” He purrs more than says the words, and my belly squirms with excitement.

Too soon, he’s out of the garage, leaving me weak in the knees and hot all over.

Climbing in my car, I sigh in satisfaction. Things are going so well. Almost too well.

I shake off the almost automatic response to turn to worry. Just because life is great doesn’t mean that it’s about to take a nose dive. I don’t owe some crazy karmic debt.

Picking up my phone, I open the text from Aunt Carol that I’ve been meaning to reply to all afternoon. She’s asking about my date the other night.

It was great, I text her back. Oh! And I’m teaching classes at the elementary school now. My first one was today. How did your HOA meeting go?

I’m putting down the phone, about to drive to Flick’s place, when it starts ringing.

“Hey,” I say, answering my aunt’s call.

“You’re teaching at the elementary school? Is there even one on Pine Island?” she asks, jumping right into the conversation.

“It’s at the closest one. On the mainland.”

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