Page 62 of We Can Forever

“I don’t have to leave. I can just hang on you like this. Like a backpack.” He demonstrates, draping his arms over my shoulders.

Laughing, I playfully shove him off. “You have to get to work.”

“Oh yeah.” He grins wickedly. “There’s that.”

I slide my hand down his arm, feeling the firm muscles popping beneath my fingers. “I’ll miss you.”

He dips his face and locks gazes with me. “Same,” he breathes, like it’s the most important word he’s ever spoken in his life.

Hard as it is, I step away from him. “I’m going to go in now.”

He closes my door and follows me around the truck, his hand on my back, eliciting delicious shivers. “Okay if I watch you walk in?”

Laughing, I shake my head. “Yeah, sure.”

I feel his gaze on my back like it’s a physical touch, and when I get to the door, I give him a wave. Still smiling, he climbs into his truck, waves goodbye, and drives off.

Magical, romantic moment over. Time to face what’s waiting in my house.

Taking a deep breath, I open my front door.

A couple days of rest at Michael’s was exactly what I needed, but I still feel a little guilty about leaving my aunt home by herself. Michael told me she stopped by, and we’ve texted a little since then, but there’s been no real conversation.

She looked so crushed in the hospital, like she couldn’t possibly comprehend why I would want to be anywhere but with her.

I want to explain my reasoning, and I’ve spent the last day putting a little speech together, but as I walk into the cottage and find her scrubbing my fridge, I discover I’ve forgotten English.

“Hi.” She straightens up and takes off her rubber gloves. “How are you feeling?”

I swallow, my words slowly coming back to me. “Better. Still a little tired.”

“Maya is back home. Did anyone tell you?”

“Yeah. She’s doing well, Alexis said.” Pulling out a chair, I take a seat at the table. “Thank you for helping out at the shop. Without you and Flick, it just… I would have had to close it.”

“Of course.” She fills up the teakettle. “Tea?”

“Sure.” I lace my hands in my lap. What I need to say feels like a sickness climbing its way up my throat.

Carol sets out two mugs and drops a tea bag into each one. She seems just as uncomfortable as me, except she’s trying to beat the feeling back by staying busy.

“About the hospital…” I clear my throat.

“Hannah. I understand.” For the first time since I walked through the door, she stops moving.

“I don’t want you to think… It’s not that I don’t want you around.”

Carol sits across from me. “I talked to Michael. Well, he talked to me. Made me see some things.”

I blink in surprise. “Like what?”

Sighing, she runs her fingers through her loose hair. “I’ve been treating you like you’re still a kid, assuming you need me when you don’t.”

“I would much rather you do that than not care at all.”

She smiles wryly. “There’s an in-between, and it’s where I’ve been failing you.”

I bite my lip, appreciating her admission but hesitant to agree. It sounds like she’s already been hard on herself, and I don’t want to kick her when she’s down.

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