Page 90 of Truck Hard

“And I missed having you here.” I grin. “Grams loved having you over too.”

That draws a quiet laugh from her. “She is pretty amazing.”

“She always loved you, you know. Even after—” I swallow hard. “Even after everything fell apart. She never stopped considering you family.”

Hannah’s hand tightens on mine. “I missed her. Missed all of this. The chaos, the laughter, the love. Charlie’s family was so different. So cold.”

Anger flares in my chest at the mention of Charlie, but I force it down. This isn’t about him. This is about us—our future, our family.

“Well, you’re stuck with us now,” I say lightly. “Mutters aren’t known for letting go once we’ve claimed someone as our own.”

“Is that right?” Her voice holds a hint of teasing. “And have you claimed me, Liam Mutter?”

The question hangs in the air between us, weighted with meaning. I pull her into my arms and cup her cheek. “I claimed you when I was sixteen,” I say softly. “Just took me a while to be worthy of it.”

Her breath catches, and I start to lean in for a kiss when we’re interrupted.

“Are you two coming?” Cam calls from the porch, the sleepiness evident in his tone.

The moment breaks, but the truth of my words lingers between us.

“Yeah, sweetie, we’re coming.” Her voice is steady despite the emotion I can see on her face. Cam leans against the door and closes his eyes. “Think you can make it inside?”

He yawns again. “Maybe. If I have to.”

I chuckle and he shifts away from the door and leans against me heavily, trust evident in every line of his body.

Hannah unlocks the door, and Cam stumbles inside toward his room, pausing only to give me a sleepy hug goodnight.

Then it’s just Hannah and me on the porch, the weight of unspoken words hanging between us.

“I should go,” I say reluctantly. “Let you get some rest.”

She nods but doesn’t move away. “Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“I...” She takes a deep breath. “Would you... maybe want to go out sometime? Just us?”

My heart leaps. “Are you asking me on a date, Hannah Baumann?” I use her maiden name, no longer acknowledging any claim Charlie once had over her.

A smile tugs at her lips. “Maybe I am. Is that okay?”

I step closer, drawn into her orbit like always. “More than okay. When?”

“Saturday?” She looks up at me through her lashes. “If you’re free?”

“I’m free.” I’d cancel every plan in the world to spend time with her. “Can we make a day of it? I’ll pick you up at noon?”

She nods, then stretches up to press a soft kiss to my lips. “Goodnight, Liam.”

I watch her slip inside, my skin tingling where her lips touched mine. Only when the door closes do I let out the breath I’ve been holding.

A date. A real date with Hannah. Like we’re teenagers again, like the world is full of possibility instead of pain.

As I walk back to my house, my steps feel lighter than they have in years. The future stretches out before me, bright with promise.

But a shadow crosses the moon, and for just a moment, I remember Charlie’s threats, Hannah’s fears, all the obstacles still standing between us and happiness.

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