Page 70 of Chocolate Cherry Cabin

“I can carry him.” Calvin was at Louis’s side, bags slung over his shoulder, arms out for his son.

“Nah, I’ve got him. You’ve got a big load there, Calvin.”

Look at him being nice. He hoped Hannah was catching all of this. Particularly how he could fit into her life and be helpful, lighten the load and such. And do it all whilenotpunching the lights out of the man holding her back. What could he say? He was the complete package.

“He’s a big boy,” Calvin said firmly, nodding at Thomas. “He can walk.”

“I honestly don’t mind. And I’m going this way,” he lied. He had driven into the city for the flight instead of flying his Cessna, and his car was in the valet lot, in the opposite direction. In fact, if he’d realized Hannah was coming to the airport tonight he would have set her up with a spot there as well. And not just because it would have irked Calvin.

“How was the game?” Hannah asked. “I heard some of it on the radio on the way in.”

“She doesn’t even like hockey,” Calvin said, jabbing a thumb in her direction.

“Calvin, take my bag,” an older woman commanded. Calvin added it to his collection.

“Ma’am,” Louis said, giving her a nod. “Louis Bellmore. And you must be Maureen?”

The woman’s brows shot up and her eyes darted to Hannah.

“She told me you were in charge of her boys and she was mighty grateful you were taking the trip with them.” He added for good measure, “Family’s important.”

“That it is.” She lifted her chin, giving Calvin a pointed look, then said to Louis, “Lovely to meet you.”

And before he realized what was happening, Thomas was being taken from his arms and set in Hannah’s SUV, everyone saying goodbye.

Hannah leaned close, giving his arm a squeeze and him a breathless “Mighty grateful.” Then she was pulling out into the night and Louis was wondering where exactly he stood with the woman of his dreams.

* * *

Once on the highway, Hannah asked her passengers how Disneyland Paris had been, assuming Calvin’s earlier lack of reply about the job meant he didn’t know and didn’t want to speculate. She felt nervous, her hands damp on the wheel. Louis had swooped in. The boys adored him. She adored him. Calvin did not.

Louis was trouble. Nothing but trouble.

And she couldn’t get him off her mind. She wanted the man in her life, but wasn’t sure how she could swing it without everything in her life imploding. She wanted to fast-forward five years to more happy times, when things were settled—assuming they ever were. Would she be with Louis? Would she be alone? A teacher? A strong, independent woman?

She hoped at least some of the answers would be yes.

“The park was okay,” Calvin answered. In the back seat, his mother was already snoring. The boys were also likely asleep, since they didn’t pipe up.

“I want to register for two online classes,” Hannah said. “They start the first week in January.”

Calvin sighed. “Hannah, we were going to discuss this once I was home.”

“Then now’s the time, I guess. I might need to switch the odd child-care day with you during exams.”

“I meant discuss thisbeforeyou registered,” he said, his tone impatient.

“I couldn’t wait.”

“Why? Why this sudden need? It’s hardly the moment to overextend yourself financially or time-wise. How are we going to swing you going back to school in the city when we’re raising our boys in two separate households hours away from there? And how are we going to swing school if we’re all moving to France?”

“There is no ‘we’,” Hannah snapped. “And frankly, I’m not up to hearing about how my life is going to inconvenience yours. You should be happy I’m doing this! It’ll give us both more freedom, independence, and will be better for the kids in the long run. You can’t talk about Paris and not let me talk about school.”

“It’s different. I started that discussion almost two months ago.”

“And I’m starting this discussion now. About what I want and need.”

They drove the rest of the way to Sweetheart Creek in silence, Hannah’s heart beating hard. Putting her foot down was exhilarating and terrifying, but it felt good. She didn’t want to move away right now—to anywhere. But she did want to take classes.

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