Page 24 of Chocolate Cherry Cabin

“Oh. I didn’t know.”

That’s because they hadn’t told many people. It wasn’t out of shame or an attempt to dodge pity, but rather his mother’s wish for privacy. Even after all these years he still didn’t know why he resisted talking about it.

He finally glanced at Hannah. The contemplativeness in her brown eyes made them appear almost black. “You have two amazing sons who seem very well adjusted. That isn’t easy.”

“Itiseasy.” That fight was back and he wondered why he even tried. The woman was exhausting. “Calvin and I get along very well.”

Instead of asking what that cost her, he simply said, “I know.” He reached out, patting her hand just once while he repeated, “I know.”

* * *

The drive back into town had been fast—too fast. And before long they were in front of Hannah’s home, where he parked his truck on the street instead of in his driveway. Louis got out with her, eyeing the yard’s inflatable Frosty bobbing jovially as the fan at his base kept him plump with air.

He walked Hannah to her door even though he could see from his yard if she got home safely. At the steps she stopped. He’d been hoping she’d invite him in for a second cup of chai with the gals. He liked her friends and the insights they gave him into Hannah.

“Why have you never liked Calvin?” Hannah asked, facing him, her chin tipped up in the weak December sunshine. It was like she had seen into his mind, sorted out the wavelength he had been riding on and then caught that wave herself.

He’d wanted to ask her why she’d married Calvin. Why she’d let him run their lives and then basically leave her behind. Had he ever even loved her the way she deserved?

They were questions he couldn’t ask, and her question was one he refused to answer.

He shifted, gazing at the front window of her cabin, at the intricate paper snowflakes she’d no doubt made with the boys. “What does a new piano cost?”

“What?” She blinked a few times. “I’ll hire a real tuner. One who has tools and isn’t overwhelmed by the number of strings inside.”

He smirked. “So, seriously. How much?”

“I asked you a question.”

“I asked one, too. How much?”

“A lot.”

“How much was yours?” He gestured toward her house and the piano he knew was sitting in the living room.

“A lot.”

“You’re in a real helpful mood, aren’t you?” Her belligerence and the way she was blocking him and his questions made him want to kiss her. Irrational? A bit.

Hannah planted her hands on her hips, so she wouldn’t be tempted to swing at him, he figured, or maybe wrap those lovely fingers around his throat and squeeze.

He remained silent and she said, “I wasn’t expecting tuning the piano to be such an issue.”

“So? It is. Let’s solve it. We could restore the old beast, but we don’t have a ton of time.” Or the skills. “We could replace it.”

“The piano actually isn’t mine, so I can’t just march in there and start solving things.” She waved in the direction of the community barn.

“If you plan on playing music for the Christmas concert, then it is your problem.”

She shifted her hands on her hips and inhaled slowly. At the sound of a car pulling up she glanced over Louis’s shoulder, her lashes fluttering and her bottom lip disappearing between her front teeth.

Louis followed her gaze as she called out, “Man-night Steakfest was yesterday.”

Calvin. Pretty nice shiny SUV. Nicer than the vehicle he’d seen Hannah driving.

Calvin came to a halt, staring at the two of them.

Louis grinned, unable to help himself. Calvin was irked to see him, and that made Louis’s day. He could be such a petty man when it came to Calvin.

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