Page 78 of Chocolate Cherry Cabin

Hannah’s eyes grew damp at his thoughtfulness, his generosity, and the way she felt so supported.

She was glad she hadn’t opened the gift days ago, because she might not have seen it for what it truly was. A friend in her corner. A friend who loved her and wanted the best in life for her.

No, scratch that. A more-than friend. A boyfriend.

Taking a deep breath, Hannah wrapped him in her arms and kissed him slowly.

For all his flaws, Louis was the right man for her, and she knew she would never want anyone else. And she couldn’t wait to explore all the ways that made him the man she loved.

“I think I’m going to like the fact that you moved in next door.” She waved the babysitting coupon and he laughed.

His expression became somber. “Are you going to tell the boys we’re dating?”

“Is that what we’re doing?”

“Yes.”

“Good, because I plan on introducing myself to everyone as your girlfriend. And, yes, I’ll tell them tomorrow.”

Louis held her tighter so he could kiss her slowly.

There were a lot of things to look forward to when it came to being Louis Bellmore’s girlfriend.

EPILOGUE

New Year’s Eve

Hannah hooked her arm through Cassandra’s, weaving her way among the few remaining spectators as the arena emptied. They followed Rylnn, Landon’s four-year-old daughter, and Hannah’s boys down the wide hallway toward the players’ area.

“So? You and Landon, huh?” she asked Cass, low enough that the kids wouldn’t overhear. “When will we see a ring on your finger?”

The arena had gone wild with an on-ice proposal between a player and a staff member, and Hannah, head over heels in love with Louis, had nothing but marriage on her mind at the moment.

She still couldn’t believe she was in love with the man who’d been such a thorn in her side for so many years. How had she ever been so blind to the kind of guy he really was?

During the night’s home game, watching from the sky box, she’d felt her heart skip whenever she’d seen him on the large screen above the ice. That was her boyfriend, running a team of professional athletes. He was in charge, full of thought and strategy.

So sexy, too. She couldn’t wait until he was done with his post-game meetings with the team and press so she could wrap her arms around him, smother him in kisses, and tell him how hot and sexy he was.

Cassandra was quiet and Hannah paused, pulling her aside to get a better look at her. “What? What’s wrong?”

Her friend’s mouth flickered, giving a brief smile as she started moving again. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Is it Dusty?”

No, his surgery had gone well, and Cassandra was staying at Landon’s city apartment and spending her days with her son until he was released, hopefully sometime next week. Hannah had needed to plead as well as twist Cass’s arm to get her to come to tonight’s home game.

“He’s doing really well.”

“Is it about Landon paying for it all? Did you fight?” Something was off. Something big.

“We’re doing okay, but we’re not on the marriage path,” Cass said carefully.

Her friend had been through a bad marriage and rough divorce. Deep down was she actually cautious, despite her public devil-may-care mischievous side?

“Is it Landon? Does he not want marriage?”

The seemingly flawless way Cass and Landon had blended their families was like a fantasy. The kids loved hanging out with each other and they acted like a big family. Why not get married?

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