Page 78 of Love on the Run
“Does that mean you still have feelings for her?”
Gabe let out a laugh. “Absolutely not.”
“Does she still have feelings for you?” After all, Hannah considered, Kate had reappeared in his life for a reason.
Gabe shook his head. “The only person Kate’s ever cared about is Kate.”
“So why is she here?” Kate’s presence continued to make no sense. “Why come back now?”
Gabe scoffed. “She wants a divorce.” Suddenly serious again, he stared at Hannah. “Remember when Aunt Dorothy asked me if there was a Mrs Gabe and I said no.”
How could Hannah forget? It was that that had made Kate’s appearance such a shock.
“It wasn’t a lie, not really. My marriage to Kate ended a long time ago. A piece of paper means nothing.” He paused for a moment. “I’m sorry I wasn’t upfront about everything. You shouldn’t have had to find out about Kate the way you did.”
Appreciating the apology, Hannah felt herself soften towards Gabe. “You could have told me, you know. After what I went through with Carl, I’d have understood. Maybe not the fact that neither of you had bothered to properly finalise things. But as for the rest of it.”
Gabe straightened himself up. “At least now you know all there is to know.”
Hannah took a deep breath and exhaled.
Gabe looked at Hannah, hopeful. “So where does that leave us?”
It was Hannah’s turn to laugh. “Us? You’re being a bit presumptuous, aren’t you?”
Gabe scoffed. “And you’re doing what you once accused me of.”
Hannah didn’t follow.
“Deflecting,” Gabe said. “Answering my question with a question.” He rose to his feet. “We should go. Everyone will be worried.”
Seeing him hold out his hands to help pull her up, Hannah couldn’t help but see his gesture as a kind of déjà vu. It was as if they’d come full circle and were back to when they’d first properly met. Happy to accept his help, she wondered if they really could start again. Was life truly that simple? Once on her feet, she reached for her makeshift crutch.
Gabe took it from her. “You don’t need that.”
Hannah looked at him confused, wondering how she was supposed to walk without it. “But…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Gabe had reached down and wrapped his arms around her thighs. She screamed as he hoisted her up. “What are you doing?” Before Hannah knew it, he’d swung her over his shoulder into a fireman’s lift.
“What does it look like?” Gabe replied, laughing. “I’m helping you finish the race.”
CHAPTER50
“Are you okay up there?” Gabe asked.
Hannah howled with laughter. Despite the feel of Gabe’s firm arms gripping her thighs, she bounded about as they went. Gabe might have been a fitness freak, but she wasn’t the slimmest of women. She didn’t know how he managed to keep her on his shoulders. “More importantly, are you?”
The dirt track turned grassy indicating they’d, at last, cleared the woodland. As well as seeing the ground beneath his feet, Hannah had the perfect view of what she considered Gabe’s rather nice backside, but not much else. She cocked her head at the faint sound of shouting and whistling. “I take it that means we’re almost there?”
“We certainly are. Thank goodness.”
Feeling sorry for the man, Hannah wasn’t surprised to hear his voice starting to strain.
As the commotion got louder, Hannah had a good idea who was responsible, and she easily pictured Aunt Dorothy, Mel and Liv jumping up and down, all the while willing Gabe towards them.
It wasn’t long before the cheering intensified, and Hannah and Gabe found themselves surrounded by pink T-shirts. The excitement was deafening and, despite being crushed in the melee, Gabe eased Hannah off his shoulders. He puffed and panted while Hannah struggled to keep her balance thanks to her injured foot. She couldn’t help but wince at the pain.
“Oh my word,” Dorothy said. Seeing Hannah’s plight, she grabbed her deckchair. “Here, sit down.”
