Chapter 46

I’m goingto spend the rest of my life showing her what she means to me.

I cannot let this woman go, and I don’t mean that physically. If Hannah wants to explore the world, if she wants to fucking go hiking in South America, or travel the world, I will help her do it. I want her to be happy.

I get out of my SUV into the warm afternoon and jog up the stairs of the Heatstroke Public Library. The familiar smell of books mingles with the scent of cut grass from outside. Irma, the librarian who saw us and likely ratted us out to the whole town and Cash, is at the front.

She makes eye contact with me and jolts on the spot. “H-Hello, Mr.—”

“Where’s Hannah?”

“She’s doing a reading, currently.” Irma points a gnarled finger toward the reading area on the other side of the library.

I move between the bookcases and stop at the sight of her. Fuck, she is so perfect.

She’s sitting in an armchair between the bookcases, her ankles crossed, wearing jeans and a silky blouse that ties at her throat, a book open in her lap. There are kids gathered in front of her, and every one of them is hanging on her every word as she reads from the book.

Her bright blue eyes flicker left to right as she reads, and fuck, I’m so in love with her, because even the way she forms words is sexy to me.

I stand there listening to her until the book is done, and she looks up and meets my gaze. A smile parts her lips, but there’s uncertainty there, in the way her eyebrows drop one second and lift the next. I have to dismiss that fear.

The kids surround her and ask questions, while their teachers clap hands and call out to them to get organized.

They file out, and my eyes are locked onto her.

She shuts the book and smiles at me. “Hey,” she says.

“That was amazing.”

“Amazing? Yeah this is a pretty great book,” she replies. “Thank you for donating it.” She lifts the book and shows me the cover, and I spot the name on the front. “I hope you don’t mind me reading it to them. I was interested, and I’ve got to say Charlotte was a fantastic writer.”

Warmth spreads through my chest, and I close the distance between us in large strides. I sweep her into my arms and hug her to my chest. “You’re amazing, Hannah. You are fucking amazing.”

“Carter,” she breathes.

My name on her lips is an addiction. I kiss her, and she moans against my mouth, going supple in my arms. I want to take her home and show her what she means to me, but that’s only part of my plan for the day.

I pull back from the kiss, brushing her hair back from her face. “I wanted to check in on you,” I say. “How are you feeling?”

She sets the book down on a table that’s been pushed back from the central area where the kids were sitting. “I’ve had some nausea.”

“You didn’t drink the ginger ale I got you?” I ask.

“I did, but it didn’t help that much,” she says. “Thank you, though.”

“Grated apple,” I say.

“Huh?”

“Try grating some apple and letting it turn brown.” I smile at her. “I’ve been looking up this shit online. I want to make you comfortable, Hannah.”

She moves through the space and stops in front of me, tucking her hands behind her back. “I’d be super comfortable if I could just find a new apartment. The old one kind of… It’s got weird memories now.”

I nod.

I haven’t asked her to move in with me yet because I don’t want to spook her. I want Hannah to be fully ready for what I have to offer her. I want her to believe it, because she’s struggling with that.

“Yeah, otherwise I guess I’m okay? Things changed really quickly.” She rubs her arms. “But I’ve been meaning to tell you, I’m supposed to go to a doctor’s appointment, like a check up for the baby? And I wanted to ask if you maybe wanted to come with me?”

“There’s nothing I want more,” I say. “Seriously. Call me any time of the day or night. No matter what you need, even if it’s just a hug or to have your fucking pillows fluffed. Call me, Princess. I will come running.”

“Thank you.”

I reach into my pocket and draw out the black box I’ve been carrying with me all day. “This is for you,” I say.

Her eyes widen. “Carter?”

“Open it.”

She takes it from me and opens it, then gasps. Inside the box, nestled on a black velvet cushion is her mother’s silver charm bracelet. It’s still got the key charm, but I’ve added another one to it. A rose.

“But I thought you needed it,” she whispers, and stares at the bracelet. She traces it with her fingertip. “The rose is so beautiful.”

“I’m going to buy you a charm for every event in our lives,” I say.

Hannah’s bottom lip trembles. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“But Carter, you said you?—”

“I need you, Hannah. You are the only luck I need. The only calm I need. The only excitement. You and our baby.” The truth is, I need the bracelet, but it’s been bugging me that it was precious to her and I kept it. I want her to have it, I want her to know that I will suffer through anything to make her happy.

I remove the bracelet from the box, and she holds out her wrist. I place it on her, and she sighs, smiling at it, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. And then she hugs me. I kiss the top of her head, my hands wandering down her back, stroking every bit of skin I can get at.

“When do you get off work?” I ask.

“In a couple of minutes,” she says. “I’m just going to clean up here, move the tables back and then?—”

I start moving the tables back from the corners before she can say anything.

“Carter, I’ve got it, don’t worry.”

“You’re pregnant,” I murmur. “You are not moving shit.”

She purses her lips, but she’s wearing a small smile. “Thank you.”

I don’t think she gets it yet, and I don’t blame her. She is mine. She is so fucking mine, and I am going to care for her every need from now on. I finish up under her direction, and then I slip my hand into the small of her back and walk her back to the counter at the front. She collects her purse and says goodbye to Irma, who is reading one of the Game of Thrones books.

Before we leave, I lean in and make eye contact with Irma.

She stiffens.

“I hope your favorite character dies,” I say.

And then I guide a shocked Hannah out of the library. She’s laughing by the time I feed her into my SUV and start the engine.