Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Sure thing,” the cheerful receptionist replied and turned back to Tanner. “One of the doctors will be with you soon.”
“Uh, thanks,” Tanner said.
“How long has Hannah been back?” Raid demanded.
The receptionist gave him a startled look. “Oh, she’s been working here a week now. Just part-time. Do you know her well?”
Raid frowned. “Yeah.”
Ariel bit her lip, looking slightly confused and worried. Probably wondering why if he knew her so well that he hadn’t known she was back.
“We’ve been busy on the ranch,” Tanner said. “Haven’t had a chance to get into town. So we haven’t heard the latest news.”
“Oh, right.”
Raid ignored them both and walked over to the back office. Where she’d disappeared to.
“Oh, I don’t think you should just–” Ariel started to say before she was interrupted by Tanner.
Raid knew his brother would keep her occupied for a minute while he spoke to Hannah.
“Hannah,” he said in a firm voice.
She startled and stared up at him, her face growing even paler, her breathing erratic.
Was she shaking? What the fuck?
But then she pulled herself together, giving him a cold look. “Yes? Can I help you?” She moved her gaze to her screen once more.
“You can look at me,” he said demandingly. Yeah, maybe he was being a bit of a jerk. But he couldn’t handle this Hannah.
She was worrying him. And Raid wasn’t a man who usually worried about anything.
She turned her head toward him, but her eyes only hit his chin.
What was going on with her?
“Yes?”
“Can I help you, Raid?” she asked. “I’m working and I’m kind of busy. Plus, I don’t think you’re meant to be back here.”
Why was she being so cold? Such a . . . well, kind of a rude bitch. He didn’t get it. This wasn’t his Hannah.
Urgh, she’d never been his, though, had she?
Maybe this was because of the man she was dating? Perhaps he didn’t like her talking to other men? Could that be it?
He studied her face. She looked even more exhausted and pale close up.
Wasn’t she sleeping? Eating properly?
Why wasn’t her man taking care of her?
“Hannah. You can talk to me.”
Her eyes flicked to his briefly in surprise before moving away. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. If there’s anything I can get for you, please let me know.”
It was a dismissal. And he wanted to press her further.
But she wasn’t his. And he didn’t actually have that right.
Then again, when had that ever stopped him from doing anything?
“Raid! Hi!”
He turned to see Simone standing in the doorway, smiling at him.
“Um, hi.”
He wanted to keep questioning Hannah, but she’d already returned to her work, dismissing him.
He walked out of the office, ignoring the way his stomach screamed at him to stay. To make sure she was all right.
Fuck.
2
Two weeks later . . .
Her phone beeped.
Instantly, she wanted to vomit. She didn’t want to look at the message. Didn’t want to see what it said.
It won’t be him.
But still . . . it was like her body was now trained to react this way to the sound of a text message or call.
With dread.
Taking a deep breath in . . . she let it out slowly. Then, with a hand that shook, she picked it up to check the message.
Melody: We’re going to Dirty Delights tonight. Eight. You’re going.
Her hand trembled as she lowered the phone to the coffee table. She knew she needed to reply because she didn’t want to go to Dirty Delights tonight, and Hannah didn’t want to go anywhere. But, she also didn’t want Melody turning up on her doorstep, ready to force her. Which was something her friend would do if Hannah didn’t reply.
Hannah: I have a headache. Sorry.
She knew it was a lame excuse. And one she’d been using the last three weeks, ever since she’d returned to Haven.
Why had she left? She’d been so stupid. She’d left her friends. The place where she was safe. All her memories of her grandma were tied to this place.
Including the house that she’d left to Hannah.
The house she no longer lived in . . . because she was so fucking stupid.
Clenching her hands into fists, she tried to calm her breathing as the room swam around her.
This wasn’t good. She couldn’t pass out.
She managed one breath. Then another. She knew her friends hadn’t liked it when she’d left. They had liked it even less when she’d taken more and more time to answer their texts. When she’d stopped taking their calls.
They hadn’t cared for it, but there hadn’t been much they could do when she’d been two states away.
But now . . . Steven was gone. He was out of her life. And she was back here. However, she wasn’t the Hannah who left. And, understandably, her friends wanted to know why. They wanted to know what had happened to their Hannah.