“How about I drive?” she suggested, leading me to her car.
“That would probably be a good idea, since I have no idea where we’re going. You want to let me in on the secret?” I got into the passenger side of her very tiny car. I felt as though my knees were in my chest.
“You’ll just have to trust me,” she teased, starting the motor and pulling out of her driveway.
Trust.
There was that word again.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t put the mysterious note out of my head. Perry had suggested having it dusted for fingerprints. I thought that was a little extreme, given that it didn’t indicate any possible threat to myself or others.
But it bothered me. Like someone knew something I didn’t. And that pissed me off.
“How was your day, Special Agent Man?” Hannah asked. I noted she was heading downtown. Soon we were stuck in traffic.
“It was just a day. Nothing too crazy,” I answered vaguely. Always vaguely.
“That’s good.” Hannah never dug for more than I wanted to give her. Another reason she was so great. She let out a sigh. “Damn it, I should have listened to the traffic report. I hope we’re not going to be late. We have to be there at eight-fifteen.”
I glanced at my watch. It was only 7:45. “We have thirty minutes. Maybe if you told me where we were going, I could tell you if it’ll be a problem.”
Hannah raised an eyebrow. “Nice try. You’ll see soon enough.” She was enjoying keeping me in suspense.
I put my hand on the back of her neck, rubbing gently. “You really do look amazing, Hannah.” I leaned across the center console and kissed the side of her neck.
“Don’t think buttering me up will make me reveal where we’re going.”
I held up my hands in protest. “There are no ulterior motives. I promise. Though I think I can safely say I don’t think you’re dragging me back to the skating rink in these duds.”
We laughed together. It was so easy to do with her.
I could trust Hannah.
Are you sure?
The voice was never quiet. Not even now. When I was close to real happiness.
“No ice-skating. I promise.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled, in a way I had become familiar with.
I realized I had started noting the details of her. Putting them to memory. Like the way her nose turned up slightly at the end. Or how she tapped her fingers on her knee when there was a song on the radio she liked.
When I caught the scent of vanilla, it made me think of the way her hair smelled when I held her close. Or how she covered her mouth while she chewed in case she had food on her lips.
I had slowly been compiling information about Hannah from the moment I had met her. Secretly cataloging each tiny thing. Because I noticed everything when it came to her. I found myself loving the idiosyncrasies that made herher.
I had never been like that with anyone before. And I found that, surprisingly, it didn’t scare me. Because she never pressed me for more before I was ready to give it. Unlike Madison, who expected everything, Hannah didn’t expect anything. Maybe that was why I found myself drawn to her.
Because she had allowed me to get here on my own.
I couldn’t stop looking at her. I played with the piece of hair that brushed her shoulder, twisting it around my fingers as she drove.
“I spoke with Charlotte on the phone today. She’s had a rough week, but she sounded better,” Hannah said, and my heart hurt.
I liked hearing Hannah talk about her sister. But it made me miss Dillon. And a small part of me was jealous that she still could talk to her sister on the phone. She could see her.
What I wouldn’t give…
“How has she had a rough week?” I put my hand on her thigh, my fingers curling over fabric-covered skin.
