‘One second,’ she called.
There was the shuffling sound of footsteps and then the door opened and she smiled at me, stepping to one side to let me pass. She’d changed into a pair of old faded jeans and a white T-shirt. Her long blonde hair was loose.
‘You know you don’t have to knock, Jack,’ she said. ‘This is your home too. Well it was, until you abandoned me.’ Her tone was light, jovial. But her face told the real story. I knew it had hurt her when I’d moved out to the cabin. But I’d had good reasons. And I hoped that one day she’d see that. She looked at the bags I was carrying. ‘What have you got there?’
‘Just the staples.’ I turned sideways to pass her and headed for the kitchen. ‘Enough to get you through a couple of days. I ducked out and got them before closing up the restaurant.’
‘You didn’t have to do that.’ She closed the door and followed me, perching herself up onto one of the black metal barstools and watching as I started pulling items out of the bags and putting them away. ‘I told you I’d go to the shop later.’
‘I know. But you also said you were tired,’ I reminded her. ‘This way you don’t have to go.’
‘You’re too good to me, Jack.’
‘I’d do the same for anyone.’
‘Oh, well that makes me feel less special.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘Any wine in those bags?’
I lifted out a bottle of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that I knew she loved and held it up. She sighed happily.
‘Oh yes,’ she said, reaching out and taking it from me. ‘I need this. Join me?’
I reached up into a cupboard and got her a glass, holding it up against the light to check for cleanliness out of habit. ‘Not tonight.’
‘Why not?’
‘I had a beer earlier, at lunch. And I have to drive home.’
Her face tightened ever so slightly at the wordhome,before she relaxed it again. ‘You could just sleep here. Your room is right there, all made up still. Just like it was back in L.A.’
‘Hannah.’
‘God, is this still about that stupid kiss?’
‘I’m doing what I think is right for both of us.’
‘I was drunk and sad. You overreacted.’
‘Maybe. But this way we don’t have to worry about being in that situation again.’
She sighed, then poured herself a wine and walked over to the couch, curling herself up with her feet tucked underneath her. ‘I can tell you’re itching to get to the boring stuff. How is the business going?’
‘It’s not boring,’ I chided her gently, taking a seat on an armchair. ‘And business is doing well. Really well. I can run through the books and figures with you tomorrow, but it’s been a good start to summer. Profits are even up on the same time in the last few years.’
She took a sip of wine. ‘I’ll take your word for it.’
‘Hannah.’
‘I know.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘You want me to learn how all that stuff works. But I’ve never been a numbers girl, Jack. I just don’t understand all that ingoing and outgoing stuff.’
‘That’s why I’m here. To help you. It’syourbusiness.’
She ran a finger around the rim of her glass and there was a quiet, high-pitched ringing noise. ‘Is that the only reason you’re here?’
I shook my head. ‘Don’t.’
