“Don’t worry, sir. They have strict rules, and Brody supervised us at all times,” Cole reassured him. “Trust me, he’s a stickler on who gets close to Hannah. I’m lucky if I can kiss her.”
“You’re dating?” her mom exclaimed.
Hannah’s cheeks burned as she felt her father’s eyes on her. “Yes, we enjoy each other’s company.”
“You barely know each other and you moved in with him,” her father hissed after the waiter placed glasses of water on the table.
Hannah picked up her menu, feeling her anxiety rise.
“As you know, sir, the hospital has a program where veterans support one another. At the time, Hannah’s only choice boiled down to staying with me or moving to a cabin alone. Shetransitioned so fast, and I insisted she stay with Brody and me. We make excellent roommates,” Cole insisted. “I recommend Ty’s steaks. They taste incredible. Hannah, do you want to share one? They have an array of sides we can choose from,” he said, taking her hand and caressing it with his thumb.
She didn’t know what got into Cole, but played along. “Oh, I like your idea. He has grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes. We can’t go wrong with those. Have you tried the others?”
“The rice and sauteed green beans taste out of this world. Do you want mac and cheese?” he asked.
Her father’s head bobbed between the two of them as if he were watching a tennis match.
“No. We’ll save it for tomorrow,” she replied.
The waiter placed a basket of rolls on their table and took their order.
Brenda buttered one and passed it to Hannah. “You’re so thin. Kassie said you didn’t eat much. Here, let’s put some meat back on your bones.”
“Thank you,” she said, setting it on her side plate. “I ate a big lunch today with Scarlett. It’s my first time at Ty’s and I want to save room for my meal.”
“Surely you won’t fill up on sides and a piece of steak,” her father pointed out.
“I’m not hungry,” she said lamely.
“It won’t hurt for you to eat it,” her father insisted. “Put your mother’s mind at ease. She’s prattled all day about how skinny you seemed in the short time we saw you last night. We haven’t seen you in months. Your boss might be gracious enough to let you take a few days off.”
“I recently started, and they’ve been without anyone in this position,” she faltered.
Her hand went toward the dreaded bread when Cole’s hand grabbed her wrist. He shook his head slightly at her. His eyesshot fire. “She said she didn’t want it. As an adult, she has the right to refuse,” he growled.
“It’s all right,” Brenda soothed. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I only worried about seeing you this scrawny. I love your new hairstyle.”
Hannah knew her mom’s tactic for changing the subject. “Thank you. Samantha O’ Neil has a spa in town. She cut it for me. Maybe while you’re visiting, we can get a mani/pedi together,” she suggested.
“We came to take you home. There’ll be plenty of therapists near us who can handle your mental health,” Conrad blustered. “They’ll handle your Florence Nightingale complex with this man.”
“Conrad,” her mother exclaimed as Cole took the napkin from his lap and tossed it on the table. He waved the waiter down and cancelled their orders. Standing, he offered Hannah his hand. She rose from the table, shutting down every second. Her lungs refused to breathe. Brody jumped up and touched her leg and her hand automatically sought his fur.
Cole leaned over the table. “We’re leaving. I’ll not allow you to speak to Hannah like this. She’s made quantum leaps to heal and you’ve done nothing but put her down. She deserves a father who understands what serving in the military entails and has some empathy for what his daughter suffered. Brenda, it’s lovely to meet you, and I can assure you, Hannah’s eating and making up for lost time. She needs a little space and I’m sure she’ll call and set up a mani/pedi date with you.”
He helped her with her coat and led her outside. His hand lowered to her back. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. He has no business criticizing you,” he growled.
Helping her into the truck and securing Brody, Cole slid into the driver’s seat. Hannah turned and cupped his cheeks. “Thankyou,” she said, kissing him. “Most of my boyfriends stayed quiet and let him say what he wanted or agreed with him.”
“I’m not a boy,” he seethed. “I’m a man who refuses to let your father belittle you. I care way too much for you to let you suffer through a dinner with him. He’s an asshole.”
Hannah’s stomach growled.
“Let’s steal Brody’s idea and grab a pizza,” he said, starting the truck. “Let me guess, cheese with lots of sides?”
“You got it,” she agreed.
Forty minutes later, they sat on the living room floor, enjoying a supreme pizza with a cauliflower crust.
