Chapter Six
The next day as Cora was working on a new security project when there was a knock at her door. "Coming," she yelled out as she hobbled to the door. Her foot pained her a lot more today, and she already took some pain medicine, but it hadn't helped. She peeked through the peephole and couldn't contain her grin. She unlocked the door and opened it.
"Hannah," she said excitedlyand pulled Hannah in for a hug. Hannah returned her embrace. "What are you doing back already? I assumed you wouldn't be back for a while."
Hannah pulled away and looked at the person standing next to her that Cora hadn't noticed was there before. "Hi, Ben," Cora said.
"Cora," Ben looked at her grimly and back at Hannah. They seemed to be having a silent conversation and Cora suddenly feltlike she was intruding. He finally turned back to her. "How have things been here?"
"Fine," she said looking away. Cora was always a horrible liar.
"And the window?" Ben pressed.
Cora's gaze drifted towards her office even though she couldn't see the window from here. "A teen playing a prank." Cora shrugged; it reminded her that she still needed to call someone to fix the window.
Hannahgrabbed Ben's arm. "Ben," she choked out. Ben placed a reassuring hand over hers.
"What's going on?" Cora asked concerned looking between the two of them.
"Nothing to worry about," Ben told her. "I have some calls to make. Goldilocks, why don’t you stay here and hang out with Cora?"
"Okay," Hannah turned to Cora, "If that's okay with you?"
Cora could sense there was more going on thanBen was letting on but knew he wouldn't tell her unless he could. "Of course, I could use a break."
Cora stepped back to let Hannah in but stepped back wrong and hissed in pain.
"Oh my god, Cora." Hannah rushed to her. "What happened?"
"I stepped on a shard last night, and it’s a little tender." Cora tried waving her off.
"Do you need to go to the doctor?"
"No, Liam came over and helpedme," Cora said softly. She realized her mistake as soon as she said it.
"Liam?" Hannah perked up smiling broadly. It was no great secret Hannah wanted to see her and Liam back together. It didn’t matter how many times Cora told her otherwise.
"He came over to ask me something and saw the broken window and my foot. He bandaged me up and boarded up the window and left."
"Well, I'm glad hewas here," Ben said and excused himself.
“Do you know what he wanted to ask you?” Hannah asked guiding Cora back into her house slowly so not to cause her further pain.
“He said something about my client, but I didn’t want to hear what he had to say, so I told him to leave.”
“You know Liam. He won’t stay gone for long. He is just going to re-strategize and come back.” The thought had crossedher mind. Cora couldn’t say she was entirely upset about that. Shameful girl.
"So, how was Portland?" Cora asked as she led Hannah into her livingroom opposite of her office.
Hannah cringed. "It could have been better."
"Was your family as welcoming as you thought?"
"No, it wasn't that. They were great. Better than I thought. I saw an old childhood friend even."
"Well, that doesn’tsound bad at all. How could it have been better?"
"Something happened in Portland, but I can’t tell you, Cora."
