Page 95

“Hey, Han,” Blake called from down the hall.

“Yeah?”

He came through the doorway, looking around his room with a smile. “Wow, you’ve gotten a lot done in here. Thank you. I’m going to take the boys back to Alpha Dog, and I won’t be back until after six. Violet is going to stay for a while doing the kitchen, and I’ve promised to take her and Dean out to dinner as a thank-you for helping. Are you in?”

“Yeah, that would be great,” she said.

“Okay.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “See you in a bit.”

Hannah listened to Dean and Blake holler at the kids as the front door opened and shut. She was down to one more box, and then she could move onto another room.

She opened the last box on the floor and realized it was filled with albums and photographs. Sitting down on the floor, she pulled out a newspaper-wrapped frame that had an old picture of a middle-aged couple smiling at the camera. The man looked enough like Blake that she figured it must be his parents, so she stood up to put the picture on his dresser.

The next photo was of Blake holding a pretty blonde woman in a wedding dress, and Hannah’s stomach twisted in sadness. A younger Blake smiled into the camera, handsome in his dress blues, and her heart broke for these two young people who had loved each other so much.

She set that photo on the bed and pulled out one of the albums, thumbing through the pictures. Blake as a child, a teenager, and a young man. Hannah had no idea how long she sat there, going through Blake’s past, but when Violet called her name from the doorway, she jumped.

“Hey, sorry, I was just thinking of grabbing some Chipotle and bringing it back. You want some?”

Hannah was crying silently, too choked up to speak.

“Hannah, what is it?” Violet came into the room and sat next to her. “Oh, I see.”

Dabbing at the tears in her eyes, Hannah laughed. “Here I am snooping through Blake’s life and crying over everything he lost. You must think I’m a freak.”

“No, I know all about being with someone who has a past. It’s tough.”

“Was it hard?” Hannah asked.

“For Dean, I’m sure it sucked.” Hannah gave Violet a confused look, and she elaborated. “Dean had been through a lot when we met, but compared to me, he was the poster child for stability. I was convinced that we shouldn’t be together and did everything I could to keep him at arm’s length. I know I’m laying all my personal shit at your feet, but I thought maybe it would make you feel better to know that even some of the heaviest crap can be overcome.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. Do you think I should put the albums out or leave them in the box for him?”

“I’d leave the picture of Jenny and the albums in the box and let him decide where to put them.”

Hannah took her advice and set the box on his bed.

“Have you found his sheets and blankets yet?” she asked Violet.

“Not yet.”

“I was thinking I could make his bed so he wouldn’t have to.”

“You can check in one of the spare rooms. The kitchen has been completely unloaded.”

“Okay, let me get you money for lunch.”

“No, really, it’s fine. It?

??s on me,” Violet said. “You bought donuts for everyone. I’ll grab lunch.”

“Thank you, that’s really nice.”

“Well, I figure that we’ll be seeing a lot of you, and I want to get to know you. These guys are all really close, almost like brothers, so it’s important that us girls all get along, as well.”

Hannah appreciated Violet’s straightforwardness and honesty. “I’m all for it.”

“Good, then I’ll see you in a bit.”