Page 40 of Living for Truth (Broken Shelves #2)

Morgan

I wanted to talk to Aly alone about Hannah staying over, but then I reconsidered. If Hannah is going to be a big part of our lives, then I think it’s a conversation the three of us need to have together.

I asked Aly if I could invite Hannah over for dinner to talk about something important, and she gave me an enthusiastic yes.

Aly and I are in the middle of chopping vegetables when the doorbell rings, signaling Hannah’s arrival.

“I’ll get it!” Aly drops her knife, and it clatters to the counter as she sprints to the door. I fight the urge to follow her to get a glimpse of Hannah.

It’s only been twenty-four hours since I’ve seen her, and that’s already too long.

I hear Aly and Hannah chattering away as they come down the hall, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. They sound happy, though, and it makes my heart soar to hear them getting along.

“...and then Josh K. said I wouldn’t be able to read Goosebumps because it’s too scary and I’m a baby,” Aly huffs.

Josh K. is a kid in Aly’s class who won’t leave her alone.

He picks on her for anything he can, and when I tried to talk to her teacher about it, she just brushed it off as “kids being kids” and “boys being boys.” Apparently, Josh just has a crush on Aly, and that’s why he’s being mean.

But I don’t want Aly to grow up thinking people who are interested in her romantically will be mean to her, so I have never once said that to her.

“It sounds like he might be speaking from experience. Maybe those books were just too scary for him. Do you want to read them?” Hannah asks.

Aly wrinkles her nose. “Not really. I like to read about princesses and mysteries. Not scary things like that.”

“ Magic Treehouse is a good series. Have you read those yet?”

“I read those last year. I liked them! I’ve also read Junie B. Jones. ” “Read” is an understatement. More like devoured. There are fourteen Magic Treehouse books and twenty-eight Junie B. Jones books. She read all of them so fast, and she’s been struggling to find other books she likes as much.

“Oooh, Junie is a classic. If you like those books you could try Judy Moody or Ramona and Beezus. If you want more mysteries, The Boxcar Children is a good one or The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls. If you want mysteries and princesses, The Rescue Princesses is really good, too,” Hannah says, still focused on Aly, even though they’re in the kitchen now, and she could have easily switched her attention to me.

The fact she’s giving Aly her undivided attention makes my heart soar, and I have to stop myself from dropping to my knee and proposing right now.

“That sounds like a long list. Can you write it down for me?” Aly asks, heading to the junk drawer for a pen and paper.

“What if you come to the library sometime and I help you pick them out? That way you can see them and read the descriptions before you decide.”

Aly looks at me. “Can we go this Saturday, Dad?”

“Sure, Bub. If it’s okay with Hannah.”

Aly looks at Hannah in anticipation. “Of course it’s okay. I don’t work Saturday, but I’m more than happy to meet you there.”

“What if we made a fun day out of it?” I suggest. “We can go to the library, pick out books, grab lunch, and then come home and have a read-a-thon.”

Read-a-thons are something Aly and I started doing when she started reading. It helps us have something special to do in the winter when we can’t get outside. We get a bunch of snacks and fun drinks, cozy up on the floor with blankets, and spend the day reading.

“Yes!” Aly claps. “Does that sound fun, Hannah?”

“Of course it does—no better way to spend a Saturday.” Hannah finally looks at me, her smile wide and excited, and it’s a punch straight to the gut in the best way.

Hi, gorgeous, I mouth to her while Aly starts making a list of snacks.

Hey, handsome, she mouths back.

God, I want to round the counter and kiss her.

Once Aly’s satisfied with her snack list, Hannah asks how she can help with dinner, and I direct her to chop the vegetables Aly abandoned while I start on the rice and sauce.

“What are we making?” Hannah asks while I whisk some soy sauce, brown sugar, and spices.

“Dad’s famous stir fry. I don’t think it’s actually famous, but it is good,” Aly answers.

“It’s totally famous, you little stink. I made it all the time for the football team, and they begged for my recipe. I think that makes it pretty famous.” I poke her side, and she jolts and giggles.

“I don’t know, Morgan, I’ve never seen it in a cookbook,” Hannah teases.

“Yeah, Dad. If it’s not in a cookbook, it’s not famous,” Aly agrees.

I gape at them. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on? You two ganging up on me all the time?”

Hannah scoffs. “Of course—girl power and all that.”

“Yeah, girl power.” Aly and Hannah high-five.

If I’m going to be battling anyone, I’m glad it’s these two.

Meow, Bean announces his presence to the kitchen and heads directly for Hannah. She scoops him up, cooing and giving him pets like he’s an angel, and Aly’s jaw drops.

“He lets you hold him? He only lets me hold him!”

“I can’t believe it either,” I agree.

Aly giggles. “Looks like it’s just you, Dad.”

“No, remember how none of your aunts or uncles can hold him either? They all tried.”

“Oh, yeah. Guess that means Hannah is just a good person, and Bean wants her to stick around.” Something tells me this is Aly’s way of saying she wants Hannah to stick around.

“Yeah, Bub. I guess so.”

Bean protests loudly when Hannah sets him back down so she can finish helping with dinner, but I throw his mouse toy down the stairs, and that seems to distract him enough.

Once everything is finished, we plate up our chicken, rice, and veggies and sit at the dining table to eat.

Hannah makes a point to include Aly in our conversations, and Aly chatters away happily, answering every question Hannah asks.

When we’re about done, I set down my fork and clear my throat. “I wanted to talk to you about something, Aly, and I wanted Hannah to be here because it affects her, too.”

Aly and Hannah set down their own forks to give me their undivided attention. A mix of worry and anticipation on their faces.

“As you know, Hannah and I are dating.”

“Yes, you’re all gross and in love.” Aly rolls her eyes.

“Yes, gross and in love. Great synopsis, Bub. Anyway, when people are dating, they want to spend a lot more time together. That sometimes means having sleepovers.”

Aly nods. “Okay…”

“Would it be okay with you if Hannah slept over sometimes? Not all the time, obviously, but just a few times a week?”

“Does that mean I’d have to go somewhere else?” Aly asks quietly.

“Oh, no, Aly. Not at all,” Hannah jumps in. “I would never do something that means you can’t be in your own home. It would just mean I’d be here, too.”

“So you don’t think I’ll be a bother if I’m here, too?”

“No,” Hannah says vehemently. “I want to hang out with you just as much as I want to hang out with your dad.”

“Hannah and I will want to go out alone on dates sometimes, but I’ll always check in with you, like I do now, and make sure you’re okay to go to someone else’s house. Hannah’s not just part of my life, she’s part of our life now.” Hannah squeezes my hand in a comforting gesture.

“Does that mean I can ask you questions about girl stuff?” Aly asks Hannah, her voice full of hope.

Hannah looks at me, and I give her a small nod.

“Of course you can, Aly. I don’t want you to think I’m trying to replace your mom, but you can come to me with any questions you have, okay?”

“Okay. Can you sleep over on Friday? That way we can all drive together to the library.”

“I think that’s a great idea.” I can’t help the smile taking over my face.

When we’re done with dinner and our ice cream sundae dessert, I send Aly up to get ready for bed, and Hannah helps me with the dishes.

I wash while she dries, and the task takes less than half the time it would have taken me if I did it myself.

When we’re done with that, I cage her against the counter and kiss her senseless, trying to show her how much I appreciate her and love the way she treated Aly tonight.

I nip at her bottom lip, and she whimpers, but I swallow the sound with my mouth.

“Fuck, Butterfly. I’ve been dying to kiss you all night.

If Aly weren’t here right now I’d bend you over this counter and fuck you.

Take my time with you. Tease you with my mouth,” a nip at her jaw, “my fingers,” I lick up her throat, “until you’re begging for my cock.

” I bite that sensitive spot where her shoulder meets her neck, and she writhes against me.

“I want that,” she whimpers, and I press my hard bulge into the softness of her belly.

“I’ll be thinking of you in the shower later, Butterfly. When my hand is squeezing my cock, I’m going to imagine it’s your warm pussy. When I come on the shower floor, it’ll be with your name on my lips.”

I kiss her again hungrily but pull back when I hear little feet on the stairs.

Hannah’s eyes are a little glassy when I step away to adjust myself. She shakes her head like it will clear the lust from her brain.

“Teeth are brushed, pajamas are on. I just wanted to say goodbye to Hannah,” Aly says as she enters the kitchen, Bean and Bagel hot on her heels. Bagel plops himself down at my feet, and Bean starts twirling between Hannah’s legs.

“Thank you for having me over for dinner. I’m excited for Friday and Saturday,” Hannah says, her gaze darting between the two of us.

“Even if you don’t sleep over, can we have dinner together again this week?” Aly asks shyly.

“I think that’s a great idea. Why don’t you two come over Wednesday for Indian food?” Hannah suggests.

“Dosa House? Yes!” Aly pulls her arms towards herself in a celebratory gesture. “Can we, Dad?”

“Sure, Bub. That sounds great.”

“Fantastic. I’ll see you two then.” Hannah goes to walk out of the kitchen, but Aly stops her just before she can.

“Can I… Can I have a hug goodbye?”

Oh damn it, now I’m going to cry. Aly’s always been an affectionate kid, but she’s a lot more reserved after everything with Whitney.

Hannah looks a little choked up herself as she nods and bends down so Aly can wrap her arms around her neck.

After Aly lets Hannah go with a “See you Wednesday!” she darts back upstairs, the cats following her like she’s their leader.

I walk Hannah to the door and give her one last kiss that hopefully conveys how much I love her.

“Thanks again, Morgan. I’ll see you Wednesday.” Hannah smiles as she walks down the steps.

“Hey, Butterfly?” I call when she reaches the bottom.

She turns around. “Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Her smile is soft and grateful before she turns around. I watch her get into her car and don’t close the door until she drives away. I shoot her a reminder to text me when she gets home so I know she’s safe.

The house doesn’t feel as cozy or complete without her here. It’s still home, but it feels like it’s missing a vital piece.

She’ll be back here Friday, in my bed where she belongs.