Page 29 of Distracted

Hanna’s eyes dropped to the tiles sitting on her rack. A few seconds passed before she announced, “Next time… we’re playing Connect Four.”

At that, I burst out laughing.

It was the first time I’d laughed like that in a long time, and it was at that moment that I knew that no matter where things went for me, I’d never forget the amazing woman sitting across the table from me.

EIGHT

Ellery

Things always happened when you least expected them.

I never fully appreciated that sentiment until I experienced it for myself. I would have thought that having no choice but to marry Patrick would have been my worst moment of it. There wasn’t a chance that anything could top that.

Or so I thought.

I’d gotten myself ready this morning, so I could head out to pick up a few essential items I’d needed that I hadn’t been able to order online. I was making the trip this morning, because I wanted to get what I needed and get it done before my self-defense class scheduled for later this evening.

Tonight was going to be my first evening class, and I was looking forward to seeing how it would go.

But before I ran out this morning, I had one thing I wanted to take care of.

Since I’d had such a great time with Hanna last night, and I believed she’d felt the same, I thought it would be fun to see if she wanted to have a girls’ night in of sorts. Granted, she had the schedule of events for the tiny home community planned, but there wasn’t anything on the schedule for tomorrow night.

She and I were becoming fast friends, and I figured that not only would she appreciate having something fun to do, but that it would only help us to forge a deeper friendship.

Maybe that wasn’t completely wise. There was no telling how long I might stay in the area, but on the off chance that I’d made a good decision to settle myself in Steel Ridge and could ultimately stay, there was no question that having her in my life would be worth it.

So, I intended to ask Hanna if she’d like to get together for dinner and a movie tomorrow night. After talking with her last night, it became clear to me that while we both might have had completely different experiences—what were the chances she’d also been forced into marriage—Hanna and I did connect with one another on some level. I couldn’t overlook that.

That was why I locked up my tiny house and made my way over to the registration house. I walked in, expecting to be greeted by her smiling face, but that didn’t happen.

In fact, what did happen scared the living daylights out of me.

Hanna came around the corner and into view, much like I’d seen her do on several occasions before that. Only this time, she wasn’t smiling or speaking. In fact, she seemed to be in a catatonic state as she moved forward and stared at me.

“Hanna? Are you okay?”

Anguish moved through her features, and I knew something was very wrong. I just didn’t know what.

“Hanna?” I repeated her name.

She still didn’t respond. But she continued moving in my direction, and the longer I watched her, the more readable the expression on her face became.

Hanna was clearly distressed. She was worried about something. And the more time that passed without a word from her, the more concerned I became.

She was a matter of three or four feet away from me when she said softly, “Oh, Ellery.”

The next thing I knew, she’d completely closed the distance between us and wrapped her arms around me. With the way she was hugging me, I had no choice but to hug her back. And once I did, she insisted, “You could have told me.”

My brows pulled together. I had no idea what was going on, or if Hanna was okay. She just didn’t seem herself.

“Hanna?” I called quietly once more.

She held onto me for just a few more seconds before she loosened her hold, stepped back, and allowed her eyes to roam over my face. Only after a long and uncomfortable silence did she reach for my hand and promise, “You can trust me.”

“What?”

Hanna tugged on my hand and urged me to follow her. I moved around the side of the desk to where she’d just come from, and disappeared behind the wall I’d always seen Hanna stepping out from behind when I normally arrived here.