Just One Kiss (Whisper Lake #4) - Barbara Freethy Page 0,14

relief, because she didn't really want to relive that story.

She got up and turned off the light. She left the door ajar and then returned to the living room.

Jake was on the couch now. He had turned on the news, but he muted the sound when she appeared. "It's supposed to snow until midnight. If it clears after that, we should be able to get back to town in the morning."

"Good." She sat down on the couch, keeping some distance between them.

"You look a little more stressed than you did a few minutes ago. Why?" he asked curiously.

"It's silly. Brett asked me to tell him a story, and it was Kelly's favorite tale about a girl in a hot air balloon who flies away from all her problems."

"Sounds like your sister lived that story."

"She did fly away, but I have no idea where she's been living all this time. I have so many questions. What does she do for money? Who is Brett's father and where is he? And most importantly, why did she come back to Whisper Lake now? And why didn't she just ask me to help her?"

"Maybe she wasn't ready for you to see her, or she thought you might say no."

"I wouldn't have said no. But it does amaze me a little that even though she abandoned me and Tyler that she thought I would instantly step up for her."

He smiled. "It doesn't surprise me. Anyone who knows you, Hannah, would know that you would step up. That's who you are. You've always been that girl, even before Kelly left. And since then you've been taking care of everyone in the family."

It was nice to know that Jake could see the burden she'd been carrying, and she was a little touched by his description of her.

"Kelly knew you wouldn't turn your back on Brett," Jake added.

"But she was still afraid to ask or to explain. She should have done both."

"I don't disagree. But it is what it is. And no matter what you think about Kelly, you're already in love with Brett."

She smiled at his words. "I am. He's adorable."

Jake gave her a soft smile. "He is."

Under the warmth of his smile, she felt her anger toward him weaken, which scared her. Anger was what kept the wall up between them. But did she really need that wall? It wasn't like anything would happen between them ever again.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, giving her a speculative look.

"That I'm tired."

"You should go to bed."

"Not that kind of tired."

"Then what kind of tired are we talking about?"

"I'm tired of being angry at you," she confessed. The words had no sooner left her mouth than she wanted them back, but it was too late.

Relief filled his gaze. "Well, it's about damn time."

"I'm not saying I forgive you," she added quickly. "I just don't want to work so hard to avoid you. It's exhausting."

"Then stop, Hannah. What do you think will happen if you don't run out of every room I walk into?"

"I don’t know, Jake. That's why I run. I don't like unpredictable situations. And you—you are the most unpredictable person I've ever known. You were my best friend. You were my first love, the first guy I had sex with, and three days later, you stood me up for the prom, cheated on me in a very public way, and humiliated me in front of the whole school."

With every word, the frown on his face deepened, as well as the regret in his eyes.

"I know I hurt you, Hannah. I was a seventeen-year-old kid, and I made a huge mistake. I've wished a million times that I could turn back time and do that night over again. But I can't."

"No, you can't," she agreed. "I thought we had something really special, but I was stupid."

"You weren't stupid. It was special until I messed it up. But I'm not that kid anymore, Hannah. You have to let me grow up. You have to see me for who I am now."

"Why? Why do I have to do anything?" she challenged. "Why can't we just not speak, not see each other, not relive some of the worst memories of my life?"

"Because we live in a small town. We hang out with the same people. And because we used to be friends, best friends. Don't you ever miss that?" he asked. "Because I do. I miss talking to you. I miss seeing your smile. I miss your wry humor and how