Page 52 of From This Moment (After We Fall 4)
“And I know someone who can take care of the design and layout for us.” Margot inhaled the aroma of her coffee before sipping it. “But I’d like you to work with her. And I’d also like you to start posting some recipes on our website.”
“I’d love to. Thanks for asking me.”
“It’s good to see you smiling,” said Georgia. “You’ve been a little down lately.”
I sighed and picked up my coffee, hoping a little caffeine buzz would lift my mood. “Yeah.”
“It’s the time of year, maybe,” Margot suggested. “It’s going to get chilly soon, and before you know it, winter is here.”
“But I love autumn,” I said, setting my cup down. “It’s not that.”
Both women looked at me with a mix of curiosity and concern. “We’re here if you need to talk,” said Margot. “No pressure, but sometimes it helps.”
“I’m just…scared about something,” I said carefully. I wasn’t planning to blurt the whole ugly truth, but maybe they were right—maybe talking about it would give me strength.
“What are you scared of?” Georgia asked.
“I’m scared of what I feel…about someone.”
They looked at each other. “You have feelings for someone?” Margot beamed. “Hannah, that’s wonderful.”
“No, it isn’t.” My eyes filled. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew who it was. Or if you knew what I’d been through.”
Margot put her hand on my arm. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m sure this is scary for you. I don’t mean to be insensitive.”
“You’re not insensitive.” I put my elbows on the table and rubbed my temples, taking a few deep breaths to stave off tears. “I’m just a mess. I’m sorry.”
“Is it…is it Wes?” asked Georgia hesitantly.
I closed my eyes and nodded, waiting for them to respond, half-hoping they’d go off about how inappropriate and morally wrong and just plain icky it was to have feelings for your late husband’s brother. “Go on. Tell me I’m a terrible person.”
“Oh honey, you’re not.” Margot shook her head. “We’d never think that, no matter who you had feelings for.” She paused. “Unless it was Jack. Then I might have an issue.”
I nearly smiled.
“You’re not terrible,” Georgia seconded. “You’re human. And it’s easy to see why you might develop feelings for Wes. He’s Drew’s brother. They were a lot alike in some ways. And they were identical.”
“But they were really different too,” I said. “I’ve only really just gotten to know Wes since he’s been home. We’ve talked a lot, and he’s such a great listener. A much better listener than Drew, actually. Drew loved to talk and tell jokes and be the center of attention. Wes is more quiet, more serious, maybe more intense.”
“I can see that,” Georgia said. “Drew was a life-of-the-party kind of guy, always fun, always spontaneous. But maybe that isn’t what you’re looking for this time around. Maybe at this point in your life, and after all you’ve been through, you’d appreciate a quieter life, one with fewer surprises.”
“But I wasn’t looking for anything,” I insisted. “That’s the problem. I don’t want another time around. I just want to live on my own and be a good mother to Abby.”
“Finding love again doesn’t mean you won’t be a good mother to Abby,” Margot said.
“But she’s confused about Wes as it is. She already asked me if I was sure he wasn’t her father. And what about the way people will talk? This is a small town. Can you imagine the gossip that will spread?”
Georgia shrugged. “Gossip is gossip. And yes, it’s a juicy story. People would be fascinated by it for a while and then they’d move on to something else.”
“And you can’t live your life in fear of what other people think,” Margot added. “That was a lesson I had to learn too, and trust me when I tell you you’ll be much happier if you can get over that.”
“I don’t know if I can,” I admitted. “I’m not as strong as you.”
“You are.” Margot leaned forward in her chair. “And you deserve to be happy, Hannah. Don’t you think Drew would want that for you?”
“Drew would want to protect me,” I said stubbornly. “He’d want me to be safe, and you can’t be safe when you give your heart away.”
They looked at each other again. “What does Wes say?” Georgia asked. “Does he even know how you feel?”
