Page 86 of From This Moment (After We Fall 4)
“Oh my God,” she said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Look at this.” She handed me her phone and I looked at the screen. “It’s from someone I used to be friends with I don’t see very often now.”
HANNAH!!
OMG what is going on I’m dying!
I heard you were out to dinner with Drew’s brother Wes?! Is that true?! EEEEEP! Weirdness!
Call me!!!
I gave her back her phone. “Ignore this. It’s one person.”
“Oh no,
” she said, “there’s more. Here’s another friend.” She gave me the phone back.
Hey Hannah! Just wondering how you’re doing! My mom said she saw you out for dinner tonight with Wes Parks?? What’s going on there?! Give me the scoop! #affair
I groaned. “People are fucking terrible.”
“And last but not least, the voicemail.” She took her phone, swiped at the screen a few times, and turned up the volume.
“Hi Hannah, it’s Faye. Listen, babe, my friend Lucy just texted me that she saw you tonight with Wes Parks at Windjammer and it looked pretty cozy. Then I remembered that my mom mentioned seeing a black car parked in front of your house a few times late at night—she lives right by you—and I was like, oh my god, would they really? I’m only teasing, I’m sure there’s nothing going on, and that’s exactly what I said to Lucy, but you know how she talks. Anyway, just give me a call when you can and let me know what’s up. We have to get together soon! Miss you! Hope you’re doing well!”
When it was over, she put her phone on the table. “I hate everyone.”
“Hey. Listen to me.” I took her shoulders and turned her toward me. “Those people do not matter. They are not your friends.”
“Your mother matters. And I don’t like being talked about.” She crossed her arms.
“Come here.” I pulled her to my chest and held her close for the first time today. She smelled so good. “I don’t care what any of those assholes out there say or think about us. We don’t need their permission to be happy. As far as I’m concerned, there is only one asshole whose permission we need, and I already asked him for it.”
“Drew?” she guessed.
“Yes. Believe it or not, I actually had a conversation with him the night of Abby’s birthday dinner.”
“I believe you,” she said softly. “What did he say?”
“He said…” My throat suddenly got tight. “He said, ‘Love them enough for both of us.’”
She sniffled. “That sounds like him.”
“And he told me I better not fuck it up.”
Her laugh was half snort, half sob. “That sounds like him, too.”
“He also told me to get the hell out of Mom and Dad’s house.”
“Also totally him.”
I kissed the top of her head and held her tight. “And he said life is short.”
“It is.”
“So I didn’t want to wait any longer. I felt like I’d been waiting to be with you forever, but Hannah—we can slow down, if you want. We don’t have to go out in public together. I don’t have to be here every night. I know, for you, it’s only been a few weeks.”
