Semua Bab FALLING IN LOVE WHEN YOU'RE TEXTING : Bab 61 - Bab 70

Hannah had been gone more than fifteen minutes, and I was beginning to wonder if my family had been too much for her. Four boys, plus the assorted family friends we’d invited to help Mom celebrate, could be a lot. Of all people, I understood that.In the winery’s big tasting room, Mom’s birthday celebration had already turned into a party, despite the early hour. Mom was seated at a stool in the center of the long counter, and Robin sat next to her, the two of them cackling about something. Mom’s oldest friend and our next-door neighbor, Janice, sat on her other side, joining in but also deeply engaged in conversation with El about something, while Boston, Dalton, and Sophia were off to one side of the room. We’d invited a few of Mom and Dad’s other friends from the area, and all the little tables in the tasting room were full of happy faces, locals enjoying a mid-morning celebration of one of the nicest people in town—my mom.I stood across the counter from Mom and the ladies, sippin

“I think those circus performers could have used fewer drinks,” I mumbled.Mom looked absolutely thrilled, despite the questionable quality of the circus we’d put together for her, and as we all went back inside, she stepped between Hannah and me, putting her arms around us both.“Thank you so much, kids. That was just fantastic!” She squeezed Hannah close and added, “Now Hannah, you come sit with me. I have a million questions for you.”“Mom,” I warned.“Lincoln, go chat with your brothers. I want to get to know your girlfriend better. Come on, Hannah.”I kissed Hannah on the cheek as Mom took her to the end of the tasting counter and they sat on stools facing one another. Hannah looked happy to be chatting with my mother, so I didn’t interfere, and part of me loved seeing them together, which sent my mind whirling forward, considering questions about how well Hannah might fit into my family if we were to continue our relationship.“Mom giving Hannah the twelfth degree?” Dalton asked

I knew I should drive away. Hannah had told me she didn’t want me to stay, and even though every ounce of me was screaming with a protective instinct I didn’t even know I had, I needed to respect her wishes. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her here with the muppet. Not until I knew she would be okay.Maybe that was ridiculous. She’d been married to the guy, after all—a thought that sent my stomach twisting uncomfortably. But she’d been quiet about the marriage and what exactly had gone on. All I knew was that he was a moron if he’d chosen anything or anyone over Hannah, if he’d been willing to let her go. I had no way of knowing, but I was willing to put money on that being the reason he was here. He’d realized his mistake, realized he’d given up the most beautiful and kind woman in the world, and he wanted her back. My stomach turned again at the idea.I watched through my windshield as the muppet stepped down from the driver’s side of the truck, dismayed to see that he was h

Everything felt wrong. Wrong hair color, wrong height, wrong vehicle. Liam, with his expensive cologne shoved up my nose from three feet away, even smelled wrong. But I’d told Lincoln to go and now I was stuck with Liam in my Aunt Betty’s house, looking around in disgust.“You’re living here now?” He said it like I was living in a cardboard box under a bridge somewhere.I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the state of the house, but it wasn’t horrible either. Lincoln had been helping me fix it up. With an injection of cash, I could even make this place charming again. I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the Formica counter hoping it would hold my weight.“Yes. I live here. My beloved aunt left it to me.” Okay, that was stretching it since I hadn’t even met her, but the woman had left me all her worldly possessions. What was that if not love? “Why are you really here, Liam?”He dragged his gaze from the green refrigerator that kept up a constant knocking sound with a little

I hadn’t heard from Hannah in twenty-four hours. I’d sent her four texts and had finally called her late before I’d gone to bed, but the call had gone straight to voicemail.I laid in bed that night, my mind working its way slowly through all the various reasons why Hannah had gone silent, and then throwing up evidence to support the idea that I hadn’t gotten it all wrong all over again. Even my mother thought there was something real between us.Had the muppet appeared in his nice truck with his shiny hair and swept her off her feet so easily? Was everything we’d said to one another nothing more than words, easily spoken, easily forgotten? Had I somehow misinterpreted Hannah’s words or actions?When daylight began to stretch across the sky, I was already up, sitting on the tiny balcony facing the parking lot outside my building, a cup of coffee in my hand and my mind dark. It was times like this when I really didn’t enjoy being myself. When my own mind felt alien to me, like it was w