“Since I was eight, remember?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I thought you lived at the resort.”
“That’s right; you’ve never seen the mainland house I lived in during the off season.”
“Where do your grandparents live? Still with you?”
“About six years ago, they bought a condo in a retirement community that’s a little closer to town.”
“When do you think you’ll let them know about us, and the wedding present I’ve given you?” he asked.
Tilting her head to one side, she peered up at him. “I’m not sure.”
Waves gently lapped at the shoreline as they walked. His feet sank through the uppermost layer of warm sand. Luckily, it wasn’t yet midday or he’d be howling in pain from the blistering heat. One thing he didn’t miss about the sand of the Outer Bank was how it soaked in the sun.
“Ashamed of me?” he asked lightly.
“No,” she said quickly “Oh my gosh. No.”
He winked at her.
She narrowed her eyes. “You are trouble in a suit, Drew Montgomery.”
“And you are stuck with me, Hannah Montgomery.” But only for five years, he reminded himself. Five years to make her miserable and regret that she ever knew him because he kept his distance. Yet, here he was, with her, walking hand in hand on the beach instead of handing someone their ass in a conference call.
“I like the sound of that,” she said. “I might have written my name exactly like that when I was younger. Might have.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
She didn’t say anything to that, merely kept holding his hand. Every so often, she would give him a tidbit about her life. What she liked and who was married to whom. He offered up bits and pieces of himself, sharing things with her that that he’d never told another soul.
“I didn’t leave my room for a week after my mother died. My father said I was a selfish bastard for not going to her funeral, but I couldn’t bring myself to see her casket lowered into the ground,” he said, staring out at the water.
Seagulls cried out from overhead, searching for their next meal. He knew how they felt. Always searching for something. Always finding what didn’t satisfy.
He sliced his gaze to Hannah. Until now.
“My grandparents didn’t make me go to my momma’s funeral. They said I had more than enough sorrow for an adult to process, let alone a child. But I know how you feel.”
The wind played with her hair, sending up pale curls and whipping them around. She was a picture of vibrant health with her pink cheeks and sparkling eyes.
“You had an excuse. I’m a grown man.”
“Grown men are allowed to feel sorrow, pain, and happiness. They’re allowed to feel. They’re also allowed to mourn in whatever way they see fit. Anyone who doesn’t think that’s okay can go talk a long walk off a short pier.” She scrunched her nose. “Bless their hearts.”
Instead of condemning him, she defended him and his choice. It was a heady feeling to have her in his corner, especially when it came to his personal life. “Maybe I should have you start negotiating contracts instead of Blake.”
“Who’s Blake?”
“My partner. You’ll meet him soon enough. He’ll be in our wedding, and I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of asking my secretary to be in it as well.”
“How big do you think our wedding is going to be?”
“I thought you’d want a huge wedding.”
She gave him a guilty look. “Drew, I don’t actually care about big weddings, or weddings in general. I thought you were being romantic and considerate.”
“Are you serious?”
“There goes my woman card,” she muttered before raising her voice. “Completely. When Fischer and I talked about marriage—it was around his fishing schedule and my work schedule. Which meant we were never getting married.”
The thought of his Hannah with another man made him unreasonably jealous. “Fischer is a regular visitor of yours?”
“Only to use the john,” she said cheerfully. “There’s no competition between the two of you.”
“Then why would you—?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m being rude.”
“No, you’re not. We’re finding out about all the things we missed.” Letting go of his hand, she bent down and picked up two shells, handing one to him. “Fischer is a great guy—when he’s not laser-focused on fishing—and he treated me right, but if we were meant to be, then we would have married each other before now.”