“Oh, I don’t think I’m up for it tonight.”
Harrison looked genuinely crestfallen. “I’m sorry about today . . . with Cody.”
Hannah was momentarily stunned by his perception. But she was tired of the dread that had been following her around the last few days. She needed to end this. Cut ties and put her life back to normal. Plain, boring—vanilla.
“Harrison, I really appreciate how kind you’ve been, but I don’t think this is going to work out.”
“What? Why not?
“We’re from two different worlds.”
“Different worlds?”
“Come on. You can’t tell me you don’t see it. You live in another stratosphere.”
“I get it,” he sneered, “You think I live a charmed life, just like everyone else.”
“I didn’t say that—”
“Well let me tell you, Hannah. It’s not all been a fairytale. I’m just a guy and I thought we had a connection. I thought I’d finally found someone who didn’t see me as a trophy or a prick. But I guess I was wrong.”
“No, Harrison. It’s not like that. I just . . .”
“You just what?” he growled.
“I have a hard time believing someone like you could actually like someone like me.”
Harrison’s face softened and he took Hannah’s hands. “I don’t know how I never saw you until now, but I can’t let you go.”
His blue eyes bore into Hannah’s and she wavered.
“Listen, you’ve been under a lot of stress. You deserve a break. We both do. Let’s get away from all of this and see if there’s really something between us. Without tennis and vets and Stanton. Let me take you to dinner.”
“Just dinner?”
“Yes. Just dinner.”
Hannah’s heart fought her gut. She looked at the ground to hide her internal struggle.
Harrison gently tugged her chin so he could see her face. “Look, I don’t know what this is, but I’m willing to explore if you are. Worse case you get a nice dinner.” His perfect teeth blazed a practiced smile. “I promise to take you somewhere great.”
He was handsome and charming and he was directing all of it at her. Hannah’s inner goddess was doing backflips and promised to kill her if she denied herself a dinner date with a real life prince charming. “Fine.”
“Great! I’ll pick you up at six.”
31
At six o’clock sharp Harrison pulled up outside Hannah’s house in a white Mercedes G-class. At least it wasn’t the limo, Hannah thought gratefully as she kissed her father’s cheek and ran out the door before he could badger her with more questions. It’d been hard enough to convince him to let her go to dinner with Harrison. But it appeared he even started to win her father over after all the kindness Harrison showed them after Custard’s accident.
Harrison opened the car door for Hannah and she hopped in.
“How many cars do you have?” she asked studying the roomy interior enviously as he pulled away.
He laughed. “They’re sort of my father’s obsession. We’ve got quite a collection if you’d like to see it some time?”
“Maybe. We’ll see how tonight goes.”
He gave her another dazzling smile. “I think you’ll be impressed.”
“Someone’s feeling confident.”
“Well, I did pull out all the stops.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll see.”
“We are going to dinner, right? I haven’t eaten since lunch and I’m starving.”
Harrison laughed. “Good. You’re probably better off on an empty stomach. It can be a bit of a bumpy ride.”
“What?”
As Hannah asked the question, they turned off the road and approached a gate with a call box. Harrison rolled down the window and punched in a code and the gate began to open. They rumbled up the drive to the top of a hill covered in lights and industrial looking sheds. It was a private airport!
“We’re having dinner in Boston, right?” Hannah asked trying to conceal her mild panic.
“Yes. Sort of. Come on.”
Harrison parked and led Hannah around one of the large white buildings. A tiny white helicopter glowed under a pool of light and Harrison waved to the two men standing beside it.
“Oh my god! Is that how we’re getting to dinner?”
“You’re the one who said I live in a different stratosphere.” He winked. “Just keeping the fairytale alive.”
The ride to dinner was amazing. Seeing Boston at sunset from the sky was one of the most beautiful sights Hannah had ever experienced. As promised, it’d been a bumpy ride and she clung to Harrison unable to contain her squeals when her stomach dropped with the turbulence. He’d surprised her by laughing and hollering right along with her, squeezing her hand and pointing out some of his favorite landmarks.
The helicopter ride reminded Hannah of the terrifying rides at the fair. The ones she could never bring herself to brave as she sat enviously watching couples cling to each other with an equal balance of fear and love as their world spun out of control. She was finally seeing that’s what relationships were—finding someone to hold onto in the chaos and hoping they wouldn’t let go.
Their awe-inspiring flight ended with Hannah and Harrison landing safely on a giant yacht. Hannah recognized it instantly. It was a fixture at Boston Harbor, dwarfing all the other vessels. At 126 meters it was hard to miss. Hannah shaded her eyes reading the vessel’s name. Coalescence. She’d grown up seeing it at the harbor; always assuming it was some sort of ritzy tourist cruise line.
“We’re having dinner here?” she asked bewildered as Harrison took her hand and helped her out of the helicopter.
“Yes. And don’t worry, we’re still technically in Boston. We won’t leave the harbor.”
He led her to the empty cream and gray lounge. A cozy table for two had been set up next to the massive windows, giving them a gorgeous view of the glowing lights of the harbor. A loud blast from the ship’s horn startled Hannah and she noticed the lights of the city began to move as they drifted away.
She gazed around at the empty lounge. “Are we going out by ourselves?”
“The crew’s on board. But yes, no other passengers.” Harrison took note of her shock. “Unless you’re uncomfortable being alone with me.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just . . . you didn’t have to rent out the whole boat just for us.”
He smirked and looked down, cheeks reddening. “I didn’t rent it. It’s my father’s yacht.”
“Oh. Coalescence! I get it now. I guess I should have put that together.”
Harrison grinned and signaled for the waiter who appeared out of nowhere. He poured them both mineral water and brought menus.
Hannah was at a loss for words. She knew the Cohl’s were wealthy, but this was beyond comprehension. They were having dinner on their own floating city. How could she have anything in common with someone who could arrange this on a whim?
“This was too much wasn’t it?” Harrison asked after ordering for them both.
“No. I . . .” she didn’t know what to say. Dinner on a private yacht wasn’t something Hannah was prepared for.
“Shit. He was right.”
“Who?”
“Don’t get mad.”
“About what?”
“I asked Cody about you.”
“What?”
“He and I aren’t exactly friends but I wanted to make sure you guys were over before I asked you out. He assured me there was nothing between you.”
A pang of hurt pierced Hannah’s heart. Nothing, that’s what she was to Cody.
“I asked for dinner tips and he said to play it cool, that you wouldn’t like anything fancy.”
“What does Cody know? I can be fancy!” she blurted out.
Harrison held up his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s just I don’t want to start out on the wrong foot, keeping thi
ngs from you.”
Guilt dried Hannah’s throat and she took a gulp of her Chardonnay. It didn’t help. The oaky flavor tasted like tree bark sliding down her throat. “What else did Cody have to say about me?”
“Nothing. Honestly, let’s leave Cody out of this. I think we’re doing pretty well on our own.”
They made small talk through dinner, but Hannah’s mind kept snapping back to Cody. She was impressed he hadn’t told Harrison about her ulterior motives. But she would have to talk to Cody and swear him to secrecy, because she was starting to actually like Harrison. And she didn’t want Cody to ruin things. Plus, a tiny part of Hannah hated that Cody had been discussing her, like an old coat he was passing off. Calling her ordinary, not something to dress up and take out.
After dinner Harrison took Hannah on a tour of the yacht. She was amazed at the extravagance of it all.
“A movie theater? Seriously? Who needs a movie theater when you have views of the ocean?” she asked as they toured the private theater room.
“And you haven’t even seen the best view! Come on,” Harrison took Hannah by the hand and pulled her excitedly behind him. He was like a kid at Christmas on the yacht. It was obvious that he was passionate about the water as he spouted off nautical words that meant nothing to Hannah, and filled her head with stories of the exotic places he’d sailed to.
Perhaps it was the intoxicating luxury of the yacht or maybe the wine, but Hannah couldn’t help herself, she let her imagination run wild and she trotted after Harrison. Why couldn’t this fantasy world be true? Maybe he really did want to spend time with her. Maybe they’d even sail to adventurous places together.
They burst into a two-story room and Hannah gasped at its unfathomable beauty. Floor to ceiling windows framed the posh white bedroom. A plush king sized bed rested in the center of the clear second floor balcony. Harrison pulled Hannah up the clear spiral staircase and plopped down on the bed.
He patted the spot next to him. “This is where you get the best views.”
Hannah sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed taking in the rainbow of city lights reflecting off the water. “It’s gorgeous.”
Harrison flopped onto his back and looked up at Hannah. “You’re gorgeous.”
She blushed as he reached up to stroke a tendril of her blonde hair.
“You surprise me, Hannah. Not many girls do.”
“I can say the same about you.”
Harrison rose to his elbows. Their faces invaded each other’s space. Hannah could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips. Their eyes met for a moment, just before their lips did. Hannah let Harrison take control, allowing herself to be lost in a momentary flurry of passion. Lips, tongues, hands—all fumbling in a hungry desire for each other. Waves of heat radiated through her as Harrison tore off his shirt and pulled hers away too. He kissed her again, pressing her into the bed, his body firm against hers. He tugged down her bra straps. The intimacy made her freeze. She wasn’t ready. It was all going too fast.
“Wait,” she begged, breathlessly.
“What’s wrong,” Harrison panted.
“Don’t you want to talk more?”
“I like it better when we don’t talk,” he purred trailing kisses down her neck to her breasts.
She pushed him away and vaulted off the bed, pacing near the stairs like a caged animal.
“Hannah?”
“I’m sorry. I thought I was ready for this, but I’m not,” she choked out. Her face reddened with embarrassment.
Harrison climbed off the bed and padded over, her shirt in hand. “Here,” he said softly tugging it back over her head. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Hannah. I’m just happy to spend time with you.”
“Really?” she asked looking up timidly, her head poking through the neck of her clingy white sweater.
Harrison grinned and kissed her messy hair. “Really.” He put on his shirt and took Hannah’s hand. “Come on. We’re heading back to port and you have to see the stars from the observation deck.”
32
Hannah and Harrison snuggled on the observation deck under a thick white blanket while they watched the stars twinkle over Boston. Hannah’s nose was frozen and her cheeks rosy from the chilled salt air, but she found herself reluctant to leave the warmth she’d found nestled next to Harrison when they arrived back at the marina.
He’d surprised Hannah by being a complete gentleman, saving the night by not letting her embarrassing inexperience ruin his mood. She expected him to be pissed that she didn’t put out after his elaborate date, but he seemed to genuinely be having a good time in her company, content with kissing under the stars.
When their date was over and Harrison walked Hannah to her door he asked when they could do it again.
“So I didn’t totally screw this up?” she asked.
“Hannah, what do I have to say to get you to trust me?”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s just you’re too good to be true.”
“I could say the same thing about you.” He kissed her lightly. “Say we can do this again?” he whispered.
“Okay, okay. I think I can suffer another evening on your yacht if I must.”
Harrison picked her up in a delighted embrace and she giggled. “That-a-girl,” he joked kissing her again. “By the way, I won’t be at school tomorrow. I have some last minute arrangements to attend to before the party on Saturday.”
“What kind of arrangements?”
“You must allow me to keep some of my mystique,” he joked, bowing and backing away toward his car.
Hannah couldn’t help but swoon. She was smitten! How did this happen?
“You are still my date to the ball, right?” he called back to her.
“If you’ll still have me.”
He grinned wickedly. “I wouldn’t have anyone else.”
“Then I’ll meet you there.”
“Don’t be late, Cinderella. I’ll be the one in the mask.”
Hannah waved after Harrison as he drove away, then quickly let herself inside. Leaning against the front door for support, she closed her eyes and sighed, reliving the delicious moments of her date.
“Have fun?”
Hannah’s eyes flew open. Her father was peering at her over his reading glasses. He was camouflaged among the books and blankets covering his lap.
“Were you waiting up for me?”
“You bet I was.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Yes, I had fun. Harrison was a gentleman.”
“Where’d you go?”
“Dinner,” she paused not wanting to lie to her father. “On the water.”
“I’m glad you had fun. Now go to your room and never date again.”
“Daaaad,” she groaned, marching over to give him a kiss on the head. “I have to grow up sometime.”
“I know,” he grumbled. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Hannah smiled and made her way upstairs wanting to avoid a fatherly lecture. Her father was rarely doting, but she still hated the feeling of suffocation it brought. She and her father normally had a functional relationship. They worked more like colleagues than parent and child—tackling tasks like groceries, household chores and appointments like efficient business partners. But boys were a new division and it was apparent her father wasn’t on board with that venture. The only other time he’d been this neurotic was when Hannah learned to drive.
Hannah showered quickly and flopped into bed. It was late, but her body hummed with excitement. Every time she closed her eyes she pictured Harrison’s flawless body pressed into hers. His delicious lips igniting fire everywhere they touched.
How had she let such a perfect moment pass her by?
Hannah cursed herself for being a virgin. She’d wasted so much time focusing on academics and accolades that she’d missed out on the adventure and affection of adolescence. Tonight was proof of that. She’d been right to want to explore her freedom in the time she had left. I
f tonight was any indication, Harrison was the right guy to fill in what her education was lacking. And the thought of it was exhilarating.
Her phone buzzed and she picked it up.
ARE YOU STILL AWAKE? – HARRISON
YES – HANNAH
I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU – HARRISON
Hannah rolled over, kicked her feet excitedly and screamed into her pillow as butterflies rioted in her stomach.
So this is what all the fuss is about?
Hannah’s heart soared and her lungs felt crushed. In just one date she’d fallen for Harrison Cohl—and she’d never felt better.
Hannah rolled back over and grabbed her phone, texting a smiley face.
X – HARRISON
X – HANNAH
Hannah fell asleep with the phone clutched to her chest, her inner goddess glowing enough to light the entire city of Boston.
33
“So the party’s tomorrow night!” Savannah purred. “What are you going to wear, Hannah?”
With Harrison gone, arranging the final details for his party, Hannah found herself sitting on the Golden Gate with Savannah, Madison and Blakely. She ate her PB&J while they sipped their juices. They were cleansing. Apparently they fasted for 36 hours before any posh event and were appalled that Hannah didn’t know proper starvation etiquette.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t had time to really shop. I’m sure I’ll find something in my closet though.”
All three girls put their green sludge down staring at Hannah like she’d said she was planning on showing up naked.
“You can’t just wear anything to a Cohl ball!” Madison whispered.
“It’s a masquerade. You do know that, right?” Blakely sneered.
“Of course.”
Savannah piped up. “I have an idea! Why don’t you all come to my place tonight and we’ll try on our dresses for the party. Hannah, you can shop in my closet,” she offered sweetly. “I have plenty of masks from prior years.”
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