When We're Thirty

by Casey Dembowski

  Too soon, Stephanie and Will returned. Will reclaimed her hand and kissed her temple. “Ready, Mrs. Thorne?”

  She nodded and led him through the house to the back room, where she could hear the adults talking and the boys running around.

  “Hi, everyone,” she said loudly enough to catch their attention. She waved with her right hand, her left still secured—effectively hiding her diamond—in Will’s hand.

  The adults in the room turned at the sound of her voice. Charlotte stopped midsentence. Her gaze swung between Hannah and Stephanie, back again, and landed on Hannah and Will’s entwined hands. Hannah’s parents seemed only to have eyes for Will. And she couldn’t blame them—she’d brought Brian to the Labor Day barbecue.

  “Who’s that?” Aiden, Charlotte’s youngest son, asked. He crawled onto his grandpa’s lap—Hannah wasn’t sure she would ever get used to her dad being a grandpa—and waved shyly at Will. Will wiggled his fingers back with a big smile.

  “This is Will, you remember—” Hannah stopped short at her mother’s laser gaze on Will’s hand. He was holding Hannah’s hand with his right, so he’d waved at Aiden with his left, wedding band gleaming. Damn platinum.

  Hannah disentangled herself from Will. She was either a homewrecker or crazy. She preferred that her parents think her crazy. “Will and I are married.”

  “Are you...” Hannah’s father said. “This isn’t funny, if it’s some sort of joke.”

  She held up her left hand, ring out. “It’s not a joke, Dad. We got married about a month ago now. It all happened so fast, and then work exploded. I’ve wanted to tell you.”

  “You could’ve called.” This was from her mother, who hadn’t moved from her position on the couch.

  Conversely, Hannah and Will stood awkwardly in the entrance of the family room, with Stephanie leaning against the doorjamb.

  Hannah crossed her arms and curbed the urge to tap her foot. “We wanted to tell you in person.”

  “Well, task achieved,” her mother said, crossing her legs. “A month and a day too late.”

  Ouch. They probably deserved that. This was why she’d wanted to tell them they were engaged first and work up to the marriage part. But Jonathan’s upcoming party had stopped that idea in its tracks.

  Will shifted next to her, and she sensed that he was about to come out with some endearing response to try and win her mother over. It wouldn’t work.

  She took a small step forward, but before she could say anything, Stephanie moved in, taking up a position next to Hannah. They stood shoulder to shoulder, exactly how they’d stood when Stephanie had returned home with a fiancée and stepfamily in tow.

  “Mom,” Stephanie said with enough attitude that the single word conveyed a paragraph’s worth of conversation.

  “Did you know about this?”

  “All right, boys,” Charlotte said, scoping Aiden up. “Let’s go check out those new Nerf guns Grandpa got you.”

  A round of squeals came from the boys as they headed upstairs to Stephanie’s old bedroom. Her parents had converted it into a playroom complete with a fort.

  “Will, is it?”

  Hannah turned at her father’s voice. She hadn’t noticed him approach.

  His eyes were locked on Will. “Do you drink? Because I could use a drink.”

  Will caught Hannah’s eyes. She saw the struggle—he didn’t want to abandon her, but they both knew her father’s request wasn’t optional.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  He nodded and lightly brushed his lips against hers. She felt it down to her toes.

  “A drink would be great, sir,” Will said, following her father out of the room.

  Hannah returned her attention to her mother, who was needling Stephanie. Clearly, her mom did not believe that the youngest Abbott had no idea about her sister’s activities. Or maybe she was shocked Stephanie had kept a secret, if only her mother knew Stephanie was keeping two.

  “Mom,” Hannah said, drawing her mother’s ire away from her sister. “Stephanie didn’t know. Will and I fell for each other and decided to get married. There was very little planning involved.”

  “Clearly.” Her mother’s tone was harsh and a bit sarcastic. She had yet to move from the couch.

  Hannah couldn’t stand being read a riot act like she was a teenager breaking curfew. She sat down on the ottoman her father had vacated. “Can we talk about this like adults, please? I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or upset you—”

  “Are you in trouble? Is that what this is about?” The subtext to that statement was more than clear.

  “No, Mom. There’s no baby on the way. How could you even ask me that?”

  “How could I not? You show up at our house with some strange man you married since we last saw you a few months ago? What happened to Brian? We liked Brian.”

  “I was never going to marry Brian,” Hannah said dryly.

  “Why not?”

  She hadn’t confided in her mother for years. Kate and Riley fulfilled that need. But still, how had they gotten so far off base that her mother couldn’t tell Brian wasn’t long-term? She debated what to disclose. “Because he didn’t want to marry me.”

  Her mother crossed her arms. “So you cheated on him?

  “I didn’t cheat on him,” Hannah said, throwing her hands up in the air. She had spent a lifetime making smart decisions and safe choices—her mother’s voice lived in her head, guiding her down the expected road. Wasn’t she allowed a detour? Stephanie had taken several, and their mother had never questioned her integrity. Stephanie was all heart, but Hannah always led with her head. She still was, but her mother didn’t deserve to know that now.

  “When I realized I had more than platonic feelings for Will, I broke up with Brian—before anything happened,” Hannah continued. “God, Mom. Who do you think I am?”

  “I don’t know at this point, Hannah! Why did you get married to someone you barely know? Where did you even find him?”

  She hoped against all hope that Will was far enough away that he couldn’t hear her mother. Maybe her father had taken him out to the garage to show off his midlife-crisis sports car. She could hope.

  “Where did I find him? He’s my friend. Will Thorne, remember, from college?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “That boy who lived with you rent-free for almost a year?”

  Now wasn’t the time to inform her that Will had indeed paid rent. He’d paid most of it, allowing Hannah and Kate to pocket nearly all the money their parents had funneled into their rent fund.

  “What does he need now?” she asked. “Or is he paying you? What have you gotten yourself into?”

  “Hannah.” She jumped at the sound of Will’s voice and at the weight of his hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t used to hearing her actual name out of his mouth. It shook her more than his somber expression. He had heard, if not everything, enough. She knew he would argue for her, use every skill in his lawyer toolbox to talk her mother down. It wouldn’t work, but he would try. Which was exactly why he was worth it.

  “It’s okay, Will.” It wasn’t, but what else could she say in that moment? “Mom, please. I’ll tell you the whole story. It’s not a bad one.”

  She shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t want to hear it. How could you do this?”

  Hannah straightened. Was her marriage unexpected? Yes. Would she have gotten this reaction if she’d come home with Brian’s wedding ring on her hand? Probably not. She pushed herself to her feet and took Will’s hand. Her eyes shifted to her father, standing in the doorway. His expression was clouded—whatever he thought, he wasn’t going to save her now.

  “I thought you’d at least be a little happy for me.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Because I’m happier than I’ve been in years.”

  Neither of her parents spoke. Her father stared down at his shoes, and her mother glared at the family portrait hanging over the mantel.

  Only Stephanie stepped forward. “Hannah.”

  S
he shook her head and turned to Will, meeting his worried gaze. “Let’s go home.”

  Chapter 28

  Will

  Will might not have been party to a full-on Hannah meltdown in several years, but he still knew how to handle them. He called in the big guns—meaning he had texted Kate an SOS before they even hit the parkway. Kate and Hannah had been locked in the guest room for over an hour. At first, there had been the occasional sob or laugh, but it had been quiet for too long. He was starting to worry. Hannah had left with him, had asked to go home, but that didn’t mean she would stay with him. Complete parental abandonment nullified any agreements they had made. After all, Will had a heart. He’d told her as much in the car, but she only shook her head and continued clicking through his radio presets.

  He wanted to knock. He’d stood in front of the door, hand at the ready, more than once. But he was probably the last thing Hannah needed right now. He sat down at the kitchen nook. Clara had left a note about the dry-cleaning delivery for Wednesday morning. She’d sent in his tuxedo for the party—his father had insisted on black tie. Hannah’s dress—he had no idea how she’d found time to go to a boutique—was being hemmed as they spoke. She’d refused to show him a photo of it. Traditions, she’d explained. He wondered if he’d ever get to see it.

  Will flipped through a stack of unopened mail. She’d never taken him to the laundromat. It had come up again during their conversations around keeping the apartment clean, but there hadn’t been time. He wished they had that experience. He should’ve made the effort. But time had seemed like the one thing they didn’t need to worry about.

  “Will?” Hannah stood in the doorway of the guest room. Her eyes were puffy and red and her hair in a messy bun, strands sticking out everywhere. Her feet were covered with fuzzy pink cat socks, and she wore loose yoga pants and a tattered, faded University of Iowa shirt. He’d seen Hannah like this before. It was never good. He walked up to her and enveloped her in his arms. He felt her stiffen before relaxing into his embrace.

  “I’m sorry I shut you out,” she said against his chest.

  “Don’t apologize.” He squeezed her tighter. “Are you okay?”

  She laughed against him. “Not really, but Kate and I are going to drown my sorrows in Twilight, and I know watching it without you is grounds for divorce.”

  “That it is,” he said, his lips quirking up at the sides. “Please tell me we’re skipping the awful first one.”

  “We can’t watch them fall apart before we watch them fall in love.” She’d said it with a perfectly straight face and not a hint of irony. And he loved it.

  “I hate when you have sound logic.”

  She smiled against him. “I always have sound logic.”

  “That is so far from the truth,” Kate said from within the guest room. “I’m all for skipping awkward Jacob and going straight to hot Jacob.”

  Hannah straightened and marched back into the bedroom. “Excuse me, but we are drowning my sorrows, and I say we are starting with creeper Edward.”

  THEY WERE HALFWAY THROUGH Eclipse. Kate had passed out before they’d even gotten to the opening meadow scene, and Hannah, despite her best efforts, kept dozing off. Will clicked off the television. They hadn’t said much during the movie, but he’d gotten out of them that most of their earlier conversation had been about whether to invite her parents to the party. That meant she didn’t want to end things. Or maybe she didn’t think she could. He needed to be sure either way.

  He nudged her awake. “We should go to bed.”

  Hannah, sleepy-eyed, peeked over at Kate and nodded. After carefully untangling themselves from the comforter, Will led her to their room. As soon as they got into bed, Hannah draped her arm across his chest and rested her head above his heart.

  “Before you go to sleep,” he began, knowing the conversation needed to be had, no matter the outcome, “you should know I meant what I said in the car. We can get the annulment.”

  She yawned again. “Tell me why it had to be me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why did you ask me to marry you? It wasn’t just because of the pact.”

  He’d never outright told Hannah how he felt about her, but it had to be more than obvious, and Kate had known. “Kate told you.”

  Hannah was quiet. Had she fallen back asleep? He shifted to check and found her staring up at him.

  “I want to hear it from you,” she said.

  There had to be a better time to tell her that he loved her. Her parents had basically accused her of being a harlot. None of that conversation had been easy for him to hear. He couldn’t stomach standing by while someone hurt Hannah. It didn’t help that Hannah hadn’t exactly told him about the extent of her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. Will knew he existed—there were pictures in her apartment and a few on Facebook, but nothing that led Will to believe it was serious enough for her parents to think they were on the marriage track. Though clearly, they weren’t if Hannah had dropped him so easily. That was a conversation for another day, or maybe it wasn’t. Hannah could have her secret ex, and he could have his. Shit. That was an awful thought.

  “Will?”

  “You’re right. It wasn’t just because of the pact,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. There was so much to say and yet so little. It was simple when he really thought about it. Hannah was his person. “The pact got me in the door, but it could only have been you. You get me in ways no one else ever has. I mean, you like me as I am. I woke up from my post-breakup haze one day to a dream about you. And I knew that I had to try. I’d wasted my opportunity senior year to tell you how I felt and distanced myself from you to make up for my own cowardice. I missed you, Abbott.”

  Hannah inhaled, sudden and sharp.

  Perhaps he was being too earnest, but it was too late to stop now. “It had to be you. There was no other consideration. And now—”

  His words were cut off by her lips meeting his. It was quick but meaningful, conveying everything he’d been about to say—that he couldn’t go back. There was still no other consideration.

  “It could only have been you too,” she said so quietly he almost believed he imagined it.

  She ran a hand down his arm. Every part of their bodies touched, but that simple caress sent a shudder through him, rocking his remaining equilibrium. He stayed still, fighting the urge to pull her into him—to give in and see what happened, damn the consequences. Under Hannah’s unwavering gaze, her fingers running slow circles up and down his arms, his body stirred.

  But they couldn’t consummate their relationship after her parents’ negative reaction today. Absolutely not. “Hannah?”

  She looked up at him, her gaze clear and decisive. “Tell your dad to release the announcement and invite my family to the party.”

  He started to protest, but she held a finger to his lips. “They already know, Will. We can’t change what happened today, and the thing is, I kind of like being married to you, Will Thorne.”

  She cupped his face and then kissed him so slowly he thought his heart might explode. When he broke the kiss, she returned her head to his chest, where his heart beat wildly under her touch. She took his hand, placing it over her chest—her heart beat at the same fast rhythm as his.

  Chapter 29

  Hannah

  “You look amazing, Mrs. Thorne.”

  Hannah twirled in her wedding dress, the skirt lifting and falling around her legs. The plan had been to get a respectable whiteish dress for the party, not a gown. But the sales lady had been insistent that Hannah try on at least one gown. She’d picked a simple one without a train and with less embellishment than the usual wedding gown but with beautiful three-quarter-length lace sleeves. Hannah hadn’t tried on another dress.

  “And you look quite ravishing yourself, Mr. Thorne.” She scrunched her nose. “Doesn’t work the same way.”

  Will laughed. “No, not really.”

  He led her through the winding maz
e of hallways, the sounds of the party growing louder with each turn they made. Randy, the event planner, had insisted that they sit at a sweetheart table where people could come to them. The idea made Hannah itchy. She needed to walk around, to mingle, and to have Madison whisper the truth about guests in her ear while Will put on his most dazzling smile. Hell, she needed to show off this dress.

  When they stepped into the main hallway, Hannah squeezed Will’s hand and let out a low whistle. The Thorne mansion was beautiful, decked out in plum and silver with hints of festive seasonal décor. The party was split between three rooms—the dining room, the back den, and the study across the hall, which had been set up with lounge furniture. It rivaled every wedding reception she’d ever been to. Guests wandered between the rooms, chatting, drinking, and requesting more appetizers from the waiters.

  “Can we do a round before we’re relegated to our table?” she asked, fingering a floral bouquet of purple and white carnations. Jonathan thought carnations weren’t a worthy flower, but Will had insisted on her behalf.

  “If Randy sees us, we’re in for a world of hurt,” Will said but extended his hand.

  “We’ll be stealthy.”

  Will quirked an eyebrow at her. “In a wedding gown?”

  Hannah’s retort was cut short by the arrival of two guests. They looked oddly familiar, though Hannah was certain she’d never met them before.

  Next to her, Will went rigid, and his voice dropped its usual flair. “Mr. and Mrs. Hart, my father didn’t tell me you were coming.”

  Madison’s parents. She could see the resemblance.

  “We’re not staying,” Mrs. Hart said, patting Will’s arm. “We’re heading up to Westchester for a second Thanksgiving. We just wanted to wish you well and meet your wife.”