Hannah's Home

by Pamela Kelley

  Hannah’s Home

  Pamela Kelley

  Piping Plover Press

  Copyright © 2019 by Pamela Kelley

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  A huge thank you to Cindy Tahse and Lee Dobbins for all of your support.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Okay, it’s all yours now.” Missy Roring, Hannah Keane’s bubbly, thirty-something realtor, handed her the keys to her new home. The closing for the house was finished, all the paperwork completed. They said their goodbyes to the attorneys and walked out of the law office together.

  “Thank you for all of your help. I can’t wait to get settled in.” Hannah was eager to get into her new house and start unpacking. The movers were due to arrive in a few hours and she had a carload of suitcases and new stuff she’d bought as well.

  Missy shook her head and smiled. “I can’t believe you really want to move back to Quinn Valley after living in Nashville and Hollywood! Are you sure you won’t be bored?”

  Hannah laughed. “I’m sure. Quiet is exactly what I’m looking for.”

  Missy still tried to make sense of it. “I suppose that’s good for writing more songs?”

  “I hope so.” Hannah was looking forward to hunkering down and losing herself in her music and a few other projects she was excited to get started on.

  “Well, if you decide to move back to Nashville once you get your songs written or whatever, I hope you’ll give me the chance to work with you again?”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Hannah’s phone beeped with a text message she’d been waiting for. Before she gave it her full attention, she needed to get rid of Missy. “Thanks so much, Missy.” She smiled and hoped the other woman would get the hint. Missy looked as though she still wanted to say more, but finally seemed to realize the conversation was over.

  “All right, then. Enjoy your new home! And again, if I can be of any help, don’t hesitate to call!” Missy turned and flounced off, her blonde hair bouncing around her shoulders and in shoes with heels so high, Hannah wondered how she was able to walk around town in them.

  The text message from her assistant, Mary, simply said ‘call me’, so she did.

  “How did it go?” Hannah asked when Mary picked up. “There’s nothing they can do, is there?” She felt her chest tighten with anxiety as she thought about the situation she’d been trying to pretend wasn’t happening.

  “The officer that came out to the house to take the report was a nice young man. I swear he looked about sixteen, but I suppose he’s old enough if he’s actually doing the job. Anyway, he took all the information. I forwarded him the emails, and he said he’d check with his team, but he didn’t think it was likely they’d find anything. He said if it happens again, if it escalates, to be sure to let them know. He also said if it happens to anyone else that might help them too, if they could find a pattern.”

  Hannah sighed. “Somehow I doubt a stalker will send the same messages to multiple people, but I suppose you never know.”

  “And no one knows you’re moving back to Quinn Valley, right? As long as it’s not made public, you should be safe. There’s probably nothing to it anyway,” Mary tried to reassure her.

  “I really don’t think there is. But it’s still unsettling. Thank you for meeting with the police.”

  “Of course. I still wish you weren’t moving. We could manage the threat here and it really is better for your career to be in Nashville.” Hannah smiled. Mary had been her assistant since the beginning and was protective of her.

  “You know that’s not why I’m moving, though it does seem to confirm my decision. It’s just time. I’m ready to pull back from living so publicly. I know the money is fantastic when I tour, but I only need so much and I’ve managed to save quite a bit.” Hannah had been touring almost non-stop for the past few years and had little time to spend all the millions she was earning. And she had other ideas for that money now.

  Twenty minutes later, Hannah pulled into the driveway of the house she’d fallen in love with at first sight. She had to admit, Missy was good at her job. She’d lined up a number of houses for Hannah to see. They were all fine but nothing special until Missy turned onto Edgewater Drive and Hannah sucked in her breath as the house immediately came into view. The sun had shone down brilliantly that day, dancing on the water behind the house and casting a rosy glow over the cream-colored farmer’s porch.

  The porch wrapped around to an expansive deck in the back that overlooked the lake and there was a boat dock, too. Not that Hannah had a boat, but it might be fun to pick up something very small that she could ride around in.

  The inside of the house was perfect for her, too. It was roomy and cozy at the same time, with three bedrooms and an open layout downstairs that had gorgeous water views. The living room had a brick fireplace, and the kitchen had an island with the cooktop in it, so she could cook and look out at the lake at the same time. Hannah hadn’t done much cooking in recent years, but she liked to play around in the kitchen, and she was looking forward to trying out some new recipes and having her brother Charlie and his wife Maggie over for dinner.

  Hannah was thrilled for her brother as she’d liked Maggie Quinn right away. Especially since it was obvious how much she cared for Charlie. The first time Hannah met her, when she’d come home for a visit, they’d all gone to a charity event and it had been a wonderful night, until Maggie’s brother David showed up. He still had a chip on his shoulder for something that had happened when they were in high school.

  He’d asked Hannah out, and she’d just frozen, unable to speak with no doubt a look of misery. But he’d misunderstood and thought she was horrified at the thought of going out with him. When actually, she was just so nervous that by the time her words came to her, David was long gone. She’d always felt terrible about it. People often assumed that because she was a performer that she was outgoing, but it wasn’t so.

  Hannah was a true introvert, and it was only the music that allowed her to step out of her shell. Very few people knew it, but she still had horrible stage fright every time she went onstage. Once she started singing, her nerves went away. It took a toll on her, though, every live performance, because there was also the meet-and-greets with fans and press after the show. By the time she got home, she was always so drained and ideally needed a day or two to recharge. That usually wasn’t an option, though, with back-to-back shows in most cities. She was looking forward to slowing down and was excited for her next chapter in Quinn Valley.

  Chapter 2

  Marcia Quinn looked around the table at Quinn’s Pub and smiled. Every Sunday, whoever was available in the family would meet for a late lunch or early dinner. Today, all but two of her five children were there. Ivy, her youngest, lived in Tennessee with her husband, Nash. David, her oldest, was working. He ran a successful food supply company and sometimes liked to go in on Sundays and get a head start on the week.

  Sunday was also the one da
y that everyone in the family that worked at Quinn’s took off. Her son Ryder and her daughter Maggie co-owned it now. Ryder handled general management and Maggie oversaw the bar. Ryder’s wife, Bethany, was the head chef and Maggie’s husband, Charlie, was their liquor distributor. After founding and doing all the cooking at Quinn’s for many years, Marcia now did as little cooking as possible, other than major holidays or occasionally trying out a new muffin recipe and bringing it into Quinn’s for morning coffee with her kids. She liked to stop in on most days, have coffee and then be on her way.

  Her other son Carter and his wife Avery were chatting with Gertie, their grandmother, and Marcia’s mother-in-law. The gentleman on Marcia’s right, Harry Peterman, leaned over and whispered, “She’s up to something.”

  Marcia had also noticed that Gertie had an interesting gleam in her eye as she reached for the butter and tore open a roll. She waited until she had everyone’s attention before speaking.

  “So, I wonder how David feels about his new neighbor? Has he mentioned anything?” Gertie glanced around the table at a sea of blank faces.

  “What new neighbor?” Marcia asked.

  “None of you have heard? Hannah Keane bought the big house on the lake. It’s just a few doors down from David. He really hasn’t said a thing?”

  “I’m not sure he knows,” Maggie said. “I just saw him yesterday, and he didn’t mention it.”

  “How do you know about it, Gram?” Ryder asked.

  “Well, Ruth’s daughter Missy is a realtor, and she told us all about the listing recently. She also mentioned that she was going to be showing some homes to Hannah. I may have suggested that the lake house could be good for her. Seems she agreed!” Gertie seemed quite pleased with herself as she bit into her roll.

  “Are you playing match-maker again, Gram? I’m not sure this one is a good idea. I saw David talking to Hannah at the charity ball a while back and I don’t think he’s a fan. He might not like that she’s living so close.” Maggie looked a bit concerned.

  “He doesn’t always know what’s good for him,” Gertie said. “I have a good feeling about Hannah.”

  “She’s really moving back to Quinn Valley?” Marcia asked. “She’s such a big success now, I would have thought she’d want to stay in Nashville or Hollywood.”

  “No, it’s true. I knew she was going to be moving back here, just not when. She said she misses Quinn Valley and wants to get out of the spotlight.” Maggie turned to Charlie who was Hannah’s brother. “Maybe Charlie can tell us more?”

  He nodded. “It’s true. Hannah just called yesterday to say she would be closing on the house this week, and it is on the lake. I didn’t realize it was that close to where David lives, though.” He didn’t look thrilled by the news.

  But Gertie was undeterred. “It will be fine. It’s David’s time to settle down.”

  Gertie was right about that. David was the last of Marcia’s children to find love. And it didn’t seem like he was in any hurry to get there. He was a bit of a workaholic. He lived and breathed his business and it was quite successful. It wasn’t that he didn’t date. David actually dated often, but it never seemed to get serious.

  When Marcia once asked him what he was waiting for, he just smiled and said that work was his priority and that when he met the right one, he’d know. Gertie had a good track record so far with her matchmaking but Marcia wasn’t too keen on her latest attempt as David and Hannah already knew each other and it was pretty clear that she wasn’t ‘the one’ for him.

  Chapter 3

  David Quinn slowed his car as he came around the corner and saw an alarm company van in front of 42 Edgewater Drive. So, the new owners had arrived and were installing an alarm system. That told him that they were likely not from the area, because almost no crime happened in Quinn Valley. Most people he knew didn’t even lock their doors at night.

  He was curious about these new neighbors and a little bitter because he’d wanted that house for himself. It was his dream location, and he’d had his eye on it for years, but it had never gone on the market. He finally did the next best thing and bought a house a few doors down when it came available.

  His house was nice enough, but it wasn’t right on the lake, and David loved to fish. He liked the area because of the lake. There was a neighborhood boat ramp that he used for the boat he kept trailered in his yard. He’d mentioned once to the older woman that had owned the house that if she was ever thinking of selling to please, let him know.

  But when she died recently, everyone assumed her family would sell the house. David waited patiently for the for sale sign to go up, but it never did. Someone swooped in and bought it out from under him. He never even had a chance to make an offer. He knew it wasn’t the new owners’ fault and they were probably nice people, but he wasn’t feeling overly neighborly towards them at the moment.

  He felt even less so when he saw the front door open and a petite woman with long caramel-colored hair walked to her car. He watched her open her trunk and pull a box out of it. When she turned back to walk into the house, he got a good look at her face and his jaw dropped. Hannah Keane had stolen his dream house.

  He’d once had such a crush on Hannah and when she didn’t even respond when he asked her out in high school, he’d been devastated. She’d just stared at him as if she thought he was repulsive. He’d moved on, of course, but when he ran into her recently at a charity event, she wasn’t any friendlier. She was with his sister, Maggie and Charlie, who was also Hannah’s brother. For a moment, he felt like he was back in high school and it wasn’t a good feeling. He knew Hannah lived in Nashville and hadn’t expected that he’d run into her again so soon. And now they were neighbors. It was not a good way to end his day.

  Hannah woke Saturday morning, stretched and sighed with happiness as sun streamed through her bedroom window. She could see the water rippling on the lake and leaves dancing in the breeze. After a moment, she eased out of bed, pulled a sweatshirt over her pajamas and stepped through the French doors in her bedroom onto a small deck. She took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air and enjoyed the view. There were already a few small boats on the water and people fishing. The air was slightly chilly, but she knew it would warm up in a few hours.

  Her first week in her new home had gone well. She didn’t go far, except to the grocery store and to visit her mother. She needed to go shopping again this morning, and to the local butcher to get some nice strip steaks. Charlie and Maggie were coming over for dinner. She wanted to stop at the hardware store too to pick up a small hammer and some nails to hang her pictures.

  There was also an association meeting in the afternoon that she thought she’d attend. Her home was part of a small neighborhood association, and they had a shared clubhouse with a pool and use of a boat ramp. Hannah wanted her neighbors to get to know her, and to see her as a normal person instead of a celebrity.

  She went downstairs and made herself a cup of coffee and a few slices of sourdough toast with butter. She wasn’t much of a breakfast eater but knew she needed something in her stomach if she was going to be running around all morning. She sat at her kitchen island and glanced around the room. It was starting to look homey and the way she’d envisioned it. Almost everything was unpacked and put away, except for a few boxes in the basement that she wasn’t sure about. She might still donate more stuff to the local thrift shop.

  Only thing left to do was to hang her pictures. She had lots of pretty watercolor paintings and prints as well as some photographs she’d taken herself over the years and had enlarged and framed.

  An hour later, she was at the local hardware shop, strolling the aisles looking for the picture-hanging tools. Her head was down and she almost ran right into someone. An annoyed, ‘watch out’, got her attention, and she stopped short in her tracks and immediately apologized.

  “I’m so sorry!” She said the words before looking up and when she did, she felt even worse. Of all people to almost run into, she’d near
ly walked right into David Quinn. He stared down at her from his six-two or so height, almost a foot taller than she was at barely five-three.

  “No harm done. You should pay attention, though, to where you’re going.”

  Hannah felt her face flush. He was completely right. “Yes, I’m sorry. I was just so intent on finding what I need to hang my paintings.”

  “I just saw the hanging kits in the next aisle. That’s probably what you’re looking for?”

  “Yes, I think so. Thanks.” Hannah went to scurry away, but his next words stopped her.

  “So, how did you manage to get that house, anyway? I never saw it go on the market. I was waiting.”

  Oh, no. David had wanted her house! Just one more reason for him to dislike her.

  “Um, I’m not sure. Your grandmother actually referred me to Missy Roring, and she lined up a bunch of houses for me to see. I fell in love with the one on Edgewater immediately.”

  “My grandmother referred you?” David sounded confused.

  “Well, not directly. I asked my brother and Maggie. Maggie said she was going to the weekly gathering where all the Quinn women meet to watch Dancing with the Stars and that she’d ask there. She said that her grandmother made the suggestion and was actually pretty insistent that I call Missy. So, I did.”

  David continued to give Hannah a strange, considering look.

  “Well, I guess I can’t blame you, then. It is a great house.”

  Hannah relaxed a little. “I really do love it, and the area, too. Do you live nearby?”