Denton: A Hathaway House Heartwarming Romance

by Dale Mayer

  But he would enjoy the rest of his evening more.

  Chapter 12

  Hannah decided she’d go for a swim before meeting Denton. She’d done a lot of thinking about her life since his arrival. Figuring out what it was that had changed so much. Because something had indeed changed—she just wasn’t exactly sure what. She’d met literally dozens of people here in the last year—patients, staff, support workers, family members—and then all the delivery vehicle drivers, etc. And in all that time, none of them had influenced her the way Denton did. Partly because she could see their friendship blossom. Partly because she had noticed some friendships were debilitating. As somebody who had spent so much time thinking about friends, that wasn’t an easy thing to watch—it made her feel terrible.

  She could never have explained why she worried about it. She had mentioned it earlier to Denton but hadn’t gone into detail. It wasn’t her place, but as soon as the opportunity presented itself, she would consider telling him. There was nothing wrong in finding security in numbers.

  All she wanted was to have more friends. She finally realized that having friends was an important part of life.

  Friendships were also important for their own healing abilities. Life was such a surprising mix of people; she couldn’t help but wonder if she hadn’t screwed up somewhere along the line. Screwed up in a way she had no right to.

  She didn’t want to be the girlfriend who split up her boyfriend’s long-term group of male friends.

  She wasn’t a psychiatrist, a medical doctor, a therapist, or counselor. Maybe her comment to Denton about distancing himself from his friends was taking Denton too far from Brock and Cole. She didn’t want that. Not in any way. She owed Denton an apology. As she slowly swam from one end of the pool to the other, taking her time, diving and floating, her mind kept running over the issues, feeling the pain and the regret. And the worry. Why hadn’t she considered this evolution earlier?

  There was more to work on, but she hadn’t given it much thought. It hadn’t hit her until she saw his two friends walking toward him and realized the distance Denton had put between the three of them was wrong because Brock and Cole didn’t do anything wrong. She had. She now realized the impact her words had on people. The impact her being here had on people. She shouldn’t have separated Brock and Cole from Denton. She shouldn’t have had anything to do with that. She should’ve kept her mouth shut, and the fact that she hadn’t was incredibly disturbing.

  When she broke through the surface of the water, she had a newfound sense of resolve.

  She knew what she needed to do, but it wouldn’t be easy. And if it turned out badly, she could change her mind. That wouldn’t be good because it could end up with her losing her job. But she’d rather lose her job than have Denton lose his friends. Because it wasn’t just Denton who was affected but also Brock and Cole. And that was not good. She walked to the shallow end of the pool, her heart heavy.

  “There you are.” Denton stood nearby smiling down at her.

  “Hi. Did you have a good dinner?”

  He nodded. “It’s always good to spend time with my friends.”

  She nodded, but inside she hurt. Because of course, he hadn’t been spending time with his friends because of her. She grabbed her towel and slowly made her way out.

  “Did you eat?” Denton asked.

  “I had some salad. I wanted a swim first. I’ll grab something more now.” She dried off, grabbed her beach cover-up and threw it over her bathing suit. She didn’t have any issues with her body, but she was extremely unhappy with who she was inside right now. And that sense of vulnerability hurt. She walked beside him. “You want to grab a table for coffee?”

  He grinned and said cheerfully, “Dennis is bringing it over.”

  She chuckled. “Good. That saves me a trip, and Dennis is a sweetheart.”

  “I heard my name,” Dennis called out from the stairs.

  She glanced over to see him enter the pool area, a large tray in his hand. The evening sun was setting, and they chose a table off to the side, still bathed in the sun’s glow.

  Hannah sat in one of the chairs, still rubbing her hair with her towel. “This looks lovely.”

  “Well, I knew you were coming down here, and you didn’t eat much earlier,” Dennis said. “So this is a hot beef sandwich and a Greek salad—which I know you love—and coffee and desserts for you both. Enjoy.” Then he turned and walked upstairs.

  “Thank you,” Hannah and Denton said together.

  Denton chuckled. “Some of the people here seem so perfect for their roles. Like they really enjoy their lives and what they do for everyone.”

  “Isn’t that the truth?” She stared at the roast beef sandwich and smiled. “And you know something? He’s right. I am hungry.” She dug into her sandwich and ate it without taking a break.

  “You were hungry.”

  She grabbed a napkin, wiped her fingers and then her face and nodded. “I didn’t think I was at first, but there’s nothing quite like swimming and a little bit of worry to get somebody’s appetite going.”

  “Not me. When I get worried, I can’t eat.”

  “I’m the opposite,” she said. “When I’m worried or upset, food becomes therapy.”

  “And yet, you are still slim.”

  She shrugged. “Metabolism. Apparently it’s gonna catch up with me later.” She gave him a smile. “But so far, I’ve been lucky.”

  “Besides, what can you possibly be worried about?”

  She shook her head and stayed quiet, choosing to sip her coffee instead.

  “Is it something that you can’t share with a friend?” he teased.

  “It’s not that so much as I’m afraid I’ve done something wrong. I’m finally realizing the impact my words have on other people.”

  He slowly lowered his own cup of coffee. “Wow, that sounds serious.”

  She settled back into her chair. “It is. I just don’t know how serious.”

  “Well, I’m here, available to listen, anytime you want to talk.”

  She winced. Should she? Or should she talk it over with somebody else first? Had she done something to harm him? At the same time she didn’t know if it had affected him at all. “Maybe I’m worrying for nothing.”

  “So tell me, and then I can help you.”

  She stared down at her coffee on the table. “It concerns you.”

  There, she had said it. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching his reaction. He lowered his cup of coffee, his gaze darkening. She didn’t know what was going on behind his gaze—she was afraid he’d get mad at her.

  He leaned forward slightly in his chair. “Tell me.”

  She gave a small shrug. “I’m worrying that my comments about you being too dependent on your friends had a negative effect and gave you a bad reason to distance yourself from them.”

  He settled back into his chair and studied her for a long moment.

  She felt the silence. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with that, but until he spoke up, she couldn’t do a lot. She wanted to rush in and fill the void with nonsense or make excuses, but something told her to hold her peace.

  “And you’re worried about that?”

  She nodded.

  “The thing is, you were correct. I was extremely dependent on my friends, and it never even occurred to me until you said that.”

  She winced. “But I didn’t want to come between you and your friends.”

  He chuckled. “See? That’s where your inexperience with how good friends work comes into play.” He lifted his mug again. “Just because I needed some space and distance to figure out how much my neediness was affecting my own healing and my ability to move forward, it didn’t affect their relationships with me.”

  “Yes, it did. Sandra came by and asked about you, wondering why you would distance yourself.”

  “Of course they were worried for me and about me. But they weren’t worried I didn’t care about them anymore. T
heir worry was that something was going on outside of me that they didn’t know about, and they didn’t know how to help. They were offering me support then they backed away and let me do my thing.”

  “Did they ask you what you were upset about?”

  He nodded. “To some extent. The result was that they understood, but they thought I was being foolish.”

  “And are you?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe. But I needed to examine it. I needed to look back on the situation from childhood to see if it was true or false. And for that, I thank you.”

  She stared at the table for a long moment, wondering if it really was that simple. She gave a sigh. “Thank you. I’m still not sure you understand the effect this could have on you and your friends. And I’m afraid that I may have caused a problem that isn’t so easily resolved.”

  “You didn’t cause a problem. You created an awareness of something I needed to look at. I decided I was extremely dependent, and I have spoken to my counselor and my shrink about it extensively in the last few days. And I know you’re probably worried I’m upset and angry at you for pointing it out, but I’m delighted you did.”

  She sat back in surprise. “Well …”

  He chuckled. “Right? And here you were, worried about it all for nothing.”

  She shook her head. “I was thinking about all the people I’ve met since I arrived here last year and how a few of them have made an impact on me. I’ve seen inner strength in others who have surmounted incredible obstacles. Obstacles I’ve never been challenged to overcome. I found some incredible people who have done some incredible things. Their attitudes have been phenomenal. And it’s made me look at who I am. Made me realize how lucky I am and how grateful I am to be here. To meet these wonderful people and learn about the reality of living an authentic life from them. I have a lot to learn,” she admitted. “But the people I’ve met here have taught me more than I realized.”

  “Absolutely. That’s one of the big things I have always said. When I woke up in the hospital and saw the extent of my injuries, I knew I got away lucky. I still had all four limbs. I still had a body that could stand upright. That was a powerful motivator to do some of things I had never had a chance to do before. And I felt truly blessed. There were days when I was dark and angry and hating life, wondering why this had happened to me in the first place. But there were so many good things about it I quickly moved on.”

  She nodded. “That’s one of the things I like about you. Your ability to see the sunshine. Most people here don’t get there for quite a while.”

  He leaned forward. “Don’t forget. I recuperated in the hospital for a long while. I was late coming here compared to the others. Brock’s injuries were much more severe than mine. His recuperation has been longer and harder. Yet, he did it in such a fine style I had to stand up and do my best to face my injuries with the same courage.”

  As he said the words, he could feel the truth of them rippling through him. Words he never expected to say. He’d never been one to analyze things like that. There were just so many things he could do without having to stop and spend time in deep thinking. And yet, he thought about all the benefits of having friends. Benefits he had depended on when he first got here. Emotions and needs he hadn’t even discussed or contemplated before, and having nothing to do with him getting injured but from way back in his childhood. Okay, maybe his childhood issues influenced his initial emotions about his injuries. So, she had been right to bring it all up. In fact, he was glad she had because he’d had no way of seeing it without her comment.

  He’d taken his relationships with Cole and Brock for granted.

  And that wasn’t good. What she wanted for him, and what he wanted for himself, was to know he could do this without his friends, a complete either/or situation. Either fully engaged with his friends or not engaged at all unless Brock or Cole reached out to Denton. To know that his healing would come about whether Cole and Brock were here or not. They were damn good people, and he was proud to call them friends. But he also knew he couldn’t afford to let something happen to that friendship. Which, considering they both had partners, was possible.

  “Denton, you seem awfully somber. Are the worries of the world sitting on your shoulders?”

  He lifted his head, then shrugged. “No, not at all. I’m blessed to have friends in my life, but I need to know I can handle whatever comes my way, even if they’re not here. They are great people, and I’m honored, but time changes everything. Maybe that’s why I was desperate to come here. Because, after my accident, I knew I’d do well here because they were here. We were all injured within months of each other, which seemed to be part of that same ongoing theme. But I also needed to know I could recover here without them.”

  “Well, that time is now, is it not? Isn’t Brock moving on soon?”

  Denton nodded. “He is. He’s hoping to find a job working in Dallas. He still has to find a place to live, so I’ll see him for a while, but he won’t be here every day after that.”

  She nodded. “That sounds like progress. A necessary progress in a whole different way for him as well.”

  Denton smiled. “Absolutely. And once again he’s leading the way. He always did in our relationships. With every group of friends you have different strengths, and Brock was always a good one for charging forward and letting us know what the weather would be like up ahead.”

  “I think that’s a lovely thing,” she said warmly. “And just because you’re considering all this, it does not mean you aren’t capable of doing everything you want to.”

  He sat back and chuckled. “It’s interesting how you have minimal friends and have been alone most of your life while I come from a large SEAL family, a big support group, lots of friends. We each have something the other would like to have.”

  “I can’t say too many people have said that to me before,” she said. “Most of the time people see me as standoffish, reserved, maybe even cold.”

  “All of which are completely different and have no bearing on who you really are. They might think you’re reserved, and you could be because you don’t present yourself as super friendly. Hence what you’re working on. And yet, at the same time, you’re independent, and that can be threatening to people. As if you don’t need anybody, and if you don’t need them, a lot of times they are not sure what their role is in a relationship with you.”

  “That’s a harsh way to look at relationships.”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. They are bringing something different than what you have to offer into a friendship. That’s normal. We each offer something different. We each need something different. As you’re making me see that I’ve needed that support. To know that somebody was there for me. To know I wasn’t alone handling what I had to handle.”

  She winced.

  He rushed to reassure her. “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. You are so capable of handling your problems alone. This is a good thing.”

  She laughed. “I’m not sure how it can be. But if you say so.”

  “It’s a very good thing, if you think about it. Look at how much more you’ve learned about yourself. That’s important. What I’ve learned about me doesn’t change my friendship with Brock and Cole, and it doesn’t change how much I need or want them in my life. It helps in a different way. It helps me grow as a person. Part of me came here feeling like I didn’t belong. I wasn’t as badly hurt as so many I see, including my friend Cole, who has a harder road to travel. But I’m here to help him. I was thinking that their presence helps me.”

  “And you’ve given me a great reminder that friendship is about giving and taking. And although I was saying the words, I wasn’t following up with the actions.”

  Chapter 13

  “And you also have to remember,” she said, “you are injured. Several times you said you aren’t as badly injured as the others. There is no comparison here. You came because you needed help. You came because this was the place to get your physical bod
y back as good as it could be, and along with that comes the work to make the mental and psychological aspects of yourself whole as well. It doesn’t matter how you are when you arrive. You still deserve to be here. You still deserve to have your friends around you, pulling for you, rooting for you. It’s almost like you’ve been overly friendly all this time because you feel guilty.”

  He tilted his head, frowned. “Guilty?”

  She nodded. “Yes. You are feeling guilty you weren’t as badly injured as the others. Guilty that Cole was suffering more than you. That Brock suffered and that so many others here are suffering. Look at you. Can you focus on your own healing as much as you focused on helping everyone else? It’s not that you’re purposely running yourself ragged, but how many times, at the end of the day, do I come see you, and you’re exhausted? Sure, I know Shane’s workouts take a toll on you. All of your rehab does. But I’m sure you are also popping into almost every room to give words of encouragement to others.”

  His eyebrows rose. “And that can’t be just my natural personality?”

  This time a note of defensiveness was in his tone. One she recognized. “Of course it can,” she said gently. “But it’s also important to make sure you’re not doing it to absolve yourself of any guilt because these men are suffering more than you ever did.”

  His pinched face meant she had crossed the line. She still hadn’t learned to keep her mouth shut. She said, “I didn’t mean to take the conversation in that direction. You can take the parts that fit and disregard the rest.”

  She gave him a quick smile. “And now I’m getting chilled, so I’ll take these dishes to Dennis and go to my room for the night.” She stood, collected all the dishes, and headed to the stairs with her tray. When she was halfway up, she glanced back. He hadn’t moved.