When they were on the street, he turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Come with me to watch the end of Danny’s practice and then I’ll introduce you.”
“Just a minute ago, you were unsure and now you want me to meet him. Now?” Her eyes were wide and she was smiling with nervousness.
“Yes, what do you think?” They didn’t have time to talk if they were going to catch Danny before the practice was over.
She gave him one last look in the eye and said, “Let’s go for it.”
Chapter 7
He gave her quick directions and told her to call him if she got lost. She wouldn’t though. She knew exactly where she was going. The thought made her stomach do cartwheels. She couldn’t believe how close they’d been all these years and never ran into each other. She supposed they didn’t live in a small town so she shouldn’t be surprised. Even at work, she could go months without seeing people, and she worked in the office. She guessed they could chalk it up to the large city they lived in and fate. Maybe they just weren’t destined to meet again until now.
She saw a small convenience store on the way and made a quick decision to pull in. She couldn’t meet his son for the first time empty handed. She thought of Leila’s suggestion of buying him a toy and laughed. On her way inside the store, she took out her cell and sent a quick message to her best friend telling her where she was going. She was crazy nervous and thought she might need a drink when she got home.
Hannah raced through the store, grabbing a giant bottle of orange Gatorade, a package of beef jerky, and some licorice. That would do it. On her way out, she heard her phone chime. It was Leila wishing her luck. Her friend had stopped pouring salt on old wounds and had finally given in to the idea of Hannah and Adam getting back together. After hearing Leila talk about Aaron, Hannah knew that it had to be hard for her. If the roles were reversed, she knew her heart would ache knowing her friend was going to be happily back together with her lost love’s twin brother. The only difference is, is that Leila gave him up. She could have punched her through the wall when Lei broke up with Aaron. She couldn’t believe her friend would give up something she so desperately wanted.
Ten minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot at the junior high. Adam was waiting for her near the sidewalk, and he looked nervous. He ran his fingers through his thick messy hair several times as she made her way to him and she thought he might have changed his mind.
“Did you get lost?”
She gestured to her bags. “No, I stopped to get Danny some snacks for after practice.”
He smiled and he bent down to kiss her. “I love you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t think your sweet talk is gonna get your hands on this food,” she joked with him as he took her hand. They walked through the school till they came to a wide open field. She could see the boys in formation on either side of the ball. Some wore the yellow mesh covers to differentiate the teams. She scanned them quickly, wondering which one was Danny. They reached some lunch tables and took a seat. Hannah set down her purse and the bag of snacks, and focused her attention back on the players.
Adam took one of her hands in his and held it on his thigh. “Don’t worry, Hannah. Everything will be fine.”
She stared at the group of boys as they ran another play. One kid stood out with his tall lean body, and thick jet black hair. He intercepted the ball and ran for a few yards before someone pulled his flag. He didn’t spike the ball or drop it, he ran it back and gave it to the coach who put it back down where he spotted it. That had to be Danny. What a great sport. Hannah watched him as they ran a few more plays, each time he was in a different position, and each time he kicked ass. She loved watching football, but she had never watched anyone she knew who was good. Her brother played, but only because their dad wanted him to and he was terrible.
When the coach blew a whistle, the boys jogged to the sidelines. She looked at her watch.
“Water break,” Adam told her. “Did you spot him yet?”
She looked up and noticed a big smile on his face. “Sure did.”
“I thought you would.”
They looked back at the players and she noticed someone get Danny’s attention and point in their direction. He ran over to his coach and then started jogging toward them. This was it. She was going to meet Adam’s son. He was adorable. She couldn’t believe how tall he was. He would pass up his dad, for sure. His hair was just as dark and wavy as his dads, but shorter.
Time sped up as he got closer. She thought she might faint. When Adam stood, she did too.
“Hey, I don’t have much time,” Danny said as he jogged toward them. “I just wanted to say hi real quick.”
He reached up and gave his dad a hug and her heart melted. “Hey, Dad.” And then he turned to her and put his arms around her. “Hey, Hannah.” She was in complete shock, in a good way, and she didn’t know what to do. She quickly hugged him back and a swell of emotions rose through her chest.
Danny released her. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get you sweaty.” And then he jogged back to his team, leaving Hannah and Adam speechless. They watched him in silence as he turned back with a giant smile and thumbs up.
Hannah sat back down while a tear slipped down her cheek. With just one hello and a quick sweaty embrace, she was toast. She loved this kid as if he were her own. She couldn’t believe how he’d come over and treated her as if he’d known her forever. With that one sweet gesture, he’d calmed her nerves and made her feel so welcome.
“He’s perfect,” she said, just barely above a whisper. Adam hooked an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.
“He is, isn’t he?”
She watched the team get back to their plays, and studied Danny as he followed his coach’s directions and played with a smile on his face. He did have a huge heart. He was definitely something special.
Adam nearly came apart when his son hugged Hannah. He never expected it, but he wasn’t surprised. The look on Hannah’s face was priceless. He watched in awe as her nerves melted away and her eyes welled up with tears. He knew the look in her eyes. She was going to fall in love with Danny faster than he thought. Danny had that way with people.
Adam rubbed his hand up and down Hannah’s arm until she wiped the last of her tears away and he felt her relax. “You okay?”
She looked up at him and kissed his cheek. He smiled at her touch. “Yeah, I’m okay now. Just needed a minute.” She let out a sigh with a loud, “Woo!” Adam laughed. “That was amazing. I didn’t know what I was going to feel. It was like he knocked the wind out of me. He just walked up and got. Right. In. Here.” She punctuated her words with a tap at her heart.
“I know the feeling. He still does that to me and I’ve known him since he was born.”
They both looked up at the sound of a whistle. Practice was over. Adam wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but he was feeling pretty confident that everything would be just right.
They watched as the players gathered gear and put it away in a metal storage container near a locker room. The coach excused the team and some walked in groups out of the gates while others met their parents. Some even met up with girls, and Adam wondered if his son ever chatted with the ladies after practice. If he was anything like his dad was at his age, he knew damn straight he was taking any chance he could to do just that.
Danny said his goodbyes to his teammates and made his way to his dad and Hannah.
“Hey, guys,” Danny said, without a care in the world as if it were any other day. As if he hadn’t just met the woman who he’d envisioned as his mother for almost his entire life. “Thanks for coming, Hannah.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad I could make it.” Her voice was a little high pitched at first, but then it settled. “I brought you some after practice snacks. I bet you worked up an appetite.” She held out the small plastic bag to him, and he took it.
Danny took a peek inside and did a goofy little happy dance. “Dad,
I like her. I think we’re going to get along just great.” He reached in, grabbed the bottle of Gatorade, untwisted the cap, and took a long swig, draining half the bottle. He went for the licorice next. He yanked open the package and took a bite from one. While he chewed, he asked, “So what’s for dinner? Pizza? Hannah, wanna come over and watch the game? Dad’s recording it.”
Adam gave Hannah a questioning look, and she nodded.
“Sounds good, if it’s okay with your dad.” They started to walk slowly to the exit.
“Of course it is.” He held out a hand to his boy. “Hey, bud, give me a piece of licorice.”
“You’re crazy, old man. I just worked hard and need the calories. I wouldn’t want you to mess up your girlish figure.”
Hannah laughed. “I already told him to get his own. He’s been eyeballin’ them since we got here.”
Ha. She hadn’t forgotten his love of sweets, especially Red Vines.
“Punks. I’m gonna buy a tub, and I’m not sharing with either of you.”
The three of them strolled to the parking lot, joking and chatting away while Danny shared his licorice with Hannah and his dad.
Adam couldn’t help but smile. Someone should probably be pinching him because it felt an awful lot like a dream. He had his son. He had his love. And the three of them were all together. Talking away, and messing around. Just like a family. It may have taken too many years for it to finally happen, but it was worth the wait.
Chapter 8
The next month flew by with Adam and Hannah falling into a solid routine. After that first dinner watching Thursday Night Football, Hannah had become a consistent fixture in the Cooper household. Adam was starting to think he needed to do something to make sure not only was her presence consistent, but it was also permanent. He could truly picture waking up to her gorgeous face for the rest of his life. The few times she had slept over, it was pure bliss. They had to wait for nights when Danny stayed at a friend’s, and those times weren’t enough for him. He wanted her in his bed every night.
Even without her having slumber parties at their house, she was still there at least two nights a week. He’d prefer more but he didn’t want to push her. She was adamant about making time for Leila. She had told him Lei was ready to have a meltdown when she heard they were back together. It didn’t surprise him at all. Leila and Aaron belonged together as much as he belonged with Hannah. Maybe there was something he could do about that. That is, if Lei put her bitch act aside and let him. It would take a lot for her to admit she was wrong whereas Adam had gladly worn the asshole badge. He would’ve done anything to get Hannah back.
Danny walked into the kitchen where his dad was drinking a cup of black coffee, and eating a piece of whole wheat toast with a generous amount of fake butter. He considered the fake butter spread and whole grains a compromise so he could eat fat and carbs in the form of pizza and wings during football games.
“Dad, can I go to the movies tonight?” he asked, as he poured a glass of milk.
“With who?” was always Adam’s first question.
“The usual. Sean and Billy.” Danny sat next to his dad at the table with a cold Pop Tart. The kid didn’t even toast the things. He ate them straight out the box. Adam made a face at his son’s choice of breakfast. He passed him a banana. “What? You’re the one who buys these things.”
Adam gave him a look, and Danny flashed him a smile. “I’ll remember that the next time we go to the store.”
“So, can I go?” he asked again, crumbs falling from his mouth as he spoke. Adam had a great kid. Now if only he could get him to eat with his mouth closed and not talk with his mouth full. His mom had reminded him that he was the same way until he got his first girlfriend. Then it was all about brushing his teeth and taking showers three times a day, not to mention the bathing in cologne. Their phone had yet to start ringing off the hook with calls from squealing teenage girls, and he’d gladly put off that time for as long as possible. But, he wouldn’t mind food staying in his boy’s mouth.
“Who’s taking you and what time will you be home?”
Danny frowned at the twenty questions but he didn’t expect anything less from his dad. “Billy’s sister is taking us and Sean’s mom is picking us up. Just like always. I’ll be home by 11.”
“What are you going to do until then? You don’t have practice today.” Adam was sure the boys didn’t play the last day of school before vacation. Danny was going to be off for a full week for Thanksgiving. He thought he might take a few extra days off himself so they could do something together. Nothing big, maybe just some quick day trips. He knew Hannah would be off too, with her school schedule, so he’d hoped the three of them could agree on something.
“We’re going to Billy’s.” Danny shoved the last of his fruit in his mouth. “I gotta go or I’m gonna be late. We good?”
“Yeah. Just keep your phone on. Take your charger if you need to. If I want to talk to you, I don’t want to hear the ‘my battery died excuse.’” He hadn’t heard it yet but it didn’t stop him from reminding the kid.
“Thanks, Dad.” He leaned down for a hug. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“Be careful,” Adam called out as his son made his way to the door.
Danny turned back around. “Dad.” Adam raised his chin to him. “I think you should invite Hannah to Thanksgiving dinner. It’d be cool, don’t ya think?”
Adam smiled. “Yeah, bud. I think it’s a great idea.”
Hannah sat at her desk thinking about the two new men in her life. She was giddy as all get out and sometimes felt like a smiling idiot. But what else could people expect from a girl whose dreams were coming true? Well, to be honest, she’d never dreamed of Danny, but she still felt like he was part of them the whole time. It was often she thought back to the first time she met him at his football practice and now was one of those times. His sweet hug was something she’d never forget. She had been a ball of nerves, and Adam looked just as freaked as she was even though he wouldn’t admit it. But Danny swooped in and saved the day.
She had dinner with them that night. Hannah stopped to get dessert on the way over and when she got there, everything seemed to fall into place. Danny was getting paper plates and napkins out of a cabinet when she walked into the kitchen. He greeted her like they had been lifelong friends. And for the rest of the night, the three of them sat on a couch in front of a big screen plasma TV watching football, eating pizza, wings, and licorice. During the fourth quarter, she got up and made root beer floats. She served the guys their ice cream drinks and sat down, again, between them. She asked Danny for a piece of licorice and used it as a straw. A silly grin came over his face, and Adam shook his head. She wasn’t sure what that had been about but it looked like a cute inside joke. When the game was over, Danny helped clean up and then he said goodnight to both Adam and Hannah like it was part of some nightly routine.
And it had become routine. Somewhat. A few nights a week, she had dinner with the guys but didn’t stay too late. They had only been to her house once. It made sense for her to go to Adam’s so Danny could do homework or go to sleep whenever he wanted. She made sure that he was always comfortable with anything they did. He was an easy going kid so it didn’t take much to please him.
She laughed herself out of her daze when the bell rang signaling lunch time was over for the students. Her stomach growled reminding her to take out her food and chow down while she had the chance. The office was quiet today, probably because so many kids had left for vacation early.
Leila peeked her head in. “Want some company?”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why you ask. It’s not like you’d leave if I said no.”
“Bitch,” her boss called her.
Hannah raised a brow. “You better watch it, sister, or I’ll file a grievance.”
Both women laughed at the thought. “So how’s the instant family coming along?”
“Same as when you asked yesterday.” Hannah
was getting tired of her negativity but she didn’t say anything. She knew she didn’t mean anything by it. It was just her way of dealing with Hannah’s sudden happiness and the heartbreak she felt over Aaron. “Hey, I was thinking …”
Leila cut her off. “You should try not to think. The last time you did that we ended up in Vegas, bar hopping in that one casino at two dollar drink night.”
“Hey, don’t hate. That was a perfect night. Who knew there were like ten bars in that casino? We never had to leave. It was safe. And cheap.”
Leila took the last bite of her sandwich through a smile. “Okay, fine. Tell me your bright idea.”
“Come over for dinner tomorrow night. I’d like you to meet Adam.” She paused. “Well, you know him. But you can meet Danny too.”
“Is Adam okay with that?” she asked as if she couldn’t believe he would be.
“Yes, I told him.” She reached out and covered her friend’s hand with her own. “Adam knows you’re my best friend and we come as a package deal. Of course, he wants to get to know you again.”
Leila sighed, but a smile swept across her face. She got up and stood in the doorway of Hannah’s office. “Fine. What should I bring?”
Hannah had thought about making lasagna, salad, and some toasted cheese bread but the weather took a turn toward summer in November and she had no interest in turning her oven on. Adam talked her into having a good old BBQ with hamburgers and hot dogs. It was less work for her and little clean up so she thought it was a fantastic idea.
The guys came over early to help her set up. The way they all moved throughout the house with such ease made her feel like they were just any ordinary family, and that made her feel good. The guys brought in the groceries as Hannah started putting things away. Danny took out the trash as it filled and Adam headed outside to get the grill going.
“Is there anything I can help you with,” Danny asked when he came back from another round of trash duty.
More Than A Friend Request Page 7
