by Amber Lynn
Table of 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
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Amber Lynn
Copyright © 2017 Amber Lynn
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
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
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 1
“Are you kidding me?”
The tug pulling Hannah’s gray pea coat back towards the red sedan she just exited was hard enough it almost gave her whiplash. The motion would’ve sent her down to her knees, if she wasn’t tethered to the car. Instead, she was merely surprised the coat hadn’t ripped in two, or at the very least need to deal with a giant tear. Her luck usually leaned towards the disastrous side of things, so she was always prepared for the worst.
There were better words rolling through her head than the somewhat mundane question she asked under her breath, but Hannah tried her hardest to curse as little as possible. It was something that took some getting used to. Her new boss at work hated cussing, and Hannah was tired of meeting the end of one of her scowls. As a girl who grew up with four older brothers, cussing usually came as second nature. Before said boss lady came into her life, getting stuck in a car door would’ve resulted in her screaming the F-word at least a few times.
“I’m not going to ask how you managed to get a coat that barely covers your hips stuck in a car door.”
Nina’s voice held a touch of amusement, along with her usual annoyance. Hannah doubted Nina knew her words always sounded like she was pissed off about something. If she did, one would think she’d do something to lighten her tone. Although, Nina had made it clear when she was just a kid that she didn’t care what people thought of her.
Hannah reached behind her and fumbled with the door handle. She couldn’t turn to open the door like she’d normally attempt, which only made the situation more awkward. Being known as a klutz wasn’t Hannah’s favorite trait. She liked to think she was smart, but her brain power rarely shone through when people witnessed her dropping ketchup on her shirt and tripping over her own feet.
Glaring at her friend as she finally opened the door, Hannah sighed and stepped away from the door before turning and closing it. Nina had no problem getting her always polished self out of the car without incident. The woman had already made it over to the driver’s side and was looking at her phone. It surprised Hannah that she’d even noticed the dilemma.
“If you don’t mind, let’s just keep it between us.”
The fair-haired woman in the duo looked up from her phone perplexed, which was a look that rarely crossed her face. Nina generally didn’t squint her eyes and the way her dark red lips pursed out wasn’t her usual come-hither appearance.
“Why would I make a point of telling anyone how clumsy you are? Since we’re attached at the hip, it looks bad for me.”
Obviously, it wasn’t only Nina’s tone that made her sound like a word that rhymes with witch half the time. Hannah and she met the first day of second grade, so Hannah was used to dealing with what others may call a snob. Snob was mild compared to what Hannah usually heard people call Nina. Twenty years of friendship meant there wasn’t much Nina could do or say that would surprise Hannah. Her concern for how people perceived her was typical Nina. At the root of it, she didn’t care, but she liked to pretend she did.
“I’m just saying, you know, in case the alcohol gets flowing and you start blurting out random things, let’s make sure that’s not one of them.”
Hannah busied herself smoothing out the black dress she’d picked out for the reunion they were about to join. It was their ten-year high school reunion to be specific, an event Hannah had begged not to attend. Facing anyone after even just a decade wasn’t on her to-do list.
She’d feel differently if she had accomplished anything in those ten years, like Nina had. In high school, Nina had been voted most likely to be running a business, and not surprisingly she was. Thankfully for Hannah, her friend was kind enough to bring her along for part of the journey. Hannah was sure the only reason that had happened was because Nina knew there was no way her thunder would be stolen. It also helped that Hannah balanced Nina’s somewhat crazy nature. When she got close to the ledge, Hannah was there to pull her back.
The shining light on the years since high school was that Hannah did like her job, maybe even loved it. She wasn’t too keen on the woman Nina had hired to head up the accounting department, but she was still trying to come to peace with it.
When the job had been posted, Hannah had briefly considered putting her hat in the ring. She had seniority over the three other number crunchers in the department, and there wasn’t any doubt whether she could boss them around, but management had never been her strong suit. Plus, she really didn’t want to hear the whispering that she only got the job because she was Nina’s friend.
“Are you going to stand there and ponder whatever insipid thought crossed your mind all night, or can we go in? I think we’ve waited just long enough for me to make a grand entrance. I can’t wait to see all the old and chubby faces taking in the fact that I’m still as beautiful as I was ten years ago.”
In the shimmering silver dress Nina wore, which reminded Hannah a little of a disco ball, Hannah didn’t doubt her friend would make an entrance anytime she walked in. The blonde turned heads everywhere she went. That fact drove Hannah’s decision to still hang out with the woman, even when Nina grated on her nerves. When Nina was anywhere in a room, people generally ignored Hannah. She hated social occasions. Sitting in a corner was about the only way she could make it through them, and Nina made that task easy.
“It wasn’t insipid, and you know how much I hate it when you think my thoughts are nothing.”
The principle of Hannah’s thoughts being her own drove the comment. She could have been thinking about something important, like whether or n
ot she shut off the stove. Since Nina lived in the same apartment building, that thought would have been just as important to her. The idea that Hannah would ever leave the house without checking the stove at least three times made it a bad example, but it was the thought that was important.
“Whatever,” Nina said as her heels clacked on the pavement underneath them.
Just being in the parking lot was more of a social setting than Hannah preferred, so while Nina had made herself busy more than likely checking all her social accounts and emails, Hannah had tried to stand as still as possible after adjusting her dress. She sometimes hoped she’d turn into a statue with her stiff stance.
Nina didn’t turn around to see if Hannah followed behind her. She didn’t need Hannah as an anchor to make it through the night, even though she’d forced Hannah to accept the invite. Other than maybe being part of an anecdote or two, Hannah would be forgotten the second Nina walked through the doors of the high school gymnasium.
It was better that the reunion was there instead of some fancy restaurant. Hannah had done some research on the internet about what to expect at a reunion and those seemed to be the options for locations. The closer quarters of a restaurant would have had her hyperventilating the second she stepped inside. It was bad enough that she still wanted to hyperventilate, even knowing where there were some good hiding spots to sneak away from everyone.
Hannah stood motionless in the parking lot for a few more seconds. She was curious whether Nina would notice her shadow wasn’t behind her and hoped that if she went unnoticed, she never had to move from the spot. The universe never worked in Hannah’s favor, so it was no shock when Nina’s voice echoed through the parking lot.
“I know what you’re doing. Stop it.”
Adding on to her already harsh tone, Nina added her CEO voice to the mix. The woman could bark orders at anyone, or anything, and her directions would be followed. Hannah swore it stopped snowing once because Nina screamed out the window for it to stop. It was unnerving to spend so much time with someone who had that kind of power.
A brief thought to sigh was ignored as Hannah started following in her friend’s footsteps. At least the reunion was at the end of summer and not winter. There were no signs of snowflakes in sight. Good news, simply for the fact that snow usually means ice and Hannah and ice weren’t friends.
Nina stood at the door and fluffed her curly locks to make sure they bounced. At least that’s how Hannah interpreted the soft pushes at the bottom of her hair. Not having an ounce of vanity in her blood, Hannah had trouble understanding why anyone would bother. The motion just looked weird.
The few boyfriends she’d had seemed to think she was okay to look at. Hannah thought it was more the fact that her metabolism often functioned in overdrive that wooed her suitors. She’d always been basically flat as a board, so she didn’t know how other body types meshed with dating, but every one of those boyfriends often commented about how much they loved how skinny she was.
There shouldn’t be any mystery about why those boyfriends were all exes. Hannah wanted to feel a connection with someone, and someone who was with her because they didn’t like a little meat on a woman’s bones wasn’t someone she saw her spending a lot of time with.
It wasn’t solely the fact that they were shallow. Hannah could write a novel filled with all the reasons those relationships didn’t work. Walking into her past wasn’t exactly the best time to think about horrible relationships, but Hannah’s mind tended to wander aimlessly when she headed towards stressful situations.
“Oh my god, Nina.”
Nina had barely opened the door all the way before the vultures descended. Hannah wasn’t sure which one of them had squealed, but it had to be one of the three women who were quick to rush over and wrap their arms around Nina. Cooing ensued while Hannah returned to her statue stance. She couldn’t force herself inside with the bodies blocking her way.
Something made the hairs on the back of Hannah’s neck stand up. Hearing anything over the rapid catching up going on was impossible, yet her body reacted to something. It was like she’d stuck a fork in a socket. The charge was that strong.
“Once a shadow, always a shadow?”
Hannah was surprised her body responded before the gruff words made it to her ears. The second she recognized the voice, her whole body shivered, much to her horror. There was no reason Curtis’ voice, or presence, would mean a thing to her, but it quickly brought back about every insecurity she could remember from high school.
He was clearly speaking to her. That didn’t mean Hannah bothered to turn around and dive into a conversation. She couldn’t have even if she wanted to. Her statue stance had never been more on point.
There was a part of her that wished Curtis meant more in the words than just teasing her. There wasn’t a girl in high school who wouldn’t have died to be attached to the guy in some way. Hannah had followed his hockey career from afar and knew the years hadn’t changed that desire.
He was still drop dead gorgeous, and as far as any research indicated he was single. Not even a mention anywhere of a divorce. He’d never shown signs of swinging for the other team, but Hannah found it hard to believe he’d made it to almost thirty without a wife.
The talking around her stopped and Nina, along with her other friends, focused their attention above Hannah’s left shoulder. Hannah couldn’t see Curtis, but heat rolled off his body, making her think he was even closer than she’d originally thought. She hadn’t let herself believe he was less than a foot away, because that would be crazy on his part.
“Curtis Power as I live and breathe.”
Nina fanned herself as she spoke. It was well known that Curtis was the one guy from high school Nina wanted and never got. Nina had pulled out all the stops to try to get his attention, and she was often successful in making sure she was noticed, but a relationship was never in the cards for the duo. At least not when they were eighteen. Hannah had to concede that the successful CEO vibe Nina had going for her could change that.
Then again, Hannah remembered some tension between the two of them that she’d never understood. She’d asked Nina about it, but her friend had always waved the questions off.
“Nina Hughes. I see you haven’t changed a bit. I think I’m going to go grab something to drink.” There was a shift in the heat in the air as Curtis moved to step around Hannah. “Hannah, if you get a moment later, come find me.”
Another shiver sneaked up her back as a chill settled. No man should have that kind of power.
Hannah focused on Nina’s reaction. Her friend didn’t take rejection well, and Curtis didn’t seem to give her a second thought as his long legs took the few steps needed to get inside. The squealing women probably didn’t even know they parted to make way for him as they stared with their jaws dropped open slightly.
Nina rolled her eyes and took in a deep breath. Hannah wasn’t sure if she was taking in the slightly minty scent that seemed to follow Curtis, but it clouded Hannah’s thoughts for a second.
“Is there something you failed to mention?”
The question was directed at Hannah, but between the changes in temperature and the fact Curtis had spoken just moments before, she wasn’t sure what the question meant. She thought for a second about what she could’ve forgotten to tell Nina.
“Never mind. If you find yourself curious about what he has to say, just make sure you grab me.”
There was nothing else to discuss, evidently, as Nina spun and sashayed after Curtis. Her grand entrance dimmed slightly by the professional athlete walking in just before her. Hannah felt there was a little poetic justice somewhere in the action.
Nina still got plenty of ohs and ahs, making it easy for Hannah to slip in and head towards the refreshments Curtis had mentioned. She wasn’t searching the man out, but the way the night had started made it clear she wouldn’t get through it without plenty of alcohol.
Chapter 2
Curtis didn’t want an
ything to do with the vast majority of the late-twenty-year-olds crowded into the gymnasium. Crowded exaggerated the atmosphere a little, but Curtis felt the walls closing in on him as group after group swarmed to hear anything they could about his life. He tried to sound as dull as possible, but even if he droned on about getting teeth pulled, his audience would’ve found it fascinating.
Being one of the most successful people among the group post-graduation made the reaction predictable. It didn’t mean Curtis had to like it. The crowd itself didn’t bother him. He dealt with crowds just fine almost every other day of the year, sometimes in the thousands. It was the stupid questions he had to come up with answers to that were annoying.
His love life wasn’t interesting, yet he’d had to tell people ten times that fact, as it seemed to always be the first question out of someone’s mouth. Everyone thought he had to have a secret affair going on behind the scenes that hadn’t made the gossip chain. The questions and comments made it clear that no one in the room had grown up beyond their high school persona.
Curtis didn’t have that kind of mentality even in high school, which was why he barely got along with any of the hundred or so former co-students and their spouses. He hadn’t spoken to a single one of them since graduating. There was no desire on his part, and frankly, he didn’t have the time.
The only reason he’d come to the reunion was because a teammate dared him to once he heard about it. Curtis’ teammates could be just as childish as his former classmates, but unlike the classmates, his teammates had the ability to make his life hell. Even with the dare, Curtis didn’t figure the punishment for not following through would be that bad, but the dare bolstered his resolution to finally do something he’d wanted to since high school.
As it was, listening to John Martin drone on about his kid’s dance recital was some form of hell. At least the conversation had turned away from Curtis so he could try to locate Hannah. They had been at the reunion for at least forty-five minutes and she still hadn’t found him. He wasn’t hiding, but he remembered from high school how easily she disappeared.
