As she heard the front door close, she let out a breath, feeling a wild range of emotions.
Was he worth a second chance? Did she have enough courage to give him one?
Chapter Seventeen
Hannah woke up Monday morning feeling like she'd been through a mental and emotional war. She'd slept very little, reliving every moment with Jake, every word that they'd spoken. It had pissed her off that she was losing sleep to him for the second time in her life. But as much as she wanted to hang on to that anger, she couldn't do it anymore. She'd gotten to know Jake again, and she liked him even more than she had the first time. She still didn't know if she could give him another chance, but she would have to see how things played out. While she wasn't ready to say yes, she also wasn't ready to say no.
After getting Brett breakfast, she took him out to play in the snow, which they both enjoyed. Then he helped her wrap presents for the hospital party. She tried talking to him a little about Kelly, but he was all over the place in his answers. One thing held true—he adored his mother. According to Brett, Kelly made the best pancakes, she told the best jokes, she gave the best hugs, and she told the best stories. There was no denying that whatever else Kelly might be, she was a good mother.
Her own mother showed up around three, while Brett was napping.
"You look tired," her mom said, as she came through the door. "Has something happened?"
"Aside from entertaining a four-year-old all day? No."
Her mother smiled. "Just think—I had three kids to entertain. How about some coffee? I think we could both use a cup."
"All right," she said, as they moved into the kitchen. "How was your day?"
"Busy. I got in at seven this morning to help get all the Christmas centerpieces out on time. But now I'm off until next weekend. What about your work schedule?"
"Luckily, I have the week off, barring any unforeseen major disasters. I'm supposed to go back to work Friday. Hopefully, Kelly will be back by then," she added, as she started the coffee maker.
"Hopefully," her mom echoed. "Is there any news?"
She sat down at the table across from her mom. "Kelly borrowed a car and the police are now looking for that vehicle."
"Borrowed?" her mom queried. "Is that a polite word for stole?"
"Maybe. I don't know exactly what's going on."
"But you know more than you've told me."
"Yes."
Her mother's sharp gaze met hers. "Are you afraid to tell me?"
"I am. I don't want to trigger you."
Her mom didn't say anything right away, as if she was debating how much she wanted to know. "I can handle it, Hannah. I've had some time to get used to the idea that Kelly is probably in trouble. But I need to know how much."
She had to start trusting in her mom's ability to handle herself. "Okay. Here's what I know about Kelly. She was married to Brett's father, who was in the military, but he died in action when Brett was a baby. Kelly lived in various cities after that, most recently Colorado Springs. She was dating someone named Russ Miller there. They disappeared from their jobs and from the city about three weeks ago. They checked into a campground outside of Denver last week. Two days later…" She drew in a breath.
Her mother's jaw tightened. "Just say it."
"Russ Miller was found dead. He'd been stabbed."
"Oh, my God!" Her mother put a hand to her heart. "I wasn't expecting you to say that. What about Kelly?"
"All I know is that her boyfriend was killed on Wednesday and Kelly showed up at the cabin on Friday. Now, she's missing. Oh, and she's also pregnant."
Her mother let out a breath. "Well, that's a lot of information to get in a couple of sentences."
"I wish I could put context around the facts, but I don't have any, Mom. There's some thought that Kelly was in an abusive situation with her boyfriend. She told a friend she was having trouble with a guy. Now a man is dead."
"Are you saying that Kelly…killed him?" her asked in confusion.
"I don't know—maybe."
"This is worse than I imagined."
"And maybe not even true. Like I said, it's all speculation. Brett told me last night that this Russ Miller was a good guy. He liked him."
"Brett has a big imagination. I'm not sure you can trust what he says."
"I agree. We need to find Kelly. She's the only one with answers. But as the days pass, I worry she's not coming back, and that will destroy Brett. He told me he asked Santa to bring his mom back."
"She'll come back; she has to. That little boy needs her."
"He does. And it's clear that he loves Kelly. He talked about her all day long."
"He talked about her to me, too, when we were baking yesterday. It was a little hard to hear."
"It was," she agreed. "I stopped wondering what Kelly was doing a long time ago. Now, I feel guilty that I didn't know she was married or that she was widowed or that she was raising a kid on her own."
"That was her choice."
"Yes, but as we both know, people can make bad choices. She was young when she left, and she was in pain from Dad's death, from the blame she was getting."
"And you blame me for that."
"I blame both of you. I know that it was just an accident. And like you, I was angry that Kelly was the reason Dad went out that night. But that wasn't fair to her. And Dad would have hated that we blamed Kelly. He adored her."
"He did. Your father would be so angry and disappointed in how I fell apart after his death. I just couldn't handle my pain. Every time I heard his voice in my head, I would drink, because I couldn't stand to think how I'd let him down, how I let all of you down."
There was a clarity and a self-awareness in her mother's voice that she hadn't heard in a very long time. "I know you're sorry, Mom. I'm glad you're better now. I hope you continue working hard to stay that way."
"I will, Hannah. I don't ever want to be that person again. And when Kelly comes back, I'm going to apologize to her. I'm going to tell her that it wasn't her fault. I want us to be a family again. Having Brett around, reliving our traditions, has brought everything back. We were a good family once. I think we could be again."
She felt a sense of déjà vu. Her mother wanted a second chance. Jake wanted a second chance. What did she want?
"In the meantime, what else can I do for you?" her mother asked, changing the subject.
"Want to help me pack up the cookies for the hospital party?"
"Of course. I'd like to go with you to the party, if you're okay with that? Or will you be going with Jake?"
"No," she said quickly. "I'll be going with Brett."
"But Jake will be there."
"I doubt it. He's not close to his father, and it's his dad's party."
Her mother smiled. "But you'll be there, and he wants you back."
"I just don't know if I can let him back into my life."
"Oh, Hannah, he's already there," her mom said with a knowing smile. "I saw it last night. I didn't want to see it, but I did. There's still something between you, and maybe you need to find out what it is."
"Why would you encourage that? You don't like him."
"I liked him before he hurt you. Maybe he's changed. But one thing is certain, I've never seen you look at anyone else the way you look at Jake."
"You haven't really been around to see me look at anyone else," she said.
"Am I wrong, Hannah? Is there some great love of your life who I don't know about?"
She really wished she could say there was. "I've had other men in my life who I cared about," she hedged.
"But no one who stuck."
"That's part of the problem, Mom. How do I know Jake would stick when he didn't before? And his life—is it really here in Whisper Lake? He's an adventurer. He's traveled the world. He's back now, but for how long? Could he really be content here?"
"I can't answer any of those questions. But I can say that there's never a guarantee you won't get hurt. You have to decide if love is
worth the risk."
"But wouldn't it be smarter to love someone who hasn't already hurt me once?"
"Probably. But since when does love make us smarter?"
Chapter Eighteen
Jake hadn't been in the new medical center since he'd come back to Whisper Lake, and he had to admit that it was impressive. With his father as chief of staff and his mother in charge of hospital fundraising, the facility had been remodeled and modernized with the latest technology. While he had many reasons to dislike his dad, he couldn't deny that the man was a brilliant doctor and good at his job. He'd just been a terrible father. Maybe not to his brother, Paul, but definitely to him.
His mother and brother had encouraged them to talk to each other, but they'd both managed to avoid that. He didn't want to hear what his father had to say, and he suspected his father felt exactly the same way. Which made him wonder again why he'd decided to come to a party where his father was the host, the center of attention, the leader of all men in the room.
There was only one answer—Hannah.
She'd be here. And since he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her all day, he had to be here, too.
He made his way up to the fourth-floor cafeteria, which had been beautifully decorated with holiday wreaths, a large Christmas tree, and buffet tables filled with food. An older man was playing holiday carols on the piano and there were at least thirty to forty people milling about. Some were in hospital uniforms, but most were in holiday clothes. There were also some kids in wheelchairs being entertained by a puppet show, with their parents and siblings sharing in the experience.
His gaze swept the room, settling on his mother and father. He shared similar features with his dad, Davis McKenna. They were both over six feet tall with brown hair and eyes, while his mother was a short, curvy blonde with light-blue eyes. His parents were laughing with their friends, Dr. Richard Peters and his wife, Cynthia. The Peters were also neighbors and would be attending his parents' Christmas dinner.
"Has hell frozen over?" a voice asked.
He turned around to see a look of amazement in his brother's eyes. "It might have," he admitted.
"I did not expect to see you here, Jake."
"It's been a while since I attended one of these." The hospital Christmas party had been part of his childhood. The tradition had actually been started by his grandfather, who had also been a doctor in Whisper Lake, before he and his grandmother had moved to a warmer climate. "Looks like you'll one day be carrying on this family tradition, Paul."
"One day," Paul murmured.
"Are you sure you don't want to work somewhere else for a few years? Get some big-city experience?"
"I'm considering all my options."
"I'll bet Dad is pressuring you to come here."
"More Mom than Dad," Paul replied. "Now that you're back, she'd like to have the whole family together again."
"You should make the right decision for yourself, not for Mom or for Dad."
Paul smiled. "I will. I'm not a kid anymore, Jake. I can see the benefit of getting broader experience before I come back here, but eventually I would like to settle in Whisper Lake. I got great care from this hospital, and I want to make sure that level of care continues for everyone who lives in this community."
He could hear the passion in his brother's voice and knew that Paul's career path came more out of his personal experience than just a desire to follow in his father's footsteps. Paul knew firsthand the healing power of medicine. And with his sharp mind as well as his kind, unselfish nature, Paul was going to make a great physician. "That makes sense," he said. "I would love to have you back here, but I just want what's best for you."
"I want the same for you, big brother. So, why are you really here? Does it have anything to do with one very pretty but stubborn redheaded nurse?"
"You think you know me so well."
"I do know you that well," Paul said with a laugh. "And Hannah just arrived with her mom and a little kid. We walked in at the same time."
His body tightened at that information, and he couldn't stop himself from looking around the room. When he saw her putting cookies on the buffet table, excitement rushed through his veins. She looked beautiful and holiday appropriate in tight black jeans and a bright-red sweater.
"You have it bad," Paul commented, his gaze not missing a thing. "So, what's the latest with you two?"
He forced himself to look back at his brother. "I don't know. It feels like two steps forward and one step back with Hannah."
"At least there's some forward progress."
"Some. I just want more, and I want it faster."
"That doesn't surprise me. You always want more, and you usually get it. I guess the question is—what does Hannah want?"
"She's fighting what she wants. But I'm working on her."
"Which is why you're here. Do you want to come with me to say hello to Mom and Dad?"
"I'll catch up to them later."
"All right. Good luck."
As his brother left, Jake looked back at Hannah. They'd gotten close last night, and he wanted to get closer. For that, he might need an ally, someone who could watch Brett, someone who could give him a little more alone time with Hannah.
As his gaze moved to Hannah's mom, he wondered if he might find one in Katherine. He was probably crazy to think that, but there was only one way to find out.
Hannah wished she could stop being so aware of Jake. She'd seen him the second she'd walked into the party, and even though she'd been mingling for the past thirty minutes with her friends and coworkers, she couldn't stop her gaze from moving back to him.
He'd also been mingling, but now he was talking to her mother, and they seemed to be getting along quite well. Her mom was actually smiling at him. What was that all about?
Maybe they were just talking about Brett. But Brett had reconnected with Hailey, and they had joined the kids watching the puppet show. Her mom and Jake were on their own. She couldn't believe they had that much to talk about.
"Hannah, there you are."
At Davis's voice, she turned her head, giving him a happy smile. Dr. McKenna was dressed in a dark suit with a bold-red tie, his brown hair starting to pepper with gray at the sideburns. While Jake couldn't stand his father, she liked Davis a great deal. He'd been a mentor to her before and after she'd become a nurse and watching him at work every day had made her respect him even more. He certainly wasn't perfect. He occasionally had an arrogance that was off-putting, but he did care deeply about his patients and the hospital and what more could you ask for from the chief of staff?
"Merry Christmas, " she said. "I like the tie.”
He tipped his head. "I bring it out every Christmas. I've been thinking about you, Hannah. I've been hearing some rumors about your sister. She disappeared after dropping her son off with you?"
"Yes. I think she's in some kind of trouble. The police are looking for her." She didn't even bother to ask how he'd heard. Gossip spread fast in Whisper Lake.
"I hope she's all right. How is her son?"
"Brett is great. He's a wonderful little boy, and I'm trying to make it a good Christmas for him."
"I'm sure you will succeed. I remember Kelly as a teenager. She was headstrong but also had such a beautiful laugh. She volunteered at the hospital one summer, and she was good with the patients. I thought she might go into medicine."
"I forgot she volunteered here. I don't really know why she did. But then, I'm starting to realize there was probably a lot I didn't know about her then. And there's certainly a ton I don't know about her now. I guess it's true what they say—everyone has secrets."
His smile dimmed at her words. "That is true. We never really know who anyone is. We only see what they want to show us."
"That's very philosophical."
"And way too heavy for a Christmas party."
She had to admit there was a stress in his eyes that seemed unusual for a holiday party. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes, everything is fine."
"You seem a bit off."
"I'm a little tired. But I actually got some good news a few minutes ago. We just snagged a very big donation that will go into next year's budget. It looks like we'll be getting a new MRI machine."
"That would be wonderful." She was impressed with how hard Davis worked to keep the hospital as technologically up to date as possible. "You're always working so hard for the hospital. I hope you know how much we all appreciate it."
"Thank you for saying that, but it's a group effort."
"You're the leader of the team."
He gave her a somewhat weak smile as his gaze drifted across the room. She realized he was looking at Jake.
"You should talk to Jake," she said quietly.
He straightened, annoyance moving into his eyes as he realized he'd been caught in perhaps a more vulnerable state than he would like anyone to see. "Why?" he asked.
"Because he's your son."
"He doesn't want to be my son. He hasn't in a very long time."
"I don't know what's between you, but I wish you could talk it out. It feels like you both have something to say, but neither one of you wants to be the first to say it."
"Don't worry about it, Hannah."
"I can't help it. I care about both of you."
"You care about Jake? I thought he broke your heart."
"He did, but that was a long time ago, and he's not that kid anymore."
His gaze sharpened as it swept across her face. "Are you and Jake getting back together?"
"Oh, I don’t know about that," she said hastily. "But we have called a truce."
"How did that happen?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but it happened. Maybe you and Jake need to do the same thing. You're living in the same town."
"I don't see him any more now than I did when he was traveling the world. I think his mother sees him, but he usually manages to avoid me."
"Why does he do that?" It wasn't her business, but she couldn't stop the question from sliding through her lips.
"He never told you?" Davis asked.
Just One Kiss: A heartwarming Christmas romance (Whisper Lake Book 4) Page 17
