A Lot Like Christmas (Wishful 11)
A delighted giggle burbled out of her, and it was the cutest damned thing. “You won’t hear me complaining.”
As the music shifted yet again, she relaxed into him, settling her head against his shoulder with a sigh. A quiet contentment seeped through him. It had been so long since the rest of his ghosts were quiet. That was a seduction of itself, whether she meant it to be or not. Was this what Percy had felt dancing with Janie after dinner? It would be easy, so very easy to fall into the appeal of this woman. To pretend he had more time, more…everything to give her. But he didn’t. And he could already tell that walking away from her was going to be harder than he’d imagined. His hands tightened around her.
“Hannah—”
“What did I say about thinking?”
“I know but—”
She pulled back enough to meet his gaze and cupped his cheek. “You were clear about the boundaries of this, and I’m still here. I like you, and you like me. Can’t we just roll with that?”
It wasn’t in his nature or training to simply accept things as they came. Everything in his life was carefully planned, with contingency plans and protocols for when things went off the rails. He survived by always considering the possible outcomes and alternatives. Looking ten steps ahead but being ready for a disaster to come out of nowhere anyway. Every single variation he could think of where he actively pursued things with Hannah ended the same way—with one or both of them hurt when he went back to war. Was it worth taking what she was offering when that was the consequence?
She brushed her lips over his again. “I don’t know what’s going on with my life, either. Let’s just…spend some time together while you’re here. Enjoy each other. Whatever that looks like. Don’t over complicate it.”
Damn Percy for putting his brain on this path.
Ryan pulled her close. “You have no idea how much I want to say yes to that offer. But I still have a job to do here. I need to be able to make recommendations for Percy when I go, and he’s not showing any signs of being willing to cooperate.”
“He’s willing to cooperate for me.”
“You think you can sweet talk him into getting a proper physical from the doctor?”
“Probably not. But I can help talk him into activities that would enable you to check him out.”
The idea intrigued him. “Like what?
“There’s a Christmas dance out at Applewhite Farms on Friday night. We could go. It’d be a chance to see him in a social setting, get him out of the house. I guarantee his isolation is a huge part of his issue. I’m pretty sure Percy’s benefactor will be there. We could try to nudge them together. And we’ve already established he’ll dance with me. You can get a better gauge of his physical capabilities.” Her lips curved. “And hopefully you’ll save a few dances for me yourself.”
It wasn’t a half-bad idea. He had no idea what a small town dance consisted of, but at this point, he’d follow her just about anywhere to keep soaking up the warmth of that smile. “Then I’d say we have a date.”
Chapter 7
“I don’t know why you dragged me out with you tonight,” Percy grumped. “In my day we didn’t want chaperones on a date.”
Hannah tucked her arm more firmly in his, both as a means of keeping him from turning back to the truck and to help him navigate the uneven terrain of the gravel drive up to the big barn of Applewhite Farms.
Ryan trailed a pace behind, on Percy’s other side, ready to steady him if he stumbled. “We don’t need a chaperone.”
“Then you’re doing this date thing all wrong.”
She snorted with laughter and popped him lightly on the arm. “Percy!”
“Well, you are,” he insisted, but a smile hovered at the edge of his thin lips as he glanced over at her.
She grinned back, buoyed by his improved mood. “Unsolicited advice on how a date should work aside, you’re here because the Merry Mingle is a good cause. Proceeds go toward building a proper play area in the children’s wing at the hospital. You know you want to make sure those kids have something more than second-hand board games. Besides, it’ll be fun. Where’s your holiday spirit?”
“I spent it all on decorating the house. Who’s gonna put all that stuff away when Christmas is over?”
She started to say that she and Ryan would, then remembered he’d be gone by then. As that fell firmly into the category of do-not-want-to-think-about, Hannah fixed her smile in place. “I will.” She’d get Omar to help with the bigger boxes. Nudging her shoulder gently against Percy’s, she insisted, “No excuses. We’re here to have fun tonight, and you’re gonna save me some dances.”
Evan Applewhite, Jace’s dad, manned the door selling tickets. “Welcome, welcome! How many?”
“Three, please,” Ryan told him. He paid the man and the three of them stepped into a whirl of light and music.
Applewhite Farms was the Christmas destination in Wishful. Not only did they supply most of the fresh Christmas trees in town, they also knew how to throw a serious holiday party. A band was set up at one end of the big barn and fat Christmas lights criss-crossed the space above them, combined with lots of greenery and ribbon to provide a festive air. A good hundred
people milled through the building, rocking out to “Run, Run Rudolph” or hovering around one of the tables at the edges. A cash bar was set up in one corner, and a refreshment table took up another.