"You don't have to be Annie's nanny anymore," I told her. "You don't have to work for me and she can have her wish of you being her mother. I think she's going to be excited."
Hannah laughed. "Excited? She's going to lose her mind about me staying with you guys permanently. You know how she is."
I could see how happy Hannah was about that. She and Annie had gotten so close that I couldn't stand the idea of them being away from each other either. Annie deserved someone who loved her and wanted to be around her as much as I did. Hannah was clearly the perfect choice for that. For everything in our lives.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Hannah
I couldn't be happier hearing Christian say that he wanted to be with me and only me. The jealousy I'd let take over for a minute almost felt silly.
"What's in the basket?" he asked as he tipped it toward him, a smile playing on his face.
"Oh, I wanted to bring you lunch. I know you're probably busy."
"Never too busy for you. Let's eat."
We took our time, talking about Paris and all the things we'd see and do there. I, of course, wanted the Eiffel tower to be the first stop. I knew it was cheesy, but I didn't care as long as I got to do it with Christian. We finished eating and kissed until my lips were numb. We only stopped because I had to pick up Annie.
"Should we tell her tonight?" I asked. "She's a smart kid. I mean I know she's going to figure it out eventually."
He nodded his emerald eyes twinkling at me. "I was just thinking the same thing. Sure, let's take her out and tell her tonight. I'm sure she'll be thrilled, so don't look so nervous."
I scoffed. "Easy for you to say, she has to love you."
Christian yanked me against his chest. "And she already loves you. The same way I do."
My hands gripped his arms and I forgot how to speak.
He loves me?
I felt my heart fluttering like a trapped bird my chest and I kissed him once more, long and hard until I felt quite dizzy. I knew that if I didn't leave right that minute, we'd be naked and on his nice, expensive looking leather sofa in no time. And I wasn't the quietest person in the world, so yeah… that would be a very bad idea.
We said our goodbyes at the door a few too many times before I finally walked away. My mood was even better than it had been when I first arrived. I couldn't stop grinning. I could feel my cheeks starting to hurt, but I still didn't care. My future was finally coming together. That was the only thing that mattered.
I packed everything away into the car and pulled out. I couldn’t wait to call Natalie and rub it in her face. Lovingly, of course. I grinned because I knew she would totally see me as bragging but she'd laugh about it the whole time and be happy for me. She was one of the only people in my life that was over the moon about all the great things that ever happened to me. I knew I'd have to drag her out for coffee and tell her everything.
As I slowed to approach the upcoming red light, I realized that I wasn't really slowing down at all. I pushed my foot against the pedal, but nothing happened. Panic started to flood me as I pressed even harder until it was flush against the floor, but I was still going way too fast.
"Oh, my God. Betsy, don’t do this to me,” I yelled at the car. “Stop, stop, stop!"
No matter how much I demanded this didn't mean it was going to work. I plowed through the red light and turned in time to see a car hurtling toward me, its horn blasting. I could see the horrified expression on the driver’s white face. Time slowed down and everything started happing in slow motion.
There was a terrible crunching sound of metal hitting metal. I was jerked forward. Betsy had not air bag. Pain shot through my body even as my head hit something hard and darkness swallowed me whole.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Christian
“Daddy, is Hannah going to die?” Annie’s voice was filled with fear.
I pulled her towards me and hugged her small worried body against mine. “No, honey. Of course not.” I pulled away so I could look into her eyes. “She’ll be just fine. I promise.”
She pushed her lower lip out. It was trembling. The sight broke my heart. “Then why can’t I see her?”
“That’s because she’s just been operated on and she’s sleeping.”
“Can’t we wake her up?”
“No, we’ll have to wait for her to wake up on her own. You don’t like being woken up while you are deep in sleep, do you?”