bit of info with his wife. That’s why he had been so encouraging and said he thought she and Charlie belonged together. He’d known what was happening all along.
“I think,” Joe said loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear, “Charlie is more than Leisel and Chuck’s son, kids. This is Aunt Hannah’s new boyfriend.”
“Ooooh,” teased Thomas, the middle boy of the family. “Hannie’s got a boyfriend. Hannie’s got a boyfriend.”
At that, she saw Lilly rise from her seat and place her napkin on the table. “I need to get something I left in the car. Hannah, would you come with me?”
“I don’t think…” she tried her best to stay at the table.
“Now, Hannah. I really need your help.”
She felt a hand take hers and squeeze hard. “We’ll be right here waiting. It’s cool.”
He gave her a wink and she let out the breath she’d been holding. Of course it was cool. She was an adult and she was in love. She was a normal woman having a Black Friday breakfast with her boyfriend who ran into family. Sure, it was all new and a little awkward, but there was nothing wrong about anything happening between them. She thought back to the sign he had held in her yard the night before.
“He’s divorced,” she said to Lilly as soon as they walked out the front glass door.
An incredulous look passed over her features, followed by confusion, and then something unexpected – a smile.
“What?” she almost screamed. “Since when? How did that happen? Why does Joe know what’s happening and I don’t?” She crossed her arms and leaned back against her car.
Hannah shrugged her shoulders “We really should have grabbed our coats.”
“Talk fast then, and make it good,” her sister added.
She almost didn’t know where to begin but she started with the first note the night of the disastrous date with the dog owner. “I didn’t know who it was from, but it was the most beautiful heartfelt poem I’d ever read. I couldn’t believe it was about me.”
“He wrote you poetry,” Lilly sighed.
“I wanted so badly to believe it could be from him, but there was no stamp or return address. I assumed it had to be from someone in town, and then last night in the car, I found another note in my pocket with my phone. It was a riddle saying there were two romantic words waiting for me at home.”
“That son of a bitch,” Lilly said with a smile. “Joe knew all along. He put the note in your coat. That’s why no one saw Charlie last night.”
She shook her head, “And when I got home he was there in my yard, holding a sign that said, ‘I’m divorced’.”
“Oh my God, I’m going to die from the sweetness of it all.”
“Lilly, do you think it’s OK? Do you think I’m doing the right thing? He’s younger and he’s half a country away…”
“New York isn’t half a country from Ohio, Han. Stop being so melodramatic. In my mind the only obstacle you two faced was the fact that he was married, and despite what you told me, I just didn’t think he was serious enough or mature enough to do what needed to be done to really be with you. But, he did! He’s sitting in there at the table with your family, letting himself be called your boyfriend, and you have obviously spent one hell of a night together. You could have at least showered,” she teased.
Back at the table, Charlie glanced her way to make sure things had gone all right. She nodded and sat down. What followed ended up being the most normal and fun family breakfast she’d experienced in ages, maybe ever. The kids loved her new boyfriend and Lilly and Joe showed their support through conversation and laughter. When they rose to give their table to the waiting masses, Hannah felt better than she had years. Things were finally falling into place.
Outside the Bacon Shack, Charlie pulled her into his arms for a kiss that shouldn’t have happened in public.
“Wow,” she said under her breath. It was all she could manage
“I think,” Joe said loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear, “Charlie is more than Leisel and Chuck’s son, kids. This is Aunt Hannah’s new boyfriend.”
“Ooooh,” teased Thomas, the middle boy of the family. “Hannie’s got a boyfriend. Hannie’s got a boyfriend.”
At that, she saw Lilly rise from her seat and place her napkin on the table. “I need to get something I left in the car. Hannah, would you come with me?”
“I don’t think…” she tried her best to stay at the table.
“Now, Hannah. I really need your help.”
She felt a hand take hers and squeeze hard. “We’ll be right here waiting. It’s cool.”
He gave her a wink and she let out the breath she’d been holding. Of course it was cool. She was an adult and she was in love. She was a normal woman having a Black Friday breakfast with her boyfriend who ran into family. Sure, it was all new and a little awkward, but there was nothing wrong about anything happening between them. She thought back to the sign he had held in her yard the night before.
“He’s divorced,” she said to Lilly as soon as they walked out the front glass door.
An incredulous look passed over her features, followed by confusion, and then something unexpected – a smile.
“What?” she almost screamed. “Since when? How did that happen? Why does Joe know what’s happening and I don’t?” She crossed her arms and leaned back against her car.
Hannah shrugged her shoulders “We really should have grabbed our coats.”
“Talk fast then, and make it good,” her sister added.
She almost didn’t know where to begin but she started with the first note the night of the disastrous date with the dog owner. “I didn’t know who it was from, but it was the most beautiful heartfelt poem I’d ever read. I couldn’t believe it was about me.”
“He wrote you poetry,” Lilly sighed.
“I wanted so badly to believe it could be from him, but there was no stamp or return address. I assumed it had to be from someone in town, and then last night in the car, I found another note in my pocket with my phone. It was a riddle saying there were two romantic words waiting for me at home.”
“That son of a bitch,” Lilly said with a smile. “Joe knew all along. He put the note in your coat. That’s why no one saw Charlie last night.”
She shook her head, “And when I got home he was there in my yard, holding a sign that said, ‘I’m divorced’.”
“Oh my God, I’m going to die from the sweetness of it all.”
“Lilly, do you think it’s OK? Do you think I’m doing the right thing? He’s younger and he’s half a country away…”
“New York isn’t half a country from Ohio, Han. Stop being so melodramatic. In my mind the only obstacle you two faced was the fact that he was married, and despite what you told me, I just didn’t think he was serious enough or mature enough to do what needed to be done to really be with you. But, he did! He’s sitting in there at the table with your family, letting himself be called your boyfriend, and you have obviously spent one hell of a night together. You could have at least showered,” she teased.
Back at the table, Charlie glanced her way to make sure things had gone all right. She nodded and sat down. What followed ended up being the most normal and fun family breakfast she’d experienced in ages, maybe ever. The kids loved her new boyfriend and Lilly and Joe showed their support through conversation and laughter. When they rose to give their table to the waiting masses, Hannah felt better than she had years. Things were finally falling into place.
Outside the Bacon Shack, Charlie pulled her into his arms for a kiss that shouldn’t have happened in public.
“Wow,” she said under her breath. It was all she could manage
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