Back at Owen’s, Noah and Owen did a little fishing while Hannah gathered up all their things and packed everything except what they would wear to bed and then put on in the morning. Owen helped her load up her car and she proved to be very controlling about how things were arranged, making them both laugh.
Owen cooked dinner. He made Noah’s favorite meal of hot dogs and mac and cheese, except his mac and cheese was rich and thick and made from scratch. Hannah had the passing thought that if she were to stay longer, Owen would make her fat. Nothing stuck to him; he ate all the most fattening things and was still thin.
They played a rousing game of Candy Land after dinner. The sun just didn’t want to go down, even with the help of the Rockies to the west. Finally, Hannah told Noah it was time for his bath and bed. She even allowed that Romeo could help him go to sleep.
It took about a half hour for bath, book, settling in. When she got back to the porch, Owen had lit a couple of candles, opened a bottle of wine and had some soft music coming out of the walls. She had no idea how he’d done it. This house he’d built, it had everything. It was a magic house.
“Would you like me to clean out the refrigerator?” she asked him. “There’s not much and nothing has gone bad.”
“Leave it all and sit down.”
She sat and accepted a glass of wine. “I’ll strip the beds and toss the sheets in the washer before we leave in the morning.”
“Please don’t,” he said. “Please leave me things to do. I think I’m going to want to be busy tomorrow. And can you check in sometimes? Let me know your progress and how the drive is going.”
“Sure, but please don’t worry.”
“It was a very good vacation,” he said. “I hope you feel refreshed. The weeks leading up to you coming here were so hard for you.”
“It’s been a wonderful escape.” She sipped her wine. “My fiancé’s name was Wyatt. He betrayed me. I had to cancel a wedding. I lost hundreds of dollars in deposits. And I haven’t given him two thoughts in four weeks.”
A huff of laughter escaped Owen. “That really was a close call.”
“I’m going to think about you a lot,” she said.
“Good. Because I want you to come back. Or summon me to Minneapolis. We spent every day together and yet there are so many things left to talk about. I’d like you to meet my mother. My mother and sister—they’re probably the best parts of my life. I’d even like you to meet my ex-wife. She’s a remarkable woman.”
“I’d like to work as your assistant and go on some of your trips with you.”
His eyes lit up. “It just so happens, there’s an opening! When can you start?”
She smiled but shook her head. “You know I have to go. I have to get Noah settled. We have to find a routine. A routine will help him a lot, I think.”
“You’re going to be a wonderful mother,” he said. “You’re already a wonderful mother.”
“Everything has changed now. I was on the fast track to become regional director of sales. If I performed well in that capacity, I stood a chance of eventually being vice president of sales. Now none of that seems important. The only thing that matters is having enough time for Noah. Enough time and money to do right by him. I’d quit working altogether, but that’s just impractical—we need medical benefits and income. I think I’m going to look around for a job with more flexible hours and far less travel. Maybe there’s something in my company...”
“A transfer to a different department?” he asked.
“I don’t even know what to look for,” she said.
“Maybe you should see a counselor,” he said.
“I don’t think I need counseling,” she said, bristling a little bit.
“Not a therapist,” he said, laughing. “A career advisor. Your circumstances might be special but lots of people reach a point when their work is less than satisfying and they want to make a change, but they just don’t know where to turn.”
“Huh,” she said. “I never thought of that...”
“You could take your time. There’s no deadline.”
“You make everything sound so easy.”
“Hannah, it won’t be easy. But it doesn’t have to be an emergency. You and Noah can move forward at your own pace. You’ll find your groove.”
They talked through two glasses of wine each, like every other night. Then he took her empty glass, set it aside and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her brow, a tender smooch that didn’t quite live up to the feelings she had. “I want you to get a good night’s sleep but I don’t want you to wake up with a hangover—you have so far to go tomorrow.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I’m going to miss you. And Noah. I think poor Romeo might sink into depression.”
“You’ll have to give him extra attention.”
“What time are you getting up?” he asked.
“About six,” she said. “That should be early enough. We’ll dress, have a quick breakfast, hit the road.”
“I’ll be up,” he said. He lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers in a sweet, firm kiss. Then he rubbed a knuckle along her cheek. “This isn’t really goodbye. We’ll talk all the time. Probably every day. We’ll see each other again soon.”
“Sure,” she said. “Sleep well. See you in the morning.”
The family is the test of freedom;
because the family is the only
thing that the free man makes
for himself and by himself.
—Gilbert K. Chesterton
6
Hannah feared it was goodbye. Owen lived a somewhat adventurous, reluctantly famous life and in between his travels, he hid out at his cabin and put together his photos and collections. What did she really know about him? She loved his temperament and his humor, loved the way he related to Noah and even Romeo, but she had no way of knowing if he had that occasional dark side. His ex-wife, who he described as a fun-loving extrovert, said he could be quiet for long periods. She hadn’t noticed that in the time they’d been together. Would that be okay after a while? Or would it become tiresome and lonely?
Still, she felt the threat of tears while she was in the shower. She had to be so careful. It wouldn’t take much to get Noah going—he was already grieving the end of his vacation, already missing Owen and Romeo. The poor little guy had done so much grieving lately.
But the press of Owen’s lips had left an impression. The safety she felt in the circle of his arms was so promising. Being near that calm, strong confidence was inspiring. He was not like any other man she’d ever known. It was true—she had hardly thought about Wyatt. If she hadn’t gotten that errant phone call, the one she hadn’t even answered, she might not have thought about him at all. Not even in the dark of night. Close call.
There was one thing that left her unsure. It was clear that he adored Noah but how did Owen feel about her? In four weeks of constant companionship Owen had hugged her a couple of times. Very polite and platonic hugs. He’d kissed her brow a few times. He’d kissed her lips only that once, and it hadn’t been a passionate kiss filled with longing. With the exception of his kindness, his generosity and warmth, she didn’t get a strong sense of desire from him. He’d said since his divorce, relationships had been rare and brief.
She dried her hair so it wouldn’t be all wonky in the morning and slid into bed. She thought about keeping Owen in the back of her mind, handy. Waiting. They would get to know each other better on phone calls. She would visit him again. If she didn’t learn what she needed to know after another visit, she might plan to visit him the following summer. After all, she’d reconciled herself to the fact that she was going to be a single parent. She’d called off two weddings, proof she wasn’t a great judge of men.
Morning came too soon and she was tired. She’d slept but not well. She was relieved to see the clock read nearly six; she wouldn’t have to fight it any longer. She got up, dressed, put on the coffee, stowed away her pajamas and yesterday’s clothes and her toiletries. She put her suitcase by the door.
She roused Noah and he groaned miserably. “Get up and put on your happy face. I’m going to want you to take pictures of our road trip that you can send to Owen. He’ll be coming over for breakfast so let’s get moving.”
“Do I have to?”
“Well, I can carry you to the car in your pajamas and you can get dressed later, but don’t you want to see Owen and Romeo before we leave?”
“Uh-huh,” he muttered.
She helped him get dressed and get his braces on. While he brushed his teeth, she stripped both beds and put the sheets in the washer, but she didn’t start it. She made a neat pile of blankets, comforters and pillows, and her nose told her the coffee was ready. She gave Noah a bowl of Cheerios, poured two cups of coffee and opened the door—that was their signal.
Romeo came bounding inside. “Here, boy, here,” Noah called and the Great Dane ran to him and licked his face.
She carried the coffee to the porch and there he sat in his favorite chair. “How long have you been waiting?” she asked, handing him a coffee.
“Just a little while,” he said.
“Aw, you’re looking a little bit tired,” she said. “It’s going to be all right, you’ll see. I have it all worked out in my head. We’ll talk on the phone. We’ll FaceTime and text and get to know each other even better. We’ll have another visit before the end of summer. Maybe you’ll come to Minneapolis even though, for a man like you, that can’t seem very interesting. But this has been wonderful, Owen. You’re wonderful. Thank you. I think it was the best month of my life.”
“Mine, too.”
“Can Noah borrow that camera you showed him how to use? He can take pictures from the car and we can email them to you. I’ll send the camera back—”