It Don't Happen Twice

When The Best Friend Puts a Foot Down

Three weeks later....

Brantley's POV

I gently eased the door to Hannah's room open delicately balancing the cup of coffee in my hand trying to not spill it. I tamped down a sigh at the lump still under the covers. I had been gone a little over a week and had worried the entire time this is what I would come home to find. It had not been a pretty picture before I left. For the last few weeks, I hadn't left Banana alone unless I had to be on the road and that is when Emily took over or Mama. I understood she needed to grieve. God, I couldn't even imagine the anguish she was feeling. I'd tried to get information on the guy before I left but even Emily wasn't budging on that. That concerned me because if it involved protecting Han, she spilled those secrets in a heartbeat. My fear is it was a random hookup because I didn't remember any mention of a date from Hannah and now the fucker had left her high and dry mourning on her own.

Placing the cup of coffee along with one of her favorite chocolate chip muffins on the nightstand, I reached out easing the covers away from Hannah's sleeping face. It was gaunt with purple circles under her eyes. One slim shoulder was dipping out from under where the neck of one of my t-shirts slipped. Watching her sleep, I thought back to the conversation Aaron and I had the other day.

"Heard from Eve lately?" Aaron asked studying me with a smirk as we walked down the hall of the radio station we were at for an interview. PJ was trailing behind us typing on his phone. I heard a low sigh from him making me roll my eyes as Aaron laughed. We all knew PJ wasn't a fan, but he had a lot fewer comment lately. Mostly because I had been too busy on the road or checking on Hannah to really give Eve much thought. Worry was replacing any itch I needed scratched here lately. "Know she hasn't popped by. Giving that up?"
"It is just a hookup," I said with an eye roll of my own before shaking my head. "Honestly, I have been so worried about Hannah that I really haven't thought about her."

"How is she doing?" he asked studying me for a minute. I could tell he wanted to say something more, so I motioned at him to go ahead. "I know she has all of y'all, so she has the support she needs in this. To be honest, I am surprised it took you this long to pull your head out of your ass when it comes to her?"

"Do huh?" I asked with wide eyes about to scratch my head because I was confused. That is when PJ lost it in a fit of laughter. I looked back and forth between the pair of idiots I was walking with wondering what was up with them. "What?"

"B," Aaron snickered. "Are you really that damn clueless?" I cocked an eyebrow at him to explain taking a sip of my coffee. "That woman has always been in love with you. Hell, pretty sure you have a whole shelf of autographed books at home that explain that in many different ways."

"What the hell?" I snapped choking on my coffee narrowing my eyes. The giant idiot to my right was leaned against the wall he was laughing so hard. I wasn't clueless. Yea, Hannah loved me, but sure as hell not like that. I mean, there is no way in hell. "Not a damn one of those books are about me."

"Yea okay Boss," PJ said in between full belly laughs. Like this asshole's belly was almost jiggling like a bowl full of jelly. Tears were slipping down his cheeks. Aaron was trying to get his snickers under control but was failing. "I can tell you have never read a single word she has written then because yea, yea they are."

"Both of you assholes are out of your damn minds," I growled pushing past them while pasting a smile on my face for the DJ effectively shutting down this discussion. They both were full of shit.

But sitting here watching Hannah sleep, I couldn't help but wonder how much truth there was in the comments both of them had made. PJ, he had made a few back in the day so it wasn't uncommon for him, but Aaron had only been around us for a few years with me being married to Amber the biggest majority of the time. I carefully watched the sleeping woman thinking back to the night of her birthday. That almost kiss still plagued my mind with a little bit of what might have been more than I would readily admit to anyone. But then I debated my track record with women and Hannah was one of those people in my life I could not live without. Plus, I would just fuck it up anyways. What I always did right? Shaking off the lustful thoughts, I gently reached over smoothing the hair away from Hannah's sleeping face letting out a quiet chuckle when a blue eye cracked open looking at me. I saw how puffy and red rimmed it was and my heart cracked.

"Hey sweetheart," I murmured giving her a soft smile. My only answer in return was Hannah rolling to her side burying her face in my knee with a shuddering sigh. I threaded my finger in her soft, but messy hair, toying with the ends of it. "You need to drag your ass out of this bed Han." My answer was a grunt and her burrowing closer. I tamped down a growl and the urge to smack her across the ass just to shake her out of her funk. I knew she had her checkup Friday while I was gone and was healed from everything at least physically. Emotionally was going to take a lot longer.

A sniffle pulled the sigh I was holding in out at the sound. I kicked my shoes off before shifting around to stretch out on the rumpled bed pulling Hannah along with me. Silent tears soaked into my t-shirt as I wrapped my arms around her smoothing my hands up and down her back in comfort. I wasn't sure how long we laid there before the sniffles abated. Curling my hand around the bottom of her chin, I pressed Han to look up at me. Teardrops clung to her long lashes. I gave her a soft smile before gently hitting her with some hard truths.

"Darlin, you have got to rejoin the real world. Hiding in this bed in your room isn't going to make things better." Blue eyes narrowed at me in challenge. I don't know where in the hell this feistiness was coming from but if pushing that button is what got her out of wallowing then I would be the asshole to do it. "It will be worse on you in the long run. I know your parents are asking questions. Mama is worried about you. Hell, so are Emily and I both. Let's go do something. Hell, anything that gets you out of this house Banana."

"I'm fine right here," she snarled sitting up pushing her hair out of her face with a grimace. I bit my lip to keep a chuckle in at her blunder of being sassy. "You go what you need to do Brantley. I don't need you babysitting me. Tell Emily the same thing! Even Hannah #2 and Ashley have been bird dogging me. Just...Just..." Tears of frustration welled in her eyes and my resolve to be peaceful snapped.

"That's it!" I snapped standing up making Hannah gasped. I reached down circling her wrist in my hand tugging her off the bed. I scooped her over my shoulder striding into her bathroom with determination. After yanking the shower door open and flicking the hot water on, I sat Hannah down on her feet watching her peer up at me in shock. "Oh don't give me that look Han. You asked for the asshole by being stubborn well you damn well are going to get him." I snapped my fingers making her jump and pointed at the shower. "Get your stubborn ass in there and grab a shower. I'm going to toss shit in a suitcase for you. Once you are finished we will detour by the house for me to pack."

"And just where in the hell do you think I am going?" Hannah hissing putting her hands on her slim hips. Hips that had gotten slimmer the last few weeks. "I think I will just stay here.''

"Like fuck you will Hannah Evelyn!" I yelled turning to head out of the bathroom before I had to strip her ass to make her. "Shower now!"

"And just where the hell am I going Boss!" she yelled back at me with venom in her blue eyes. Oh, she was pissed if she used that. I had about five seconds before she started throwing shit at my head but at least I was seeing something other than sadness in her eyes. "Since you are being such a bossy ass it fits."

"Well," I said with an evil grin pulling my phone out of my pocket to make some phone calls. "I did get the beach house in the divorce. Maybe it is time for a road trip Banana. Gets your frumpy ass clean and let's roll out woman. I'll see what Emily and Corey are up too." Maybe getting her out of town for a little bit would help shake things up because God knows Hannah needed it before she drowned herself in tears of sorrow.