It Don't Happen Twice

Beyond

Brantley's POV

"Thank you," I heard murmured in my ear making me turn my head to glance up at Emily from my chair on the edge of the dance floor. My cousin was wearing a relieved smile as she tugged a half tipsy Hannah to the dance floor of the little hole in a wall bar they had found after eating dinner. While it was much cooler this time of year, getting Hannah out of town had seemed to do her some good. There was finally some color in her cheeks from sitting out on the back deck of the beach house today with a slight smile that hadn't left her lips that we hadn't seen in a while. I knew Han loved the water. Her and Emily would hit the sand any chance they got during the summer typically. Amber had been the same way. Guess that is why I was such a petty ass pushing for the beach house in the divorce. I mean, she did have me served with papers on stage. Turnabout was fair play in many ways and my ex-wife could just suck it.

The oversize black sweater Hannah was wearing with a pair of tight jeans slipped off a slim shoulder while she danced throwing her head back laughing at Emily. The shadows underneath her eyes had faded some thankfully. She slept the whole trip here curled up in the front seat with her head resting on my knee. Even in between answering emails and phone calls, Emily had leaned over checking on her occasionally. Muttering that at least Han was getting some restful sleep. Corey slipped up passing a glass off to each of the girls shaking his head when they sandwiched him between them dancing.

This was the carefree Hannah from our younger years before life got in the way. The Hannah that tagged after me since she was about five that had grown up into a hell of a woman even if half the time, she didn't see it. Hearing the opening chords to "Beyond" made me pause with my Coke halfway to my lips. Emily turned narrowing her eyes at me as Corey tugged her to him and Hannah bit her lip then moved to make her way back to the table. Knowing what my cousin wanted as she wrapped herself around her husband, I pushed to my feet catching Hannah's hand lacing my fingers with hers tugging her back to the edge of the dance floor. She nervously bit her bottom lip pulling my attention to the pale pink lips.

Trying to distract myself, I wrapped my arms around her waist feeling her head rest on my chest slowly swaying her to the music humming to myself. I met Emily's eyes over Corey's shoulder seeing the wink she shot like "Good job B." I knew where her train of thought was going but truthfully, I needed to shut that down because Hannah had been through enough lately. Did not want to add anything complicated to things just because other people were convinced we needed to be together. Listening to the words to the song was getting to me and I almost missed the subtle whimper coming from Hannah. I eased back slipping a finger under Hannah's chin lifting seeing a slight shimmer of tears in her eyes and concern flared through me.

"You okay?" I asked gently. Hannah bit her bottom lip shrugging her shoulders with an air of indifference. I bent down to look straight in her eyes. "You want to get out of here?"

"Please," she murmured nodding her head. I kept my arm wrapped around her waist leading her out into the windy night. The bar was just a little way down the beach from the house so we started out on the path headed that way. The smell of the coming rain mingled with the salty ocean air providing a heaviness to it paired with a chill. Hannah shivered as another strong gust of wind rocked her on her feet. She snarled up at me when I chuckled lowly but didn't argue when I eased my jacket open tucking her closer to shield her against the cold. "Stop laughIng at me. I almost was blown away."

"Well," I chimed back narrowing my eyes at her slightly. "If your already skinny ass would actually eat instead of burrowing in your sorrow Banana."

"Don't you start too Brantley," she grumbled ducking her head staying silent the rest of the way to the beach house increasing her strides to keep up with my longer legs. Right as we reached the house, the bottom fell out soaking us in the torrential downpour in the matter of seconds it took to dart onto the front porch. Hannah pulled away from me hunching her shoulders telling me it wasn't from the cold but that she was withdrawing back into herself again. I snaked my hand out catching her wrist making her stop with her hand on the door ready to retreat inside. She jumped as a boom of thunder surrounded us making her collide backwards with my chest. Raising my hands up to rest on her shoulders I felt her tremble which was probably from the chill in the air. "Just let me go. I'll be fine B. Nothing a little sleep won't cure."