HANNAH
Hannah had never been the overly confident one in new relationships—if that's even what this was with Carmen. But watching her stir soup at the stove, later curled under a blanket with Lyvie, quietly coloring pages of kittens, Hannah's heart had swelled.
She never introduced anyone to Lyv. She rarely dated, so they hadn't even known she existed. And yet somehow, Carmen somehow wiggled her way into her daughter's presence. It was like her daughter had sensed something before Hannah could fully admit it to herself.
For now, she told herself the truth would be simple enough. Carmen was her boss. They worked together. That explanation would suffice for a small child. Carmen seemed to understand the unspoken boundaries. In front of Lyvie, there were no lingering touches, no suggestive looks. And Hannah appreciated that, even if a part of her missed them.
She hadn't expected any of this to last beyond one night. But here they were, texting every day, navigating attraction and boundaries in the gray space between.
She meant everything she told Carmen in the kitchen. She wanted to know her. Not just in privacy. Not just in those intimate moments. And she certainly couldn't let the workplace be those times. Lines had to be drawn.
If not, she could lose more than just her mind.
Which brought her here. Standing in front of a boutique window, eyeing a mannequin in a sleek black dress. The gala was tomorrow.
The bell above the door chimed. An older woman looked up from a sewing table and greeted her.
"I'll be with you, dear."
Hannah offered a small smile and wandered to a rack of gowns, thumbing through satin and sequins. She already felt overwhelmed.
I should've brought Jules.
She pulled out her phone.
Hannah: You're on standby for dress advice.
Jules: Oooo I'm READY! Send pics immediately!
The shop owner approached, petite, with a sharp bob and warm eyes.
"So, what's the occasion?"
"A music gala award show." Hannah explained. "I just need something... appropriate."
She was quickly ushered to a dressing room with an armful of gowns. They were all stunning, screaming glamour and entirely out of her price-range. And completely not her. She was a jeans-and-sneakers kind of girl. But as she twirled in front of the mirror, even she had to admit, she looked good.
Jules responded to each photo with equal enthusiasm.
Jules: STUNNING!
Jules: Shut UP.
Jules: Holy shit. You're a goddess!
Jules: Wait, I'm crying???
Ugh. This wasn't helping.
And the shop owner wasn't helping either. She loved each selection as well. Almost too much.
As Hannah rehung the last dress, her gaze landed on a black outfit hanging solo near the dressing room. Clean lines, structured shoulders, a hint of edge that seemed to call to her.
"Mind if I try that one?" she asked.
The owner beamed. "This one just came in. Go for it"
When Hannah pulled the curtain back, stepping out in it, something clicked. It wasn't overly flashy. But it was bold. She felt confident. She felt like herself in it.
YOU ARE READING
Of Course, It's You
Romance[Book 1 in the Of Course series] The only reason Hannah made it to this wedding, was because her friends asked for her daughter to be the flower girl. After the death of her wife, Hannah resigned herself to a life devoid of love and she's determined...
