Read Online Hannah (The Hawthorne Sisters) by Ava Catori - Free Book Online
Authors: Ava Catori
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from her mind. She needed to take things slowly, because she was falling way too fast.
Eventually they managed to eat some food . After cleaning up, they retired to the sofa to watch a movie. Hannah leaned up against him, snuggling into the nook of his arm as he wrapped it around her. She could picture sitting against him like this forever. Was this what she wanted, though? To settle down so soon, still young? All she knew was that the world felt right when Bryce Callahan was by her side.
Chapter 9
With fall upon them, the colder weather had already snapped in. Snow found its way in early September, and frost was settling every other night. Hannah wished the summer months would last longer, and longed for warmer days. September was a month of confusion, some nice weather and some unbearably cold.
The one thing Hannah enjoyed about the crisp, cool days was snuggling up with Bryce in front of the fireplace, watching the wood crackle with shades of yellow, orange, and blue. There was nothing cozier.
When the sheriff called, it was like old times again. Bev was back to her old behavior, and the sheriff was asking Bryce to come get her.
Slamming the phone down, Bryce crumpled onto the sofa beside Hannah. Dropping his head in his hands, he sighed. “She was doing so well. I thought things were changing. How can I have a life with you when I have to babysit my sister, keeping her out of trouble? I love you. You don’t deserve a life of us chasing after her bad habits.” He was distraught, hurting, and angry with his sister.
Hannah ran her hand over his back. When the words came out, she swallowed hard. “You love me?”
Bryce looked at her, his cheeks flushed, realizing what he’d said. “Yeah, I guess I do.”
A small smile spread across her face. “I love you, too. And I’m sorry about your sister; I can go with you to get her.”
“You shouldn’t have to. She’s a grown woman and needs to take care of her own problems. I need to live my life, not worry about hers.”
He was venting, frustrated, and tired of Beverly’s troubles. She wasn’t going to change, but he was tired of picking up the pieces. It was time for him to let go. She needed to face the consequences of her choices.
Bryce dialed Sheriff Chapman back. “I won’t be picking her up anymore. It’s time for her to take care of herself. I’ll send bail money around in the morning, but I think it’s time for her to figure things out.”
Hanging up, Bryce felt guilty. He’d let her stay in jail for the night. He just couldn’t be co-dependent anymore. He tried to fix her, save her, make things better, but it was draining him.
“Do you think I’m a bad person?” His face softened.
“I think sometimes tough love is the only answer.” She squeezed his hand , and sat quietly watching the fire with him.
“I should go get her.” He stood, paced, and sat back down. “No. She won’t learn.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want her to get her crap together.” He collapsed beside Hannah. “Her life could be so much more. She’s throwing it away. She blames herself for our parent’s death. She couldn’t have known how it would happen. It was an accident.” He shook his head. “I’m going to go get her.”
“Do you want some company?”
“I don’t think so. I need to have a heart to heart with her. This will truly be the last time I bail her out. She can’t expect somebody to save her hide every time.”
Hannah nodded. She couldn’t imagine he wouldn’t help again. As much as he wanted to tell her he wouldn’t save her, he was the type of man to rescue those in trouble. It’s just who he was.
“Hannah. I’m sorry those words didn’t come out in a more romantic way. I’d meant to…” he stopped. Finding his ground, he spoke. “They’re true. I do love you.”
Hannah smiled and wrapped herself around him, her arms circling Bryce’s waist. “And I love you. Go get your sister.”
Bryce walked Hannah out to
Eventually they managed to eat some food . After cleaning up, they retired to the sofa to watch a movie. Hannah leaned up against him, snuggling into the nook of his arm as he wrapped it around her. She could picture sitting against him like this forever. Was this what she wanted, though? To settle down so soon, still young? All she knew was that the world felt right when Bryce Callahan was by her side.
Chapter 9
With fall upon them, the colder weather had already snapped in. Snow found its way in early September, and frost was settling every other night. Hannah wished the summer months would last longer, and longed for warmer days. September was a month of confusion, some nice weather and some unbearably cold.
The one thing Hannah enjoyed about the crisp, cool days was snuggling up with Bryce in front of the fireplace, watching the wood crackle with shades of yellow, orange, and blue. There was nothing cozier.
When the sheriff called, it was like old times again. Bev was back to her old behavior, and the sheriff was asking Bryce to come get her.
Slamming the phone down, Bryce crumpled onto the sofa beside Hannah. Dropping his head in his hands, he sighed. “She was doing so well. I thought things were changing. How can I have a life with you when I have to babysit my sister, keeping her out of trouble? I love you. You don’t deserve a life of us chasing after her bad habits.” He was distraught, hurting, and angry with his sister.
Hannah ran her hand over his back. When the words came out, she swallowed hard. “You love me?”
Bryce looked at her, his cheeks flushed, realizing what he’d said. “Yeah, I guess I do.”
A small smile spread across her face. “I love you, too. And I’m sorry about your sister; I can go with you to get her.”
“You shouldn’t have to. She’s a grown woman and needs to take care of her own problems. I need to live my life, not worry about hers.”
He was venting, frustrated, and tired of Beverly’s troubles. She wasn’t going to change, but he was tired of picking up the pieces. It was time for him to let go. She needed to face the consequences of her choices.
Bryce dialed Sheriff Chapman back. “I won’t be picking her up anymore. It’s time for her to take care of herself. I’ll send bail money around in the morning, but I think it’s time for her to figure things out.”
Hanging up, Bryce felt guilty. He’d let her stay in jail for the night. He just couldn’t be co-dependent anymore. He tried to fix her, save her, make things better, but it was draining him.
“Do you think I’m a bad person?” His face softened.
“I think sometimes tough love is the only answer.” She squeezed his hand , and sat quietly watching the fire with him.
“I should go get her.” He stood, paced, and sat back down. “No. She won’t learn.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want her to get her crap together.” He collapsed beside Hannah. “Her life could be so much more. She’s throwing it away. She blames herself for our parent’s death. She couldn’t have known how it would happen. It was an accident.” He shook his head. “I’m going to go get her.”
“Do you want some company?”
“I don’t think so. I need to have a heart to heart with her. This will truly be the last time I bail her out. She can’t expect somebody to save her hide every time.”
Hannah nodded. She couldn’t imagine he wouldn’t help again. As much as he wanted to tell her he wouldn’t save her, he was the type of man to rescue those in trouble. It’s just who he was.
“Hannah. I’m sorry those words didn’t come out in a more romantic way. I’d meant to…” he stopped. Finding his ground, he spoke. “They’re true. I do love you.”
Hannah smiled and wrapped herself around him, her arms circling Bryce’s waist. “And I love you. Go get your sister.”
Bryce walked Hannah out to
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