Hannah stared at herself in the full-length mirror of her bedroom. The dress she had wanted to wear had come from the furthest reaches of her closet, and pre-dated Olivia. It was a dress that had always gotten a reaction out of him, even though she had never thought it was anything all that special. Standing in it now, she understood it had been the fit of it all along. As she examined herself, it now hugged the wrong parts of her body. Her hips were all wrong in it.
Hannah sighed as she felt her nerves set in again. The last 4 years had been evenly divided between Olivia and her career. Book revisions, publishing contracts, distribution deals, press meetings. It was a whirlwind. Finding the success she had always wanted, her larger focus had been being a mother- a single mother at that. She had been on a few first dates over the years, but nothing that had meant anything. Truthfully, her schedule had kept her from really pursuing anything.
She thumbed through her wardrobe, discouraged. Not a whole lot of “fun” left. Her “look” these days alternated between “busy mom” and “professional author.” Settling for a long sleeve black floral top, she pulled it on over a pair of black skinny jeans, making a face at herself in the mirror. It had been awhile since she had dressed up for a night out.
Having done her hair and makeup beforehand, she took a deep breath.
“He asked to see you again, Hannah…” she lectured herself “This is what you look like now…”
She let herself smile as the door gently pushed open.
There was a small gasp, causing her to look to her daughter, now in the room. “Mommy...You’re pretty…”
Hannah felt herself relax a little as she picked Olivia up to sit her on the bed. “Thank you, baby…Are you excited for Grammy’s house?”
“Yeah!” she nodded
“Ok, well she’ll be here any minute. Is kitty ready?” Hannah smiled, mentioning Olivia’s favorite stuffed animal.
Olivia nodded. “Mommy..You’re going to work?”
Hannah bit her lip “Mommy has a meeting. But Grammy told me you guys are gonna make COOKIES…”
Olivia’s face lit up “Okay…” Her face tilted a little as she looked at Hannah. “Mommy…” she touched her lips “It’s PINK!”
Hannah giggled “Yeah..It’s called lipstick…”
“I want lipstick!” she sat up straight.
Hannah smirked “Yeah? You wanna look like mommy?”
Olivia grinned, nodding.
“Well I think you’re already pretty…” Hannah gently smushed her face “But just a little…”
She walked back over to her vanity, picking up a sheer lipgloss. Putting just a touch on Olivia’s lips, she smiled.
“Ok..Go like this,” Hannah showed Olivia, puckering her lips together. Olivia mimicked her mom making more of a fish face.
Hannah laughed “Yeah...something like that.”
The doorbell rang and Olivia hopped off the bed “GRAMMY!” she exclaimed, running down the stairs and forcing Hannah to follow quickly behind her.
Making it before Olivia just in time to grab the door, she was greeted by her mother on the other side.
Sizing her up, her mom’s face lit up “Well, My God...Would you look at that...It’s my daughter…”
Hannah rolled her eyes “Mom...stop…”
“GRAMMY!” Olivia wrapped her grandma in a hug.
“Livie girl!” the older woman cooed, grabbing her face in one hand “Does this child have makeup on?”
Olivia giggled “I’m pretty like mommy…” she puckered out her lips.
Hannah’s mom couldn’t help but laugh “Yes you are...and yes she is,” she looked up at Hannah.
“Sweetheart you look gorgeous!”
Hannah sighed “Thanks, mom...I need new clothes…”
“I’ve been saying that, but what do I know?” her mom teased.
Hannah laughed “Stop...Not like I ever go anywhere…”
“Well you are tonight...Are you nervous?”
“Is it that obvious?” Hannah bit her lip.
Her mom laughed “Honey! Relax,” she shook her by the arms a little. “It’s not someone new. Honestly I still don’t understand what happened there…”
“Mom…”
“I know, I know…’Shut up, mom’...But really, enjoy yourself. You’re young...You need to take a break sometimes.”
“I have a child,” Hannah gave her a look.
“Yes, you do...An AMAZING child, who loves it when her mommy is happy...Right Livie?” she look down to Olivia, who was hugging her leg.
Olivia nodded “Have fun at your meeting, mommy!”
Hannah’s mom gave her a look, to which Hannah gave her a warning look back.
“Ok sweet girl, let’s go. Mommy’s gotta get to her meeting.”
Hannah hugged her mom as they headed to leave “Thank you, mom.”
Her mom winked back at her “Have fun. I always liked him…”
Hannah felt herself blush. “Go…” she smiled
*****
“So how did the signing go?” Justin continued his conversation on the phone with JC a few days after Hannah's book event.
“Uh...It was interesting. We had dinner.”
“Interesting? Good Interesting?” Justin sounded curious.
JC sighed “ Hannah has a daughter…”
“WHAT?! Oh wow...Um. How old?”
“4…”
“Oh...OH SHIT...C, do you have a kid?!” Justin asked as he tried to do the math in his head.
“I don’t know...She didn’t say...Just that it didn’t work out with the father…”
“Damn...Are you gonna ask her?”
“I mean...I kind of have to, right?”
“Uh...Ya think?”
“J...She looked good. Like REALLY good…”
Justin smirked on the other end of the phone. “Is there still something there?”
JC rubbed his hand on the back of his neck “Man...I don’t know. This kid thing, though...It’s throwing me…”
“You have to find out, either way, man…”
“I know...We did talk about going out again…”
“Good.”
“J...A kid?
“Hey...If I can do it…” Justin chuckled…
“DA-DDYY” A high pitched voice interrupted them.
“Speak of the devil,” Justin continued. “Gotta go, man…”
JC smiled “Give that dude a hug from me. Talk to you later…”
**
JC turned off the engine in front of her house. Looking over at her, he saw a younger version of the woman in front of him.
“That was fun, Jace…”
“Yeah it was.” He reached over to squeeze her hand. He chuckled to himself, feeling like a teenager trying to make curfew.
“I guess this is a little awkward, huh?” Hannah chuckled back.
“A little bit,” his eyes crinkled into a soft smile.” His eyes landed on her house, no light in sight.
“She’s with my mom…” Hannah blushed.
Jc nodded. “I um...Whatever you wanna do, Hannah…”
Hannah smiled and looked down “Jace, uh...I’d like you to come in...but...If you do,” she sighed,” Look I’m...not the same person you knew. I can’t be. My life...kind of took a left turn…”
JC smiled at her, understanding in his eyes. “Neither am I, Annie…”
She blushed. “I think I have a couple beers in the fridge…”
He grinned “Sounds perfect…”
JC followed her into her condo as she turned on the lights. Looking around, he took in how far she had come since the apartment he had spent so much time in years ago.
“This is nice...”
She smiled, following his eyes “Um. Thanks. It works for us.” She made her way to the kitchen. “Sit down...Relax.”
JC smiled, making his way to the couch in the living room. Passing a few photos on the wall, he paused. An image of Hannah kissing a tiny girl caught his eye. They were both smiling. Actually, it looked like the little girl was laughing. He beamed as Hannah walked up to him, beer in hand.
“Is this Olivia?”
Hannah smiled, the love clear in her eyes. “Yeah...That’s my Liv…”
JC let out a slow breath. “Wow, Annie...She’s gorgeous…”
Hannah grinned “Thank you...I think so…”
JC paused, eyes lost on the photo. “You’re ...a mom.”
She handed him a beer. “I am...Or at least that’s what she calls me,” she joked. “Crazy, huh? Me with a kid…”
JC turned to look at her, a soft smile. “Doesn’t seem that crazy to me...Amazing, yes. Crazy?...Not really.”
Hannah blushed. “Shall we?” She gestured toward the living room.
Sitting down on the couch together, Hannah smiled, staring at him.
“What?” he swallowed a sip of his beer, staring back at her.
“Just...This is. I can’t believe you’re here. “
He smiled “Yeah...Long time…” He took a breath.It had been a great night so far, but he just couldn’t focus. Not while he didn’t know. He had to know. “Hannah...Umm….”
“Yes…?” she answered him, concern in her eyes as she sensed his uneasiness.
“Your daughter, um..Olivia,” he felt his mouth go dry. “Is she um...Annie...Is she mine?” His leg was bouncing as he looked to her.
Hannah’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God…” she ran a hand through her hair before scooting closer to him to place a hand on his leg “Jace...I’m sorry, I should’ve...No….She’s not yours,” she looked down.
“Oh…” he bit his lip, looking down to fidget with the label on his beer.
“Jace...I would have told you,” she spoke softly.
He nodded “I mean I...would hope so.”
Hannah sighed “She um. I...After we…” she stuttered, taking a breath and a sip of her beer “Well she wasn’t planned, “ she pressed her lips together.
JC focused on her. There was conflict written on her face. It was clearly a story she didn’t like to tell.
“Sometimes...Those are the best things, right?” he offered.
“What?” she looked up at him.
“What we don’t...plan? That’s what life is, isn’t it?”
Hannah’s face fell into a smile. “Yeah...It is.”
“I’m sorry, Annie, I just...had to know.”
“That’s fair,” she nodded.
“Is she as direct as you?” JC teased.
Hannah blushed, laughing as she thought of her daughter “Well she’s a kid, so...yeah…”
JC grinned “Good! Strong like her mom…”
Hannah smiled, an almost shy expression. “You need another beer?”
JC let out a breath, looking at his empty bottle. “Sure. One more.”
Hannah nodded, getting up to grab his empty. Leaning down, she kissed him quickly.
She missed him more than she remembered, and older JC was even more appealing than the former model.
Returning with two more beers, she sat down next to him. Taking the beer from her to set it down, he leaned in to press his lips firmly over hers. Her sigh was content as she kissed him back. His hands travelled up her sides to just below her breast as hers rested comfortably around his neck. A few light pecks to wind down, he pulled away slowly, breath a little ragged.
“Ok...Ok...I’m stopping. I just needed to do that…”
Hannah grinned, blushing “Yeah...I needed you to do that, too…”
JC’s eyes were crystal looking at her. He casually reached for his beer and took a sip, looking at her. “You’re...flustered..That’s new...It’s cute,” he grinned.
Hannah sighed, laughing lightly “Well, No one’s ever kissed me like you, Jace…” she admitted.
He grinned, biting his bottom lip. “I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone else like I want to kiss you, Annie…”
