The way he said her name made her feel warm inside. She glanced over at the stage in the corner of the pub, noticing Tom looking over at them, his forehead wrinkled with curiosity.
“Did you bring me a present?” Ruby was almost jumping up and down with excitement. Her enthusiasm made Hanna smile.
“At least she’s not materialistic,” Richard whispered to her, in a mock-aside. “I’d hate to think she only loves me for my money.”
Ruby grinned and hung on to her brother’s shirt with her grubby fingers. “You know I love you. So what did you bring me?”
“I’ll show you when we get back to the cottage, Squirt,” he replied, then turned to look at Hanna. “Are you ready to go?”
“I’ll let Tom know we’re leaving.” Ignoring Richard’s frown, Hanna left him standing with his sister. She walked over to Tom, ready to take her leave. His face lit up with a smile.
“What did you think?” He pulled her toward him, putting his hand on her waist in a proprietary gesture. His familiarity unsettled her, especially when she could feel a pair of narrowed eyes watching her every move.
“You were great. Ruby and I loved the songs.” She pulled away. “We have to go home now, though.”
“You’re leaving so soon? Who is that guy, anyway?”
“Ruby’s brother.”
“Oh.” Tom’s face fell.
“He’s come to see Ruby,” she blurted out.
Tom’s smile returned almost instantaneously. “Does that mean you have a babysitter available?”
“I’m the babysitter, remember?” Hanna replied dryly.
“That’s a shame. I guess I’ll just have to take up residence under your window and serenade you with love songs.” He winked at her.
“Feel free, I wear ear plugs. I’m sure the local cats will enjoy it, though.”
“Are you ready, Hanna?” Richard and Ruby went to join them.
Hanna could feel the heat flood her cheeks again. “Richard, this is Tom McLean. He’s with the band.” And she was a loser. Jesus, could she sound any lamer?
“Pleased to meet you.” Richard shook Tom’s hand firmly. For two guys of a similar age, their differences couldn’t be more apparent. Next to the unkempt, slightly disheveled singer, Richard looked older and much more sophisticated. And totally out of her league.
“Can we go?” Ruby tugged at her arm, desperate to get home and open her promised gift.
“Okay, okay, we’re leaving.” Hanna tried to swallow a laugh at Ruby’s desperation. She wasn’t successful.
Tom leaned forward to kiss her cheek, just as Hanna turned her head to look at him. She was still mid laugh, and her open mouth clashed against his. She felt him gasp as they touched. The blood rushed to her lips, and she felt his mouth start to move slowly against hers, the tip of his tongue running a wet line along her plump skin.
She quickly pulled away, her face heating in humiliation as she saw Richard raise his eyebrow at her, his lips pulled back into a thin, straight line.
The night just kept getting better and better.
FOR FIVE DAYS, Richard joined in their routine; reading aloud with them as they finished Harry Potter, and choosing his favorite character as they acted out scenes from the book. Without the suit and tie on, it seemed like Richard Larsen was a different person.
In the evenings, after putting Ruby to bed, they sat together and watched TV. A new program had started on one of the channels, some sort of reality-based experiment. Ten people were forced to live together in a closed house. Hanna found it fascinating.
“It’s not really like 1984 though is it?” Richard mused, offering her another chocolate cookie from the packet they were sharing. “I mean, Big Brother would make them stand to attention and swear loyalty to him. Not let them laze around in the yard, talking to chickens.”
When the adverts came on, Hanna made her way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she took out two bottles of Becks, prising the lids off with a bottle opener as she walked back to the living room. Looking over at Richard, she noticed his eyes darken almost imperceptibly as he stared directly at her bare legs. The intensity of his gaze made her breath hitch.
With Ruby’s bedtime routine, a favorite TV program, and their sharing of beer and cookies, they were turning into a parody of an old, married couple…
Minus the sex.