“Mm. I love it when you curse, Ms Baker.”
Caroline grinned, slumping back in Hannah’s lap. She stretched her legs out under the coffee table, palming Hannah’s thighs. “If you keep doing that, I’ll never want to go home again.”
Well, that wasn’t something Hannah cared about. Caroline was welcome to be here all day, every day. That would never change. “Then I’ll definitely do it more often.”
Epilogue
One year later…
Hannah watchedCaroline as she came into the living room, her hair a mess and looking very flustered. A flustered Caroline was often her favourite Caroline, and today that was absolutely the case. Because as of this moment, Hannah, Caroline, and Edie lived together. As one happy family.
“All done?”
Caroline crossed the room and wrapped Hannah up in her arms. They sat around her waist, Caroline’s green eyes sparkling today. “All done.”
“I’m surprised Edie even agreed to go to Mum’s today. I’ve never seen her so excited.”
“Oh, I don’t know. She was very excited when Dylan called to say Yvonne had gone into labour.”
Hannah knew what Caroline was doing. She was trying to lessen the severity of this. But if it worked for Caroline—to dumb down how far they’d come to save herself from feeling overwhelmed—then Hannah was okay with that. Whatever worked for Caroline worked for her, too. “I can’t believe it’s actually happened.”
They’d discussed moving in with one another around six months ago, but Caroline never seemed to be giving it too much thought. She was practically here all the time anyway, so Hannah had chosen to let it lie. Except, Caroline had been. Unbeknownst to Hannah and Edie. And then one day, Caroline arrived home from work to tell Hannah she’d put her own house on the market, and she hoped for a quick sale. Now, here they were three months on, ready to build a life and a home together.
“I can. I always knew it would deep down. I just didn’t want to put too much pressure on it all. You know me. I like to go with the flow.”
“And whatisyour flow?”
Caroline smiled into a kiss. “Oh,you. One hundred percent. You’re definitely my flow.”
“I like being your flow,” Hannah said, her arms settling over Caroline’s shoulders. “Iloveeverything we’ve already built and everything else to come.”
“It’s been a whirlwind year, hasn’t it?”
Hannah had to agree with that. Not only had Caroline sold her house and decided she wanted to be a family with Hannah and Edie, but she’d also applied for the headteacher position at work and gotten the job. To say Hannah was proud of her was an understatement.
“Sit with me a minute.” Hannah guided Caroline to the couch, their hands entwined in Hannah’s lap. “I just…I wanted to say a few things to you.”
Caroline frowned as she turned her body to face Hannah more fully. “Is everything okay? I know this is what you wanted, what we all wanted, but if it feels too sudden—”
“Don’teven think about finishing that sentence, babe. Having you here with us isallI want.” Hannah squeezed Caroline’s hand, stroking a thumb across her knuckles. “You’ve had a hectic year, and you’ve turned your life upside down for us. A life you were only just getting used to yourself. I just wanted to thank you, Caz.”
“Thank me?”
“For giving me a chance. It’s hard to imagine a time when we weren’t together now, but when we first met, I didn’t believe it could happen. It was all I wanted, all I knew I needed in my life, but you just always felt out of reach. To know that you gave me that chance to make you happy, trusted me with your heart when it was so fragile, I hope you know I’d never do anything to hurt you. You’re my family. Edie’s family. This is nowourhome, and if you hadn’t taken that chance on me, we wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
Caroline brushed a hand across her own cheek as a tear fell. “I never expected any of this. When I left Naomi, I swore I’d never get involved again. It just felt too much like hard work for something that would likely only hurt me again in the long run.”
Hannah offered a faint smile, bringing Caroline’s hand to her lips.
“But you made it so easy. So effortless. When it comes to loving you, it seems I don’t have to try very hard at all.”
“Good. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
Caroline grinned. “Yes. I’m beginning to realise that.”
“You’re happy, right?”
Caroline cupped Hannah’s face, feathering a thumb across her cheek. “YouknowI’m happy. I didn’t know it was possible to feel this happy, and I know I pushed back for a little while, but happiness doesn’t begin to describe how you make me feel, Hannah. This is like nothing I ever imagined in my wildest dreams.”