“H-hi.” Hannah sounded confused, but Caroline could hardly blame her. She’d wasted enough of this woman’s time in the past. Hannah probably expected the very same thing tonight. “Is…everything okay?”
“I wanted to apologise for Monday. I shouldn’t have walked away how I did.”
“Caz, it’s fine.”
“No, it’s not,” Caroline paused. “And I just needed to say a few things to you.” She lifted and then relaxed her shoulders, trying but failing to release the tension. “I want to try again with you. And maybe I’ll mess it all up along the way, but I feel I owe it to myself to try, Hannah. I’ve spent the entire week thinking about you, and quite frankly, I’m tired of wondering what could possibly be between us. I understand that I say one thing then another, but I need to see where this goes.”
“Caz…”
“In the short time since we met, you’ve made me feel like an entirely different person. For a start, I smile more. That’s usually when I’m thinking about you, but does it really matter why? Considering I rarely felt happy, I’m taking whatever I can get. And I’m hoping it’s going to include you. You just…I…I’d really love to see you again, Hannah.”
Hannah didn’t speak. She didn’t make a sound.
“I understand that you’re probably torn, I don’t blame you for that, but if you’d just consider it, I’ll wait to hear from you. It would mean a lot if you gave me another chance. I know you asked that of me the other week and I wouldn’t entertain the idea, but I’m hoping if you can forgive me, we can try again.” Caroline was on a roll for the first time since she met Naomi. She may as well continue. “I want to explore. W-with you. I want to discover the life I’ve been missing, the fun I could have been having, and I only want to do it with you, Hannah. You’re the only woman to turn my head in as long as I can remember…so please, if you decide you want to see me again, call me.”
“Caz, now isn’t really a good time.”
Caroline frowned. That was all Hannah had to say? Yeah, shehadblown it.
“Did you want to order in? Maybe have a glass of wine?” Another woman spoke in the background, sending Caroline’s heart directly into her stomach.
“Sorry, I’ll be right there. Just a minute.” She heard the muffled response as Hannah covered the phone with her hand. “One sec.”
And then Caroline clenched her fist and brought it to her mouth, praying her tears remained at bay.
“Caz, can we do this another time? I’m a little busy at the minute.”
Caroline shook her head, her bottom lip trembling. She wouldn’t cry on the phone. No way. “That won’t be necessary. I’m sorry for disturbing your evening. H-have a lovely weekend. Bye, Hannah.” She cut the call, calmly placing her phone down on the counter.
And then the tears flowed so freely that Caroline didn’t bother to try and stop them. Taking a chance had felt good for once, and now it was obliterated. Hannah…had met someone else. While Caroline loved knowing Hannah was thriving in her personal life and her career, it only reminded her of everything she craved. She had the job she’d always wanted; she’d worked hard to get to where she was, but Caroline’s love life continued to elude her.
Leaving her phone in the kitchen, she reached for a glass and a bottle of wine and moved sluggishly into the living room. It looked like she did have plans with that book after all.
* * *
Hannah gatheredthe paperwork she’d been wading through for the last two hours, slipping her heels on where they sat under her desk. Juliet had asked her to work late, she had a big court case coming up, and the overtime pay had more than convinced Hannah to do so. It seemed like a good idea since Edie was with her dad, but then she’d received a call from Caroline, and suddenly, Hannah didn’t want to be working late on a Friday anymore.
She put the papers back into the files they belonged in, crossing the room and slipping them into Juliet’s filing cabinet. With a heavy heart, her emotions all over the place, Hannah sighed and turned towards the door. Juliet was watching her from the doorway, a sympathetic smile on her mouth. “You’re sure she sounded upset?”
Hannah nodded. “She was definitely upset.”
“Then perhaps you should head over there and make things right with her. From what you’ve said, it’s clear you’re very fond of her, Hannah.”
Could Hannah show up at Caroline’s? Would it be worth it in the long run? She didn’t know, but it was always worth a try. “And if her sister is there like last time?”
Juliet pushed off the frame, grinning. “You work for me now. And we don’t take shit from anyone. Siblings of potential love interests included.”
Hannah would love to have that confidence Juliet possessed. It was frightening at times, but Hannah had spent the entire week in awe of her boss and how she carried herself. Hannah had always felt confident, but Juliet’s confidence was something else. “Maybe I should just send you over there.”
“I don’t think that would go down very well,” Juliet said, collecting her coat from the hanger in the corner of her office. “But if you need any tips on the way over, call me.”
“I think if I’m going to do this, I have to do it all myself. Caroline has been through a lot, and she deserves the chance to sit down and discuss whatever the hell is going on between us. Or not, at the moment.”
“I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you, Hannah. Just be yourself and be honest. There’s no more you can do than that.”
Hannah blew out a breath, offering Juliet a nod. “Right. It’s now or never.” As she approached the door, she turned back. “Thanks for not telling me to sort this out outside of work.”
“Oh, I expect you to sort your personal issues out when you’re not working, but you stayed back to help me out this evening so I can let it go this once. Now, get out of here before I find something else for us to work on.”