Page 104 of Hannah and the Hitman

Brittany smiled. “Thanks for taking care of my girl.”

I blushed, because knowing my best friend, she meant with his Big D.”

“My pleasure,” Jack replied, a smile pulling at his lips. Yeah, he caught her drift.

“Hey, Brittany,” Dax said. “Guess we should be thankful they’re not kissingthis time.”

“Yet,” Jack added.

“Um, sweetie, I have some bad news.”

I glanced at Jack for a second. “Oh?” She looked sad and worried and contrite. Like whatever she was going to tell me I wasn’t going to like. At all. “Are you okay? Your parents?”

She nodded. “Yes. I’m fine. They’re fine. But, um, well, the vacant space for the bookshop was taken.”

Oh.Oh.Right.

I looked at the industrial carpet, brushed it with my toe. “Yeah, my mom mentioned it when we were held at gunpoint by the mafia boss.”

“What?I missed it?”

“We were at my parents’ house.”

She frowned. “Never mind.”

I looked up and painted on a big ass smile. “Well, we’re all healthy and alive, so that’s something, right?”

“There are other spots in town. Better ones,” she said, always rooting for me.

“It’s not taken,” Jack said.

Brittany looked at him, not convinced. “A patient told me that her aunt’s hairdresser’s son is the Realtor and that there’s a contract on the entire building.”

“I bought it,” Jack admitted.

“What?” Brittany asked.

“WHAT?” I shouted.

“Oh hell, you really are moving to Coal Springs,” Dax muttered.

Jack ignored all of us and said, “For you, gorgeous. I got in touch with the Realtor the other day. The space is yours. The dream is yours. It’s time to make it happen.”

Tears fell. Again. And I launched myself at Jack, kissing him.

“I guess we’re not wanted. Again,” Dax said, but I ignored him over the way Jack’s tongue was pretty much mating with mine.

Jack’s hands were on my ass, and I hopped up and wrapped my legs around him.

“Okay. Yeah. Want to go get some food?” Brittany asked him.

“And drinks after,” Dax added. “I think they’re going to be a while.”

73

JACK

“I think we need a new place,” I said, finally getting the chance to look around Hannah’s apartment. We’d made it as far as her front door–the inside of it–before we got the needed bits of clothing off or open to have a hasty quickie.