“Hanna and Juliette went somewhere, and Cross was wondering if anyone knew where,” Abbie supplied.
I wondered if she always sounded so cheery, and if she did, how in the world her husband stood it. I mean, I wouldn't want to be around someone who was a bitch all the time, but that constant bubbly personality would grate on my nerves after a while.
Then again, for all I knew, any woman would eventually get on my nerves. Being with Hanna was the longest I'd ever been in a relationship, and I had no idea how much longer it would last.
And I had a bad feeling that if I didn't make things right with Hanna sooner rather than later, what we had wouldn't be around much longer.
I looked up at RJ. I was tall, but he was at least six and a half feet. “Would you happen to know where Hanna and Juliette might be?”
RJ shrugged. “Whenever Hanna was home from college, she used to go to Hanson Bar and Grill off Main Street. Maybe they went there.”
That made sense. Hanna wanted to talk to Juliette, find out what was going on, and I was sure she wouldn't want her family accidentally overhearing. That sounded like the perfect place for a private conversation.
“Excuse me.” I left RJ and Abbie as I headed toward the kitchen where I could hear Mrs. Breckenridge singing. Despite how much I disliked how the Breckenridge parents put their daughters in the backseat, they were overall good people.
“Mrs. Breckenridge.”
She looked up. The first couple days, she and her husband had tried to get me to call them Raymond and Caroline, but I'd stuck with the more formal address. I said it was because I wanted to be polite, respectful, but I knew that a deep part of me felt like if I called them by their first names, it'd mean something more.
“Hi, Cross.” She smiled at me, the resemblance to her daughters making my heart give a painful thump. “Is there something I can do for you?”
“Actually, ma'am, I was wondering if I could borrow a car? Hanna and Juliette took the rental.”
“Of course.” She gestured toward a bowl next to the back door. “Grab a set of keys. Both cars should have full tanks.”
I fished out one and headed outside. The car door wasn't even locked. Some people might've liked the whole small town vibe they had going on, but I had a feeling I'd get stir-crazy before too long.
I pulled up my GPS and typed in the information to get the directions I needed. A few minutes later, I was on my way.
The entire drive, I thought about what I was going to say, how I could convince her that this was all just some vast misunderstanding. She had to know that sort of thing was a man's worst nightmare. Not a baby in and of itself. One that was planned for, a wanted part of a family, that was cause for celebration. A surprise after less than six months of dating – that was cause for freaking out. Any other man would've been just as pissed if they'd thought their girlfriend had tricked them.
I passed by a dozen little shops, then nearly slammed on my brakes when I saw the jewelry store. It wasn't some name brand place, but it looked nice enough to find what I wanted.
They were open, of course. After all, it was Black Friday. The resemblance between the two gentlemen behind the counter left no doubt to their relation, though they were both of such an indiscriminate age that it was difficult to say if they were father and son or brothers.
“Good afternoon, sir.” The older of the two spoke first. “How may we help you?”
“I'm looking for something for my girlfriend.” I walked past the case of rings to the one holding the necklaces and bracelets. “Something, I think, in silver.”
I'd had Hanna's collar specially made. Before her, I'd never thought I'd want a woman enough to make that sort of commitment, but when I realized that I wanted to stake a claim on her, I'd been very particular. I wouldn't find anything of quite so fine a quality here, but I was hopeful I'd find something that could help smooth the way for me.
“We have a lovely selection.” The younger one moved to stand across from me. “Are you looking for anything with stones, or purely metal?”
I looked down at the bracelets, my gaze sliding from one with rubies to one with diamonds. Then I saw it. Amethyst. A couple were deep purple, but there was one with paler stones, almost the color of Hanna's eyes.
“That one.” I pointed at it.
The man reached inside and pulled out the bracelet I was looking at. “A lovely choice, sir. Very high quality.”
I lifted it, turning it this way and that. I wasn't a professional, but I considered myself to have a good eye. If I'd been home, I would've taken it to a jeweler friend of mine to ensure that I was seeing it correctly, but right now, I'd take the chance. Besides, these two didn't look like the kind to swindle anyone.
“I'll take it.” I handed the bracelet back to the young man. “Wrap it nicely, please.”
“Yes, sir.” The younger man handed the bracelet off to the older man and then took my card.
Five minutes later, I was back in the car, this time with a beautifully wrapped box sitting on the passenger's seat. I wasn't foolish enough to think I could actually buy Hanna's forgiveness, but a nice gift never hurt.
I resumed my drive, and as I turned into the parking lot, I spotted the rental. I pulled up next to it, but didn't get out yet. I still wasn't entirely sure what to say to Hanna, especially since her sister was with her. I could probably get Juliette to give us some privacy, but I also wasn't selfish enough to think that Juliette needed Hanna right now less than I did. I considered Juliette a friend, so I did feel for her too.
Being there for Juliette would actually be a good way to show Hanna that I wasn't a complete ass, I realized. We'd be part of what Juliette was going through when we went back home, so I might as well start now.
With a plan solidly in place, I felt a bit more confident that I could handle the situation, and that was what I needed, to feel in control. I wasn't as much of a total control freak as some Dominants who had to have every single thing exactly perfect or they freaked out, but I was enough about control that I wanted a plan, a schedule, specific points to follow.
I put the box in my jacket pocket and then got out of the car. As I walked toward the door, I glanced in one of the large windows as I passed...just in time to see a good-looking blond man hug my girlfriend.
I stopped, watched, waited to see how Hanna would react.
But she didn't shove the man away. Instead, she smiled at him. Let him sit down next to her.
One little fight and she was acting like she wasn't mine. Like the collar I'd given her didn't mean anything. That the last five months and all we'd done together didn't mean anything.
The man looked too familiar with her, too comfortable being close to her. And she wasn't putting distance between them, not even when he leaned toward her. I couldn't watch to see what happened next.
As soon as I got in the car, I pulled out my phone. I'd hired this particular pilot to fly Hanna and me here because he had no plans for the holiday, and had been more than happy to accept the rather large bonus I'd offered for him to be on call. He answered right away, and I made a mental note to add a bit more to his bonus for actually doing what he was supposed to.
By the time I dropped off the car and called in a taxi, I received a text saying that the plane would be ready to take off by the time I arrived at the airfield. I made a vague excuse to the Breckenridges, then carried my bag out to the taxi. I gave the address and didn't look back as the car pulled away.