Love, Utley (Love Letters #1)

“Mr. Lovelace, this is my wife.” Roberts beams next to the kind-looking woman. “Wife, allow me to introduce you to our new owner, Maddox ‘Mad Dog’ Lovelace.”

From the edge of my vision, I can see Hannah shake her head.

“Mrs. Roberts.” I hold out my hand. “It’s a pleasure. And please, it’s just Maddox.”

Mrs. Roberts places one hand in mine while pressing the other to her chest. “Hi! We’re huge fans. Or we were. Well, we still are.”

I let go of her hand. “I appreciate that.”

“And this party.” She waves her hands around. “It’s so nice. Oh!” She turns and picks up a couple of glasses off the table behind her. “Hannah dear, here’s your wine.”

Hannah takes it as Mrs. Roberts hands the other drink to her husband.

“Thank you,” Hannah says as she smiles at Mrs. Roberts.

I want her smiles.

Something niggles inside my ribs.

I want more than her smiles.

Mrs. Roberts is still looking at Hannah. “Gosh, you know who you’d be perfect for? Our nephew.” She nudges her husband. “Wouldn’t they be perfect together?”

I take back every nice thought I just had about the woman.

“You’re right!” Roberts replies, his bushy eyebrows jumping up his forehead.

I consider demoting him.

Hannah shifts next to me, and I expect her to nicely turn them down.

“You think so?” she asks. “What’s he like?”

Slowly, I turn my head to look down at her.

Mrs. Roberts claps her hands. “Oh, he’s so sweet. Are you single?”

“Sure am.” Hannah takes a long sip of her wine as Mrs. Roberts makes more sounds of excitement.

“He’s an accountant too,” Mrs. Roberts explains. “Works for his dad, my brother, who’s…” She giggles. “Also an accountant.”

Gee, what a fun fucking family.

“And he likes football!” Roberts chimes in. “I know you’re a big fan, so maybe you could watch a game together or something.”

I keep my eyes on Hannah. “You like football?”

She glances up at me for just a second, then shrugs her shoulders.

Roberts laughs. “This girl can talk ball with the best of them. Pretty sure we did an after-game report for all your games during our lunch breaks. Or, well, your games until you retired.”

“You don’t say?”

Roberts nods, then turns back to Hannah. “Our nephew has a nice big TV too. Perfect for game nights.”

So my little Hannah Bunny watched all my games, did she?

“Do you have a picture?” Hannah asks, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from growling at her.