“I can’t do it, now.” Hannah settles on in explanation, before shifting even closer to Caroline, their bare thighs completely touching. It takes everything she has to show no visible reaction and she isn’t even sure if she’s managing to do so. Because inside everything lights up, warmth flooding into her stomach. “Not that your brother wouldn’t have been a good contender. He’s cute at the very least.” There’s a teasing lull in her voice.

Still, Caroline pulls a face even as she chuckles. “Stop.”

It makes Hannah laugh. The kind of laugh that makes any day better just by hearing it and this one is no exception.

“It’s true.” Hannah insists on saying and they’re sitting so close under the umbrella on the picnic table that she can feel the warmth of her breath hitting her cheek. “He has nice dark eyes and rich, thick hair.” The smile on Hannah’s face turns softer as she tugs a wavy lock of Caroline’s own shoulder length hair. “Good genes.”

God, she hates the pleased smile that blooms on her mouth and the way her stomach does that little swooping feeling. Hates it almost as much as she loves it. Almost as much as she’s addicted to feeling it.

“Stop,” she says again, but it’s weak.

“But even if I could date,” Hannah pauses, doing that thing where she makes sure Caroline is looking her in the eye. “You have nothing to be jealous of. You’re one of the most important people in my life; that wouldn’t change.”

It might, she thinks, when someone else comes along at the right time and just sweeps you off your feet, the way you deserve. And when that time comes, she will put on the biggest smile and push everything she feels so far down Hannah will never suspect.

For now, though, the grin on her face just grows even more. Wide and relieved and real.

***

Kris meets Hannah at the Fourth of July party, too.

She was so caught up in the whole idea of Jared and Hannah, she hadn’t had the headspace to think about the fact that Hannah was also about to meet her friends. Kris – and Jess, Miranda, and Lacey, the group that had all formed in undergrad – always come over by midday, usually with their partners and/or children in tow.

Hannah fits right in with them, which doesn’t surprise her in the least because she can’t imagine Hannah not getting along with just about anyone. But she seems to have a genuinely good time as they all sit around one of the tables on the patio.

“I can see why you like her.” Kris allows, begrudgingly, as she follows Caroline up to her condo to grab the meat from the fridge that needs to be grilled. “I didn’t want to like her, but I do.”