Fix You (30 page)

A lock of brown hair fell over his forehead, and Hanna had
to restrain herself from pushing it away from his face.

“Do you think Dad will really get here in time?” His lip
wobbled.

“I really do.” She squeezed his shoulder, understanding what
his fear really was. Not that he might mess up, but that Richard wouldn’t get
there in time to see him. “If he was running late, he’d get a message to us
somehow.”

The smallest hint of a smile played on Matty’s lips. “Okay.
I’ll do it.” He pushed himself up, kicking at the dust as he walked away. She
watched him go, wishing he didn’t have to grow up so quickly.

The final minutes passed quickly. She helped the roadies get
the instruments ready and supervised the grips as they finished setting up the
electrical equipment. As she was finally ready to go and get herself dressed
for the evening ahead, she noticed a plug hanging loose halfway up the screen.

Hanna looked around, trying to see if there were any
electricians still around, but they’d all left to get a drink. She knew if she
waited for them to come back it would be too late. She grabbed the worn metal stepladder
and climbed it, reaching up to reconnect the hanging plugs.

“Christ, you look sexy in those shorts.”

She looked down to see Richard standing at the bottom of the
steps. He was wearing a crisp white shirt tucked into navy pants, his eyes
shielded by dark Ray-Bans. His smooth attire made her feel like a mess.

“Richard!” She scrambled down the steps, jumping off the
final few into his open arms. He held her under her butt, his hands digging
into the cut-off denim as she wrapped her legs around his waist.   He turned
and pushed her back against the screen, his hips grinding into her thighs as he
moved his mouth to hers.

“I missed you, baby.” His breath was warm against her skin.

Hanna moved her lips along with his, feeling his tongue push
inside her mouth. He brushed it against her own, the softness contrasting with
the hard grasp of his hands. She gasped at the way he made her respond.

“I missed you, too,” she breathed when he pulled away. “So
much.”

He released her, letting her feet fall back onto the ground.

“How was Namibia?” she asked

“We managed to get the agreement to build the school.” His
expression told her how relieved he was. “They should break ground next week.”

“That’s amazing.” She stepped forward and kissed him hard. “I
can’t believe you talked them round.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “It took a lot of
negotiation. It was good to have Dad there with me. They seemed to think his
white hair meant he was in charge.”

Hanna didn’t want to let Richard go. He’d been away for two
weeks, and she’d missed having him in her bed, and in her arms. But she knew
their children were as desperate to see him as she was.

“Have you spoken with Matty yet? He was so afraid you might
not make it in time.”

“Yes, I saw him with Tom. He seemed cool as a cucumber.”

It made Hanna smile. Matty was so desperate to please his
father that he tried to show no weakness. Luckily, she was there to put Richard
right.

“He was having a major attack of stage fright, but I think
he’ll be okay now.”

“And how are my girls?” He slung his arm around Hanna’s
shoulders. She leaned into his touch.

“Lily is with Nathan and his boys, railing at the injustices
of the world, and Molly is having a nap.” Hanna checked her watch. “Speaking of
which, it’s time to wake her up and for me to change into something more
appropriate.”

Richard scanned her body with hungry eyes. “What’s wrong
with what you’re wearing?”

She laughed. “A threadbare t-shirt and shorts showing half
my ass probably won’t go down too well with some of our donors.” They were
nearly at the collection of huts forming the administrative center.

“Fuck the donors,” Richard whispered in her ear. His hand
dropped down to cup her behind, his fingers pushing beneath the denim and
caressing her bare skin.

Before they walked into the office where Claire was sitting,
patiently watching over her granddaughter, Hanna took the opportunity to kiss
the hell out of her husband.

He kissed her right back.

AFTER SHE HAD dressed, Hanna carried
Molly out into the field. Her two-year-old was alert and content, her ringlets
bouncing against her soft cheeks as they walked. Hanna loved these moments with
her youngest. She’d been a much-anticipated baby, born after two miscarriages
and a labor which seemed to last forever. After the roller coaster of emotions
they’d put the whole family through, Hanna and Richard had agreed she would be
their final baby.

That didn’t stop Hanna from longing for more.

She found Lily and Richard standing with a group of donors.
They were all staring with rapt expressions as her seven-year-old extolled the
virtues of the school the Maxwell Foundation was building in Namibia. Hanna
wondered how long it would be before Lily demanded to go and see the building
for herself.

Steven and Claire were sitting on some garden chairs, and
Lucy laid out a blanket next to them. She was feeding her brood with
sandwiches, though Nathan seemed to eat more than the rest of the family
combined.

Ruby was behind the stage, watching Tom and the band as they
kidded around with Matty, trying to make him forget his nerves. Hanna walked
over to greet her, and Molly reached out for her aunt, who swung her into her
arms, blowing raspberries on her chubby face.

“Hey Molly-Moo. Did you have a good nap?” Ruby glanced up at
Hanna. “Christ, she looks more like Richard every day.”

“Lucky girl,” Hanna murmured. “And how are you feeling?”

Ruby had entered her second trimester, though her stomach
still hid the evidence of her pregnancy. She hitched Molly onto her hip and
smiled, as her other hand reached out to rub her belly.

“So much better. Tom says he’s glad I can stay awake after six.
He was beginning to think I had some sort of sleeping disease.”

Hanna reached out and stroked Ruby’s arm. She still felt
maternal toward her, despite Ruby being nearly thirty. She’d always be her
little sister, the girl who was afraid of going to school. She’d been so
excited when Ruby and Tom had finally decided to try for a baby, and slightly
amused when Ruby fell pregnant in the first month. Tom was already driving all
of them crazy with discussions of names, and whether a crib or a Moses basket
would be a better option.

“Make sure you still get lots of rest. Think of it as saving
for the future,” Hanna said wryly. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d
managed to have an unbroken night. If it wasn’t Molly waking up crying, it was
Lily having nightmares or Matty unable to sleep. Not that she regretted a
single moment of it, but she couldn’t help but daydream of a freshly made bed
and eight uninterrupted hours.

“I will.” Ruby grinned, passing a struggling Molly back to
Hanna. “It looks like the boys are ready to go.” She gestured over at the band
who were in a huddle, arms around each other. Matty looked incongruous within
their circle, his tiny arms next to their big, brawny ones.

“Richard’s saved us a spot at the front.” Hanna and Ruby
walked around the stage, pushing through the crowds of people gathered for the
concert. Richard and Lily were standing with Nathan, while the rest of the
Larsen clan had decamped to the bleachers. His eyes lit up when he saw Hanna,
and he reached a hand out, pulling her and Molly into his arms.

“What song are they starting with?” He had to speak loudly
to be heard over the hum of the crowd.

“He didn’t say,” Hanna replied. “He’s keeping it a secret.”

Richard leaned over to whisper something to Ruby, brushing
his lips against her cheek. Her face lit up, reminding Hanna how much Ruby
adored her big brother. Before she could say anything else, Fatal Limits walked
onto the stage. Tom led them out and slapped Matty on the back as he climbed up
into the drummer’s seat. She watched as he twirled his drumsticks, throwing
them in the air and catching them, causing Molly to squeal with delight as she
watched her brother horsing about.

Tom walked up to the microphone. “Hello, everybody.” The
crowd cheered wildly. “I’d like to thank you all for coming tonight to see
these talented kids put on a fantastic show.” He paused while the applause
continued. “We’re going to start the evening off with a couple of songs. We
haven’t played together for a while, so forgive us if we miss a few notes.”

Hanna smiled at this. Fatal Limits had split up over five
years ago, but had agreed to come together to play this charity event. Just one
more thing to be grateful to Tom for.

“And for our first song, I’d like to introduce you to a
friend of mine. This is Matt Larsen, our drummer, and my favorite godson.” He
winked at Matty who smiled back shyly. Hanna and Richard clapped loudly,
causing Molly to put her hands over her ears.

“Can you beat us in, Matt?” He called out. Matty lifted his
drumsticks, his face frozen in concentration as he silently counted his beat.
He started a slow rhythm, his sticks cueing in Robert on guitar, and everybody
started to scream as they realized the song they were starting with.

Hanna felt tears come to her eyes as she watched her son
play in time to the song Tom had written for him.
Dear Matty
had been a
number one hit for Fatal Limits the year after Matty was born, long before she
had told Richard about his son. It was bittersweet to watch their son accompany
Tom’s band as they played it.

She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Richard squeezed her
hand before lifting Molly from her arms. Salt stung at her eyes as a sense of
pride overwhelmed her. Matty looked like a professional, never missing a beat,
always leading the song. She bit her lip in an attempt to stem the flow of
tears.

“He’s fantastic,” Richard whispered in her ear, and she
could only nod. Her ability to speak seemed to have been swallowed up by the
emotions sparking through her body. To be standing there with Richard and their
girls, as they watched their son in his first performance seemed absolutely
perfect. She couldn’t have asked for anything more.

THE CONCERT LASTED for two hours, and
Hanna found herself crying more than once as she watched all the campers put
their hearts and souls into their performances. Many of them came from deprived
backgrounds and had never been to a theater or to see a concert, yet they came
across as consummate professionals. Even those with stage fright managed to
swallow it down and take fearful steps across the stage.

By the time it was over and all the donors had been thanked,
Molly had fallen asleep in Richard’s arms. Her tiny head lolled against his
shoulders as they walked toward the camp, her mouth moving softly as she
breathed. It hurt Hanna’s heart to see her husband holding their last baby, and
it made her want to make more with him. He was such an amazing father to them
all.

“Claire said she’d take the children tonight,” Richard
whispered. “She thinks you deserve a break.”

Hanna looked at him quizzically. “Are you planning
something?”

“Only a bit of quality time with my wife.” He winked,
walking into the large family cabin they’d built a few summers ago. “Maybe you
can put those shorts back on.”

She laughed. “They’re the most horrific things I’ve ever
worn. I think I cut them down myself a few years ago.”

“They’re the sexiest thing you’ve ever worn.” He put Molly
down in her cot, lifting the blanket over her sleeping body. “I can’t stop
thinking about the way you looked in them.”

“My ass was half hanging out.”

“My point exactly.” He pulled her toward him and brushed his
lips across her forehead. “It’s how I like you best, all dressed down, with a
band tee on, your hair flying in the wind as you watch the music play. It
reminds me of when I first met you.”

His fingers lingered on her bare arms. Her body tingled to
his touch.

“Maybe you should always wear a tuxedo. That’s how I
remember you.”

“The hotel staff would think we’re crazy.” He pushed his
fingers into her hair. “You in cut-offs and me in a dinner suit. I’ll look like
your sugar daddy.”

Hanna grinned. “It sounds delicious. You pay for dinner and
I’ll pay you in kind.” She stood on her tiptoes to push her lips onto his. She
could feel him harden against her stomach.  Her own body clenched with need.

“I like the way you negotiate,” he murmured before kissing
her hard. His tongue plunged into her mouth, lashing against her own. For long
moments they continued to move against each other, their hands wandering as
they reconnected. Hanna felt him grab her ass to pull her against him, his
hardness pulsing against her.

“Get a room,” Nathan complained as he walked into the cabin.
“Jesus, anybody would think you were newlyweds.”

“Give me a break. I haven’t seen my wife in two weeks.”
Richard laughed into her hair. “And I have got a room, so thanks for the
suggestion.”

Nathan stopped mid-walk. “Are you guys going to a hotel?”

“Don’t even think about it. I asked Claire first,” Richard
warned.

“It wouldn’t be too hard for them to look after all the
kids. Lucy and I could join you there.”

Hanna started to shake with laughter as she felt Richard
bristle. Their romantic night was fast turning into a family reunion. She let
her husband stew for a moment before stepping in.

“Nathan, if you let us go alone, I’ll look after the kids
for you next weekend. That way you can plan something nice for you and Lucy.”

Nathan looked at her, cupping his bristled chin with his
hand. His eyes narrowed as he considered his options.

“You’ll look after them for two nights? Friday and Saturday?”
he questioned.