Chapter 17 - What Hannah Asked for Instead
News of Hannah's return to the Hawthorne gala traveled before she arrived.
Melissa texted three times.
ARE YOU REALLY COMING?
PLEASE SAY YES.
Then:
PAIGE ISN'T HERE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
Hannah replied:
I'm coming.
She didn't mention the dress.
At six-thirty, Evelyn stood in Hannah's bedroom doorway.
“You're really wearing it.”
“Yes.”
The red fabric had faded slightly.
Hannah had repaired one loose seam.
This time, she could have paid someone else.
She chose to do it herself.
Evelyn smiled.
“Your father would've loved this.”
“He would've told me to buy something new.”
“He would've secretly liked this better.”
Hannah slipped on simple earrings.
“No diamonds?”
Evelyn teased.
“I'm dating a CEO, not robbing one.”
They laughed.
Nathan waited at the entrance.
When Hannah stepped from the car, he stared.
For once, Nathan Hawthorne had no prepared response.
Hannah walked toward him.
“You're doing the face.”
“What face?”
“The one where you forgot corporate language.”
He looked at the dress.
“You wore it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to.”
That was the entire difference.
Nathan held out his hand.
She took it.
Inside, the old textile mill looked familiar.
Same brick.
Same winter lights.
But the long executive table was gone.
Instead, families mixed together.
Children ran near the dessert station.
Employees wore everything from suits to sweaters.
A warehouse supervisor arrived in boots.
Nobody cared.
Melissa saw Hannah and screamed.
“Oh my God.”
People turned.
Hannah instinctively stiffened.
Then Melissa ran toward her.
“You wore the dress.”
“Yes.”
“You are insane.”
“Probably.”
Melissa hugged her.
One person after another approached.
Some apologized for the way they'd behaved.
Others simply welcomed her.
Craig—the manager who once joked about calling an emergency tailor—stood awkwardly near the bar.
Finally he approached.
“Hannah.”
“Craig.”
“I owe you an apology.”
“Yes.”
He blinked.
Apparently he'd expected her to make it easier.
She didn't.
“I laughed.”
“Yes.”
“I was trying to fit in.”
“I know.”
“That doesn't make it better.”
“No.”
Craig nodded.
“I'm sorry.”
Hannah studied him.
“Thank you for saying it.”
Forgiveness, she had learned, didn't require pretending the wound never existed.
Later, Nathan gave a short speech.
No awards for expensive sales.
No self-congratulation.
He announced the employee emergency fund had assisted forty-three families that year.
Medical emergencies.
Funeral costs.
Temporary housing.
Childcare.
Nobody's name was revealed.
Then he announced another program.
A scholarship for employees pursuing professional certifications.
Nathan looked toward Hannah.
She immediately knew.
Afterward, she found him.
“You named it after Jonathan?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“I considered naming it after you.”
Hannah stared.
“You value your life.”
“A great deal.”
He laughed.
Nathan's board had offered Hannah something months earlier.
A seat on the company's independent ethics advisory council.
Paid.
Quarterly meetings.
No reporting relationship to Nathan.
Hannah had not yet accepted.
During the gala, Director Carr's replacement, Dr. Simone Ellis, approached her.
“We'd still like you.”
Hannah looked at Nathan.
He raised both hands.
“I have no vote.”
“Smart.”
Dr. Ellis smiled.
“What would it take?”
Hannah had thought about that.
“Employee representation.”
“We have HR.”
“That's not the same.”
“What do you mean?”
“One rotating seat elected by non-management employees.”
Dr. Ellis considered it.
“Anything else?”
“Public annual reporting on whistleblower cases.”
“Confidentiality could be an issue.”
“Aggregate reporting.”
Dr. Ellis nodded.
“Possible.”
“And emergency fund decisions remain outside executive control.”
Nathan said, “Already done.”
Hannah looked at him.
“Good.”
Dr. Ellis smiled.
“So if we adopt those?”
“I'll serve.”
Nathan looked proud.
Hannah pointed at him.
“Don't.”
“What?”
“The face.”
“What face?”
“The proud CEO face.”
“I can't control my face.”
“Learn.”
Later, they danced.
Hannah had never danced with Nathan before.
He was annoyingly good.
“Of course you know how to dance.”
“My mother insisted.”
“Your mother is becoming responsible for every useful part of you.”
“That's not entirely inaccurate.”
They moved slowly beneath warm lights.
Hannah glanced at the spot where the accounting table had stood one year earlier.
Nathan followed her gaze.
“Bad memory?”
“Important memory.”
“Same thing?”
“No.”
She rested her head near his shoulder.
“If that night never happened…”
Nathan finished the thought.
“We might never have spoken.”
“We probably would've.”
“You think?”
“You were already reviewing my performance file.”
“Professionally.”
“Sure.”
He smiled.
“I was.”
“I believe you.”
A few beats passed.
Nathan said, “I need to ask something.”
Hannah looked up.
“If I ever buy you a dress…”
She narrowed her eyes.
“…can it be because it's your birthday?”
“Maybe.”
“Anniversary?”
“Possibly.”
“Random Tuesday?”
“No.”
“Harsh.”
She laughed.
Then became serious.
“Promise me something.”
“Anything reasonable.”
“If you ever start thinking money can solve everything…”
“I call you?”
“No.”
She smiled.
“I remind you.”
Nathan kissed her.
Around them, nobody gasped.
Nobody treated it as scandal.
They were simply two adults kissing at a party.
Later, Hannah stepped outside for air.
Snow had begun falling.
Dr. Ellis joined her.
“One more thing.”
Hannah turned.
“The board has approved your conditions.”
“That quickly?”
“We've learned efficiency.”
Hannah smiled.
“Then yes.”
“Welcome to the council.”
Dr. Ellis walked inside.
Nathan came out carrying Hannah's coat.
“You're officially advising Hawthorne again.”
“Four meetings a year.”
“I'll behave.”
“I doubt it.”
He helped her into the coat.
Then he reached into his pocket.
Hannah immediately noticed.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“Nathan.”
He froze.
She pointed.
“What is in your pocket?”
“Keys.”
“Those are not keys.”
He looked guilty.
Hannah's heartbeat accelerated.
“Nathan Hawthorne.”
He slowly removed a small velvet box.
Hannah stared.
“No.”
His face fell.
She burst out laughing.
“I mean, no, not here.”
Nathan blinked.
“You…”
“Were you about to propose outside the same gala where I was publicly humiliated?”
“When you say it like that…”
“Absolutely not.”
He shoved the box back into his pocket.
Hannah laughed until tears formed.
Nathan looked offended.
“I had a speech.”
“Save it.”
“For when?”
“Surprise me.”
“You just destroyed six weeks of planning.”
“Good.”
Nathan shook his head.
Then smiled.
“Fine.”
They returned inside.
Hannah assumed the proposal would come in a month.
Maybe two.
She was wrong.
Nathan waited.
And what he planned instead would have nothing to do with chandeliers, company events, or expensive restaurants.
May you like
Because he had finally learned that the moments Hannah valued most were never the ones money could make impressive.
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