If I Could Be With You Read Free Page A

at least forty.
    “Melanie! Eric! Come on over. We’ve saved you seats.”
    The couple made their way through the crowded patio and sat down with Eric next to Hannah, and Melanie next to this man she called Charles instead of Charlie. The flash of jealousy felt ridiculous. Melanie and Eric were obviously a couple, despite the large age difference. Why should she care who sat next to whom?
    “I’d love for you both to meet the object of my teenage fantasies, Ms. Hannah Miller. Hannah, this is Eric Low and Melanie Highstreet.”
    Melanie held out her hand and gave Hannah’s a quick squeeze.
    “I heard all about you in college, Hannah.  I feel like we’ve already met.”
    Hannah looked quickly to Charlie to see if this was a secret just spilled, but he didn’t seem embarrassed or uncomfortable. He simply smiled.
    “I can’t imagine that Charles would have had much to say back then.” She used his grown up name.
    He winked at her and casually moved the conversation along.
    “How was your trip to Vermont?” He directed the question to Eric, but Melanie answered while Hannah sat back and sipped continuously on her margarita. The vigilant waiter brought her another, and another, as she listened to the threesome’s shared journeys.
    “I think when I retire I’d like to live in Vermont, definitely someplace rural and away from the city,” Charlie said.
    “But it’s so amazing here, why would you ever want to leave?” Hannah finally had the courage to jump into the conversation.
    “I love the energy here, but at some point in my life, I’d like to slow down, find that peace that you can only get when you are surrounded by nature, you know?”
    He was looking at her with a dreamy gaze that made his youthfulness all the more apparent. What was she doing with this kid? He was talking about a retirement that was at least eight years further off than her own.
    Melanie interrupted her thoughts, “So Hannah, you’re a teacher? That must mean you get lots of travel time. How is it that you’ve never been to New York before?”
    “Teaching isn’t as profitable as you might imagine,” she laughed. The margaritas were definitely easing the tension of making small talk with strangers. “I’ve been paying off student loans for years so I haven’t managed too much traveling yet. But it’s on my list.” She smiled at Charlie as she felt his foot nudge hers below the table. Accidental?  She was definitely buzzed and wasn’t sure she cared.
    “I hear you with the student loans! If I hadn’t found my sugar daddy here,” she reached over and rubbed Eric’s bald head, “I’d be in a shelter for sure. Social work isn’t as profitable as you would imagine either.” She laughed and leaned back in her chair.
    “That’s what I’m here for darling,” Eric dead-panned. “To fulfill your every monetary need and desire. Among other needs and desires…” His eyes took on a wicked gleam and she heard Melanie sigh.
    Had she been sober, she might have started to feel a bit uncomfortable, but as it was, the feeling of Charlie’s knee pressed against hers under the table was unbearably arousing. She knew she should stop the flow of margaritas but she was on vacation and she so rarely had any fun anymore. Surely she could trust him to stop her from crossing any lines.
    Before she knew what was happening, Melanie stood and reached for Eric’s hand. 
    “It’s been a fabulous night and it was so good to finally meet the infamous Hannah,” she said as she held out her hand. “I’m sure I’ll see you again before you leave.”
    Hannah shook it and did the same with Eric and the two turned and disappeared through the crowd.
    “Lovely to meet you Hannah,” Eric called as he let himself be pulled off.
    Charlie looked at Hannah, “Well, that was subtle.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She had been so lost in her own inner conflict about being half drunk that she hadn’t picked up on anything else around her.
    “They