(Songs for this chapter are Chris Young- You, The Fray- All at Once, The Fray- You found me)

"Should we go out there with your mother?" I ask him after a few beats of silence.

"No.. let's just stay like this for a minute." He says.

"Okay." I happily oblige.

I know that Hardin and I still have things to sort out but I feel so resolved now, so calm, so right. I am worried about everyone's reaction, especially my mother's but I will deal with that when the time comes. I hope the fact that I am not spending Christmas with her for the first time in eighteen years will overshadow her anger over Hardin and I being together again and honestly if it doesn't I don't care. Well, I care but I am tired of the constant battle between her and I. I can't keep going to war with her over my choices, and I it's impossible to make her happy. I am done trying.

I lean my head against Hardin's chest and he takes the end of my ponytail into his hands and twirls the hair between his fingers. I am glad that I got all of the gifts wrapped, it was stressful enough to get them at the very last minute. Shit. I didn't get Hardin a gift! Did he get me one? Probably not, but now that we are together again.. or sort of for the first time.. I am afraid that he did and I didn't get him anything at all. I should have gotten him something before. What would I even get him?

"What's wrong?" He asks and moves his hand to my chin, tilting my face to his.

"Nothing.. "

"You aren't .. you're not .. you know.. changing your mind?" His voice is slow and unsure.

"No.. no. I just.. I didn't get you a gift." I admit.

His face breaks into a smile and his eyes meet mine.

"You're worried about getting me a gift for Christmas?" He laughs.

"Yea.. I should have gotten you something but I didn't know.."

"Tessa, honestly you have given me enough. You worrying about a Christmas gift is ridiculous."

"You're sure?"

"Positive." He laughs again.

I still feel guilty, maybe I will get him something when the malls open back up after Christmas. I will be at Landon's for Christmas anyway. I wish Hardin would reconsider.

"I will get you something really good for your birthday?" I shrug and he moves his hand back to my face. His thumb runs along my bottom lip causing them to part and I expect him to kiss me again.

Instead, his lips touch down on my nose and then my forehead in a surprisingly sweet gesture.

"I don't really do birthdays." He tells me.

"I know.. I don't either." This is one of the few things we have in common.

"Hardin?" Anne's voice calls as a light tap is heard on the door.

He groans and rolls his eyes as I climb off of his lap.

"It wouldn't kill you to be nicer to her, she hasn't seen you in a year."

"I'm not mean to her." He says and I know he honestly believes it.

"Just try to be a little nicer, for me?" I bat my eyelashes dramatically and he smiles.

"You're the devil." He teases but agrees.

"Hardin?" She repeats and knocks again.

"Coming!" He says and climbs off of the bed.

He opens the door and I cross my legs on the bed.

"Do you two want to watch a movie?" She asks him.

He turns to me and raises his brow.

"Yea, we do." I tell her and climb off of the bed.

"Okay good because I am a little bored here." She smiles and ruffles her son's hair as he passes through the doorway.

"Actually, let me change first." He says and walks back into the room.

"Come on Tessa, let's make some snacks." Anne holds her hand out to me and I follow her into the kitchen.

It's probably not a good idea for me to watch Hardin change anyway, I want to take things slow. Slow. With Hardin, I don't know if that is possible. I wonder if I should tell Anne that I have decided to forgive Hardin, or least try to.

"Cookies?" She asks me and I nod and open the cabinets.

"Peanut butter?' I ask her and grab the flour.

"You're going to make them? I was okay with break and bake but if you can make them homemade that's even better!"

"I'm not the best cook but Karen taught me an easy peanut butter cookie recipe."

"Karen?" She asks and my stomach drops.

I didn't mean to bring up Karen. The last thing I want to do is make Anne uncomfortable. I turn away from her to turn on the oven and hide my embarrassed expression.

"You've met her?" I can't read her tone as she asks.

"Yea.. her son Landon is my friend.. my best friend really."

"Oh.. what is she like?"

I level off the flour in the measuring cup and add it to the large mixing bowl and try to avoid eye contact with Anne. I don't know how to answer her, I don't want to lie to her but I don't know how she feels about Karen and ken.

"You can tell me." Anne says.

"She's lovely." I admit.

"I knew she would be."

"I didn't mean to bring her up, it just slipped out." I apologize.

"No honey, don't worry about it. I have no hard feelings towards that woman at all. Granted, I would love to hear that she is a dreadful troll." She laughs and relief washes through me.

"But I am glad Hardin's father is happy. I just wish Hardin would let go of his anger towards him and move on."

"He has.." I begin but stop abruptly when Hardin enters the kitchen.

"He has what?" She asks.

I look to Hardin then back to Anne, it's not my place to tell her if Hardin hasn't.

"What are you guys talking about?" He asks.

"Your father." She answers him and his face pales.

I can tell by the look on his face that he didn't intend on telling her about his budding relationship with his father.

"I didn't know.." I try to tell him but he puts his hand up to silence me.

I hate how secretive he is, this is a problem we will always have I assume.

"It's fine Tess. I have been..sort of spending a little time with him." Hardin's cheeks flush.

Without thinking, I walk over to stand next to him. I had expected him to be angry with me and lie to his mother but I am glad that he proved me wrong.

"You have?" Anne gasps.

"Yea.. I'm sorry mum. I didn't go near him until a few months ago, I got drunk and crashed his living room.. but then I stayed the night a few times and we went to the wedding."

Oh god. I am not emotionally capable enough for all of this.

"You've been drinking again?" Her eyes begin to water.

"Hardin please tell me you haven't been drinking again?"

"No mum, only a few times. Not like before." He promises.

Not like before? I know Hardin used to drink way too much but she makes it sound worse than I was led to believe.

"Are you mad that I have been seeing him?" He asks her. I put my hand on his back to try to comfort him.

"Oh Hardin, I would never be upset with you for having a relationship with your father. I am just surprised that's all. You could have told me." She says and blinks rapidly to avoid tears.

"I thought you would be upset."

"No, I have wanted you to let go of that anger for so long. That was a dark time in our lives but we got through it and it's in the past. Your father isn't the same man he was then and I am not the same woman."

"It still doesn't make it okay." He says quietly.

"I know it doesn't but sometimes you have to choose to let things go, to move on. I really am happy that you have been seeing him. It's good for you. The reason I sent you here, well one of the reasons was for you to forgive him. I knew you were doing what you were doing because of him."

"I didn't forgive him."

"You should." She says sincerely. "I have."

Hardin leans his elbows onto the counter and I rub my hand up and down his back. Anne notices the gesture and gives me a knowing smile. I admire Anne so much, even more than I already did. She is so strong and loving despite the lack of emotion from her son. I wish she had someone in her life, the way Ken has Karen.

Hardin must have been thinking the exact same thought as I was. "But he lives in this big ass house and has expensive cars. He has a new wife, and you're alone." He says.

"I don't care about the size of his house or how much money he has." She assures him.

"And what makes you think I am alone?" She smiles.

"What?" He raises his head.

"Don't sound so surprised! I am quite the catch son."

"You're seeing someone? Who?"

"Robin." She blushes and my heart warms.

"Robin? Your neighbor?" Hardin gapes.

"Yes my neighbor. He is a nice man Hardin, and it's convenient having him live just next door." She laughs.

"For how long? Why didn't you tell me?" His voice curious.

"A few months, it's nothing serious.. yet. Besides, I don't think I should be asking you for relationship advice." She teases.

"Robin though? He's sort of a.."

"Don't you say a bad word about him, you are not too old for a spanking." She scolds and he laughs.

"Fine.. fine.." He raises his arms playfully.

I can tell he is much more relaxed now than he was this morning, I feel it too. The tension has disappeared between us, mostly, and watching him laugh and joke with his mother makes me so happy.

"I'm going to go pick the movie, don't come in there unless you bring cookies." Anne smiles and leaves us alone in the kitchen.

I walk back over to the bowl of ingredients and finish mixing the cookie dough.

"I don't think that's very sanitary." He says when he catches me licking a glob of dough off of my finger.

I dip my finger back into the bowl, collecting the sticky dough and walk over to Hardin.

"Have some." I tell him. I hold up my hand and try to transfer the dough to his fingers but he opens his mouth and wraps his lips around my finger. I gasp at the contact and try to remind myself he is just removing the cookie dough, regardless of the way he is looking at me with dark eyes. No matter how he is flicking his warm tongue over my finger. No matter how many degrees the temperature of the kitchen has seemed to rise. No matter how my heart is beating out of my chest and my insides are igniting.

"I think that's enough." I croak and pull my finger from his mouth.

"Later then?" He gives me a wicked smirk and I nod.

(I am so glad everyone is happy that Hessa is back :) I didn't want to rush it because that is not realistic and I didn't want to drag it out too long so I am thrilled that everyone agreed with my timing! lol. Also, everyone has been asking if the story will end soon. I am not sure yet when it will end but it won't be too soon. I want to see how Tessa and Hardin get past all of this(if they are able to) and how they navigate their relationship from this point, so it won't be ending soon. Well not too soon at least, there are still some loose ends and things that I want to happen so I hope that is okay. xo)