Heartbroken after the death of his beloved Nana, Hannes, the family outsider, finally allows himself to grieve. The legal battle over Nana’s quirky old house -- the only place he’s ever felt accepted and loved -- is over, and he moves in and finds a sense of peace. ... And a rabbit. An adorable bunny with a huge personality moves in, too, and refuses to leave. Hannes instantly falls in love with the sweet animal who helps heal his heart. But one morning, Hannes’ view of the world changes when the rabbit transforms into a man. A man named Mattis. After the initial shock, Hannes and Mattis discover a connection between them that runs deeper than it seems. Will their newfound feelings survive unraveling secrets and meddling families, and grow into something real? Something deep and everlasting?

9 Willow Street

I’d Googled “rabbit behavior” yesterday after my new friend refused to leave. It doesn’t act like a wild animal, so at first, I asked around the neighborhood, checking if someone was missing a rabbit or knew of someone who did. But no one claimed the bunny.


When I got back to the house, I left the back door open to see if it wanted to leave the way it had arrived, but the bunny showed no interest. When I carried it outside, it hopped back in before I had time to blink.


So I made a litterbox from an old plastic dishpan and filled it with the hay Nana used for the garden. The internet told me to feed only good-quality hay to the rabbit, and what I found didn’t fit the bill, so I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut a big bunch of fresh grass for it to eat. One upside to the lawn not being mowed, at least. I added dandelion, basil, and rocket to the grass so it would be extra yummy.


Chapter 5