Chapter 6

 

The prospect of Troy’s impending trip remained on her mind all day at work, and she finally decided to skip out of the office early. The sunshine was brilliant outside, the sky a deep azure blue one rarely saw during fall in the Pacific northwest.

There was no way she was going to let that weather go to waste.

It might even help her not think about being without her beloved husband for a night.

Those thoughts occupied her as she worked on her hands and knees, digging up the holes for the winter bulbs in the cold, hard soil. There was a patch in the backyard at one corner of the house that was perfect — it would get plenty of the weak winter sun whenever the clouds decided to break.

The air was crisp, but her exertions quickly had her shedding her jacket, leaving her in only her black tank and a pair of well-worn, grass-stained jeans she reserved only for gardening. She’d been inordinately happy that she could fit into them again, something she’d despaired would never be possible in the immediate aftermath of Hayden’s birth.

“Just my luck to stumble upon an attractive woman on her hands and knees. Too bad she happens to be my best friend’s wife.”

Whirling around, she saw Hunter standing behind her, the bright afternoon sun just above his broad shoulders. His face was shadowed, but she could tell from his voice who it was. “Jesus, what is it with you men? Always scaring the shit out of us.”

“It’s only me. Scaring you was just a happy bonus.”

He offered her a hand and she took it, the man drawing her up to her feet with a casual ease bespeaking considerable strength.

Stop it.

“How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough to know better than to answer that question.”

“Why not?” She pointed the garden trowel at him, posing a gloved hand on her hip, giving him a scowl.

“Because then I’d have to tell you what I was looking at. Then I’d have to tell your husband — who’d have to punch me in the mouth.”

“Oh…” The heat at her cheeks was much more than the warm sunshine.

He cleared his throat, looking around. “Troy back here with you?”

“He’s not back from work yet,” she said, still distracted at the implication of Hunter’s words.

Stop acting like a little twitterpated schoolgirl.

It wasn’t the first time Hunter had flirted with her — and she wasn’t exactly averse to flirting right back. But it was rare for it to be that… blatant. Instinctively, she knew it was a signal though.

A signal that something… wasn’t quite right.

“Where’s Sara?”

“Out of town. Again.”

“Jesus, Hunter. Why is she traveling so much?”

He scratched his chin. “Always something, you know? Makes good money, but yeah, seems like they’re constantly yanking her all over hell and back. She’s a trooper though, doesn’t complain.”

“Yeah, but what about you?”

He looked away for a moment, then when he met her gaze again, she saw it. Uncertainty — and maybe even a little hurt.

“She doesn’t have much choice — which means I don’t either. Comes with the territory, I guess.”

“Did you tell her?”

Every woman was different, of course, but somehow, she had a feeling that if Sara had wanted to not travel so much, Hunter’s wife would be home a lot more than she was. It was never a good sign.

You sure that’s not wishful thinking?

“No… not yet. Soon though.” He shrugged. “If I do it, maybe she’ll change her mind on things.”

“Change her mind?” She stared at him. “I know this isn’t really my place, but seriously, you shouldn’t have to bare your soul to her just to get her to want to stay home more than five days out of a month.”

“It’s not that much.”

She threw the trowel into the dirt. “You don’t have to defend her to me, Hunter, but I can see what’s happening. Why can’t you?”

“There’s nothing happening.” There was zero conviction in the words.

“She’s avoiding you — or neglecting you. Neither one is exactly a good thing for a marriage, don’t you think?”

“It’ll be fine. Blow over, in time. It’s been this way before.” He sighed. “Okay, different subject. You have any idea what he wanted to talk about? Asked me to stop by after work, sounded, well, serious. Said he was going to be out of town and needed to ask me a favor.”

She was about to tell him about White Valley, about Troy’s friend, Von — and then decided against it.

There were more important matters at hand.

“Oh, we’re not done talking about this.” She took a step closer to him, poking him in the chest. “You deserve better, Hunter. She… she doesn’t know how good she has it. You deserve a woman who will want to be with you, who’ll do anything for you — and someone who’ll actually want to be home with you.”

“I liked you better when you were on your hands and knees.”

“Now you sound like my husband.”

Hunter threw his head back laughing, the sound deep and reassuring. He had the sort of infectious laughter that she couldn’t resist, and in moments she was giggling right along with him. “Come on, I’ll get you a beer.”

“You know, Troy might have some good taste after all. Your husband can’t shoot his M-4 worth a damn, his golf game is pathetic, and I out bench his ass by seventy pounds.” He tilted his head, a sly curve to his lips. “But he sure knows how to pick his women.”

She pushed him in the chest, striding by him toward the house. She looked back over her shoulder as she walked. “What makes you think I wasn’t the one who picked him?”

“Because you worship the ground he walks on.”

“I just need to find you a woman who worships the ground you walk on, Hunter.”

Unless you already have.