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Hunter
After slamming in another nail, I set the hammer on a slab of wood and swigged half my bottle of water. My pocket dinged. Ignoring the text alert, I stepped away to view my work, satisfied my dad would approve of my progress on the gazebo. Almost finished.
I swiped the screen of my phone and punched in my password to see who had texted me.
Bailey. Are you free next weekend for a Vegas trip? No point in waiting the full 60 days when we can get it done sooner.
My legs gave out and I dropped to my knees into the grass. I didn’t want anything to do with a Vegas divorce. Not because I preferred to stay married to Bailey, of course, but because divorce meant we no longer had any ties and she was lost to me forever. I needed a chance to figure out how to get the Thayers back in my life and handling the divorce in Texas would give me that extra time.
I had to do as she asked though. I owed her that much.
Except that I’d forgotten to check the residency requirements for Nevada. The whole thing could be a wasted trip. But I’d have Bailey all to myself, both of us in a city where we didn’t know another soul. Maybe after not seeing me for a while, she missed me. She might even seek my company. This was my last chance to get through to her.
I’m free anytime. The least I could do is make it easy for her, especially since I had no other obligations. Doubt the courts are open on the weekend tho.
Oh, right. Maybe arrive Wed night so we can be at the courthouse first thing Thurs? If we run into any snags, we’ll still have Fri.
Wednesday? That was only four days from now. I couldn’t wait to see her. Sure. I’ll let you know when I’ve booked the flight and hotel.
Same, she texted.
What if she’d done the research, gotten a lawyer and they’d figured out how to skip the divorce and do the annulment the right way? Had I just made a huge mistake by helping her get rid of me so efficiently?
I leaned back and sank into the grass, the phone slipping through my fingers as my arm flopped listlessly to my side. Muffin seized the moment and bathed my face in saliva. Normally, Muffin made everything better, but not this time.
I’d had low times in my life, like when I was eleven years old and realized my parents weren’t ever going to change. Or when Blake had demanded I leave the B & B. Or the silence from Bailey since I left the ranch. Knowing she was anxious for the divorce and I would probably fail at my last chance to get her back into my life was a brand new low point for me.
Maybe someone else could take my mind off her. I could stay in Vegas after we finished at the courthouse, mingle with girls who weren’t Bailey. But the thought of pursuing a relationship with anyone but her didn’t interest me in the least. I wanted Bailey. Just Bailey.
God, I missed her.
All this was payback for royally screwing up—exactly what I deserved. But as much as I hated the mere thought of losing Bailey, she needed freedom to move on to someone better for her.
An overwhelming sadness devoured me.
“C’mon, Muffin. Let’s go inside.” If I had to book a flight, I would do it while being horizontal and out of the sun. I hadn’t slept well in more than a month. Maybe I’d sneak in a quick nap and put off the inevitable a bit longer.
I dragged myself up and Muffin followed me into the house, her little paws pattering behind me on the wood floor. After trudging to the living room, I plopped onto the first piece of furniture I came to. It was one of those chaises that looked elegant but unfortunately couldn’t meet minimum expectations for comfort. Despite the too-firm stuffing and oddly angled back, fatigue willed my muscles into dissolving into the fabric.
Muffin hopped onto the chaise and snuggled into the crook of my arm. Just when I thought I might catch up on some much needed rest, a shadow compelled me to open one eye and see who could be cruel enough to interrupt my wallowing.
“It’s nice having you home again.”
I searched for a hidden meaning in my mom’s words. If she had any feelings, she was never one to express them. “What?”
“We’re happy to have you around.” She wasn’t frowning in sarcasm, and her mouth might have been curved up a smidgen.
“Thanks. It’s nice to be here.” Maybe...
She waited a beat and I wondered what was going on with her. I didn’t have to wonder long. “Are you in love with that Thayer girl?”
“Of course not,” I denied too quickly. With renewed energy, I popped off the couch and stood so she couldn’t tower over me. “And would you please call her Bailey?”
She rested a palm on one hip. “If you love her, you should tell her.”
After the beating I’d taken from Bailey the weeks leading up to my unexpected departure and then her most recent frigid texts, I had no plans of revisiting the topic of love anytime soon. Certainly not with Bailey and especially not with one of the freezer folk. “I don’t want to talk about this, Mom.”
“I’ll be right back.” For several blissful moments, she was gone. I collapsed onto the chaise again and Muffin jumped into my lap. All I wanted to do was forget every detail about this time in my life, and I wished my mom would cooperate. But that was not to be. My mom reappeared, her petite frame bent toward me as she held her palm open.
“What is it?” I stared at the pretty diamond ring in the old fashioned setting, pondering what about it was so familiar to me.
“It’s your grandmother Irene’s wedding ring.”
Yeah... I’d never paid much attention to women’s jewelry but I remembered seeing the ring years ago and had made note of its size. “Why are you showing it to me?”
“For Bailey.”
“What? Why? I’m not staying married to her.” I shook my head and inched away. “And Dad won’t appreciate you giving away his mother’s ring.”
In a completely uncharacteristic gesture, she rolled her eyes. “This was his idea.”
“Why would he want me to have it?” She must have misunderstood him.
She blinked, hard. “Because you’re his son?”
I scoffed. “Like that’s ever mattered.”
Her brows shot up. “He insisted I give it to you for Bailey.”
“That makes no sense.” I grunted and stood again, ready to bolt. Was nothing sacred? Why couldn’t they let me be? And why was everyone thinking I was in love with Bailey? “I can’t imagine Dad letting go of a family heirloom, especially one belonging to his mom.”
“His mother, your grandmother. She’s gone and you have every right to her ring.” A pained looked flashed across her face. “Sit.”
I obeyed, surprised when she sat close to me. I nearly jumped out of my skin from shock when she placed a hand on my knee.
“Believe it or not, your father has great respect for Bailey.” She bit her lip, like she was mulling over what to say next. Her eyes darted in the direction of my dad’s study just a few yards away then she lowered her voice. “He’ll kill me for telling you this... A few weeks ago, he tried to bribe Bailey into divorcing you quickly. Despite how badly their ranch needed the money, she refused to accept his offer. She said if she divorced you, it wouldn’t be because she was being paid.”
I wanted to be outraged at my dad for insulting Bailey with a bribe. But I was too elated that she’d refused it.
My mom lifted one shoulder. “I think your father likes Bailey. And... I do too.” My mouth dropped open, but I had no words. She cleared her throat, forging on. “Were you aware your father and I separated years ago?”
“No.” In fact, I couldn’t believe they were still together. “What happened?”
“I’ll start at the beginning, so you understand.” She patted my knee. “Although our families pushed us together to combine and preserve our wealth, essentially arranging our marriage, your father and I always loved each other deeply.”
“No kidding?” I had never been convinced they even liked each other.
“Neither of us have been accustomed to displaying emotion... as you know.” She licked her lips, pausing. “Your father and I... we each believed our love wasn’t returned. That led to frustration, anger and eventually extramarital affairs. Wasn’t until we were ready to file with the court that we had an open and honest conversation, and then we realized we had it all wrong. It took the end of our marriage for us to begin our life together and finally act like husband and wife.”
Holy crap. “Why are you telling me this?”
She sighed. “Just because we haven’t shown you love—which I see now has been as destructive for you as it was for our marriage—doesn’t mean our love doesn’t exist. Why do you think I borrowed Muffin from you?”
All I had for her was a blank face. “No clue.”
“I wanted to make sure you came back. I could guarantee your visits if I had possession of your dog.”
I suddenly became unable to make my tongue do anything I wanted it to. Not that I had anything to say.
She laid a palm on my cheek. “You, Hunter Sage Evermond, are our life.”
To my horror, my eyes stung and watered. Oh, man, I needed a good night’s sleep or I might break down and cry like a girl.
A door slammed and my father strode over the fancy rug toward us. “What are you two whispering about?”
“We weren’t whispering.” Not for all of the conversation anyway. “Mom’s trying to give me your mother’s ring.” Now we would get to the truth. Just because my mother had turned out to have a heart after all didn’t mean my father did.
“Which is exactly what your mother and I decided, yes. What’s the problem?” His gaze bounced between my mom and me.
“You’re giving me the ring for Bailey? Why? I thought Evermonds didn’t marry into families like the Thayers.” My eye twitched having to utter such vile words.
“Why wouldn’t I want it passed on to my own son?” my dad growled.
I didn’t want to voice my thoughts because saying it out loud made it too real. But I needed to. I folded my arms over my chest, tucked in my chin. “Because you think I’m a loser and you don’t like Bailey.”
His mouth pinched, brows puckering. When I didn’t retract my statement, he rubbed his temples. After threading his hands through his hair, his gaze bounced around the room. “You got into a lot of trouble and cost me a mint. I had other things I should’ve been doing instead of bailing you out of jail. Twice.” He held up two fingers. “You were supposed to pass the bar and join my practice but you chose a path I didn’t want for you. I’m not going to lie, that was incredibly disappointing.”
My own father confirming what I’d known my entire life. Numbness set in. I wanted to walk away but imaginary weights held me immobile.
“You chose your path, not mine.” He shrugged. “In the end, you needed to go through all the bad behavior to learn from it and become the man you are today. Every parent’s dream is to have their child live a better life than they did. I’m lucky enough to see you doing what makes you happy, a life that you’re proud of. The only loser here is me for not telling you how impressed I am with the man you’ve become.”
I swallowed, not sure if I’d ever heard my father say so many words in a single stream that didn’t involve cussing—directed at me.
“Bailey’s a good girl and she’s got guts. If you love her, that’s enough for me.” By his flushed face, pressuring him to talk so long about his feelings had cost him. “I’d be proud to call her family.”
Mom opened my hand, placed the ring onto my palm, then curled my fingers around it. “Don’t do to Bailey what your father and I did to each other, what we’ve done to you. Make sure she knows you love her and then never let her forget it.”
A lot of good an engagement ring did me for a girl I’d already married and had no intention of staying with. Except that I did want to stay married to Bailey. I couldn’t think of anything in this life I wanted more than to be her husband. For life. But I couldn’t imagine her wanting me after all I’d put her through. Even if I worked up the nerve to ask her to forget about the divorce, she’d never say yes.
I had to try though.
Chapter Seventeen
Bailey
The chicken fried steak smelled heavenly. My mother, Blake and I had sat together for dinner only a handful of times since Blake had broken his leg. We’d been too overworked and I’d been too busy avoiding Hunter.
I’d be seeing him in four days though. My stomach fluttered, nearly killing my appetite. “I’ve decided to take your advice.” I laid the napkin in my lap and waited for my mom to take the first serving.
My mom beamed. “A little mini vacation?”
I did my best to match her enthusiasm, though a trip to officially end a marriage with the love of my life wasn’t something to celebrate. “Yes. I already booked my flight. Leaving Wednesday for Vegas.”
Blake cut a bite from the steak. “With who?”
“Whom,” my mother corrected.
“She’s right.” I told him, determined to get them both off subject. “Whom. What did the doctor say today?”
He shoveled a huge portion of mashed potatoes into his mouth. “I’ve got at least two more weeks.”
“Not bad.” I studied my brother as he piled another forkful into his face, chewed quickly and then reloaded. “In a hurry?”
He froze. “I’m going out tonight and if I don’t leave soon, I’ll be late.”
Blake always took his time. If he rushed, he usually had a girl waiting for him.
“Hot date?” my mom asked, clearly on the same line of thought as me. I watched for his reaction.
“Going to hang out with a friend.” He’d continued eating but had slowed. Maybe too slow, like he didn’t want to come off as too eager.
Which meant he was eager.
Jealousy hit me like a slap in the face. I would’ve loved to get out of the house, work off some steam. But what if I ran into Hunter? Nope, I’d be staying home until Vegas, even knowing I may never learn the identity of Blake’s date. “The Stable?”
His fork hovered in front of his mouth as he peered over at me. “Why, so you can spy on me?”
“I wouldn’t need to spy if you spilled it.” I suppressed a grin, knowing I was about to corner him. “What’s the big secret?”
My mom’s eyes twinkled. “Good question. If you weren’t hiding something, you’d have no problem telling us who you’re seeing.”
“Fine. I give up.” Blake muttered a curse word. “Noelle is meeting me at the Stable.”
Warmth gently cloaked me and I grinned. “It’s about time.”
Blake flashed us a dazzling smile. “Agreed.”
And I’d escaped the question of who I was going to Las Vegas with. “We won’t wait up for you.”
“Oh, c’mon. It’s a first date.”
I smirked. “With a girl you’ve known most of your life.”
“We’ll see.” His smile faded. “I don’t have to worry anymore about her being my best friend’s ex.”
Because Hunter was no longer his best friend. “Do you think you could ever forgive Hunter?” I asked.
“We all love Hunter, baby. We always will.” My mom glanced away. “I think he’ll figure out a way to get in our good graces again. Eventually.”
Blake nodded. “Yeah, he’ll work it out.”
My poor pathetic family. Hunter was a part of us and we couldn’t let go. But I’d watched him waste people left and right, especially girls. Throwing people away was his specialty. Why should we be any different? I’d let my family keep their hope though. But after my Vegas trip, I was done. I had to move on. My future and my happiness depended on it.
~~~
AFTER I CHECKED INTO my hotel room and unpacked, I texted Hunter. I’m here. I’ll meet you in the lobby in the morning as planned.
Knowing I’d be seeing Hunter had my nerves worked raw and my adrenals drained. Not even noon and I already needed a nap. But once I woke, then what? Why had I flown in so early? I could go to the hotel bar or hit a show. But what if I ran into Hunter?
I arrived early this morning. I was about to grab a bite. What are you doing for lunch?
Take a nap or meet Hunter? I hadn’t laid eyes on him in nearly a month. I was supposed to be avoiding him, which should’ve resulted in him fading from my thoughts and I should’ve been well on my way to getting on with my life.
Oh, hell. Now that I knew he was somewhere in the hotel, he would be all I thought about until I saw him in the morning. Wasn’t seeing him one last time supposed to be part of the trip? I was in a town where I didn’t know anyone else. What could be so bad about hanging out with Hunter to see if I was still as crazy about him as ever? I could be in for a pleasant surprise, maybe wonder what I ever saw in him. Meet you in the lobby in 15.
Who was I kidding? All these years and my love had never died. I was hopeless. I dropped the phone on the bed and stared at it. Crap. I should text him again and call it off, tell him I decided to order room service.
But wasn’t facing ones fears a good start to conquering them?
After leaping off the bed, I rummaged through the closet for a blouse. I grunted and put it back, opting for a t-shirt and jeans. I didn’t want Hunter to think I’d dressed up for him. I dashed into the bathroom and retouched my makeup, then fluffed my hair. He’d seen me straight out of bed a thousand times, so this was a step up.
I gulped several long, deep breaths then grabbed my purse and headed to the elevator. Conscious of each sound in the shaft, and each ding as I moved through the floors, my pulse raced.
I should cancel and give myself the rest of the night to calm the hell down. But would I be any better tomorrow? This was Hunter, the man I’d loved for sixteen years—who I was about to cut all ties with. I’d never be okay with this. All I could do now was savor what little time we had left together.
The floor quaked beneath my feet and then the elevator door opened. My eyes scanned the lobby, finding Hunter about three yards away in front of the registration desk. Damn, he was gorgeous. His wild hair cascaded over his shoulders as he leaned against the wall, hands in his pocket. Just seeing him and being in the same room with him, my anxiety vanished, replaced with a rush of adrenaline. I couldn’t wait to talk to him.
I wished I didn’t have to waste these precious moments with the man I loved. I didn’t want to hide my joy at being near him. I wanted to crash into him and throw my arms around his neck. Our trip together would end way before I wanted it to.
But I couldn’t let him into my heart again. While trying not to appear too eager, I kept an even pace.
He dipped toward me and landed a kiss on my cheek. “You look great.”
“Thanks.” I took a step back, knowing I should limit our physical contact. We couldn’t have a repeat of our last trip to Vegas, or the make-out session in my kitchen at home or our dirty encounter in the mud. Not that he acted remotely inclined. “How’ve you been?”
“Uh...” His gaze fixed to the tile floor of the lobby and he laughed once, but not as if it was actually funny. “Been a rough few weeks.”
I had no words of comfort since I’d been in the same boat and probably twice as miserable as he’d been. Highly doubtful his source of stress stemmed from his lack of time with me. My best guess was that he missed Blake and my mom.
In silence, we strolled toward the restaurant, passing by a gift shop and conference rooms. Once we were seated in the curved booth, my nerves flared again. I discreetly scooted away and placed my purse between us.
“Can I get you something to drink?” asked the thin, blond waiter.
No alcohol for me, that was for damn sure. Not with Hunter nearby. “Iced tea, please.”
“Same,” Hunter said. The waiter vanished and Hunter stared at the condiments rack, tapping his fingers. “How are the new hands working out?”
“Good. They free me up so I can get more training in with the horses.” As I snuck a peek at Hunter, I wondered why he’d bothered inviting me to lunch when he couldn’t even look at me. Maybe he didn’t want to eat alone and didn’t want to take the time to woo some chick. “How are things at Fletcher Manor?”
He scratched his chin. “Interesting.”
Could he be any more vague? On the bright side, he wasn’t complaining. “So you’ve made progress with your parents?”
His head rocked up and down as if he was contemplating it. “Sort of. They’re no different than before. I just understand them better.”
I wanted to know the details, yet I didn’t want to engage too much with Hunter. But I heard “better” and that was good enough for now. “Still hoping to escape?”
“I’m already working with a realtor.” He used his butter knife as a pointer. “But I’m waiting to see how other things turn out before I make an appointment to see inside any of the houses.”
To see how other things turned out? With what? Was I supposed to ask or was it a secret? Irritation welled within me. If Hunter didn’t want to elaborate anything, I wasn’t going to beg him for the details.
The waiter delivered our drinks. “Have you decided what you want?” he asked.
Not even close. I only knew I should get something light in case I got too stressed over Hunter and became nauseous. “A bowl of chicken noodle soup, please.”
Hunter studied the menu another moment then glanced at the waiter. “Chicken sandwich on rye, hold the mustard, please.”
After the waiter left, we made small talk until the food came. Only about half of the soup made it into my stomach. Hunter gobbled all his fries and most of the sandwich. Apparently, nothing ruined his appetite.
As he gobbled the last bite, his eyes veered to a woman strutting down the aisle. She wore a snug black dress that barely covered the important parts, exposing gorgeous legs. Her fake boobs were shoved so high and the neckline so low, they looked like they were about to pop out and go rogue. When she sat two tables away, Hunter managed to keep from ogling her. Impressive.
But his short answers and lack of conversation didn’t inspire me to talk. I peered over at Hunter from under my lashes. He wiped his palms on his jeans and licked his lips. Was he nervous?
“Is something on your mind?”
“Um.” He scowled. “What if we didn’t get a divorce this trip? What if we just hit some shows and enjoyed ourselves?”
Because he didn’t want to make the effort? I didn’t want to ask if his version of this trip would involve alcohol and falling into bed. I wish I hadn’t agreed to lunch. Though I’d justified spending time with him by lying to myself about seeing him one last time, I wished Hunter would realize I was the perfect girl for him. But he was the same old Hunter who would never change.
I despised myself for wanting him, for needing him to see me as a woman. I hated that I’d convinced myself he wasn’t worth my time, yet I still craved his approval. I wished for him to want me, though I’d vowed to never get involved with him no matter what.
Hunter would always have a piece of my soul. But I couldn’t let him own it all. And yet I still held the hope that one day, he’d declare his love for me and we’d live happily ever after.
My vulnerability made it impossible for me to be around him.
I plucked my wallet from my purse, chose the right amount of cash and tossed it on the table. “I have to go. See you in the morning.”
He jolted, his eyes squinting. “What’s the rush?”
“I finished eating.” I scooted out of the booth.
“Wait.” He tossed a wad of cash on the table and slid off the seat. “I thought we’d spend more time together.”
To give him someone to sit with while he put off our divorce and prolonged my misery? Someone to have a conversation filled with vague answers? No, thanks. Unless he wanted to stay married to me for other reasons.
I steeled my heart, reminding myself that a future with him simply wasn’t going to happen. I had no business harboring any kind of fantasy where Hunter was concerned. End of story.
“This isn’t a vacation for me.” Well, it was supposed to be. But clearly I wasn’t going to have any fun. “We’re here for one thing. That’s it.”
Hunter sidestepped to avoid a waitress and for an instant, he was out of my line of vision. I seized the moment, scurrying down the aisle and out of the restaurant. The elevator ahead dinged and the door opened with the arrow above pointing up. I darted inside and the doors closed as I spotted Hunter racing toward me and calling my name.
Why was he chasing me? I commanded my brain not to let in the tiny shred of hope of him being in love with me. He was never going to declare his undying love. He was lost to me forever and I had to accept it.
The floor jolted beneath me then the elevator climbed up. After a couple of stops, it finally arrived on my floor and I sprinted to my room. Once safely inside, I checked in with my mom, composing a text so she wouldn’t worry. I clicked the send button and my phone dinged.
We need to talk. What is your room number?
If he had something that important, he should’ve covered it over lunch instead of looking at everything but me. Better yet, he should’ve talked to me instead of giving me curt replies. We can talk in the morning. I’m switching off my phone now.
And then I silenced my phone and tossed it into my purse. I didn’t want to know if he called or texted again. I’d always been a sucker for Hunter and I didn’t want to be tempted to give in.
I crashed onto the bed. Exhaustion permeated every muscle and depression brought on more lethargy. I closed my eyes and dreamed of a world where I didn’t compare all guys to Hunter. Where he’d never been born and I could love another.
But the thought of him no longer being in my life spiraled me further into apathy. All I wanted to do was sleep.
~~~
MY LIDS SCRAPED AGAINST my eyes like sandpaper. Dragging my feet off the bed and onto the floor, I shuffled to the dresser where I’d set my purse. Finding my phone, I checked the screen for the time. I’d done the dance of the dead, sleeping for two hours.
Not nearly long enough.
Four texts from Hunter? Vowing not to let him distract me from my goal, I left the messages unread and hurled the phone onto the bed.
I wanted a soda but getting one required leaving my room. Hunter didn’t know which floor I was on, much less my room number. The chances of running into him were slim.
I grabbed a glass from the counter and my room key, stuffed my phone and a few bucks into my pocket, then slipped into the hallway. I smiled at the cute brunette whose t-shirt sported the hotel emblem. I craved that soda and she knew how to get it. “Where’s the ice machine? Praying you have a vending machine too.”
“Across from the exit sign.” She pointed behind me, then glanced over her shoulder. “Is your name Bailey?”
“Yes.” I froze, suddenly suspicious. “Why?”
“Someone had your picture on his phone and was asking people if they’d seen you.”
I grimaced. “That’s creepy. Can you describe him?” Judging by the light in her eyes, I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.
“Long hair.” She touched her shoulder, right about where the ends of Hunter’s hair would stop. “Extremely hot.”
Why couldn’t Hunter let me suffer in silence? Why did he ruin my perfectly good resolution to forget him? “I know him. And I’d rather he not have my room number.”
“Of course. Everything all right? He was pretty desperate to find you.” She bit into her bottom lip. “Should I call security?”
Desperate, huh? Maybe he had an emergency. Something could have happened to one of his parents and he needed to rush home. Guilt smothered me. “No. He’s harmless, but thank you.”
Harmless physically anyway. I fished my phone from my pocket and turned on the sound. It rang immediately. Seeing Hunter’s name on the screen, I swiped. “Hunter?”
“Bails, where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.” The urgency in his voice told me something was off.
My pulse hammered as fear gripped me. “What happened? Is everything all right at home?”
“What? Sure, everyone’s fine.” His harsh exhale blew into the phone. “I was worried about you.”
While I appreciated his concern, his odd persistence sent me into a panic. He was being too sweet which made me more likely to give in to him. I had to get him off the phone. Because whatever he was about to ask me for, I was this-close to saying yes.
A security guard hovered at the other end of the hallway talking to a female bellhop. A door opened ahead of me and a woman with two children filed out, all clad in swimsuits and toting towels. A housekeeping cart rounded a corner, pushed by a maid in a gray uniform.
No privacy.
“Uh...” I huddled close to the wall and cupped my free hand around my mouth and the phone. “I’m good, but I have to get back to my room. Um, see you tomorrow.” I compelled myself to hit the red button to end the call.
Nausea swirled and rose into my throat. I’d hung up on the man I loved. Tears welled in my eyes, but I knew if I compromised now, if I let down my guard, I’d be dealing with more than a few tears in the future.
I was about to carry on with my mission and froze instead, the skin on the back of my neck tingling.
“Bailey.”
Hunter, live and in person. How was I going to avoid him now?
Chapter Eighteen
Bailey
I shouldn’t have come out of my room. Could I get away with pretending I hadn’t heard Hunter and that I didn’t know he was behind me? The exit sign loomed in front of me. I stuck the phone in my pocket and tore off to the ice machine.
“Bails, you can’t run forever.”
“I’m not running, Hunter,” I said, trying to sound bored. I kept the pace and entered the tiny room which consisted of the ice and soda machines. He appeared in the doorway as I set the cup under the spout. “I don’t understand what you want and why it can’t wait. Where’s the fire?”
When he opened his mouth, I hit the ice button and drowned out his words. The security guard appeared, his gaze bouncing between Hunter and me. “Everything all right?”
“I’m her husband, not some stalker,” Hunter huffed.
The brunette squeezed into the doorway. “You can’t be both?”
I muffled a giggle and Hunter sent me a look of betrayal.
“I just need a quick conversation with her. It can be here in front of everyone, for all I care.” He rounded on me. “You’re not too busy to spare five minutes.”
“How would you know? Did you get a copy of my itinerary?” Leaving my cup of ice on the machine, I retrieved the dollar bills and bought my soda. “Besides, you had almost an hour at lunch but wasted it with vague conversation that told me nothing. You couldn’t even look at me.”
He threw his head back and groaned. “That wasn’t what you think. I was just a little nervous after everything that happened and not seeing you for a while. Would you please give me five minutes of your undivided attention? Please.”
The great Hunter Evermond, prom king and chick magnet nervous around me? Yeah, sure. “And once you’re done, you’ll leave?” I sipped on the can of soda, my eyes darting around the small room.
He nodded. “If that’s what you still want, yes.”
As if I had a choice. If I didn’t give him the five minutes, he’d dog me until he got it.
I ordered my fingers not to tremble as I poured the soda into the glass of ice, then I held out the soda. He shook his head and I motioned him toward the hallway. I darted out of the little room. “I’ll be fine,” I told the security guard as we passed.
A few feet into the hallway, I stopped so Hunter couldn’t figure out my room number. “Talk.”
He scanned the hallway, noting the security guard hovering several yards away, the maid’s cart three doors down and two men chatting at the end of the hall. “I think we should give it a shot, try to make it work.”
If he was referring to our marriage, he’d have to do a hell of a lot better. I raised one brow. “Give what a shot?”
He shifted his weight. “You and me.”
I lifted the glass to my lips and swallowed, wishing he’d put some feeling into it. But that kind of emotion wasn’t in Hunter. “No, thanks. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?”
He grumbled. “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
“Probably not.” I retrieved the phone from my pocket and checked the time. “I have to get back to work.” Which would include curling into the fetal position after telling the man of my dreams no thanks to giving a relationship with him a chance.
He relieved me of the soda can and set it on the carpet against the wall. “I’m going to start at the beginning.”
“You better get it done in four minutes.” I scrunched my nose.
“I deserve anything you dish out.” He licked his lips and inched toward me. “When I used to beat on those boys who made moves on you, it wasn’t necessarily because I thought they were scum. Even though some of them really were.”
My eyes narrowed in annoyance. If that was the best he had, I’d be in my room in no time, wallowing in more misery. “Go on.”
“I was used to being the center of your world, jealous of anything that took your attention off me.” When my expression remained neutral, he wiped his hands on his jeans and forged on. “In truth, it was because I love you. Always have.”
I struggled to curb my disappointment. “No one doubts your love for me and my family, Hunter.”
“I know you have no faith in me with women, but I went through girls like water because they weren’t right for me.” He hissed out a breath. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot this past month, contemplating why you were always the first one I thought about when planning a trip to Texas. Why I never dated anyone while I was there visiting, why I still don’t want to date anyone.”
“Hunter, don’t go there.” My eyes stung and I progressed a handful of steps backward before he whipped around and blocked me. I met his gaze. “Don’t say anything you can’t back up.”
“My point is that I can’t see a relationship with any woman but you. You’re the only one I want to be with.” He closed the distance, this time even closer. “The only one I think about. Everything always comes back to you.”
I swallowed, absorbing his words. I’d wanted to hear that for as long as I could remember. But it just wasn’t enough. “Until you get bored and leave.”
“I was afraid of that too, which is why I never tried with you.” He searched my face. “Well, that and because I thought Blake would kill me.”
A glance around revealed that the security guard, the pretty young bellhop and the maid were listening in. Some other stragglers had joined the crowd, ranging from an old man to a couple of teenagers. All riveted to our conversation.
“My whole life, I’ve felt unloved. I avoided getting close to anyone because I was afraid they’d abandon me. So I ditched them first. Turns out, I was wrong about my parents. They’re not as cold as you might think.”
Warmth enveloped me. I was thrilled for Hunter for being on the road to resolving things with his parents. But I couldn’t let that distract me. “So now you’re ready to try a committed relationship. I’m happy for you. But I can’t risk being an experiment. And I’m sorry because your five minutes is over.”
I sailed past him, the space leading to the door to my room a blur. I snuck one last look at him to see him still standing there. His arms dangled at his sides, his eyes vacant and wounded.
I knew the feeling. But this time, I couldn’t let my heart lead. It had already betrayed me too many times.
Two hours later, I’d finished a sappy romance movie and no one had knocked on my door. Not even a text. True to his word, he’d left me alone. He’d had the five minutes and he hadn’t delivered. Not that I’d thought he would. I was certain Hunter cared deeply for me. And I sympathized with what he was going through. But I wouldn’t put myself out there to be crushed. Hunter would get over whatever this was—probably a lot sooner than I would.
A whimper turned into a sob which quickly morphed into the ugly cry.
~~~
JUST BEFORE EIGHT IN the morning, I barreled out of my room and nearly crashed into Hunter. “I thought we were meeting at the courthouse.”
“Not anymore.” He jerked his head toward the elevator. “I already ordered a ride. It’s rush hour so we’ve got a twenty-minute wait. Enough time to get some coffee.”
He looked phenomenal in black slacks and a light gray shirt with a charcoal tie, his hair as wild and sexy as always. My stomach fluttered when the tips of his fingers on my lower back guided me past the elevator threshold. Thankfully, he didn’t try to pick up the conversation from where we left off the night before.
“Latte?” he asked when we made it to the register to put in our order.
“Yes, thank you,” I said.
He paid for our drinks and we ambled to the pickup area, then he leaned an elbow on the counter and faced me. “So... about the divorce.”
This topic filled me with dread and dredged up too many painful memories of not being loved. “What about it?”
“I did some research last night. Getting a divorce in Nevada for nonresidents isn’t as easy as you might think. Same goes for annulments.”
“So we came here for nothing?” Irritation ripped through me. Would I never be free of Hunter? How could I heal if I never had the chance?
“Not necessarily. We could go to the courthouse anyway and double check my research, see what they say, what hoops we’d have to jump through.” He shrugged. “If all else fails, we take in Vegas and have fun.”
“You couldn’t figure this out before we came all the way out here? Your dad is a freakin’ divorce attorney. You had one job, Hunter.”
His mouth curved up. “None of that matters. We’re not getting a divorce anyway.”
My traitorous heart skipped a beat, ever hopeful. “Nothing you said last night changes anything between us.”
“Exactly. Nothing’s different between you and me. You’ve always loved me and you’ve never wavered on that.” He wrapped my hand in both of his, his voice, tone and attitude so much steadier than the night before. “Since the first time I saw you in those cute little shorts, you’ve always been the center of my world. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love you.”
As great as that sounded, I had no guarantee he wouldn’t regret his words next week. His horrible track record couldn’t be erased with pretty words.
He reached into his pocket for a small black box then dropped to one knee. I froze and my eyes flitted across the room to see many of the customers watching.
Hunter flashed me a lopsided grin. “My mom and dad insisted this was meant for you.”
I cleared my throat, trying to appear calm and cool. “They hate me.” Regardless, this wasn’t between his parents and me.
“Not at all. They both just really suck at demonstrating affection. This belonged to my grandmother.” He took the ring out of the box and the diamond sparkled. “Will you stay married to me, Bails?”
A real proposal. This moment should have been a dream come true. I wanted to know it was forever and I couldn’t know with Hunter. I stared at the exquisite diamond while imagining myself wearing it.
“If you believed I was in it for the long haul, would you still put up a fight?” he added.
Hope slowly bloomed in my chest and this time, although I needed to stop it, I didn’t want to. I needed him to prove me wrong, to give me a reason to allow the hope to grow roots. “You’ll get bored and change your mind. I can’t invest in a relationship I know I can’t have.”
He rose, cupped my face so that his fingertips caressed the nape of my neck. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love you. Sure, I was stupid for a while and took you for granted. Losing you made me realize that there is no one in this world more important to me.”
I shook my head and made a feeble attempt at pushing him away. “It won’t last.”
“It’s lasted sixteen years and only gotten stronger, even through the hard times. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, Bails.”
I made a feeble attempt to break his hold and then gave up.
“We’ve already been in love for sixteen years. I’m only asking for another seventy. I want to marry you. Again. For real. In front of God and everyone.”
Any second, I was going to wake and be more broken than ever. “How do I know it’ll work?”
“You don’t. None of us do. But I can promise you that I’ll do my best to do right by you. I have to. I can’t lose you again. Ever. Because I know it would break me, Bails.” One hand slid to my waist and he yanked me against him. “I’m going to spend the next seventy plus years showing you how grateful I am to have married up. And maybe one day I’ll pay you back for loving me.” He slipped the ring on my finger and I didn’t stop him. I couldn’t move. “Please don’t divorce me,” he whispered, his lips brushing mine oh so gently. “I don’t want to live without you.”
A tear escaped, making a wet path down my cheek. “You know what I was thinking?”
“That you haven’t answered me and this is pure torture?”
I made a weird noise, a cross between a sob and a laugh. “We never got a honeymoon. I planned for a week here. How about you?”
His eyes shone. “I was planning for the rest of my life.”
When I heard a smattering of clapping, I let out a watery laugh and threw my arms around his neck. “Blake is going to kill you, by the way.”
“Nah, it’s all good.” He swept me around the corner, out of most everyone’s line of vision, then squished my body against his, brushing a soft kiss on my cheek and another at my temple.
“You talked to him?”
“My parents paid him and Mrs. T a visit the other day.”
I snapped to attention and Hunter lost his grasp on me. I backed up, but still held his hand. “Your parents went to bat for you?”
“They jumped in and smoothed things over, yes.” He yanked me close again. “Oh, and by the way, our mothers are planning our wedding as we speak.”
I wasn’t sure if that was good or not. I arched my neck to give him better access to my neck. “When is it?”
“Two weeks.” His mouth worked its way to my ear. “My parents know the family who runs Sterling Ranch. They had a cancellation and gave it to us.”
“We’re getting married, for real, at Sterling Ranch?” That place was booked years in advance. I’d always fantasized about getting married there. To Hunter. All my dreams about him were coming true. I wasn’t destined to be like Ellora Shepherd, forever searching for her true love.
“Yep. Which gives us only a few days to house hunt after we get back. We can get started from here. My realtor sent me some promising listings. We just have to let him know the ones we’re interested in seeing and he’ll line up appointments ahead of time. ”
My brows flew up. “You and I are setting up house already?” Not that I was complaining. But everything was happening so fast. A shiver ran through me when he sucked my bottom lip into his mouth.
“I want to be under the same roof as my wife,” Hunter growled, tightening his grip on me. His name was called and he released me, led me back to the counter to collect our drinks, then slung an arm around my waist and steered me out of the cafe. “Our mothers are getting along surprisingly well.”
“So far. It’s only been a few days.” I jabbed the elevator button and twisted toward him. “Since when do your parents stand up for you?”
“Since my mom told me I was her life.” He snorted. “She told me not to do to you what they did to me.”
“Wow,” I said in awe. “You did it. You really got through to them.”
The elevator dinged when it arrived on my floor. He covered my hand with his and stepped out. “It was more a matter of me discovering I’d never lost them in the first place. And that I didn’t have to lose you either.”
“You never lost my love, Hunter. I’ll love you to my last breath.” When we stopped in front of my room, I slid the room key down the slot. I pushed it open, then spun and stretched on my tiptoes to press my mouth to his.
He guided me backward and into the room, his lips never leaving mine. His kiss was hungry, but vulnerable. Passionate, yet gentle. And then he pulled away, leaned his forehead against mine. “I’m ready for that honeymoon now, Bailey Evermond.”
~~~
HOPEFULLY YOU LIKED Hunter and Bailey's story. For a sneak peek at the next book in this series by Neve Cottrell, go to our Bride, Texas Series website. Or skip the sneak peek and just buy it!
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Bride, Texas books!
Bride and Prejudice by Bonnie R. Paulson
The Unlucky Bride by Sylvia McDaniel
Ticket to Bride by Liz Isaacson
Bride ‘em Cowboy by Twist Roberts
Over My Wed Body by Veronica Blade
Sleigh Bride – by Neve Cottrell
Bride for Hire – Debra Clopton
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Get your FREE copy of Thrown to the Wolves: The Legend of Hannah & Eli (Shapes of Autumn Prequel) directly from my website!
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Other books by Veronica Blade...
The Runaway Rock Star
An infamous bad-boy rocker falls for a small-town girl who has no idea who he is. Considering his reputation, that’s probably a good thing.
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Blind Date, Checkmate (a novella)
Should a woman who’s unable to forget her first love give “happily ever after” one more try?
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From Fame to Shame (a novella)
When good-girl Maddie switches places with her famous bad-girl twin Jackie, she has some pretty high stilettos to fill.
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Single-handed (Single Girls micro trilogy, book one) : A FREE short story
A safer school has its perks, but what else did the years of martial arts training get her? Not a prom date, that’s for sure. (Also available now: Singled Out and Single-minded)
Visit VeronicaBlade.com to see more books by Veronica Blade
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AUTHOR BIO
VERONICA BLADE RESIDES in both southern California and northern Nevada with her husband, daughters and fur-babies. By day she runs the family business, but each night she slips away to spin her tales. She writes stories about falling in love and lives vicariously through her characters. Except her heroes and heroines lead far more interesting lives—and they are always way hotter.
You can visit Veronica Blade on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can even e-mail her at veronica@veronicablade.com. She loves hearing from readers!