When I step into the office Neil is standing behind his desk, and I’m guessing he thinks Hunter might come back.
“Do you think that about me?” I ask him. My voice is soft. I hate the idea of Neil thinking I’m some gold digger. I know my mother is and maybe that makes me one, too. I never say anything to contradict it, and technically, I use the money she gets from Neil for school. I guess that makes me just as bad as she is.
“No, sweetheart, and neither does Hunter. Come in here.”
I do as he says, stepping into his office and shutting the door behind me. “I wouldn't be so sure of that,” I mumble.
Hunter’s words hurt. I know I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping on them, but I couldn't help myself. When I saw Hunter get out of the car from my bedroom window I found myself leaving the room in search of him. I had to have a better look.
His voice was even deeper than I thought it would be, but so was the cut of the words. He didn't even know me, but he’d already made up his mind about who I am.
“He’s hurting and he’s lonely. People like that lash out.” Neil comes out from behind his desk. “Not you, though. You don’t lash out.” I look up into Neil’s dark eyes. He has a sad smile on his face.
I shake my head. No, I’m not the type of person that says hateful things when I’m upset. I don't have it in me. At times I wish I had a backbone, because I could really use it.
“You remind me a lot of her.” Neil’s eyes go to the picture of him and his wife, hanging over the fireplace behind his desk.
“Really?” I ask, not believing him. We look nothing alike. I have dark brown hair and gray-blue eyes. She could have been a model.
“Her spirit.” Now the smile reaches his eyes. It always does when he talks about her. “She was sweet to the core. We were a perfect fit. I used to be a grumpy ass who worked too much and yelled even more.” He’s still smiling as he says the words. “Her softness softened me and I in turn made sure no one ever hurt her. We needed each other.”
I wish I could have seen that Neil. With my mother he's nothing like that. They barely talk. Not that I blame him. They don't even sleep in the same room. It's so odd. Even more so because when I see Neil look at pictures of his deceased wife I would never think of him marrying again. I want someone to look at me the way he looks at her pictures.
“She always said Hunter was just like me, but now…” He lets out a deep breath. “Since we lost them he's worse. He's adrift and I can't pull him back. I'm losing him, too, and I can't stop it. No matter how hard I try.” I hear defeat in his voice. The anger I felt at Hunter’s words fades away.
“Will you go find him for me?” My breath catches for a moment. “I want you to make sure he’s okay. He stormed out of here and I don't think he wants to see me right now.”
I glance down at my clothes. I'm in my pajamas—a long sleep shirt that falls to my knees. He does the same. “I'm sorry. I forgot. Are you feeling better? Porsha said you didn't feel well.”
“I'm fine,” I reassure him, and he leans forward, kissing me on the top of my head.
“Goodnight,” he tells me as he leads me toward the door.
“’Night,” I tell him. He shuts it behind me, leaving me in the hallway. I glance to my left when I hear a noise and see Hunter going up the stairs. I can't help but follow him. It’s like I’m being pulled along by his presence.
When I get to the end of the hall I see him enter a room. It’s the one I know is his. I walk up to the door and see it’s ajar. I stand there and I watch him fall onto the bed. Silently I step into the room and shut the door behind me. I walk over to the bed and climb onto it, wanting to check on him.
When I lean over him, his eyes fly open and land on me. There isn't a ton of light in the room, only what is coming from the full moon through the expansive windows that line the wall.
“Fuck. You're beautiful.” He reaches up, tangling his fingers in my hair. “Are you an angel?” he asks me as a smile pulls at his lips.
I shake my head, lost in the way he is smiling at me.
“Liar,” he growls as he pulls me down to his mouth.
Before I even know what’s happening he’s rolled me over and got me pinned under him.