She grunted and grabbed a burrito.
Then Briar padded in, clutching a blanket around her shoulders like a cape. She looked a little pale, but steadier on her feet than last night.
She looked at Hunter. “Thanks for finding me last night.”
“Anytime, kiddo. I’m glad I was there to help.”
She gave a shy nod and leaned into my side when I held out my arm.
Noah followed next, hair sticking up in ten different directions. He grunted a good morning and stared at the muffin box like it was a mirage.
My kitchen had never felt this calm in the morning.
And I couldn’t remember the last time I’d sat down and simply relaxed into a morning. And even though Eli was attempting to ruin everything again, I wasn’t worried. Ren was more than capable of handling everything. He’d done it before. And this time, I had Hunter on my side.
Hunter sat across from me, took a sip of coffee, and leaned back in his chair just enough to stretch his legs out under the table, bumping mine lightly in the process. I didn’t move away, and neither did he.
“Thanks for staying,” I said finally, voice low.
Eventually, the quiet began to shift again.
Lark yawned, grabbed a muffin without saying a word, and disappeared back to her room like a sleepy little zombie.
Briar gave me a small, tired smile, then mumbled something about finding her phone charger and vanished just as quickly.
Noah followed, rubbing his face and muttering something about texting one of his friends in town for lunch. He stopped long enough to give me a long hug from behind my chair, then wandered down the hall.
And just like that, it was just Hunter and me, with two half-finished cups of coffee cooling on the table. I watched the sunlight shift across the tile and smiled at him.
“I thought I was going to lose my mind last night,” I said softly, tracing my finger along the rim of my mug.
Hunter didn’t interrupt.
“I mean—I did lose it a little bit, when I was alone in my car and on the couch with you, I guess. I’m not always good in the moment. But later? That’s when it all hits. But it didn’t hit this time. I got to talk it out instead of crying into my pillow. Because you were here with me.”
“I’m glad I was. Thank you for letting me stay with you. I was worried. Still am, if I’m being honest.”
I looked at him, and his gaze was so warm, so open, it made something in me ache a little. “You always seem to show up when I need you,” I whispered.
“Not always.” He took a slow sip of coffee, watching me over the rim. “Not when you were married. But from now on, I’ll never stop trying to be.”
I swallowed hard, eyes burning again. “You make everything feel easier.”
“That’s all I want. You do the same for me and you always have, Paige.”
The silence that settled between us then wasn’t awkward. It was weighted, but warm—like we were both standing on the edge of something neither of us wanted to rush.
“I’m scared,” I admitted.
“I know. So am I.”
“But I’m also tired of feeling alone.”
“I know that, too, and I feel the same way.” He reached across the table and slid his hand over mine. His thumb brushed along the side of my hand, slow and careful, like he didn’t want to startle me.
“You’ve been carrying everything for so long,” he said quietly. “I know you’re exhausted.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
