Page 52 of One Night Years Ago

“You’re … an elementary school teacher?”

She laughed softly. “I’d like to see you survive a day in my job.”

“I meant no disrespect. I’m glad Natalie has a friend like you.”

“You know what they say about mistrust? When mistrust comes in …”

“I’m not planning on hurting her,” he said, holding her gaze until finally she nodded.

“I’d go for the lemon water if I were you, Hunter.”

And with that, she sauntered off in those tight, tight shorts that made her look taller than she was. While he appreciated her beautiful legs, he didn’t react to her body the way he did to Natalie’s. He wondered where Natalie was and how long he’d have to stand this to be able to take her somewhere alone later today.

Hunter was amazed people lived in such luxury. The house Jake and Helen had bought was large with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the garden, but the house itself didn’t impress him much. It was the lawn that really did it, large enough to have a football game in. Natalie had told him Jake and Helen wouldn’t even be moving in until after the wedding, but the yard was already looking immaculate.

At least until we come over and spend the day trampling over the grass.

He walked around, looking at the different groups of people. So this was what normal people did on weekends. They didn’t even realize just how much freedom they were enjoying. A noise to his left had him staring at a young man summersaulting into the large pool. He watched him disappear into the water and counted the seconds, waiting for him to resurface. Hunter had trained as a lifeguard when he was seventeen. Those had been a couple good summers. He shook his head. He probably didn’t even remember how to swim.

Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five seconds.

He was just starting to get concerned when the man resurfaced, tugging on his friend’s leg at the same time. Just a group of friends having a good time together.

Hunter smiled, wondering if he would always see problems were there were none.

He saw Natalie hanging out with a group of women. Helen was there, looking lovely in a flowing red dress that hugged her curves. He recognized also a lady who worked at the bank. She’d been kind to him and his mother during their visit. The women were smiling and laughing, and he was loathe to interrupt. He finished his glass of water, looking around for a place to set it.

“Let me take that from you,” said a deep voice. Hunter turned and found himself looking up to find the owner of the voice. The man was large and heavyset with bushy eyebrows and a matching beard. He took the glass from Hunter. It looked tiny in his large hand. Hunter realized there were a few other men behind him.

“Why don’t we take a walk along the yard?” the larger man said.

“Aren’t we already in the yard, technically?” Hunter asked.

“Don’t be a smartass. Walk with us.”

Hunter sighed. He could still technically call out to Natalie, but that didn’t seem like the right course of action. This was going to keep happening whether he liked it or not, and he needed to learn to live with it.

Four men surrounded him, including the giant who’d taken the glass from him. They walked him towards a shed he hadn’t even noticed before, closing the door behind them. The shed was large enough, but not meant for five adult men to stand around in.

“Sit down,” the giant ordered, pointing to a chair against one of the walls.

“I’d rather stand if it’s all the same to you.”

“It’s actually not, asshole. So sit the fuck down, like I asked.”

Hunter sighed and sat down. The chair creaked under his weight. It wasn’t the kind of chair made to withstand an interrogation.

The large man looked at him appraisingly. His head was shaved, much like Hunter’s, except in his case Hunter got the feeling not much hair was growing on top.

“I’m surprised you came with us,” the large man said finally. Something like respect shone in his eyes.

“What was I going to do, fight you in the middle of the party? There’s four of you and only one of me.”

“Looking at you, I get the feeling you’ve dealt with those kinds of odds in the past.”

Hunter shrugged noncommittally. He pushed back thoughts of other fights.

“Do you know who we are?” The large man raised his fists threateningly.