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“Or be a vegetable.” He pushes his hands through his hair in agitation. “Trust me, that asshole won’t hit my head.”
“You don’t know that. This isn’t worth risking your life for.”
He narrows his eyes at me.
“Are you saying that if I do this, you won’t support me?”
I growl in frustration and shake my head. “No. I’m not saying that. I’ll support you no matter what. I am saying that I want you to really think this over and not just jump in headfirst because of a knee-jerk reaction.”
Hunter licks his lips. “Maeve, I love you. And I hear you. But I’m doing this. Because, yes, this is personal. I want it.”
“Well, then, I guess that’s that.” I blow out a nervous breath. I want to talk him out of it. I want to beg him not to do this. But I see the determination written all over his face, and I know that he’s made up his mind.
I don’t want to lose him.
It’s been two weeks since Danny challenged Hunter to a fight. Two weeks of Hunter working out and training like a man possessed. The gym is just a shell, not yet sheetrocked and finished, but Hunter had equipment hauled in so he could begin to use it immediately.
He’s out in that gym more than he’s anywhere else. And that includes spending time with Rachel and me.
I walk out to the building and open the door, finding Hunter on the treadmill, sweat running down his torso in rivulets.
“Hey,” I say and wave to get his attention.
“Hi.” He slows down the treadmill and reaches for a white towel to wipe off his face. “What’s up?”
“Everyone will be here in about thirty minutes for Rachel’s party, remember?”
“Oh, shit. I lost track of time.” He checks his watch. “Sorry, I’ll hit the shower and get ready.”
He jumps off the treadmill, and I expect him to pull me close, and kiss me silly. But he doesn’t. He just smiles and walks right past me.
And it hurts my damn feelings.
But I have a party to host for a gorgeous sixteen-year-old, and she deserves to have a great day, so I make my way back to the house to finish getting ready.
Hunter makes good on his word and is just hurrying down the stairs when his parents ring the doorbell. It seems everyone arrives at once, and before long, we have a packed house, full of chaos and laughter.
It’s a balm to my nervous soul.
“What’s wrong?” Shawn asks when he gets me alone in the kitchen. I’m putting candles on the cake.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, Maeve. I know you inside and out, and I can see that you’re a little miserable. What’s up? Does your house have more problems?”
“Always.” I chuckle and shake my head. “I’m worried about Hunter. And me, if I’m being honest. He’s so intent on this upcoming fight, it’s all he thinks about. He’s consumed with training, with the way he’s eating. Rachel said he’s never been this way before. It’s different this time. Not that I would know because this is the first fight I’ve seen him get ready for.”
“It’s a personal one this time,” Shawn says. He’s always the voice of reason. “The man hurt his daughter, Maeve. Put her in danger, and then had his hands on her at the pub. If it was me, or anyone else in our family, we’d do the same. You know that.”
“I’ve resolved myself to the fight,” I reply. “I understand why he needs to do it. I just hate feeling disconnected from him.”
“Talk to him.” Shawn pats my shoulder. “That’s all you can do. Talk it out. And give me some of that cake.”
“Rachel has to blow out the candles first.”
“Well, let’s get a move on because I saw Da eyeing it earlier as well.”
“What is it with this family and cake?”
It doesn’t take long before Rachel has blown out the candles, and while we all enjoy the vanilla cake with buttercream frosting, the birthday girl tears through her presents.
“A new phone,” she exclaims and smiles brilliantly at her father. “Thanks, Dad. Does this one have the tracking app on it, too?”
Hunter’s face turns into a scowl. “How did you know about that?”
“Duh. I know more about phones than you do.”
“Just leave the app on, and no one gets hurt.”
Rachel rolls her eyes, but everyone laughs. It’s been a fun party, and I can see by Rachel’s big smile that she feels special and loved.
That’s the goal.
And once everyone has left, and I’ve cleaned the kitchen, I go in search of Hunter to sit with him and have a talk.
I need to make sure that we’re okay.
But when I find him, Hunter is fast asleep on the bed, snoring not so peacefully.
He’s exhausted. Both physically and mentally. So, perhaps the best thing to do is bide my time over the next couple of weeks until after the fight is over, and then see how it goes.
