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I had a counter he’d appreciate. “Iron Blooded Orphans is a far more poignant moral examination of war.”
Ramsey stared at me in surprise. “We never watched that with you.”
“You watched without us.” Hunter sounded just as shocked.
“All of it. Every single thing Gundam I could find, translated or not.” I’d also made sure my favorites were available for the shelter.
Ramsey’s smirk was all self-satisfaction. “We converted you.”
But that spiral of sadness was back without my permission. Tugging my heart and weighing me down. “I watch them because they remind me of you.” I wanted to sound light and playful, but reality was back, slamming into my heart. “I don’t want to be without you.” But I couldn’t be with him—them—either. I couldn’t finish the thought out loud. “I’m gonna head to bed.”
Ramsey grabbed my wrist. “Taffy.”
I jerked out of his grip, unable to look at him.
“Violet?” Hunter was softer.
I couldn’t do this. I walked away.
Twenty-One
Ibypassed the kitchen the next morning, and headed straight to the shelter without stopping to see Hunter. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to him—it was the opposite. If I stopped and chatted, I’d remember the fun. I’d regret what wouldn’t happen with Ramsey. I’d hate the reminder that this thing with Hunter wasn’t real.
The last thought hit like a fist to the gut. It should have been an aftershock—no real impact—but I felt the sadness there as much as everywhere else.
Fortunately, there was more than enough work at the shelter to keep me busy. Administrative needs hadn’t stopped for construction, and I had stacks of invoices, media requests, and messages for other various things to sift through.
My phone buzzed a little before lunch, and I grabbed it without looking up from my work. “This is Violet.”
“Hey.” Hunter’s voice soothed me just like that, despite me not wanting it to. “Are you free for lunch?”
I could be. I shouldn’t be. Did I almost miss the catch in his voice? “What’s up?”
He sighed. “I got a call a little bit ago. From my dad. He’s having a good health day, he heard the great news about his only son getting married, and he wants to meet my new wife.”
“Oh.” My insides twisted in on themselves. This was the last thing I wanted to do ever—look a dying man in the eye and lie to him about his son’s relationships. “I have to work at the cafe this afternoon, but I can spare a little time.” The words flowed out on their own. I’d stayed with Hunter because of this. It had to be done, no matter how much I dreaded it.
“When are you free?”
I wasn’t getting anything else done until this meeting was over. “Now is good.”
“I’ll pick you up in about fifteen minutes. And Violet? Thank you.” The genuine gratitude in Hunter’s voice didn’t erase my dread, but it did add a hint of sweet to the bitter taste in the back of my throat.
Since I was done working for now, I decided to wait outside for Hunter. The chill in the air sapped the heat from my cheeks, and I gulped in the fresh cold, trying to freeze my insides as well. When Hunter arrived, I hopped in the car almost before it stopped moving.
“Eager to get this over with?” he asked flatly.
Oh, there was more guilt. Wonderful. I couldn’t lie, but the truth didn’t seem right either, so I shrugged into my seatbelt.
“Me too.” Hunter’s voice was soft. He reached over and rested a hand on my knee, and the cold all rushed away.
We made the short trip in silence. The sign on the front door of the hospice facility saidOut of respect for our guests, please silence your phones. I hated cutting myself off from the world, but it was polite, and we wouldn’t be here long.
Inside the building looked more a high-end apartment complex than a medical facility. Rich wood paneling and plush carpet led us down a softly lit hallway, past widely spaced doors.
Hunter stopped in front of one and knocked. A voice that sounded so much like his called, “Come in.”
We stepped into what would have been a large, nicely finished bedroom, if it weren’t for all the monitors and wires surrounding a bed near the window. The man lying there, dwarfed by pillows and a heavy blanket, looked remarkably like Hunter. Older, with gray hair, and a bit frailer. But the face was the same. The kindness in his dark eyes was the same. Even his smile was familiar.
