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“Pat’s is one of the best.”
“One of?”
He nods once. “There’s another really good place, literally just a tiny hole in the wall, get in, grab your food and get out. But it’s further into the city and I didn’t want to go that far.”
“Maybe another time.”
“If you’re good with having the same thing two days in a row, we can go there tomorrow.” It’s not uncommon for me to eat the same thing for multiple days. I usually buy enough of something to last me a few days so I don’t have to worry about it.
“That sounds good.”
We fall back into silence as we both focus on the TV in front of us. I’ve always enjoyed this show, but I don’t watch it often because the laugh track drives me crazy. But hearing Hunter’s low chuckles when he finds something funny makes it all worth it.
“So, did you get everything you needed done today?”
He shakes his head while he wipes his mouth with a napkin. “Not all of it. But if you want, you can come with me tomorrow. Should only take a few hours.”
I’m tempted to ask what exactly it is that he needs to do, but I know I’ll find out either way tomorrow. “Sure. Sounds good.”
“Just be warned,” he says, not looking at me. “It’s not pretty.” Nerves crawl over my body and I’m desperate to ask what he means by that. But I don’t. I know that whatever it is, it’s not going to be something dangerous. Hunter would never put me in a position where I could get hurt. If anything, I feel like the fact that he wants me to come is huge. Like he’s slowly tearing down his walls for me.
“I don’t need pretty,” I finally say in a soft, quiet voice. “I just need you.”
A low grunt comes from Hunter, but when I glance at him, his gaze is still completely focused on the TV. Everything inside of me freezes and shock washes over me when I hear his gentle, almost completely inaudible words. “You have me.”
* * *
It’s been a quiet morning. I expected us to wake up early and get going right away, but that’s not what happened. Hunter woke up and took his time getting out of bed. He let me shower first, then he took one while I was getting ready. He didn’t speak until we were getting ready to leave and asked if I wanted coffee. One thing about me is that I will never say no to coffee.
He takes us through a drive through at a small coffee shop and orders me a vanilla latte and a chocolate croissant, along with a black coffee and a muffin for himself.
“How’d you know that I drink vanilla lattes?”
He doesn’t say anything, but I don’t miss the way his hands grip the steering wheel a little tighter. I could push him, ask him how he knows because I honestly don’t remember ever having coffee together. Even the mornings he’s been staying with me and we go to the office together, Willow’s been stopping and picking me up coffee because it was easier.
“Admit it, Bash.” I try to keep my voice as playful as possible. “You’re my stalker, huh?” I don’t know why, but just the thought of him watching me, and following me, sends a thrill through my body.
“Do I need to be?” He doesn’t turn completely, but he angles his head so I can see his one questioning raised brow. The small, barely visible smirk playing on his lips sends tingles through me.
“I wouldn’t hate it.” He chuckles softly before focusing back on the road and lifting his coffee to his lips. I watch his throat work as he swallows, and I want to run my tongue over it.
“I’ll remember that.”
A few minutes later, Hunter pulls onto a street that has my skin crawling. It’s quiet and practically empty, but it’s obvious that this isn’t considered a safe place. There are maybe seven small houses on one side of the street, a few of them a little nicer and better kept than the others. And on the other side is a block of row homes. I’ve seen plenty of row homes before. Some have been pretty bad and rundown, while others have actually been decently nice. I would say these ones are somewhere in between. They look as if they may have been renovated recently, or at least within the past few years or so.
“Where are we?” I ask, but Hunter climbs out of the car without answering. I finish off my latte as he walks around to my side and opens my door for me.
“Listen,” he says as I stand from the car and he closes the door behind me. “This is where my mother lives.” My eyes widen in surprise, because that’s not what I was expecting. I don’t actually know what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it. His mother?
“This is where you grew up?” He shakes his head.
“Not this house. I found this place for her to rent about six years ago. I grew up in this neighborhood and we did live on this street, that house over there, for about ten years.” He points to the house down on the corner. It’s not one of the completely rundown ones, but it’s also not one of the better looking ones either.
I have so many questions I want to ask, so much more information I want, but judging by the uneasy look on his face, I don’t think this is the time to ask exactly.
“So we’re here to visit your mom?”
He lets out a huff through his nose and shakes his head softly. “I wish it was that simple.”
