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Jasmine
My first week home has been a whirlwind. No matter how much I scratch at my mind, I can’t remember the past six months, and it’s ticking me off. Hunter’s wonderful. He’s at my side as much as I need him, but also willing to give me breaks. I can see why I would’ve fallen in love with him. I’m afraid to do it again, though. What if I’m not remembering us in a relationship because I wasn’t actually happy with him? I can’t imagine this is the case, but fear is a new emotion to me... and I hate it.
We stayed at my grandparents’ home the first couple days, but we’ve moved to my parents’ place now. Hunter’s staying in the guest cottage... against my wishes. I want him closer. I’m a mess of thoughts. I’m afraid to fall for him, but at the same time I want him to hold me and tell me everything will be okay. If I don’t make this man run away, it will be a miracle.
I try to see the dining room through Hunter’s eyes. My parents’ home isn’t as outrageous as my grandparents’ mansion, but it’s still filled with elegance... and a lot of laughter.
The table’s set with ornate dinnerware, and a giant crystal chandelier cascades over it, shooting rainbows on the walls. The room is comforting to me, but to someone like Hunter, it might be intimidating. I hope not. He’s never seemed like a man ruled by money, and our entire working relationship has been easy. I can imagine how we fell into a romance with few problems.
Everyone enters the room, and we settle into our seats, the atmosphere buzzing as it always is when our busy family gets together for an evening meal. I look at the china, gleaming silverware, and intricately folded napkins. I do like this... at times. Other times I want pizza, still in a box, and a case of White Claws.
“Did you have a good nap?” Hunter asks as he sits next to me.
I smile at him. “I feel like such a slug, needing naps,” I admit.
“Hey, I’ve had a few since coming here and I’m doing less than I’ve ever done before so I shouldn’t need more sleep. I think that saying about being active, staying active, and vice versa is true. The more we do the more energy we seem to have. The less we do, the more sluggish we feel,” he admits.
I laugh. “Maybe we should start hiking.”
He looks at me with relief. “I’m willing to doanythingto get out of the house.”
“You don’t have to babysit me, Hunter. You can get out anytime you want,” I tell him with a chuckle.
“I like being with you, Jasmine. I want to be with you as you recover,” he says with so much sincerity it makes my heart thud.
We’re interrupted when our first course is placed on the table. I notice Hunter looking at some of the food as it’s placed before us. He likes some fancier foods, but his favorite thing is tacos. A brief flash of memory runs through my mind so quickly I’m not sure if it’s a memory or just a compilation from our time working and stopping at various roadside taco trucks.
I’m laughing as taco sauce runs down Hunter’s chin... the brief glimpse is gone so fast it frustrates me. I shake off the confusion and try to enjoy my meal while Hunter pokes at the food on his plate.
I lean closer to Hunter and whisper, “Don’t worry, Hunter. Follow my lead and let the flavors bring you to a whole new world.”
He chuckles. “Is it obvious this looks terrible to me,” he asks so quietly I barely hear him. He’d never want to be impolite while being served a meal.
“It’s not so bad,” I assure him. He raises a brow, questioning my taste. I have to suppress my giggles. He eats as much as he can stomach, but I have a feeling he’d much rather have tacos with beer while watching a football game than sitting here suffering through a long meal. Even if this man loves me as much as he proclaims, he doesn’t love the world he’s suddenly been thrust into.
We continue eating as conversation flows around the table. Gramps has been over a lot, and his booming laughter is hard not to respond to. I’m sure my cousins are a bit jealous at how much time he’s spending at our home. Gramps is in high demand. Everyone loves the large man. We have a bond that can never be broken, and my accident probably aged him several years.
The meal finally ends, and I take Hunter’s hand as I look at my family. “We’re going for a walk,” I tell them. I like that I’m comfortable taking his hand. This is new. At first it felt foreign, even if I liked the feel of it in mine.
“Don’t stay out too late,” Gramps says, making me laugh.
“Gramps, I’m not a little girl anymore. There is no more curfew.” I soften the words as I walk to him and lean down, placing a kiss on his weathered cheek.
“You’ve grown up, that’s for sure,” he says, the words confused as if he isn’t sure how he feels about this. On one hand I know he wouldn’t mind a lot more babies in the family. On the other he wants to keep his granddaughter a little girl forever.
Hunter and I say goodnight, then exit the house. His place is on the back of the property, giving him much needed privacy. I haven’t been in it this late since we’ve been back. I want to be alone with him tonight. I’m not sure if it’s that brief flash of what could be a memory I had at the table, or if I just need to be away from the boisterousness of my family.
Inside the cottage Hunter moves to the gas fireplace and turns it on. A lamp is on in the room, and he doesn’t turn on more lights. It’s an incredibly romantic scene... and little butterflies float in my stomach.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” he hopefully asks. He wants me here with him as much as I want to be here.
“Yes,” I tell him, not hesitating for a second. I move to the couch and sit while he goes into the kitchen. He comes back with some desserts and a bottle of wine. He sits down, opens it, and pours us each a glass. He moves back, giving me a few inches. I want to close the space between us, but I don’t. I’m not sure how to proceed with this man. We can’t just jump back into a relationship... can we?
I take a sip of the fine wine, the rich taste exploding on my tongue. I’m comforted being here with this man, safe in a world that feels so chaotic right now. I look over and our gazes connect. I see a flicker of longing mixed with concern in his eyes. What do the two of us have together?
The movie is playing but neither of us are paying any attention to it. I’m not even sure what one he started. Hunter leans back, then starts speaking. I really like the sound of his voice. It’s deep and dark, and filled with comfort and a bit of desire.
“A few months ago, you, Ember, and I took a trip to a lake in the middle of nowhere,” he begins.
