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“Yeah, Zel. I did.” This time there was no subtlety in his disappointment. “Not right away. I thought hard about it and prayed about it. Talked with my mom. And I think this is what I need to do. They don’t really have anyone else, and nobody understands how they’re going to take this better than me.”
He’d talked to his mom—but not with her. The arrow hit with a sharp sting.
“Hazel.” Hunter’s sharp use of her name jarred her from her blind stare at the window.
She turned to see her brother’s deep scowl as he strode toward her.
“There’s more.” Bennett voice overtook the dead space on the phone just as Hazel held up a finger toward Hunter. “I’m going to move—”
“We’re leaving.” Hunter’s command came dark and low. “Now.”
Hazel’s mind spun, and her heart throbbed, each beat a squeeze that shot painful electricity through her veins.
“—what’s going on? Where are you?” Bennett’s voice came back over the phone.
She swallowed. Fought the equally strong urges to yell and cry. Bennett was moving.
Leaving her. Because of his half siblings or because he’d given up on her? On them?
“Hazel?”
Clearing her throat, she lowered her head and pressed the phone harder against her face. “I’m at Janie’s Café with Hunter. But he wants to go. Something is wrong. I need to go, or I’ll end up walking back to Elk Lake.”
“Oh.” Defeat made Bennett’s voice flat. “This was a bad time. I’m sorry. We can talk later.”
“Bennett—”
“I’ve got some things to work out anyway.” He made a noticeable effort to sound upbeat. “Just call me back when you’re at the cabin and we can talk.”
“But—” A toxic blend of crashing disappointment and irritation—at both her brother and at Bennett—swirled in her chest.
He was just going to . . . quit on them? And he couldn’t understand why she didn’t trust marriage . . .
“Tell Hunter hi.” Then the connection went dead.
Hazel froze, keeping her face averted as she squeezed her eyes shut. That same horrible feeling washed over her. The one she’d nearly drowned in almost a year ago when Bennett had stepped back onto the deck of her cabin, suddenly remembering exactly who he was—and who she wasn’t.
Not his wife.
Not anywhere close. Just some crazy, awful woman who had lied to him.
He’d despised her. And her heart had shattered.
Right then, despite the taste of irritation she had, her heart was crumbling all over again. Bennett was moving. Starting a whole new life all over again.
Without her.
A firm hand on her shoulder caused her to jump. She shot a look up to find Hunter’s fiery expression on her.
“Let’s get out of here.”
Numbly, Hazel stood and followed her brother to the door. Without really thinking, she glanced back at the bar. Janie’s gaze followed them. Distant and unreadable.
A storm had settled over Luna.
Six
Hunterhadlittlepatienceto pick up their weekly goods from Mama B. The need to flee, to escape up to the lake, put his running shoes on, and start up a trail at double-time pace. With his inhaler, of course.
