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“Like a prayer group or something?”
“You mean we get together?”
“Right. José would be willing to make the trip, I’d bet, if we only did it a couple times a month. I could ask. Either way, you’ll meet him tomorrow—he’s helping with the move.”
Hunter nodded, surprised that he felt keen on the idea of a group study. Never in his life had he voluntarily exposed his soul to other men. Well, with John on occasion, when it had seemed like there was no other option unless madness was Huntrer’s ticket.
“There’s John Brighton too.” Sometimes insanity had seemed like a relieving option. Maybe then the pain would subside. Thank God for John. Hunter had been worse, mentally and emotionally, than he’d truly understood. “He’s the one who has been teaching me about the Christian life. Maybe he’d FaceTime in or something?”
Bennett lifted his mug, took a long pull of his coffee, and nodded. “I think we should make it happen.” His attention veered toward the counter, where Janie was certainly serving patrons saddled up on the high stools. One of them being Grady. “Grady offered to help today. You gonna be okay with that?”
Hunter swallowed. Nodded. “Muscle is muscle.” As to his own muscles, they already bunched with tension. He was going to be one big cramp by the time these two days were done.
“I’m sorry, Hunt. I didn’t know how to turn down his help.”
Hunter shrugged. “He seems like a decent guy.”
“Yeah.” Bennett nodded. “He does. That almost makes it worse, doesn’t it?”
Again Hunter shrugged. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “How’s Nathan doing with Mama B?”
“I’m sure you can guess. She’s a got a way, you know?”
“Oh yeah, I know.” Mama B could love fierce, in a way that made a young man want to be a good man. Back when Hunter had been a teenager, he’d thought she was just a really good mom—and she was. But he saw now that she leaned hard into God’s love, and it spilled out of her. That was her secret sauce. “Your mom comes in tomorrow?”
Bennett nodded. “Should get here about the same time we get back to town. I hope.” He blew out a breath. “Not a moment too soon either. I sure wish she’d been here when Nathan got hurt. Not that she could have set the bone, but it would have been nice to have her there reassuring me. I’ve never been so scared—or felt so out of my depth.” His hands on his mug, resting on the table, Bennett eyed Hunter. “But also grateful. Thank you for finding him.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I was relieved. And to be honest, I’m pretty sure God led me to him. I was thinking about the whole thing again just last night—it dawned on me that I didn’t need my inhaler. I should have—I ran from the ledge to where you were waiting, and I had him on my back the whole time—but my lungs didn’t shut down on me. It was like for those minutes, I’d been restored to full health or something. That seems crazy.”
Bennett’s eyes widened. “Wow. I didn’t realize . . .” He shook his head. “Wow. Still more to thank God for.”
“Yeah. Things I’m better off putting my thoughts and energy toward.” Hunter glanced back at the bar counter.
Grady reached across the pine counter, covered Janie’s hand, and stood to leave.
With a sharp inhale, Hunter returned his attention to Bennett. “Hazel won’t be down for the next few days.”
Bennett nodded. “We talked.”
“I’m sorry. Maybe I should have taken this client.”
“She says she’s better at it.” Bennett lifted a curious brow.
“She’s being honest. I never was the hunter she is, and I never cared to be.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I got the wrong name, I guess. I preferred being in town to roaming the trails. That, and me having been gone the last seven years means she’s a more qualified guide. But I am sorry it takes her out of the picture when your life is so chaotic.”
Bennett leaned back against his chair. “It’s not like I didn’t know what she does for a living.”
“But it bothers you?”
He shrugged. “Only that she’s up there alone with a couple of burly men.”
“It’s never been a problem. I think you know firsthand Hazel can handle herself. And I do vet these guys.”
Bennett’s nod was followed by a disapproving lift of his brow. “I also know firsthand how beautiful she is when she’s out there in the wilderness being her mountain-lioness self.” He leaned his forearms on the table. “I’m pretty sure I’m not the only man to notice.”
Ugh. Hunter never thought of his sister that way—all beautiful in the first light of a mountain morning, when the October mist swirled over the lake. When the snow-capped peaks seeped golden sparkles and shadows crept away from the warmth of new day. He hoped never to think of her that way again. But suddenly he saw this scenario from Bennett’s point of view and wasn’t so comfortable with it.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her to continue guiding once the lodge is open.”
