Amelia
Chapter Seven
Amelia
I spent the night staring at that photo—Hunter and me in the lounge, caught in that intimate almost-kiss. The soft glow from my desk lamp made the image seem almost dreamlike, but the timestamp proved its reality. Was it all staged? Part of some elaborate plan to gain my trust? The way his hands had framed my face, how his eyes had softened in the firelight—had any of it been real?
The sun barely touched the mountains when I heard his footsteps in the hallway. He’d been here all night too, pacing in his office. I’d heard him on the phone, his voice alternating between angry and pleading, each tone making my heart twist despite my determination to stay cold.
My office door opened without a knock. Hunter stood there, looking worse than I’d ever seen him—tie loose, hair disheveled, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he’d slept as little as I had. Something deep within me stirred at the sight, even as I steeled myself against it.
“Explain,” I said coldly. “Now.”
He closed the door but kept his distance. Smart man.
“It’s not what they’re making it look like.”
“Really?” I pulled up the photo on my phone, the image that had haunted me all night. “Because it looks like you got exactly what you wanted. My trust. My...” I couldn’t finish or admit how close I’d come to giving him my heart.
“Your heart?” His voice was rough, matching his disheveled appearance. “Is that what you think this is? Some elaborate scheme to, what, break your heart?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore.” I stood, needing to move, to escape the lingering scent of his cologne. “The timing is too perfect. You show up right when we’re most vulnerable, gain my confidence, make me feel...” I stopped, swallowing hard against the threat of tears.
“Make you feel what?” He stepped closer, and I backed away, my desk a barrier between us.
“Don’t.”
“Amelia, please.” Another step, his eyes never leaving mine. “Ask me anything. I’ll tell you everything.”
“Why did they have your number? Why did the text say ‘well played’?”
He ran a hand through his already messy hair, a gesture so familiar it hurt. “Because I used to know their CEO. Jack Morrison. We went to business school together.”
“And?”
“And when your father called about Pine Haven, I reached out to Jack. Tried to negotiate.” His jaw tightened, reminding me of how he’d looked defending me at debate competitions. “I thought... I thought I could handle this quietly. Keep you out of it.”
“Keep me out of my resort’s business?” Anger flared hot in my chest, burning away the hurt. “Who gave you that right?”
“No one!” He moved suddenly, closing the distance between us. The desk no longer felt like enough of a barrier. “But you didn’t see what they did to the last person who fought them. Janet McKinley wasn’t just another resort owner, Amelia. She was my friend.”
The pain in his voice caught me off guard. The confident CEO’s facade cracked, showing something raw underneath.
“The ski accident...”
“Wasn’t an accident.” His hands came up to frame my face, and despite everything, I couldn’t pull away. His touch was achingly gentle, at odds with the intensity in his eyes. “When your father called, when I heard Crystal Ridge was involved, I had to come. I had to protect you. But then...”
“Then what?”
His thumbs brushed my cheeks, feather-light. “Then I met you. Really met you, not just as my sister’s best friend. And everything changed.”
My heart thundered in my chest. “Hunter...”
“I didn’t plan this,” he whispered. “Didn’t plan you. The way you fight for this place, for your people. You know every guest’s name and every staff member’s story. How you look in the morning light on that deck...”
His forehead touched mine, and my eyes fluttered closed. “If this is another lie...”
“Look at me.”
I opened my eyes. His were intense, almost desperate. The mask of corporate confidence was completely gone, leaving just Hunter—the boy who’d defended me at debate tournaments, remembered how I took my coffee and looked at me now like I was everything.
“I have never lied about how I feel about you.”
The sincerity in his voice undid me. Or maybe it was exhaustion, or the way his hands felt against my skin, or how desperately I wanted to believe him. Whatever the reason, when he leaned down, I met him halfway.
The first brush of his lips against mine was gentle, questioning. Then I made a small sound in my throat, and something in him broke. He pulled me closer, one hand tangling in my hair as the kiss deepened. I clutched his shirt, feeling his heart racing under my fingers, matching mine beat for beat.
It was nothing like I’d imagined, and I had imagined it so many times, especially since that night in the lounge. This was better—real and raw and a little desperate. His lips were soft but demanding, and he tasted like coffee and something uniquely Hunter that made my head spin.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, he kept me close, pressing soft kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, the corner of my mouth, like he couldn’t bear to stop touching me.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured against my skin. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you everything sooner. But Amelia, you have to believe me. I’m here for you. Only you.”
I pulled back enough to see his face, studying him. The vulnerability in his expression stirred something deep within me, a mix of compassion and unease I couldn’t ignore. This wasn’t the polished CEO or the strategic businessman. This was just Hunter, walls down, heart exposed.
“Show me,” I breathed. “Show me the proof. Everything you have on Crystal Ridge, on Wheeler, all of it. No more protection, no more secrets.”
He nodded, then kissed me again, quick and fierce. “Everything. I promise.”
The sharp ring of my phone made us jump. Michael’s name flashed on the screen.
“Michael?” I answered, still breathless. “What’s wrong?”
Hunter’s arms tightened around me as I listened, my body going cold with fear.
“I’ll be right there,” I said, ending the call with shaking hands.
“Amelia? What is it?”
“Dad...” My voice cracked. “He’s in the hospital. Some kind of heart attack...”
Hunter was already moving, grabbing his keys. “I’ll drive.”
“Hunter, the resort—“
“Sophie can handle it.” He took my hand, squeezing gently. “You don’t have to do this alone. Not anymore.”
As we hurried to his car, my phone buzzed again. Another anonymous text: Shame about Arthur’s heart. Stress can be so dangerous at his age. Wonder what caused it? Maybe news about his daughter getting cozy with the enemy?
Attached was a photo of our kiss, taken moments ago through my office window.
They were watching. They’d always been watching.
And now they were coming for my family.
***
The hospital corridor seemed endless. Hunter’s hand stayed at the small of my back, steadying me as we rushed toward the cardiac unit. My mind kept jumping between the kiss we’d shared and the threatening text, both making my heart race for entirely different reasons.
“Amelia!”
Michael’s voice echoed down the hallway. My brother stood outside Dad’s hospital room, looking disheveled and angry. His eyes narrowed when he saw Hunter, that same protective glare he’d given my prom date years ago.
“What’s he doing here?”
“Not now, Michael.” I tried to move past him, but he caught my arm.
“Actually, now is perfect.” He glared at Hunter. “Did you know your friend Jack Morrison visited Dad yesterday?”
Hunter’s hand tightened on my waist. “What?”
“Yeah.” Michael’s voice dripped with accusation. “Funny timing, isn’t it? Morrison shows up with a ‘generous offer’ for Pine Haven. Dad refuses, and suddenly, he’s in cardiac care.”
“You think I had something to do with this?” Hunter’s voice was dangerously quiet. The same tone he’d used defending me at debate finals.
“I think it’s awfully convenient—“
“Stop it, both of you!” My voice cracked like a whip. “Our father is in there, and you’re out here measuring testosterone levels?”
Both men had the grace to look ashamed. Michael stepped back, letting me enter Dad’s room. The sight of him, pale against the white hospital sheets, monitors beeping steadily around him, made my knees weak. Hunter’s arm came around my waist, supporting me like he’d done since that first day in my office.
“The doctors say it was a mild attack,” Michael said. “He’s stable.”
I moved to Dad’s bedside, taking his hand. It felt smaller somehow, more fragile than the hands that had taught me to ski. “What happened with Morrison?”
Michael sighed. “He came to the house with an offer. Since you were getting ‘personally involved’ with the situation, he thought Dad might be more reasonable.”
My stomach churned. “He threatened Dad?”
“Not directly. But he mentioned how stressful it must be, watching your daughter get manipulated by—his words—someone with Hunter Miller’s reputation.”
I felt Hunter stiffen behind me. All the tenderness from our kiss was replaced by something harder, more dangerous.
Michael’s eyes fixed on Hunter.
“Did Morrison show him the photos?”
“What photos?” Michael’s head snapped up, that old protective instinct flaring.
Before either of us could respond, Dad stirred. His eyes fluttered open, focusing on me with effort. The same blue eyes that had watched me grow up at Pine Haven.
“Princess,” he whispered, using my childhood nickname. “You shouldn’t be here. The resort—“
“Isn’t important right now.” I squeezed his hand. “What were you thinking, meeting Morrison alone?”
“Had to protect you.” His eyes drifted to Hunter. “Both of you.”
“Mr. Horton,” Hunter stepped forward. “Whatever Morrison said about me—“
“I know, son.” Dad’s voice was weak but clear. “Known you since you were chasing Taylor around the playground. Never bought their story.”
Relief flooded through me. At least Dad believed in Hunter.
“But they’re dangerous,” Dad continued. “The things Morrison knew... about Janet McKinley, about Hunter’s father...”
“Save your strength,” I interrupted, seeing how the conversation was tiring him.
“No, you need to know.” Dad’s grip tightened on my hand. “The accident that killed Richard Miller? Wasn’t an accident. Morrison bragged... said history repeats...”
Hunter made a choked sound behind me. I reached back blindly, finding his hand. His fingers interlaced with mine, holding on like an anchor.
“That’s why you called Hunter,” I realized. “You knew they were behind his father’s death.”
Dad nodded weakly. “Needed someone... who understood the stakes. Someone who’d protect you.”
“I will.” Hunter’s voice was rough with emotion. “I swear.”
“I know.” Dad’s eyes were getting heavy. “But protect yourself, too. They’re watching... always watching.”
As if on cue, my phone buzzed. Another text, another photo—this one of us in the hospital corridor, taken minutes ago.
Such a shame about Daddy, dearest. Better sell now, before something worse happens. Ask Hunter about his father’s brake lines.
I felt Hunter reading over my shoulder and felt his whole body go rigid.
“I’ll kill them,” he whispered.
“Hunter—“
“No.” He stepped back, his face twisted with grief and rage. The tenderness from our kiss was completely gone. “They killed my father. Now they’re threatening yours. I won’t lose anyone else to them.”
Michael moved to read the text, his face darkening. “Those bastards.”
For once, both men agreed, united by a common enemy.
“We need a plan,” Michael said, lawyer mode engaging.
“No,” I stood, still holding Dad’s hand. “We need proof. Actual proof, not just threats and implications.”
“I might have something,” Hunter whispered. “But it’s dangerous. If they find out—“
“I don’t care.” I met his eyes, remembering the taste of his lips, the way he’d held me like I was precious, the promises we’d made. “They came after my family. Make them pay.”
He nodded, then did something that made Michael gasp—he pulled me into his arms, right there in front of my brother and unconscious father, and kissed me. It wasn’t like our first kiss, soft and exploring. This was a promise sealed with desperate intensity.
Michael was staring at us like we’d grown extra heads when we broke apart.
“Well,” he said faintly. “That’s new.”
A nurse came to shoo us out while they ran more tests on Dad.
In the hospital waiting room, Michael paced while Hunter made calls, his voice low and intense. I sat staring at my cold coffee, the events of the morning swirling in my head—Hunter’s kiss, Dad’s revelation, those threatening texts.
“Want to explain what I just witnessed?” Michael dropped into the chair beside me, his voice carrying that big brother tone I’d known all my life.
“Not particularly.” I couldn’t deal with his protective routine right now.
“Amelia.” His voice softened. “After everything, I told you about him—“
“You were wrong about him.” I met my brother’s eyes. “Or at least, not entirely right.”
“Was I?” He glanced at Hunter, still on his phone across the room. “Because from where I’m sitting, getting involved with him has put this whole family in danger.”
“They were coming for Pine Haven anyway,” I argued. “At least with Hunter, we have a fighting chance.”
“A fighting chance?” Michael’s laugh was bitter. “They just put Dad in the hospital. What’s next? Another ‘accident’ like Janet McKinley? Like Hunter’s father?”
I flinched. “That’s not fair.”
“No, what’s not fair is watching my little sister fall for someone who—“
“Who what?” Hunter’s voice cut in. He stood over us, phone forgotten in his hand, eyes dark with something between hurt and anger. “Go ahead, Michael. Someone who what?”
The tension crackled between them. I stood, placing myself between my brother and... whatever Hunter was to me now. The memory of his kiss still tingled on my lips even as fear churned in my stomach.
“Stop it, both of you. This isn’t helping Dad.”
Hunter’s expression softened as he looked at me. His hand came up to brush my cheek, the tender gesture sending warmth through me that left me momentarily speechless.
“Derek found something. About Wheeler’s wife’s investment in Crystal Ridge.”
“And?” Michael stood, too, forgetting his animosity as the lawyer in him considered potential evidence.
“And it traces back to an offshore account. One that’s made similar investments in other ‘acquired’ properties.” Hunter’s eyes held mine. “If we can prove the connection—“
“It won’t be enough,” Michael cut in. “These people don’t play by normal rules.”
“No,” I said slowly, an idea forming. “But they care about their reputation. Their other investors...”
Hunter caught on immediately. “If word got out about their methods...”
“Exactly.” I turned to Michael. “You still have contacts at the Securities and Exchange Commission?”
For the first time all day, my brother smiled. “I might know someone who’d be interested in mysterious property acquisitions.”
“It’s risky,” Hunter warned, his hand finding mine. “They’ll know it was us.”
“They already know.” I squeezed his fingers. “At least this way we’re fighting back.”
A nurse appeared in the doorway. “Ms. Horton? Your father’s asking for you.”
I pulled away, but Hunter held fast. “I’m coming with you.”
“We both are,” Michael added, surprising me.
Dad looked marginally better. Some color had returned to his cheeks. His eyes focused on our joined hands as we entered.
“About time,” he said weakly.
“Dad?” I moved to his bedside, not letting go of Hunter.
“Been watching you two dance around each other since I noticed you at Taylor’s wedding.” Dad’s smile was tired but genuine. “Reminded me of how your mother and I started.”
“Arthur,” Hunter began, but Dad waved him off.
“Save it, son. Just... protect each other. These people...” He coughed, and monitors beeped in protest.
“Dad, you need to rest—“
“Need to tell you...” He grabbed my free hand, his grip surprisingly strong. “The resort... your mother’s letters... in the safe...”
“What letters?” But Dad’s eyes were closing, exhaustion winning out.
The nurse returned, shooing us out again.
In the hallway, I turned to Michael, my mind racing. “Did you know about any letters?”
Michael shook his head, his face troubled. “No, but... there was a lot Mom kept private, especially near the end.”
“The safe in her office?” Hunter suggested quietly, his arm steady around my waist.
“No,” Michael ran a hand through his hair. “There’s another one. Behind the painting in the study. I saw her there once, late at night, but she made me promise never to mention it.”
I looked between my brother and Hunter, seeing the same determination I felt. “Then that’s where we start.”
“We should be careful,” Hunter said, his voice low. “If these letters are what your father’s trying to protect you from...”
Michael nodded grimly. “He’s right. We don’t know who else might know about them. Or what they contain.”
I looked between the two men—my protective brother and the man I was rapidly falling for despite every warning. The weight of the morning pressed down: Dad’s attack, Hunter’s kiss, these mysterious letters that might hold everything.
“Wait,” I said suddenly, a cold realization hitting me. “The staff meeting this morning, before Dad collapsed... Sophie mentioned problems with the new hires.”
“The temp agency.” Hunter’s expression darkened, his protective hold on me tightening. “If someone wanted inside information...”
“They’d need someone on the inside,” Michael finished, his lawyer’s mind working. “Someone with access.”
The weight of it all settled heavily: the letters hidden in a secret safe, someone working against us from the inside, Dad trying to warn us before exhaustion claimed him. The morning’s joy of Hunter’s kiss seemed distant, overshadowed by growing danger.
They hadn’t just infiltrated Pine Haven.
They were already inside our lives.
And someone we trusted was helping them do it.