6. Ellie
Chapter six
Ellie
“Do you think he saw us?” I whisper, as if Dylan could somehow hear me.
“No.” Hunter grasps the steering wheel harder. “It was dark where we were. We only saw him because of our headlights.”
“Do you think he’s following us?” I’ve been watching the side-view mirror and thankfully haven’t seen any lights.
“I’ve been driving strategically to make sure he isn’t.” He glances at the rearview mirror. “We’re fine, I promise.”
“Okay.” I try to calm my breathing. Am I overreacting? No. Dylan put his hands on me one too many times, and I’m not letting it happen again. And I’ve gotta protect Sweetpea. I blow out a long breath.
Hunter reaches over and takes my hand. “I’ve got you now. You don’t need to worry.”
I don’t know if it’s his words or his touch—likely a combination of the two—but suddenly I’m feeling much better. I settle back into the seat, taking a deep breath. The scent of the cupcakes Hunter brought me fills my senses. Something chocolaty and tropical. Mmm.
Was Hunter always this sexy? As I replay the past ten minutes, there’s something about his protective, take-charge attitude that’s making me feel a little flustered. And now, I’m imagining him bringing my hand to his lips.
Whew. My hormones are out of control.
We arrive at Hunter’s, and as soon as he’s parked, he runs around to help me down from his tall truck. He places a firm, confident hand on my lower back as he leads me to the door. The contact sends a thrill up my spine.
I’ve got to get myself together.
Hunter opens the door to his grandmother’s house, and a bird flies out at us.
I feel the beat of its wings as it narrowly misses hitting me in the face.
I squeal, jumping back into Hunter, who puts a protective arm around me.
Despite the cool air around us, I’m breaking into a sweat as my heart beats too hard.
That was the last thing I needed. I’m feeling jumpy again and completely on edge. On the plus side, I’m no longer having weird hormonal thoughts about Hunter.
“Oh man. I’m sorry. I forgot she was in there. I was gonna come back and try again to get her out after dinner, but they sent me with the food and I forgot all about it.”
“It’s okay,” I say as I take a breath, my heart rate beginning to return to normal. “How do you know it was a girl?”
He shrugs and holds the door for me to walk in. “She was smart.”
That brings a little smile to my face, which is a feat given how I’m feeling.
He runs back to his truck for the food while I stand here in his living room, my feelings oscillating between worry and the realization of how Hunter is so hot now. It’s an almost-paralyzing thought. After two decades of being friends, it’s almost as if I’m here with a stranger.
I follow Hunter to the kitchen, then look down at the food he laid out on the table for me. They sent enough to feed a small family. To be fair, since my morning sickness—mostly—passed, I’ve been feeding myself like I am a small family.
Despite being too shaken up to be hungry, I find my eyes immediately fixating on the four cupcakes. I pick one up and take a huge bite. They’re … different. “What flavor are these?”
“Something with chocolate, chili, and mango.”
“That’s interesting.” I take another bite. “The chili really comes through.”
Hunter watches as I continue eating. It’s good. Not great, but I feel like I need it anyway. Maybe some sugar will settle my nerves. Sugar does that, doesn’t it?
“You want me to heat up any of this for you?” he asks as I take another bite.
I finish chewing before I answer. “No, thanks. I think the cupcakes are going to do, for now.”
“Okay.” He looks down at his shoes for a minute, before seeming to gather his resolve.
“Ellie. I think you should move in here. Unless you have somewhere else to go. Dylan doesn’t know where I live.
Of course I don’t know the situation, but you were obviously expecting something terrible when I got to your house.
I just … I want you to be safe. And I know I can do that for you.
” He clears his throat, as if he’s suddenly uncomfortable.
“You’ll always be safe with me.” His words resound through the empty kitchen, echoing in my head. You’ll always be safe with me.
I stare at him, stunned. I expected to stay here for a night, maybe. But this? Why would he even offer this? We’ve been close in the past, but I haven’t seen Hunter since … I can’t even think of the last time I saw him. Before marrying Dylan, that’s for sure.
He continues, a half-smile playing on his bearded face. “I always took good care of your dolls when you had me hide them from Asher ...”
A laugh bubbles out of me as I nod, and my eyes fill with tears. I look down at the last bites of my cupcake.
“Just think about it. I’m gonna get your stuff and then we can get you settled in.”
I swallow back my emotion. “I can help,” I offer, then take another bite.
“You stay here. Enjoy your cupcake.”
Then he walks out to gather my things. Nervous energy flutters through me as I stare after him.
He asked me to live here. I take a bite.
And he can keep me safe. He’s so strong, I’m sure he can.
And he’s so handsome. Another bite, and the wrapper drops to the table.
What will my parents think? I pick up my second cupcake and see Hunter set my bags on the porch as he goes back for my pregnancy pillow.
I bet he thinks that thing is obnoxious.
What if I move in and he thinks I’m obnoxious?
I take a big mouthful. Am I obnoxious? What if I eat his food by accident instead of mine?
Another bite, and I’m sure I look like a chipmunk readying for winter.
And, oh my gosh, his parents will somehow know I find him attractive.
They won’t want me living with their son while having secret fantasies of him kissing my hand!
I would never be able to look them in the eye!
I have a third cupcake waiting in my left hand, and the last bit of my second in my right. It’s on the way to my mouth when Hunter comes back inside. I feel like a raccoon in a trashcan, caught in the beam of a flashlight. I put the last bite in my mouth as he watches. No turning back now.
He sets my pillow on the sofa and makes his way toward me. “Ellie? Please don’t take this the wrong way, but you look a little …” He trails off and I try to finish his sentence in my head. Crazy? Piggish? Pregnant? “Are you okay?”
“I need …” crumbs fall from my mouth and I set down the remaining cupcake, wiping my face with the back of my hand. I take a deep breath. “I need a hug.”
Hunter steps toward me, seeming relieved to be able to help.
“A tight one,” I add.
“Okay.”
I fight to still myself as sugar and adrenaline course through my body.
Hunter reaches me and wraps his long arms around me.
His soft flannel takes me back to a fall family camping trip we took when I was in high school.
It’s the only time I remember Hunter full-on hugging me as a teen.
I’d started to cry telling him about losing our family dog, and he’d pulled me into his arms without a word.
Now, pressed up against his flannel, I find myself on a fall camping trip.
My mind conjuring the scent of a cool autumn breeze threaded faintly with campfire smoke.
I inhale deeply and feel myself begin to relax.
“Tighter,” I request.
“I don’t want to squish the baby.”
That’s all it takes for another wave of emotions to crash over me, and tears start leaking from my eyes. “You won’t,” I say in a whisper, because it’s all the volume I can manage.
Hunter moves one hand to my head, pressing it gently against his chest while holding me tighter with the other arm. “How’s this?” His deep, soothing voice calms the last of my frayed nerves.
“Perfect.” We stand there for a moment before I speak again. “And you can call her Sweetpea, if you want.”
“So, it’s a girl?”
“She’s a girl.” I smile against his chest and I feel better than I’ve felt in I don’t know how long. “And we’d love to stay with you.”