13. Ellie
Chapter thirteen
Ellie
“I’m afraid Hunter’s getting the raw end of the deal,” I tell Cleo over the phone.
I prop my feet up on the coffee table in the living room and watch Hunter rake what is surely the last of the leaves in the front yard.
“I’m literally sitting here drinking hot chocolate, while he’s doing manual labor, Cleo!
” Hunter and I had agreed it would be best to act like it was real with everyone, so they didn’t feel like they had to keep our secret.
But we each wanted someone we could tell the truth to.
For me, it’s Cleo. For Hunter, it’s Wyatt.
I’ve called Cleo no fewer than ten times in the week since I shocked myself by saying yes when Hunter proposed.
“Hold on, let me step out of the shower.”
“Why did you answer if you were in the shower?”
“What if you were in early labor?”
“Thankfully, it’s nothing that drastic. I only need you to speak words of wisdom and calm me down.”
“I’m honored to have such influence over your life. Okay. Let me dry off. I’ll be right back.”
As I wait for Cleo, who is shuffling on the other side of the phone, I watch Hunter. And man is he beautiful. And thoughtful and kind. Really, he’s the opposite of Dylan in every way. And I could see myself falling for him. Easily. I’m going to have to be so careful.
“Alright. I’m back. What’s going through your mind this time?” Cleo asks, and I peel my eyes from Hunter.
“Oh, you know. Just the same things that always are.”
“Okay. Well, first of all, you saying that he’s getting a bad deal because you’re sitting while he’s doing manual labor is crazy. You’re growing a baby. That’s a big deal. Don’t beat yourself up for needing to rest. I know you. There isn’t a lazy bone in your body. You’re doing what you need to.”
“That’s true.” I take a sip of my hot chocolate, already feeling better about things. I think I may need to Sharpie “hormones” on my hand, so when I get worked up I can quickly see the likely culprit.
“And you know good and well Hunter wouldn’t offer this if he didn’t want to do it. He’s always protected you. You can’t tell me you didn’t notice it.”
I frown into my hot chocolate mug, the contents still rippling from my last sip. “He’s just a protective guy.” I don’t know why I even say it. I know it’s not the full truth.
“Are you serious? He didn’t have words with my sixth-grade bully. He’s never picked me up and bandaged my wounds after a nasty hiking fall. He didn’t take me to senior prom after my date bailed two days before.” She pauses as if she’s thinking. “You know … I always thought …”
I wait, but she doesn’t continue. “You always thought what?”
“I always thought he might have a thing for you.”
I pull my feet off the coffee table and sit up straighter, sloshing a little hot chocolate on my shirt. “No way. I’m like a little sister to him.”
“Has he ever said anything about you being beautiful?”
I don’t say anything because … yeah. He has. But I’m sure it didn’t mean anything.
“I knew it,” she says, and I can imagine her smug face.
“Brothers can tell their sisters they’re beautiful.”
I hear her sigh across the line. “Was he looking at you like a brother?”
“I don’t know.” I do and the answer is, not really. But and this is a big but, my hormones are wild and I can’t be trusted.
“Well, I’m not saying he’s hoping for something real with you; I’m only saying I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Okay. Well, I have to go,” I say, before this conversation gets even more out of hand.
I look over at the kitchen table where my sewing machine sits.
Hunter had it sitting on the table when I got home last night.
He’d had it fixed for me. I’d thought it was just because he’s a sweet guy, but now I’m more confused than ever.
“Are you sure this is the best way to spread the news?” I ask as I settle next to Hunter on a wooden porch swing in Ridgeview Park.
The Blue Ridge Mountains surround us, cocooning our little mountain town in a perfect hug.
The leaves have fallen already, making the typically green mountains brown, spotted with evergreen.
But come springtime, they’ll be bursting with the most delicious green.
It’s a mild and sunny day, perfect for swinging in the park … or spreading gossip.
“Do you want to gather the family and make an announcement? Or talk to everyone individually and hope they don’t have questions?
” he asks, even though we’ve been through this.
We know for a fact that Hunter’s baby sister, Rosie, will be walking by this swing soon.
She’s living out of town for the moment taking baking courses, but she’s home for the weekend.
The girl is a creature of habit, and we know while she’s home, she won’t miss her morning coffee from Milky Way Café.
She’ll have to walk down the sidewalk, right past us.
And when she sees us cozying up on the swing, it will only be a matter of time before everyone knows something’s going on between us.
“Okay.” I take as deep a breath as I can. Sweetpea is taking up a bit too much space these days. I learned this morning that she’s the size of a cantaloupe right now. Which led to a craving, which led to disappointment in the out-of-season cantaloupe Hunter bought me at the general store.
Hunter puts his arm around me. “How’s this?”
I lean my head back on his shoulder and turn toward him a bit. “Great.” More than great, really. I want to curl up and nap here. I just got up an hour ago, but still.
The first person to stroll past us, however, isn’t Rosie. It’s Tom. The town calls him Crazy Tom because he has some interesting theories about, well, everything. The crazy thing about it is that sometimes he’s eerily right, so you can’t always write him off.
He never seems to be wearing clothes suitable for the occasion.
So today he’s wearing a Hawaiian button-down with cargo pants and hiking boots.
Without acknowledging us, he settles himself cross-legged in the middle of the brown grass.
He takes something out of one of the many pockets of his cargo pants and pours the contents into his hand. I squint. Bird seed?
He distributes the bird seed evenly between his hands and then settles them, palms facing up, on his knees. He closes his eyes as if he’s attuning to nature. He’s like a living bird feeder.
“Now I’ve seen it all,” Hunter says, his laughter vibrating through me.
“His North Carolina is showing,” I tease. The people of Starlight Valley take great pride in which side of the town they’re from. It’s a joke.
Mostly.
“Watch it. You live in North Carolina now.” Hunter narrows his eyes at me, and man, if his playful side doesn’t make my stomach flip. Good grief.
“Yeah, yeah. You missed it when he turned himself into a snowman last year during a big snowstorm.”
“Dang, I would’ve liked to see that.”
“It was quite impressive.”
At this, Tom peeks one eye open, glaring at us. I didn’t realize one could be glared at with only one eye. Turns out it’s possible. “Shh,” he says to us. “You’re scaring the birds away.”
“Sorry,” I whisper. Silent laughter ripples through us both as we cling to each other on the swing.
A moment later, once we’ve gotten our laughter under control, Hunter whispers, “She just pulled in. Are you ready?”
“I was born ready.”
“Okay.” He searches my eyes for a moment before sliding his hand up my cheek to cup my face. I close my eyes as his thumb sweeps gently back and forth. Hunter brings his forehead to mine, and I can only hope he doesn’t hear my breath catch.
“You okay?” he whispers, and I nod. Then he slides his hand down to my neck, and it’s as if my body acts of its own accord when I fist his shirt, daring him to come closer.
His arm around me pulls me to him, and we’re sharing breath as he brings his lips closer to mine.
I think he’s gonna do it. He’s actually going to …
“Oh my gosh!” Rosie’s exclamation brings me out of my stupor.
I’d forgotten what we were doing and why we’re here.
My cheeks feel like fire in the cool of the morning, and I hope the red can be excused by the chill in the air.
Hunter gives me a crooked smile, telling me that’s not the case, before turning to his sister.
“Hey, Rosie.” Hunter is cool as a cucumber, as if we hadn’t just almost kissed. Or maybe he’s just a good actor and we hadn’t almost kissed. Rosie’s buying it though … and it sure felt real to me.
She looks like she’s just seen a giraffe carrying a pocketbook, heading toward a clothing store.
“What is going on? Does everyone know about this?” She glances around, as if “everyone” will have to answer to her.
Her eyes catch on Crazy Tom, but she moves on quickly because …
it’s Tom. “The things that happen while I’m gone … ” She says that last bit to herself.
“Ells and I are together. And you’re the first to know.”
“When did this happen?” Rosie looks torn between surprise and delight at being the first to know something. Hunter knows his sister well. She won’t stop until she’s told every family member herself.
“Soon after she moved in,” Hunter answers.
Seeing Rosie wants more, I say, “We realized that together is where we should have been all along. I’d regret my unfortunate detour, but I’ve got Sweetpea, and I’ll never regret her.”
Hunter is indeed a good actor, because he is looking at me with such unabashed tenderness.
“Definitely not,” he says, putting a gentle hand on my belly. I would be putty in his hands if I didn’t know it was a show for his sister.
“Good grief, you guys are sweet. Ellie, I’d always hoped you’d end up with one of my brothers.”
Hunter lifts his hand from my shoulder and runs his knuckles down my cheek. “Yeah, well, when it’s right, it’s right. We just decided not to fight it. With the baby on the way, we decided to go for it before things get a bit more difficult,” he explains nonchalantly.
I casually drape my left hand across my knee. We went to an antique store last week and found the most beautiful ring.
“Is that an engagement ring?” And I’m sure Rosie’s shriek can be heard all the way to Cypress City.
Mission accomplished.
Unfortunately, there’s no trick to telling my parents.
After I dial and hang up three times, Hunter takes the phone from me and calls them.
We’re sitting smushed together on the sofa, and Hunter has his arm around me.
I’m a touchy-feely person, and I know I’ve touched him a lot in the past, but I have definitely grown some nerve endings in the past few years, because it feels very different now.
In a I’m hot, but not because it’s hot in here, sort of way.
“Ellie!” My mom answers and I’m suddenly hit with how much I’ve missed her. I haven’t talked to her a lot lately. I didn’t want to bother them with my problems and make Mom feel like she had to come home.
“Hi, Mama.”
I watch as my mom realizes Hunter’s arm is around me. Her voice is friendly but confused. “And Hunter? Hi.”
“Hey, Mrs. James. Good to see you,” Hunter—unruffled, this-is-no-big-deal-Hunter—smiles at my mom.
How does he do it?
“Is Dad around?” I ask.
I see her eyes bounce between Hunter and me. “Yes. I’ll call him in here.” She does and before I know it Dad is sitting beside her wearing a matching look of confusion.
Before he has a chance to ask, I take a deep breath and go for it.
“Mama, Daddy? We have some news.”
Half an hour later, I’m draped across the couch feeling like a wrung-out washcloth. “Well, that didn't go as well as I’d hoped.”
“It wasn’t that bad.” Hunter hands me a glass of sweet tea with lemon, just how I like it, and sits by my feet.
“They’ve never been able to see things from my perspective.”
“This was a big ask for them to just accept.”
“I know, but they’ve known you your entire life. It’s not like I told them I was joining a biker gang and we were going to raise the child communally.”
Hunter raises his eyebrows at me. “Was that an option?”
I sigh. “I just really wanted them to be excited.”
“They’ll come around. And really things sounded pretty positive toward the end.”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
Hunter pulls my feet into his lap and drapes a blanket over us. “You wanna watch a movie?”
I smile, feeling a hundred percent better. “Yes, please.”
He grabs the remote from the end table and hands it to me. “You choose.”