Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
DORI
I slide onto a stool in Hunter’s kitchen. “Did I upset you when I said you’d be a good father?”
He keeps chopping lettuce for a salad. “No. Why do you ask?”
“You got up and left my room pretty fast, so I didn’t know for sure.” I gesture to a tomato, pushing all thoughts of Jami way down. “Hand me that, please, and I’ll cut it up.”
Hunter grabs a knife, slides it to me, then hands me the tomato. “Thanks. My assistant usually does this for me, but I had her running around all day, so I gave her the night off.”
“I don’t remember her working this much before. Have things changed? Because it seems like she does a lot for you now.” I go about my chopping duties, grateful for the distraction.
“When I’m in town, she does, but when I’m not, she doesn’t do much. I pay her a salary and don’t take advantage of her, so it works out in her favor.”
“You’re a generous boss, so I believe you.”
He laughs under his breath but doesn’t say anything.
“Why are you laughing?”
He shakes his head. “It’s nothing. ”
“It is too, so tell me.”
He stops what he’s doing. “When you said I was a generous boss, I thought you were going to say I was a generous lover.”
“Oh.” I look down to hide my heated cheeks. “Yeah, well, unless you sleep with your assistant, I’m not sure how that has any relevance.”
“I don’t sleep with her and never have.”
“It’s none of my business, so you don’t need to explain yourself.”
He remains still for a moment. When I raise my head, he’s studying me as if he wants to say more.
I’m not sure I can handle talking about our relationship, so I segue. “Did you get the IT department to give me a temporary email for the next couple of weeks?”
He returns to fixing the salad. “I did. I’ll go through it with you and help you with work tomorrow. Today was about you taking some time to…cry and process.”
“Thank you. I know I’ve said it before, but I appreciate this.”
“I know you do, so don’t think twice about it.” He tosses the lettuce into a bowl. “Why did you say I’d make a good dad?”
I’m surprised he wants to talk about something more personal, but I guess if he asked, he’s up for the discussion.
“I said that because you’re taking great care of me. It makes me believe if you ever had a kid, you would be the same way as you’re being with me.”
He huffs. “I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.”
“Why do you say that?”
He takes the chopped tomato from me, assembles our salad, and gets more toppings and the dressing out of the refrigerator.
He dips his chin. “I promise to answer your question later, but first, I want to know where your head is with the whole having kids issue. Before last night, I was under the impression you didn’t want them anymore.”
I sigh and slowly spin off the stool. I meander into the living space with my arms wrapped around my waist.
“My chances of having a healthy pregnancy aren’t as good as they could be. That alone scares the living shit out of me, so I can’t imagine carrying a baby to term. I think I’d be so stressed out I would hurt it somehow.” I turn and face him.
“That doesn’t sound like you don’t want them. It sounds more like you’re scared to get pregnant.” He tips his head to the side and gestures to the opening of the other room. “Dinner’s in the formal dining room. Let’s finish our talk in there.”
I follow him into a room off to the side of the kitchen and next to his wine cellar.
Is what he said true?
Am I scared of getting pregnant?
A long rectangle table is set for two. One place setting is at the head of the table, and the other is next to it, so I sit in that seat.
“Hunter, this is a beautiful setup. I hope you didn’t go to any trouble. It’s just me and I’m happy with pizza.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I’ve been dating you for months and I’ve never seen you eat pizza.” He laughs a little and sits. “Besides, who doesn’t like lobster risotto?”
My throat constricts. Does he realize he referenced that we’re dating? I let it slide and don’t correct him. I can’t blame him for feeling that way when I’m sitting in his apartment and he’s taking care of me like he is.
Even I find it hard to see the situation differently because I’m enjoying this gentle side of him. It makes me love him a little more in a different way than I have before. I shake the thought loose .
“Lobster risotto is quite the dish to serve me, Mr. Efron. There’s not much higher you can go from here.”
“Wanna bet? I have the best chefs in my back pocket. All I have to do is make a call and the very next day, my exact order will be delivered to my front door.”
“I guess you can do that with the kind of money you have.” I place my napkin on my lap and wait for Hunter to start eating.
“Sauvignon blanc goes well with this meal. I have one chilling, so I’ll be right back.” He leaves the room.
I take the time to serve up our plates. When he comes back and pours us a glass of wine, we settle into a nice dinner.
“What do you think about what I said earlier?” He swirls his wine in his glass.
“About what?”
“About being scared to get pregnant.”
“Oh, that.” I take a drink to formulate what I want to say. “I guess you could be right. It’s something I should bring up in therapy.”
“Who would’ve thought you and I would be sitting at dinner discussing our therapy?” His smile shines my way.
My own appears, welcoming Hunter’s light attitude. “You weren’t talking about yours. I was talking about mine.”
“Good point, but in my mind, I was thinking about how I should speak to my therapist about having kids.”
“Yeah? Why is that?”
He glances down. “There’s a reason I don’t want children, but I’ve never discussed it with anyone. Maybe now’s the time I do.”
He’s piqued my curiosity, but I have no right to ask him something so personal anymore. Although, I can’t deny I like having him open up to me about deeper issues in his life.
It’s one of the reasons I felt closer to Jami all this time. We have…had a deep connection, and that’s what made our bond so strong .
Jami and my relationship was more than sex or being caught up in a whirlwind affair like I was with Hunter.
Don’t get me wrong. I fell in love with Hunter, but we could never get to that next level because he wouldn’t open up to me about anything.
“Hunter, can I tell you something?” I lift my glass and wait for him to respond.
“Sure.” He gives me direct eye contact.
“In the past, I felt like you had a hard time understanding my emotions, but now you’re leaning into them and encouraging me to share. And you’re doing the same. I like it. It feels good.”
“I’m happy to hear that, but why do you think it’s different than before?”
I sip my wine and place my glass down. “The fact you told me about going to therapy is enough to show me you’re trying.”
My stomach flips with guilt over saying that because I can’t just go back to being with Hunter. Even if my heart mends from Jami, Hunter and I have major hurdles to overcome. The biggest one is my job, and the next is his anger.
He seems to be doing better with that, though. Discovering I was pregnant with Jami’s baby would’ve had Hunter ready to kill Jami previously, but he managed himself beautifully.
Maybe Hunter’s growing into a better man.
“Hunter, thank you for a delicious meal. Tomorrow, I’ll cook you dinner to repay you.” I wipe my face .
“No need. I have a stocked refrigerator for the next week. My assistant knew I’d be in town, so it’s all taken care of.”
“Alright, but if you change your mind.”
“I’ll let you know.” He stands from the table and holds his hand out to me. “I have a surprise for you tonight. Come with me.”
I take his hand and let him lead me upstairs and onto the rooftop terrace, where he spins me around by my shoulders.
There’s a gas fireplace burning and an oversized daybed with pillows. Two heavy winter blankets sit next to it.
“How did I not know you had this up here?” I amble over to the bed and slide underneath one of the blankets.
He joins me under the other one. “I don’t use it in the summertime because it gets too hot up here. And you haven’t been around much to enjoy it this winter. I figured we should get some use out of it since you’re staying here for a while.”
I lift a brow. “Let me guess. Your house assistant set it up today?”
“Sort of. She arranged for the complex manager to turn on the fireplace and set up the rooftop area, but she didn’t do it herself.”
“What other surprises do you have in this apartment?”
He leans against the back of the bed, resting his weaved fingers on his chest.
“As you can see, this terrace covers the top of my entire unit. There’s another balcony opening off the other upstairs bedroom. It’s just like the one in your bedroom. You know about the one off the library and the loft, but there’s another area altogether. It’s over in the far corner.”
I scan the roof; an enclosure stands beside a sunken hot tub. “Oh wow. I didn’t know you had a hot tub. Why have we never used it?”
“I never took the time to fill and prepare it for use. But again, since you’re here and it’s winter, I thought it would give you something to do while you rest and get your thoughts together. You can only journal for so long.”
“True, but you didn’t need to do this all for me.” Warmth fills my insides.
“It’s not just for you. It’s for us.” He moves his hand to my knee. “You have a nice effect on me. It makes me want to slow down and appreciate the little things.”
I sit with that for a minute as I gaze into the darkness. It’s not snowing tonight, so the sky twinkles with bright stars. It’s a romantic setting, no doubt, but Hunter’s not coming on to me. He’s just giving me support.
My heart swells, but I push down the rising emotions. Just this week, I was ready to end things with him and go all in with Jami. I shake my head at the thought.
I swerve away from that topic. “What do you have planned for this weekend?”
“You’re looking at it.”
“You’re going to sit on your roof and stargaze?”
He laughs and takes me into a hug. “No, beauty. I’m going to take care of you and give you any kind of comfort I can.”
I sink into his arms and lean into his chest. “In that case, can I have Melanie over tomorrow?”
“Of course. You don’t even have to ask.”
“Can we soak in your hot tub?”
“Feel free to do whatever you want. The house is yours to take over.”
I peek up at him. “Be careful, Efron. You may have two new roommates.”
He kisses my forehead. “Whatever it takes.”
“Whatever it takes for what?” My brows crease.
“For you to feel better. For you to…see I’d do anything for you. I don’t want to manipulate you, so I’ll lay it out clearly.” He adjusts himself to face me better.
“Dorothy, I’d do all this for you no matter what, but I won’t lie to you. All this is yours for the taking. I want you back so much my heart hurts. If it’s only as a friend, I’ll take it, but I want more. So much more. I love you. That won’t change just because you think you love him more.”
I swallow my tears. I don’t know what to say, so I just stare.
“Don’t worry that beautiful mind of yours. Just know where I’m coming from.” He offers a gentle smile. “Take your time and think about it all. Okay?”
“Okay. That I can do.”
“Good.” He adjusts me so my back rests on his chest and I’m between his legs. His arms wrap around my shoulders, holding up the blanket. “Now, let’s talk about Christmas.”
I sigh heavily. “I haven’t even thought about it.”
“Well, I have an idea, but you have to keep an open mind.”
“Okay… That sounds a little frightening.”
“I’d like you to stay here until the New Year. Just take your time to work out your feelings. I’ll stay out of your way if you want me to—I just like knowing you have a safe, comfortable place to figure out your emotions.”
“That’s too much for me to ask of you.”
“Nonsense. Katy, my house assistant, will be here for anything you need. She’d like to meet you and it would be nice to have people help you out with things you need. You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to.”
My thoughts race about why I should refuse, but I can’t hook on to one. “That’s very generous of you, but let me think about it overnight.”
“Done. Don’t overthink it, though. Just do what your heart wants you to do.” He kisses the top of my head.
I play with the edge of the blanket. “Easier said than done.”
“I know, but try.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Great. Now, let’s get back to Christmas.” He draws in a deep breath and slowly releases it. “Would you be open to going to my dad’s house for Christmas dinner with Jonah and me?”
I twist to face Hunter, anxiety spewing from my core. “Christmas dinner with your family? How would that even work?”
His eyes twinkle. “You and I aren’t together, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Hunter, I?—”
“Before you say anything, hear me out. You have Melanie and I needed someone, so I confided in Jonah about how I feel about you. If we ever want this relationship to grow, I have to be able to treat you like I would any other girlfriend.”
I shake my head. “Hunter, that’s… I’m not…”
“Just hear me out. I want you to meet my family outside of work and spend time with us. I want you to see how we can fit into each other’s lives. Jonah has my back on this.
“He thinks you’re an amazing woman with your heart and head in the right place. He’s willing to go to bat for us. Meaning, he wants to help with getting the clause in your contract removed.”
I’m blown away. Hunter wants to treat me like an actual girlfriend and not keep me in a bubble. My blood races as thoughts bolt around my mind.
“If your dad doesn’t like me, then he can take our relationship to the board. I could lose my job. And we’re not even together. I’m not sure it’s worth the risk.”
He nods. “I understand your fear, but Jonah said my dad would do anything to make his boys happy, and my dad already knows and likes you. He just needs to understand how I feel about you.
“One glimpse of how I am with you when we’re not at work and he’ll know I’m happier than ever. He won’t hurt me by getting you fired. He wouldn’t take the chance of ruining my relationship with him. ”
Another round of anxiety slaps me. “But what if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not. He gave me half his business. You think he wants to sever that tie over someone I love? Dorothy, I’m his son. He loves me and would do anything for me.
“If I want a chance to get your clause removed, I need him on my side before I step into that board meeting. He has more power over their decisions than anyone will admit.”
I swallow my worry. “But…”
He finds my wary gaze. “You have to know that yourself. You see how everyone takes in his point of view before any vote takes place. With him on my side, I have a good chance of changing the rules. And when I do, I want to show you off to the world.”
“Hunter, this is a lot to take in. We’re not even together.” I look off to the side. “I need to take some time to think about it.”
“Of course you do. I wouldn’t expect you to decide right now.” He takes my hand and kisses the top of it. “You still love me somewhere inside that heart of yours. I can see it in your eyes. I don’t expect you to come running back into my arms, but please don’t ignore what you feel because you’re hurt over something someone else did to you.”
“But my feelings for Jami are deep.”
He shifts to face me head-on. “And your feelings for me aren’t?”