Chapter 32
Catherine Celia
The conservatory looked like something out of a dream.
The glasshouse glowed beneath the night sky, tucked behind iron gates and trees thick enough to make the rest of the city feel far away.
Candlelight flickered along the stone path.
Inside, flowers climbed the walls, vines draped from overhead beams, and soft golden lights hung above a table set for two. I stopped walking.
Hunter’s hand tightened around mine. “Too much?”
I looked at him. Black suit. Forest green eyes. One hand in mine like he had every intention of keeping it there.
“It’s a lot, but it’s perfect,” I said.
Relief moved over his face so quickly my chest softened.
“Got all the staff to sign NDAs too,” he said with a crooked grin.
I laughed, and his eyes warmed like he had been waiting all night for that sound.
Inside, the air smelled like flowers, fresh herbs, and warm earth.
A table sat beneath a canopy of white blooms, surrounded by citrus trees in large stone planters.
Beyond the glass walls, the Dallas skyline shimmered in the distance, softened by leaves and candlelight.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
Hunter’s thumb brushed over my knuckles. “So are you.”
I rolled my eyes because the words were too much and exactly enough. “Very smooth.”
“I’m trying.”
“You’re succeeding.”
His smile was small, almost shy, and somehow that did more damage than if he had given me the cocky one. Dinner started with roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, then pasta that made me immediately suspicious of Isla’s involvement.
“Your daughter helped plan this menu, didn’t she?” I grinned.
Hunter leaned back in his chair. “She was consulted.”
“I knew it.”
“She said you liked pasta.” He shrugged.
“I do.”
“She also suggested Moana-themed cupcakes, but I had to draw a line.”
The servers were discreet, appearing only when needed and disappearing before the silence could turn awkward.
Except nothing felt awkward. It felt tender and careful.
For the first time in weeks, I could breathe around him.
We talked about Billie’s ranch, about Taylor pretending she was not enjoying being in the middle of everything, about Wren knowing about the towel closet and choosing not to report us.
Hunter looked pained. “I’m never recovering from that.”
“Wren is very discreet,” I assured him.
“She said ‘shoulder ache or heartache’ to me at the arena. I hadn’t understood what she meant, but now it all makes sense,” he said with a snicker.
I choked on a laugh.
“She scares me,” he pouted.
“She terrifies everyone. That’s part of her charm.”
Hunter looked at me across the table, his eyes soft in the candlelight.
“I missed this,” he said. “You. Laughing. Talking to me like I haven’t ruined everything.”
My smile faded a little. “You didn’t ruin everything.”
“I almost did.” He reached across the table, palm up. I placed my hand in his without thinking.
“I talked to Tatum,” he said. “We set boundaries. Your evaluations go through Dr. Patel and Wren, my treatment has nothing to do with you, and our relationship stays out of team spaces until your internship is over.”
I stared down at our joined hands. We had made a simple, clear plan that was good for both of us.
“That sounds perfect,” I said quietly.
“I should’ve understood what you needed from me sooner,” he said.
I looked into the depths of his eyes. They were so expressive. I could read how much he cared for me. “You understand now.”
“I do,” he agreed.
“And my dad?” I asked.
“Still wants to punch me,” he said with a wince. “But I’m working on him too.”
My eyes burned, and I blinked quickly because I had already cried too much in the last week.
“So, we have everything figured out. My internship, us…”
Suddenly, soft music began to play. Hunter raised his brows and grinned, telling me it was all part of the plan for tonight.
“May I have this dance, Catherine?” he asked, extending a hand to me as he stood.
I nodded, stood, and placed my hand in his. We danced beside the table under a starlit sky, the candles glowing in the darkness. It felt more like a fairy tale than a dream now.
“I love you,” he said. “It feels so good to say it out loud.”
“It does. I love you too,” I replied. I opened my mouth to say something and stopped myself.
“Oh no, out with it. We aren’t holding anything back anymore. We need to be open and share everything with each other,” he said.
I pinched my lips.
“What were you going to say?” he asked, his voice deep and commanding.
“This all happened so fast. It feels like a whirlwind.”
Hunter’s eyebrows drew together. “Do you think it’s too much too soon?” he asked. I knew it was his old insecurities talking and that it would take time for him to see that we were the real deal.
“I’ve just never felt so much for someone before,” I admitted. “It sometimes feels overwhelming.”
He took my hand and placed it over his heart. “I’ve never felt this way before either.”
“Good, because I want to be with you, Hunter,” I said.
“I’d ask you to move in with me, but I think that may be moving too fast for your dad,” he said, surprising me.
“Hunter, I love my father with all my heart, but I can’t and won’t wait for his approval on everything I do. I’m a grown woman, and I’m able to make my own decisions,” I retorted.
“Does that mean you want to move in with me and Isla?” he asked, looking so hopeful.
“As much as I would love to, I think we should wait. It could complicate things with my internship, and I also need to finish my research with the team. That may take as long as Christmas. But I want to take Taylor up on her offer to rent the spare room in her apartment. I need to have my own space. As much as I loved the gesture of you picking me up for our date tonight, it was a little much having my entire family there.”
“That makes sense. I can come across the hall and get you off before bed every night,” Hunter said with a wink.
I laughed. Then he kissed me, and in that kiss, I knew we were going to be all right.