‘For safety’s sake I’d recommend putting some clothes on before frying bacon.’
‘Wow, that’s a smart idea.’ He smacked his head. ‘Would never have occurred to me. I’m glad you’re around to give me cookin’ advice.’ Hunter’s smile turned evil. ‘Burned any garlic bread and lasagne recently?’
‘The lasagne wasn’t—’ Laura’s face heated. ‘How did you know about that? Oh, don’t tell me. No doubt my sweet sister took great pleasure in passing on that little gem.’
He threw back the covers, rested his hands behind his head and stretched like a satisfied cat. ‘Maybe.’
‘Get out of bed and down in the kitchen before I die of starvation.’ The jab she gave his ribs made him yelp. ‘Don’t you dare say that’s not likely. Since you’ve been around, I’m learning to embrace my womanly figure.’
‘Yeah, me too.’ Hunter pounced and next thing they rolled off the bed onto the floor and breakfast was forgotten for the second time.
* * *
‘So that’s about it, honey. You were right.’ Hunter topped up Laura’s coffee mug. She’d intended to opt for tea until scrutinising his mother’s meagre selection of herbal and decaffeinated tea bags and declaring there wasn’t anything strong enough to face a long, jet-lagged day. ‘Once Dad and I hashed things out there weren’t any big sticking points between us, nothing important enough we couldn’t let it go.’
‘That’s wonderful.’
‘Brett actually listened for once when we were drivin’ down here and didn’t go all older brother on me.’
‘Polly and I are working on that same issue too.’ She scrutinised him. ‘What is it? There’s something you want to ask me, and you’re putting it off.’
He was pretty sure Laura would have been condemned for witchcraft back in the day. Not that he’d any desire to keepsecrets from her but hiding anything from this intuitive woman was damn near impossible. ‘When we chatted the other night you told me the basics of what happened with Kiki, but I’m still not sure how you feel about it?’ The sparkle he’d put in her eyes dimmed and Hunter touched his hand to her chin so she had no alternative but to look at him. ‘It’s okay to be ambivalent. Everythin’ doesn’t have to be black or white.’ He cracked a smile. ‘My dad’s just comin’ to that conclusion and he’s nearly seventy so don’t be too hard on yourself.’
‘Ambivalent is a good word.’ She sighed. ‘I’m getting there, okay? I understand Kiki’s reasoning but part of me wishes he’d been made to pay for his behaviour.’
‘He will one day.’
‘You can’t be sure.’ Laura frowned.
‘No, but do you want to waste energy you could put into enjoying life or making a positive difference in the world into resenting Mike Russell for one more minute.’ Hunter clasped her shoulders. ‘He’s taken enough from you, sweetheart don’t let him have the last laugh.’
‘My turn to say you’re right, I suppose.’
‘Yep, it sure is.’ He hated to ask the next question but needed to know. ‘How long do we have?’
‘You don’t mean today, do you?’ When he didn’t reply she sighed. ‘A week. I couldn’t get any more time off work.’
‘I’m not complainin’. I’m still floored that you came in the first place.’ Hunter twirled a loose end of her hair around his finger, playing for time.
‘Say it.’
‘If Dad gets out okay, in a day or two how would you like to see my home?’ His embarrassment deepened. ‘We could take a run up to Knoxville and stay overnight.’
‘I’d love that.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, really.’
‘It’s not the prettiest time of year. Another couple of months and everything will be turning green and the spring flowers all comin’ out. But it’s still real special in that stark wintery way. A bit like your Dartmoor.’
Laura brushed a kiss on his hot cheek. ‘You don’t need to sell it to me.’
He knew he did because he was on the verge of asking something it was too soon for. Logically he should wait but seeing his father clinging to life a couple of days ago set him to thinking. Learning from the past was one thing but allowing it to define the present verged on criminal.
‘Talk to me at your cabin. I’ve things to tell you too.’
God, she was so smart. He sure as heck didn’t deserve her but would fight to his last breath to secure her place in his life.
