“Nothing.”
“Since when have you shied away from saying what’s on your mind? Spit it.”
“Well, since you insist. I just hate the way they push you. They’ve pretty much given up on me—but you’re still in their sights.”
“I—”
She raised a hand. “I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say you do your own thing, have followed your own career, you live independently, but you do all that by beingawayfrom us all. Nothing much has changed with Mom and Dad, it’s just you’re not here for them to hound you all the time. I want things to change; I want for you to be happy.”
“I love my job. I’m kicking goals. I’m making a success of things.”
“Just don’t forget that part of that success has to be more than your career. I want you to be happy in your personal life too. That means family and friends.”
Hunter sat up straight. “I am happy.”
She huffed. “Perhaps. I’m not entirely convinced. You might be happy with the way your business is going, but what about family? Wouldn’t you like to put Mom and Dad’s expectations behind you once and for all instead of avoiding them and their questions in an effort to keep the peace?”
Hunter nodded slowly.
“And what about friends… boyfriends?”
That question wasn’t so easily answered. Did he want a boyfriend, a relationship? Deep at the heart of it, yes. Did he think it was something attainable? Of that, he wasn’t so sure.
Hunter thought back on Brooke and Freddy’s relationship and how they’d fought for each other. Despite their parents’ objections and other obstacles in their way, they’d made it clear that they stood together, whatever life had thrown at them. He hadn’t done that with Aaron, had he? He hadn’t stood up for what he’d wanted and made sure Aaron knew he was important. He’d tucked tail and ran—easy to do when you didn’t live in town, and something he was now acknowledging was a habit of his—avoiding confrontation.
“I haven’t had a boyfriend. Not since…”
“Since Aaron?”
“Yeah.” Hunter flushed. “But that was a teenage thing. I mean, so much time has passed and so many things have changed.”
“That doesn’t mean your feelings weren’t real or that they went away.”
God, it’s like she can see into my heart.
“When things ended—”
“At the dance?”
Hunter nodded. “It was all so huge. It was all consuming, the disappointment, the heartache. But now I wonder if I should have done more, if we’d still be friends if I’d given him a chance to… I don’t know, maybe explain, give his side of the story… tell me why he didn’t want me coming to his party, why he refused to talk to me for the rest of the vacation.” God, he couldn’t believe he was blurting all this to his sister.
“You were a kid, Hunter.” Brooke placed a hand on his. “I don’t know a single teenager, guy or girl, who’s open to initiating tough conversations with the person they love. In my opinion, you were both stupid kids.Bothof you. Neither of you mustered up the courage to talk to the other, to have a discussion and find out what was really going on. That’s why I think you’re having these feelings now. It’s either because those feelings never truly went away, or else you have unresolved issues that need closure. Maybe discussing what happened back then will clear the air and let you both move on.”
“Maybe. Thanks.”
Further conversation was prevented by Freddy’s arrival. “Did you ask him yet?”
“Ask who what?” Hunter said.
“I haven’t asked him yet,” Brooke said, giving his hand a squeeze. “We’ve had other things to talk about.”
Hunter drew his brows together. “Oh, I get it now. You’ve been buttering me up for a favor.”
“Did it work?” Brooke asked with a laugh. “Because Freddy wants to take me out for a couple of hours, and I was hoping you’d be able to look after the kids. Mom’s heading over to the grandparents’; otherwise I’d ask her to do babysitting duties.”
“Don’t think twice about it. It’s my pleasure to look after my favorite niece and nephew.” He raised his voice to get their attention. “Hey, kids. Did you hear that? You’re going to hang out with me for a while.”
“Yay!” The shout went up in unison.
