Page 50 of Christmas of Love
My heart skipped a beat. There was so much more to learn about Hunter, and I wanted to inhale it all.
“Yeah?”
“And the professor had a bar that he ran, and Hunter worked there on the weekends and evenings.”
I chuckled, thinking Hunter reminded me more of the partying type than the working type.
But who knew?
“The professor got ill, and he didn’t have any family, but Hunter did everything he could to help take care of him. Hunter almost didn’t finish his degree, but he was determined to do it all. He’d help the professor, run the bar, and take his tests. His parents were worried sick about him.”
“What happened to the professor?”
“He passed three months after Hunter graduated, and Hunter inherited the bar.”
A chill skated across my skin, even though I had blankets piled around me.
“I had no idea,” I said quietly.
“My point is that Hunter has felt tremendous loss, too. It doesn’t compare to what you’ve been through, but he isn’t someone who doesn’t know how to care deeply.”
My cheeks flushed, and I let out a deep breath. “I’ll remember that.”
“And do enjoy the next few chapters. Jackson just got home with some pecan pie from that bakery that just opened up. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks, Millie. Enjoy.”
“Just remember, life can be like riding a rollercoaster with your eyes closed. There’ll be moments where you scream, laugh, cry, and throw up, but at the end of the day, if you have someone’s hand to hold, it makes everything better.” She chuckled. “And I’m not only talking about Hunter.”
“I appreciate that, Millie. I’ll try to remind myself to be more open.”
“That’s all anyone can be. See you soon, dear.”
Millie hung up, and I let out a deep sigh, wondering why Hunter never mentioned anything about the professor.
Chapter Twelve
Hunter
Daisy was undoubtedly part ballerina with a sprinkle of rockstar. Her delicate balance between Wonder Woman and Joan Jett confused people just enough to keep them guessing as she blazed through the orders. Some of the men wanted to flirt with her and did, while the women flocked to her and chatted about all of life’s problems. She managed to keep everyone happy as she shook martinis and drew draft beers.
Being around her made my mind a whirlwind of mush and hope. I’d imagined flirty one-liners that would roll off my tongue while trying to impress her with rugged charm…
When all that would actually come out were a few grunts and a nod.
We’d been getting so close these last few days, but there was something different in the air tonight.
And the only thing I could blame it on was that brief kiss yesterday.
It was like the seriousness of what this could be hit us both hard.
There was the obvious physical attraction, but the emotional pull I felt to Daisy was on another level.
It felt insane to experience this type of connection, this inexplicable bond, and maybe that was why I stayed so far away last year.
I wouldn’t really know what to do with it.
I still didn’t.