My head wasn’t in the game, but luckily, I’d done all the work when I’d invited the guests. Now all I had to do was smile and emcee.
After securing the mic back in its place, I stepped down from the stage, mingling with the crowd.
“Caldwell, where’s that pretty wife of yours?” an elderly man asked. Greg was in his late sixties and a little in love with Josie. Weren’t they all?
“Wasn’t feeling well.”
“So what are you doing here, young man? Wouldn’t leave that pretty lady alone if I were you.”
“I won’t be here long.”
“I hope to see her at the next one.”
I swallowed hard, trying to mask my unease with a smile. So help me God, I hoped so too. I didn’t want to be here without her—whispering in my ear incessantly, making me laugh, blushing when I responded with a sinful promise. Fuck, why had I even come here at all?
Sure, gathering funds was important, because that money wasn’t going to raise itself on its own. But fixing things with Josie was more important. Truthfully, I’d needed the time out because my temper was about to flare out of control. I was determined never to let that happen, no matter how frustrated I was. My temper and no-bullshit attitude were for the business, not my wife. Even if we were fighting, even if I felt as if she was drifting away and I didn’t know how to keep her with me. I needed to go back to Josie. Right away.
Celia was the head organizer, since none of my cousins could make it tonight. I found her next to the bidding box and pulled her to one side.
“Celia, I need to leave early tonight.”
“Hunter... at least stay until everyone puts in their bids.”
“They won’t even notice I’m here. I’m trusting you to hold the fort.”
She pressed her lips together but didn’t argue. “Anything I can do to help with whatever emergency you have going on?”
“No, I’m the only one who can fix this.”
Of course, getting out was damn difficult.
Half a dozen donors stopped to chitchat, asking about a million things I didn’t care about. The longer I lingered, the more desperate I grew. I shouldn’t have come, no matter how needed I was here. Marriage was about working on things together, and I needed to let Josie know how much I believed that.
Once I finally managed to climb into a cab, I urged the driver to move as fast as possible.
I had that sinking feeling that I’d messed up more than I’d realized, and that I’d already waited too long to head to the hotel.
I expected to find her in the room, but she wasn’t there. I froze in the doorway when I saw the bed was empty. Maybe she was at the hotel spa?
I called the reception to ask where that was.
“Mr. Caldwell, the spa facility is closed at this hour.”
“Okay. Okay.” I ran a hand through my hair, and before I lost my nerve added, “Have you seen my wife tonight?”
“She left a few hours ago.”
“Right. Thank you.”
My heart was beating so wildly that I could barely hear my voice around the pounding pulsing in my eardrums. Where had she gone? I called Josie the next second, but heard her ringtone coming from the bathroom. Her phone was there next to the sink. I breathed out in relief. If she’d forgotten her phone, it meant she’d just gone out, not that she’d left.
I stayed up late, waiting for her, but eventually fell asleep. When I woke up, the bed was untouched.
Damn, she hadn’t returned? I leaned against the TV console, closing my eyes, trying to gather my thoughts, to focus, to not jump to conclusions. The sound of my phone ringing snapped me out of my thoughts.
It was Tess.
“Tess, hi.”
“Morning. So, Josie’s here. She came last night and we both fell asleep in front of the TV. She’s still sleeping. Thought I’d tell you before you panic.”
“I was just starting to. I’m coming to your place right away.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Hunter
When the Uber pulled up in front of Tess’s building, I practically jumped out of the car and skidded up the stairs. She lived on the first floor.
Holding my breath, I knocked at the door. Josie opened it. She was wearing shorts and a tank top. Her hair was braided on one side.
“Morning,” I said.
“Sorry. I came here last night and just fell asleep.”
“Tess told me. Here is your phone.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m sorry about last night, Josie.”
“I’m sorry too.”
“Let’s go to the hotel, and we can talk about everything.”
“I was thinking... Tess needs help packing some boxes for their online orders. I could stay here for a few days and help her out.”
I looked at her, stunned. “What?”
“We’re staying at the hotel, and it’s just that... I’m afraid we’ll be snappy with each other in close quarters. I’m trying to gather my thoughts.”
“What thoughts, exactly?”
“You were right in the things you said... I did freeze you out. I don’t even know why I did that, or how to stop it. I’m sorry.” She cast her gaze to the floor. My gut clenched. “I’m afraid I’m going to lose you, not just as my husband, but as my best friend too. You think we were better off being just friends?”
What?
I had no idea how I could ever be in the same room with her and not want to kiss the living daylights out of her. Sure, the past few weeks had been a little rough, but nothing we couldn’t work out.
“Why can’t we be both? That’s what we’ve been doing until now. Just friendship? No fucking way. I love you, Josie.”
I couldn’t do it. It would be impossible to stop loving this woman the way I did. It was far more than friendship.
She pressed her forehead against the door. “Hunter....”
“What? You just thought I’d step back and say yes, ma’am?”
The corners of her mouth tilted up. “Not really your style, but a girl can hope. If you’re worried about the immigration officer, I’ll still play my part. We can still go to events together, and—”
“I don’t give a fuck about the immigration officer right now. Listen to me, Josie. I love you. And I know you love me too.”
I clasped the doorframe, terrified that she might not.
“I do, of course I love you, Hunter. I just... I think you should give some thought to what I said. And Tess really does need help, or she and Skye will never finish everything. You know how they are, thinking they can do ten things at the same time, and then they overwork themselves.”
The way she cared for everyone around her just made me fall more for her. Instead of leaving, I stepped closer, pulling her to me.
“I’ll go,” I whispered. “Just let me hold you for a bit.”
Fuck, how she melted in my arms. I inhaled her sweet scent, and for one full minute let myself believe that my wife was going home with me.
My heart was about to beat out of my chest. I wanted to push, but this wasn’t the moment. I loved her too much. I refused to stop fighting, and I wouldn’t.
***