“How could you do it?”
Tess gave me a sad smile. “Don’t tell anyone, but... I actually hoped my dad would come back. Hoped right until we found out he married that woman. Cole and Ryker were super sweet when they found out. They hugged me and said they’d never leave us. And then we took Mom for ice cream. But enough about that. Let’s focus on you. I just had an idea. How about some girly activities? Facials, painting our nails? Just messing around? Take your pick. And because your need is greater than mine, I’m also willing to donate my bathtub.”
I grinned at Tess. I just loved her.
Later that evening, I did something I’d never voluntarily done before: went for a run.
After twenty minutes, I stopped. Since I wasn’t a regular runner, I couldn’t go on for too long, but I was feeling reborn. This felt amazing. I couldn’t believe I’d been firmly in the I’m not a runner camp for so long.
In the months I’d lived with Hunter, I’d given his treadmill a few tries, and gave up because I was bored stiff. But I could get used to running outside. Tess lived near a park , and breathing in fresh air, being surrounded by greenery gave me a much-needed boost of energy. More than that, my mind was clearer during the run.
I loved feeling productive again. It also felt good to finally have a plan, and it didn’t include begging anyone for a job. From now on, I was going to bust my ass for myself. I planned to open my own place. My experience practically spoke for itself, and I was confident that I could convince two other colleagues to join me.
My specialty was corporate law, and theirs were family and estate law, so we could cover a broad spectrum between us.
Why didn’t I feel good? I missed Hunter like crazy. I hadn’t seen him at all since he’d showed up on Tess’s doorstep two days ago, and I had Hunter withdrawals.
I grinned when a message from Hunter popped up on my phone. Was he thinking about me as often as I was thinking about him?
Hunter: I need a friend’s advice. Can I call you?
Josie: Sure.
He called the next second. I leaned against a lamppost, just smiling at the phone like a lunatic for a few seconds before answering.
“Hello, beautiful.”
“Hey. How can I help?”
“What?”
“You said you need a friend’s help.”
“That was a ruse. I just wanted to make sure you’d answer.”
I laughed, cradling my phone with both hands. “I wouldn’t ignore your calls.”
“Didn’t want to take any chances.”
“Forgot how devious you can be. So... you have me where you want me. What now?”
“If I had you where I wanted you, you’d be home right now, in our bed, underneath me. We’d be naked. You’d be calling out my name. But we’re not there. Yet.”
I was glad I was leaning against that lamppost, because my knees had weakened a little. My entire body reacted to his sinful voice, to that vivid image he’d painted.
“Hunter—”
“No, no, no. Don’t finish that sentence. Sounds like you want to reprimand me, and you haven’t even heard what I want to say.”
“Okay, let’s hear it.”
“I want us to talk every day for one hour.”
“One hour?”
“It’s not negotiable.”
“So what are you going to do if I say no?”
“I’ll come by Tess’s house and throw stones at your window until you open it and talk to me.”
“You’re taking devious to a whole new level.” I laughed; I couldn’t help it. “Tess and I were just talking about you before the run.”
He didn’t answer, which made me slightly suspicious.
“Oh my God... Tess told you about our conversation, didn’t she?”
“Yeah. She said she had a vital piece of information I had to know. Her words. So now I have a simple mission.”
“Do tell.”
“No, not how this works.”
“But it requires talking one hour every day?”
“Yes.”
“I see. And does that devious plan of yours begin right now?”
“If you have a free hour, then yes, ma’am.”
“My schedule happens to be free.”
I walked right back to the park, sitting on one of the many benches, toeing off my sneakers and bringing my knees to my chest.
“So... what do you want to talk about?” I asked.
“Whatever you want. Tell me about your day.”
“I’ve just finished a run.”
“You’re running?” Disbelief colored his voice.
“Yep. Turns out that all the benefits you laid out are true. I just didn’t like doing it indoors. I should listen to you more often.”
“I completely agree.”
I laughed. “Shouldn’t have said that. Have a hunch you’ll use it against me.”
“You have no idea.”
Oh, my. What exactly did he have in mind?
“I’ve made a plan. Want to hear it?”
“I’m all ears.”
“I’ll open up my own practice. It’s a bit risky, since I won’t have a big name to back me up anymore, but I don’t want to bust my ass for anyone else anymore. What... what do you think?”
I was on the edge of the bench now, holding my breath. His opinion was important to me.
“I think that’s the best thing you can do. You’re an excellent lawyer and have enough cases under your belt.”
“Exactly.”
“I’m proud of you, Josie.”
“Thanks.”
“How was your day?” I asked.
“The usual. Except I keep thinking about a certain someone. I think my colleagues are starting to notice.”
“That can’t be good.”
“I disagree. I’d rather be with her on a beach, lying on lounge chairs, letting her talk me into scuba diving or some other god-awful activity.”
I was melting. Honestly, I was. I vividly remembered that day, how much fun we’d had. How much we’d bickered.
“You keep giving me shit for that, but you liked it.”
“Maybe. If I say yes, will it earn me points?”
I grinned. “Maybe.”
I now had a suspicion about where he was going with this.
***
Every day, he called at the same time, five o’clock. At four thirty, the butterflies in my stomach started spreading their wings. At four forty-five, my palms were sweating, my pulse sped up. Starting with four fifty-seven, I just couldn’t take my eyes off the screen of my phone.
“Hello, beautiful.”
That greeting was just what my lovesick heart needed. We spoke about our day, and then invariably one of us would bring up a memory.
“I got the call from the workers yesterday. All the pipe work is finished,” he said.
“So you’re at the house now?”
“No. I don’t want to go there without you.”
“Hunter... that’s silly. It’s your house.”
“It’s our house. I miss making you hot chocolate, bringing it to you in that nook.”
“I miss the nook,” I said.
“The nook? Not me, the nook?”