She gazed on with pride as a pint-sized boy named Solomon assumed the perfect stance, placing his body sideways with one foot in front of the other, the bow prepared and ready to shoot. The kids let out a whoop of approval as he hit his target dead center. Olivia clapped vigorously and let out a holler of triumph. Solomon was greeted with high fives and claps on the back. The young boy reveled in the attention, his face full of smiles and a joy that she'd never thought she would see on his face. Having lived through the nightmare of domestic violence in the home and a father who'd been incarcerated since he was a toddler, Solomon was a boy who craved a normal life.
Suddenly, Hunter appeared out of nowhere, standing twenty feet away from the action, his hands folded across his chest in a powerful stance. He looked amazing! As usual. He'd definitely gotten better with age, she realized as she looked him over from head to toe. Although he'd always been good looking, he now had a more rugged, masculine appearance that defied his sophisticated lifestyle. Dressed in dark jeans and a long-sleeved rugby shirt, he looked like he could have graced the cover of a men's magazine. GQ. Italian Vogue. Casual, classy and confident.
She strolled over to where Hunter was standing watching the kids. He seemed to be enjoying himself, she noted, as she took in his relaxed stance and the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She deliberately made her movements appear way more casual than she felt on the inside. Her heart was doing flip flops inside her chest and her belly was rumbling like thunder. Clearly, nothing had changed since she was seventeen.
“The flowers were a nice surprise. Thanks,” she said, unable to stop a full-fledged grin from breaking out on her face.
“I owed you something wonderful after last night,” he said with a sheepish grin. “I put my foot in my mouth and said things that I shouldn't have. Same old Hunter, huh?”
“I accepted your apology last night. The flowers were a nice touch though. Why'd you come by?” she asked.
“I wanted to see you in your element. The way you talked about this place last night made me curious. You were so...passionate about the subject,” he said, his expression thoughtful.
“I'm very dedicated to these kids and the mission of the youth center,” Olivia said. “It’s important to nurture kids who don’t have the tools or the means to thrive.”
“I appreciate that,” Hunter said. “Especially since I know how it feels to be one of the have nots. I wish there had been a youth center here in town when I was growing up here.”
“Me too. For your sake,” Olivia said, feeling a twinge of sadness that Hunter and his siblings hadn’t been able to participate in enrichment programs.
“It’s okay. I think I turned out fairly well. And I’m on the board of several youth centers in New York. We’re doing great things there as well.”
Hunter smiled at her, throwing her off balance with his easy charm and relaxed vibe. He couldn't possibly be this easygoing running his Fortune 500 company. Business sharks like Hunter didn't make fortunes using their smiles and good-natured jokes. They were usually ruthless and fixated on the bottom line, which translated into winning. Winning at all costs. That had always been her father's mantra with Renault Industries, particularly in the years when he was riding high with the company. She could only imagine how a man like Hunter, who was successful on a much higher level, ruled his kingdom.
“This place is great. I would have loved spending time here as a kid. The arcade room, the pool, the arts and crafts room -.
She looked at him curiously. “It sounds like you checked out the place. Did someone give you a tour?”
“Er, yeah. I went to your office looking for you and someone named Carly offered to show me around the center.”
She was hit with a flash of annoyance at the thought of hot pants Carly showing Hunter around. “I'll bet she did,” she said dryly, imagining Carly hanging all over him like a dog panting over a bone.
Hunter's mouth twitched with laughter. “Not a member of the Carly fan club?”
“She's okay,” she said primly. If you like that kind of thing, she wanted to say.
“Really? Cause the expression on your face begs to differ.”
She let out a huff of air. “Okay, I can't stand her. She drools over anything in pants. She acts all dippy and syrupy sweet whenever a man is within a ten-mile radius. She's the fakest woman on the planet. And the worst part is she’s just not a very nice person. She’s mean-spirited and catty.”
Hunter started laughing so hard he had to hold his side. “And you would never act ditzy just to get a man's attention, would you?”
“No, I wouldn't,” she said huffily. “It is so annoying.” Hunter was barely holding back his laughter. His eyes flashed with merriment.
“Wait! Are you trying to say I did that with you?” she asked, feeling dumbfounded by the suggestion.
Hunter let out a loud snort. “Yes. You don't remember acting clueless around me?”
“No,” said Olivia blankly. “I don't remember that at all.”
He placed a hand over his mouth to hide his widening grin. “Do you remember why we started dating?”
Olivia shrugged. “We just started seeing each other, didn't we? I mean we were always at the same schools and we'd known each since forever.”
Hunter shook his head and let out a grunt. “No, we didn't just start dating. I was working part-time after school at that gas station over on Clinton and you used to drive over there every day pretending you didn't know how to pump your gas. You were sixteen and barely had your license. Finally, on the fifth day in a row I figured you weren't coming over just for the gas. We made plans to meet up at the dance and you blew me away. I don't think I've ever seen anyone more stunning.”
Olivia giggled at the memory. “I was pretty obvious, wasn't I?”
Hunter reached out and touched a lock of her hair, twirling a strand around his finger until it sprang free. “I always wanted to ask you out. Way before you started showing up at the gas station, months before that school dance.”
Olivia felt as if her mouth was filled with sawdust. “Why didn't you?”
“I was scared,” he said simply. “Scared you'd say no. Scared your daddy would think you were too good for me. Scared I didn't have anything to offer you. Scared I'd get so lost in you that I'd never want to leave this town.”
Shocked by his honesty and the words tumbling off his lips, she could do nothing other than stare at him and wonder what might have been had he stayed in town.
He glanced over at the kids, a wide smile plastered on his face as he watched the unfolding competition.
“This is bringing back a lot of memories. I used to love archery. I was pretty good too now that I think about it.”
Olivia rolled her eyes as memories of Hunter's athletic prowess came flooding back to her. “Of course you were. You were always good at everything.”
“Did that annoy you?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Of course not. I was always too amazed and in awe of you to mind. Hunter Rawlings, Captain of the Football team. Top scorer on the basketball team. Best pitcher in the state.” Olivia shook her head in amazement. “Life was pretty golden, huh?”
A pained expression crossed his face, and she could've kicked herself for being so insensitive. She knew darn well his life hadn't been easy, particularly with the loss of his dad in the accident, not to mention the financial struggles of his family. She’d put her foot right in her mouth.
“I never felt my life was golden, Olivia,” he said gruffly. “Most of the time I felt like an outsider looking in. It was painful because my family struggled so much and I could never understand why God allowed it to happen. It took me a long time to realize that life isn’t fair sometimes.”
“I'm sorry,” she said quickly. “I know you had it rough, particularly after your father passed.”
She watched him clench his jaw at the mention of his father. He let out a shuddering sigh. “Losing h
im was like losing a limb. I felt like I'd lost a part of myself, the best part. He was larger than life in my eyes. The baddest, bravest, coolest man I've ever had the good fortune to know. I love my Mom something fierce, but I thought my dad hung the moon.”
“It must've been so tough on Mae raising four kids by herself.”
“It was,” he said grimly. “She did the best she could for us. We had a roof over our heads, hand me down clothes on our backs and more times than not, food on the table -.”
“But?” she prodded.
Hunter's eyes widened and his lips parted halfway as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to let the words come out. “But it never felt like enough. It always felt like we were treading water and waiting for the next flood. You remember what I was like back in the day...impatient, competitive, a bit cocky.”
“A bit?” she asked with a snort.
“I wanted to rule the world and I didn't hesitate to let everyone know it.”
“You always did have a lot of swagger. There was always this aura around you of power and self-confidence. That hasn't changed.”
“Fake it till you make it,” he said dryly. “I didn't feel powerful or confident, that's for sure. I never experienced those feelings till I got my seat on the stock exchange. Most of what you saw was bravado. Growing up here I never quite felt good enough.”
She remembered all the hoopla surrounding Hunter being given a seat on the stock exchange. His face had been plastered on the cover of Time magazine as Young Businessman of the Year and he'd received massive press coverage. The mayor had even declared a Hunter Rawlings Day in town, complete with a ticker tape parade and a fair. Mae had been extremely proud of her son's accomplishments and carried around his news clippings in a brag book. The only thing missing at the parade had been Hunter, who'd been on a business trip in Asia.
It had made her sad that he hadn’t come back to Savannah to be honored.
“So how does it feel?”
He turned towards her with furrowed brows. “What?”
“To be King of the world?”
He shrugged, his eyes downcast as he said, “Every King needs a Queen.”
“I'm sure there are thousands of women who'd give anything to be your Queen,” she said in a teasing voice. Although her voice sounded light and airy, her insides were doing flip flops at the mere idea of Hunter finding his one and only.
“Maybe all I ever needed was one.” Hunter had lost his cheeky grin and his face was now a mask of serious intensity. He was staring at her so intently she felt as if he saw right through her, straight to her soul.
With her heart in her throat, she turned away from him, turning her attention to the kids who were congratulating Harlen for hitting the bullseye. Olivia clapped along with the group, noticing out of the corner of her eye the way Hunter raised his fingers to his lips to let out a loud whistle of approval. Harlen turned towards the sound of the whistling noise and gave Hunter an appreciative smile. He moved closer toward her so that they were soon standing elbow to elbow, their bodies barely touching, yet an awareness flaring between them.
“So,” she said in a conversational tone, “our parents are getting married. Some folks might argue that'll make us brother and sister.”
Hunter shook his head and shot her a smoldering look that practically set her on fire. “There's no way I could ever treat you like a sister.” He reached for her hand and laced it through his own, playfully tickling her palm the way he'd done dozens of times in the past.
“Come out with me tonight,” he said in a silky, smooth voice full of teasing and persuasion.
Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest at the thought of being alone with him. Although it was the very thing she wanted most in the world, it was also the very thing she feared. “Where to?” she asked in a breathless voice.
“Dinner. Dancing. Dessert. And good music and conversation.”
Olivia felt intrigued at the prospect. “Here in town?”
“I know this little place outside of Savannah. Gourmet soul food. An impeccable assortment of desserts. A live rhythm and blues band.”
She let out a hoot of laughter. “This little place? You haven't been back home in forever, but you know a place where we can get all that? Only you, Hunter. Only you.”
“Trust me, Liv.” His voice was soft and tender, like a warm caress on the back of her neck. Trust me. She felt her stomach muscles contract as his words washed over her. Hadn't he said those words to her before? And she'd believed him, hadn't she? Almost until the bitter end when he'd raced out of town without sparing her a backward glance. She'd stood there like a fool with tears flowing down her face, cursing Hunter and the very day he'd been born. And there had been nothing in this world that she could've done to make him stay.
If you love something let it go.
She let out a sigh, torn between reason and impulse. Once bitten, twice shy. The words came to her from out of nowhere, reminding her of everything she might lose if she allowed herself to be pulled back into his dazzling sphere. She was afraid of being hurt again, terrified of getting close to him and having the rug pulled out from under her. But, she thought wildly, the heart wants what it wants. And her heart still craved him!
Despite what had happened in the past, she wanted to be with Hunter tonight. She wanted to sit down to a fabulous meal with this amazing man. She wanted the satisfaction of seeing other women look at her enviously as if she was the luckiest woman in the world to be at Hunter's side. She wanted to pick his brain and find out what he'd been doing for the last ten years. Sure, she knew about all his business accomplishments and how he'd taken the financial world by storm, but she knew virtually nothing about his private life. Had he loved? Been loved? Was there someone special in his life?
Did he ever think about her in the quiet hours between darkness and dawn?
“Ok,” she said, giving in to her heart’s desire. “I'll come out with you tonight.”
She watched as a look of joy passed over his face, mixed with a small measure of surprise at her acceptance of his invitation. He hadn't expected her to say yes, she realized. As far as she was concerned, saying no wasn't really an option. In the end she'd chosen emotion over sensibility, love over logic. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life wishing she'd said yes instead of no. She couldn't bear to live with such intense regret.
“I'll pick you up at six,” he said with a brief check of his watch. He began to walk away from her, pausing a moment as he said, “Make sure you wear pants.”
As Hunter strode away she called out to him, “Why pants? Hunter? Why do I have to wear pants?” He turned around and tossed her a cheeky smile, then kept on walking without responding to her question.
“What is he up to?” she mumbled as she found herself swarmed by the kids as they concluded their archery lessons.
“A life well lived is a wonderful gift to yourself. If given the choice, dance till dawn and love with every inch of your heart.” Miss Hattie
Chapter Six
At six o'clock sharp Olivia heard the chime of the doorbell and she scurried down the staircase after one last look in the full-length mirror. She was dressed simply but classically in a pair of black satin pants, a white tuxedo shirt and a black cardigan. She wore a gold necklace with matching hoop earrings and a pair of black heels. She'd tied her hair back in a sleek ponytail with her mother's favorite black and white Chanel scarf. Since it was a crisp Autumn night, she had her quilted black leather jacket draped over her shoulders in case she caught a chill. Savannah nights were unpredictable.
She wasn't one to wear a lot of makeup, but tonight she'd decided to put on her most vivid red lipstick, black Kohl liner and a peach blush that made her cheekbones pop. She didn't normally feel beautiful, but tonight she knew she was looking her best.
“Hi, Liv. You look gorgeous,” Hunter said as she opened the door for him.
“Thanks,” she said as she gave him the onc
e-over. As usual, he looked scrumptious. He was always so well put together, so devastatingly handsome and debonair. His smile did crazy things to her stomach. It felt like butterflies were soaring inside her belly. Hunter was dressed in a dark pair of slacks, a deep purple dress shirt and a midnight black leather jacket. He held his hands behind his back and he had a mischievous look on his face that let her know he was up to no good. With a flourish he pulled his hands from behind his back to reveal a black motorcycle helmet. With a sly grin he held it out to her and said, “Put this on and we can hit the road.”
Olivia gulped. This was really stepping out on a limb and trusting Hunter…not only with her heart but with her life. Motorcycles could be dangerous.
He held out one hand to her. “Trust me, Liv. I’ll keep you safe.”
Feeling powerless to say no, Olivia took one giant step forward and clasped her hand in his.
**
It was one o'clock in the morning and Hurricane Soul was belting out a string of rhythm and blues classics. The dance floor was littered with people grooving out to the rhythmic beats of the fiercest rhythm and blues band in all of Georgia. Olivia couldn't remember when she'd had a better night out. The ride on the back of Hunter's bike had been the biggest thrill ride of her life. She'd clung to his waist the entire time as if her life depended on it. As the wind whipped through her hair she had felt the most incredible sense of freedom she'd ever experienced in her entire life. It had seemed as if she was soaring, flying through the night with wings. More than anything, she had felt safe knowing Hunter was at the helm.
She trusted him.
A Moment in the Moonlight (Secrets of Savannah Book 2) Page 7