After the band announced they'd be taking a fifteen-minute break, Hunter pulled her into the hallway and away from the din of the crowd. “We'd better be heading out if you still plan on showing up at the center bright and early in the morning.”
She nodded in agreement, although she was reluctant to end this perfect night. She couldn't remember a time when she'd enjoyed herself more than tonight. Hunter grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd. A feeling of euphoria rushed through her as he pulled her to his chest to protect her from the crush of the crowd. She actually felt like she was his lady and he was her fierce protector. And it felt nice to be protected. Better than nice actually. It felt heavenly.
Once they got outside she followed Hunter's lead and hopped on the back of his bike, instinctively wrapping her arms around his chest. She heard him muttering a few unintelligible words. He then said, “You've got to be kidding me.”
“What's wrong?” she asked, feeling slightly alarmed.
“The engine won't start.”
Hunter let out a low chuckle, and she watched as his shoulders heaved with laughter.
“What's funny about that?” she asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Hunter got off the bike and began tinkering with it. “I'm sorry. This isn't funny. It's just that this reminds me of the day I left Savannah.”
“Why? Your bike broke down?” she asked as she hopped off the bike.
“Yup. Right outside of the state line. You can't imagine how steamed I was. Here I thought I was riding off towards this brilliant future, only to have my bike quit on me a few hours later.”
Indignation rose within her. “And you didn't take that as some kind of sign?”
“A sign? Of what?” Hunter asked, his brows knitted together.
“That you shouldn't be leaving,” she said in a soft voice.
He moved away from the bike and turned towards her, his eyes full of tenderness as he reached out and cupped her face in his palm. “After all these years you're still giving me grief for leaving, aren't you?”
Instead of meeting his gaze, she cast her gaze downwards, uncomfortable with the idea of having him look in her eyes at this vulnerable moment. She hadn't meant to bring up the past again, but the words had tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She was wearing her heart on her sleeve and she wasn't quite ready for him to see it, to realize how much she still cared about him. “I'm not trying to give you a hard time. It’s just that -.”
“What?”
Her throat felt dry and she swallowed, trying to muster the courage to say what was on her mind. “Don't you ever wonder what might have happened if you'd stayed?”
He waited a beat before speaking, his face registering a wide range of emotions. “Of course I do,” he said with a sigh. “A million times I've played it out in my mind. You, me and a couple of kids living in one of those big old houses with a white picket fence and a grand Oak tree in the front yard. You have no idea how many nights I've lain awake thinking of you, Liv, how many times I've wanted to pick up the phone and hear your sweet voice on the other end of the line.”
His words shot straight to her soul, leaving it aching and bruised. “Then why didn't you?”
“Because I left...I chose to leave this town and everything in it. In order to get from point A to Z, I had to make a fresh start. I had to shut off everything in my old life in order to move forward with my new one.” He shrugged. “I know it may sound cold, but it's the only way I knew back then how to handle things.”
“And now? Has anything changed?” she asked softly, knowing that the wrong answer might shatter her heart.
Raw emotions passed over his face and he looked as if he was struggling to keep it together. “I think I've changed. Just coming back home has changed me. Everywhere I go I keep getting confronted by the Hunter Rawlings I left behind – the one who rode around in the back of his daddy's pick up, built forts out of rotten plywood, stole hams from one of the richest men in town and -.”
“And carved initials into wooden bridges?” she asked with a smile.
Surprise filled his eyes as he heard her words. Had he thought she'd never seen his youthful display of love? Was he embarrassed? Hunter had never been big on public displays of affection, so she knew it had been a big deal for him to create such a permanent fixture. A testament to their love.
A huge smile broke out on his face. “Yup. And carved initials into wooden bridges.”
She smiled back at him, wishing she could summon the courage to tell him how much that gesture meant to her. She'd almost died and gone to heaven when she'd seen their initials surrounded by a heart carved into the wooden bridge. By that time Hunter had already left town and she was nursing a wounded heart. When she'd seen their initials it had given her a small inkling of hope that things between them weren't finished. In that moment she'd known without a doubt that Hunter loved her, even if he'd never spoken those words.
“Carving our initials in that bridge is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me,” she admitted.
Hunter stared at her intensely, his eyes filled with so much emotion that it sent a jolt of awareness straight through her. “Really?” he asked with a wink. “Just you wait and see. I can do a whole lot better than that.”
Olivia wanted to groan out loud. Although she loved Hunter’s romanticism, it would only serve to drag her back into the past if he courted her. It would distract her from very serious issues that she needed to focus on such as her father’s predicament with Renault Industries. And she needed to keep her eyes on the prize—Savannah House!
Lord, please help me. Hunter Rawlings was a gorgeous, charming distraction.
He turned back towards the bike and continued to work on it, letting loose with a few grunts as he tinkered away.
Without warning, he lashed out and angrily kicked the side of the bike, his face filled with frustration. For a man who climbed mountains with ease and raided corporations like a swashbuckling pirate, she imagined he wasn't used to challenges he couldn't surmount. Clearly, the motorcycle wasn't giving an inch. Hunter had lost this battle.
She watched as he threw his hands in the air and muttered under his breath. “I can't get this thing going.” He looked at his watch. “I can’t imagine at this time of night anyone is going to venture out to fix the bike in this little hamlet. We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere.”
She bit her lip. “What are we going to do?”
He held up his phone. “Why don’t I make a few phone calls. There’s no point in waiting out here. Let’s go back inside so you can listen to the band while I use the phone.”
Olivia was happy to sit and listen to the band while Hunter tried to resolve their predicament. She kept turning her head so she could see Hunter in the foyer. She studied him as he appeared to be negotiating a solution. His expression was intense. After a few minutes he strode back over toward her. He had to pull her toward the foyer so his voice wouldn’t be eclipsed by the music.
“We'll have to get a room at the nearest inn. It’s right around the corner,” he said. “By the time anyone from my team ventures out here it will be hours from now. It doesn’t make much sense to go that route when we can just hunker down for the night and wait until morning.”
A room at the nearest inn? Her heart began to thump wildly within her chest. Was there a chance she'd misheard him? Olivia gulped nervously, unnerved by the sudden turn of events.
“A room?” she squeaked out.
He shot her an apologetic look. “It's almost two in the morning. There's not much open in the area other than this place and the local inn. If we can book two rooms I can make arrangements for a car service to pick us up in the morning. I promise you won’t miss your meeting.”
Although she hadn't been expecting to stay the night in the middle of nowhere, she'd be lying if she didn't admit that a part of her was happy about this unexpected development. In a matter
of days Hunter would be returning to his fabulous life in New York City. She was running out of time to help her father keep Renault Industries afloat, and her best chance at salvaging the company was to enlist the help of one of the most brilliant businessmen in the world.
Maybe spending more time with Hunter would give her the courage to broach the subject. She had no idea how to even bring the topic up with him. Casually? Somberly?
Hey, Hunter. Could you throw my father a life preserver and help him rescue his company? For old time’s sake.
She could lie to herself and say it was all about saving Renault Industries. But it wouldn't have been true. For once and for all she wanted to get Hunter out of her system. She had no way of knowing if their paths would ever cross again. And, if they did cross paths, it could be years from now when they were both married with children. He'd be out of reach then, she realized with a painful jolt, more inaccessible than he'd been over the last ten years. She couldn't blow her last chance with Hunter. She couldn't run the risk of never knowing if there wasn’t even a little hope of them being together.
“That sounds fine, Hunter,” she said with a nod.
Her heart pounded like a jackhammer inside her chest. Being alone with Hunter under these circumstances could either be very beneficial for Renault Industries or extremely dangerous for her heart.
“Your greatest gift is your heart, son. You just need to stop protecting it so much. Let it open up like a flower in full bloom. Plant it. Water it. You’ll be amazed at what grows.” Mae Rawlings
Chapter Seven
The Red Oak Inn was a quaint, red and white colored establishment that resembled something one might see in a calendar depicting rural sites. It looked cozy.
Surrounded by a white picket fence, the place oozed charm. Hunter led the way inside, closely followed by Olivia. They had walked to the inn, with Hunter wheeling his bike alongside him. He had arranged for someone to come pick it up in the morning.
The attractive blonde at the desk greeted them enthusiastically. “Good evening. Welcome to the Red Oak Inn. My name is Kitty. How can I help you?”
“Good evening. We’d like two rooms for this evening, checking out tomorrow,” Hunter explained.
“Unfortunately, we’re at capacity, sir,” the clerk responded with a grimace.
Hunter heard Olivia make a tutting sound. He hated the fact that she was in distress about the situation.
“We’re pretty much stranded here, so any assistance you can provide would be very much appreciated,” Hunter said smoothly.
Kitty frowned at the computer. “We do have one room with one double bed and a pull out sofa. It’s on the small side and not as spacious as our usual rooms.”
“We’ll take it!” Hunter said, casting a quick glance at Olivia. Her expression was shuttered. “Is that okay?” he asked in a low voice.
Olivia shrugged. “We don’t have a choice, right?” she asked, her features tense.
Uh oh. Had he detected irritation in her tone? Way to go, Rawlings. This was supposed to be the coolest date of all time. Motorcycle. Cool music. Out of town venue. And now it had turned into a logistical nightmare. He should have just stayed in Savannah and taken her somewhere local. So much for showing off and trying to do something different.
He reached for his wallet and pulled out his credit card, handing it to Kitty without further commentary. Hunter wasn’t used to feeling helpless. He hadn’t felt this way since he was a little kid, and he didn’t like it. Normally, the world was at his fingertips just for the asking. He let out a sigh. Maybe this was an example of life showing him that money couldn’t buy his way out of every situation. Perhaps he’d gotten spoiled over the years. Being wealthy had given him whatever he’d wanted whenever he’d wanted it.
This situation wasn’t the end of the world. Far from it, in fact.
After asking the clerk for two toothbrushes and some toothpaste, they made their way to room 105. Hunter dipped the key card in the slot and ushered Olivia in. He quickly scanned the small room. Kitty hadn’t exaggerated. The room was the smallest he had ever seen in his life. Once again, he was being given a reality check by the big guy upstairs. God was serving him a big ole slice of humble pie.
“I’ll take the sofa, Olivia. You take the bed,” he suggested.
“Are you sure? I hate to put you out,” Olivia said. “I can sleep like a log anywhere.”
“This is my fault. I shouldn’t have ventured so far from Savannah.” He twisted his mouth. “I wanted to show you a good time tonight. And it sort of backfired. I’m well aware of how odd this might seem to you. I promise you my intentions are honorable.” He let out a ragged sigh and threw his hands up in the air. “This wasn’t a scheme to get you alone.”
Olivia met his gaze. “I trust you, Hunter. The situation isn’t ideal, but we have to make the best of it. Despite how long it’s been since we’ve been in each other’s orbit, I know who you are. And I know you didn’t orchestrate this to get me alone in a room with you. That would never be your style.”
Hunter let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks for saying that. I know this could look a little sketchy, but I promise you it’s on the up and up.”
Olivia plopped down on to the bed. She kicked off her heels and swung her legs on to the bed. “Well, I guess I’ll be wearing this outfit to my meeting tomorrow.”
“Sorry about that, although I think you’ll look fine in those pants and the jacket.”
Olivia giggled. “No worries. I’m not upset at all about it. About any of this, in fact. Things happen in life that we don’t expect. It’s how we rise to the challenge that define us.”
Relief flooded through him. Her attitude was very forgiving and relaxed. He should have known. Olivia had never been the type to harbor grudges. “That is a very wise sentiment. In some ways it mirrors my philosophy about business. Never let the setbacks run you off course.”
“You’ve had quite a meteoric rise since you left Savannah. Straight to the top.” Olivia made a motion with her hand like a rocket soaring upward.
Hunter walked over to the closet and pulled down some pillows and a blanket. He tossed them on to the sofa and settled down on it after taking off his shoes. He let out a shaky laugh. “I rose, but it wasn’t an easy climb. No one tells you about the loneliness or missing out on family events or the struggles that you fear might break you. No one knows about my darkest times when I was filled with so much doubt and fear that I almost packed it all in.”
“But you didn’t,” Olivia said. “You stuck it out, Hunter. You persevered. It just shows what strong stuff you’re made of. You rose from humble beginnings to unimaginable heights.”
“God had my back,” Hunter said. “He was with me every step of the way. When things got dark and stormy, I leaned on Him. And He never failed me. Not once.”
“That’s beautiful, Hunter. God is good. I know I’ve leaned on him a lot lately. After Mama’s death I thought I might just fall apart. But with God’s grace, I made it through. We never fully get over those losses, but we get through them.”
Hunter felt a tightness in chest. Maybe he was going crazy, but it felt like his heart was expanding. Olivia’s words were so meaningful to him. There really wasn’t a woman in his life who spoke to him this way. He and Olivia had known each other for most of their lives. She was the first woman who had ever touched his heart, and even though he’d dated plenty over the last ten years, no one had ever made him feel the way Olivia did. He wondered if any woman ever could.
Ten years was a long time to be out of someone's life, and he could only imagine what she'd been up to during those years. For a minute he convinced himself that he could see it all in her eyes. Was she happy? Did she still dream of having a houseful of kids and a tree house in her backyard? Was she still addicted to milk chocolate candy bars? He had no idea, but the thought of peeling back her layers and finding the answers excited him. She was like a mystery waiting to be un
raveled.
He cared about her deeply. The truth was, he always had. It had been easy to stuff those feelings down since they had been separated by life and circumstances. But being here with Olivia brought it all home to him. He’d loved her once and he still did. It made him a little nervous to feel this way again about someone, to care so deeply about another person that it made his heart ache a little. This was dangerous. He didn't want to care, didn't want to dredge up all the old feelings and plunge headlong back into love.
Love? Could it really be love? These days it was such a foreign concept for him, something he ran from at all costs. He shook his head. He couldn't afford to be in love, didn't dare encourage Olivia to rush headlong into something that might blow up in both their faces. Especially considering that he was planning to acquire her father’s company. That might earn him her hatred. The very thought of it made him feel like the worst person in the world.
He needed to keep things light between them. That way neither one of them would end up being crushed.
“So, how is it that a woman as beautiful as you are hasn’t been scooped up yet?”
Olivia shrugged. “It’s not that I haven’t dated, but I’ve never been tempted to settle down.”
“No one special?” he asked, his face full of curiosity.
She grimaced. “There was once, back when I was in college. Before I dropped out. He wasn’t good for me though…he was a bit messed up in the head. He put me through…a lot.”
A dark look passed over Olivia's face and he ground his teeth, counting to ten before he trusted himself to speak. “Did he hurt you?”
“Not in any physical way.” As soon as she answered him he was able to relax his angry posture and let out a shallow breath. Just the mere thought of someone harming her had him ready to wage war.
“He made me feel badly about myself,” Olivia explained in a halting voice. “He downed me in almost every way possible. I wasn’t pretty enough or thin enough or smart enough,” she explained. “He made me think that there was something wrong with me. You know I've always been a little shy, so his comments made me feel like a freak. I bottled it all up inside and allowed it to fester.”
A Moment in the Moonlight (Secrets of Savannah Book 2) Page 8