The Twenty Year Triangle

Chapter Forty-Three

"You look wrecked," Hunter comments as I drag myself into the kitchen. He's standing at the counter near the coffee pot, and when he sees me, he fills a mug for me.

"Thanks," I shoot him a dark look. 

"Darlin even wrecked. You're beautiful." he hands me the mug, and I eagerly take it from him, blowing on it to cool it. 

"Nice save, Casanova."

"I thought so," he smirks as he lifts his steaming mug to his lips and takes a small sip. 

"Still haven't gotten a new coffee pot?" I quiz with a tilt of the head and a small grin as I set my mug down at the table. 

"I like my coffee better with a side of my little Darlin," he responds.

"You are too much!" I giggle as my cheeks turn scarlet. 

"There's the blush that makes my day."

"Put your charm away," I scold.

"Never," he winks. 

"Where are my folks?" 

 I glance around the empty kitchen. I can smell rolls, so I know they were here. I lift the oven to take them out, groaning slightly from my stiff muscles.

"Your dad took your mom out for breakfast. You alright?"

"I'm so sore," I groan as I stretch my arms out. "It feels like I worked out with The Rock or something."

"Doing what we do all day you pretty much did," Hunter says. "Why don't you take the day off? Oliver said he'd pay you for the week regardless of what you work. Take a day."

And leave the two of them alone in Hunter's old house all day? Not a great idea this soon.

"I'll take some ibuprofen and be good to go by the time we get there," I assure him. "I want to earn this paycheck. It's the first one I've had in a while."

"You are, you worked hard yesterday until you had to leave."

"I'm sore in places I didn't know I could be."

He laughs, "Well if you need a massage later, you know where to find me."

"I may take you up on that," I say and his eyes flicker some, sending goosebumps down my arms. An image of Hunter's hands all over me nearly melt me. I sink down into a chair at the table, blushing deeply. 

Hunter is busying himself in the kitchen, with spreading some peanut butter on rolls as I feel my face finally return to its normal shade. 

"I'm still so shocked that Julian actually confessed," Hunter comments, he sets a plate down for me and one for himself taking the chair next to mine. 

"Me too," I agree. "Maybe in the end, he did realize he cared, at least enough not to drag me down too."

"Or they offered him a better deal for someone bigger than him."

"That's probably more likely." 

I pick at my breakfast roll as Hunter wolfs his down. I was up most of the night.

The first part of it was worrying about Brandi. She's not okay. Stephanie is right about keeping Wade in town to watch him. But after Stephanie said that, even long after, Brandi was pouring herself glass after glass of wine. She was halfway through a second bottle when I left, and I had only had two small glasses myself. 

The worst thing about it is there's nothing I can do for her. I can't stop Wade from getting out. I hope Oliver can get Billy out. Billy and Brandi may have bickered a lot as kids, but they are twins, and they have a special bond. She needs her brother right now as bad as his wife and kids do.