Gwen murmured something about cleaning up the kitchen and disappeared.
Alexis knelt down so she was eye level with Jonathan. “Sweetie, this is Hunter Cassidy.”
“You’re my dad?” There was a slight quiver in his words.
Hunter followed suit and knelt in front of them. He nodded and Alexis didn’t miss the sheen of perspiration across his forehead. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you.”
Jonathan held out a hand and Hunter tentatively took it in his much larger one.
“Is it okay if I call you Hunter?” His voice sounded so small and nervous.
Hunter nodded solemnly. “Of course.”
When Gwen walked back in carrying a large paper bag, Alexis welcomed the interruption.
“I know y’all need to get on the road so I packed some breakfast bars, some oatmeal packets and bottled water so you’ve got something to eat when you get there.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Alexis started to reach for the bag, but Hunter took it.
“I’ll put this in the truck and let you say your good-byes. Gwen, make sure you set your alarm when we leave.” He disappeared out the front door before she could respond.
Gwen looked down at Jonathan. “Why don’t you go grab your stuffed bear? It’s in the living room.”
“Oh yeah.” He ran down the hall.
As soon as he was out of sight, Alexis spoke. “Michael’s going to contact you about getting some extra security, and I’ll call you as soon as we get settled in. As far as anyone is concerned, the wedding is off and I’m vacationing somewhere in Florida.”
“I’ll make sure to spread the word. Maybe I’ll stop by Jasmine’s and tell her personally. That’ll guarantee everyone knows by tomorrow night.” Gwen chuckled and Alexis snorted.
She started to say more, but Jonathan came bounding back down the hall, his bear in tow.
“Stay safe,” Gwen murmured before kissing her cheek.
“We will.” After buttoning his jacket, she picked up Jonathan and his stuffed animal.
She found Hunter in the driver’s seat with the engine running. She strapped Jonathan in, then slid into the front seat.
“Is there any kind of music you like?” Hunter directed his question to Jonathan.
Jonathan answered with a shrug.
Alexis flipped on the radio and leaned over. “Give him time,” she murmured.
Wordlessly, he kicked the vehicle into Reverse, but she didn’t miss the way his jaw clenched.
After a few songs, she turned to check on Jonathan. “He’s asleep,” she said to Hunter.
“Yeah, he nodded off a little while ago.” He pointed to the rearview mirror.
Now that they were on the main highway she allowed herself to relax slightly, though not completely. Hunter had seemed fairly certain that the men after them wouldn’t have sent anyone else so soon, but she found herself constantly checking the side mirrors. Not to mention Hunter’s mere proximity kept her tense. His pure male presence was making her remember things she had no business remembering. He had an earthy, spicy scent that enveloped her with an aching familiarity. A tiny part of her wanted to reach out and touch him. Convince herself he was real. But she knew it would be a mistake. Touching that man was like touching fire. She’d be guaranteed to get burned.
“You should get some sleep too. You’ve had a lot of shocks today. The rest might do you some good.” Hunter’s voice softened.
“Someone needs to keep you awake and I’m too wired to sleep. I’ll wait until we get there.” She shifted in her seat and checked on Jonathan again.
“You’re sure you trust Michael that this place is safe?” His words were casual, but there was a definite edge to his words.
“I trust him more than…” She winced and trailed off. Being intentionally nasty wasn’t her style. Clearing her throat she continued, “You know very well we can trust him. What kind of question is that?”
Hunter’s shoulders lifted. “He just let you go kind of quickly.”
Instantly she bristled at his words. He’d always known how to push her buttons. “He didn’t let me go. This was the only way to keep everyone close to me safe. Besides, you’re the last person who should be throwing stones.”
She got the reaction she wanted. His arms tensed and his grip tightened on the steering wheel, but he surprised her with his next question.
“So, is Michael worried about you being alone with me, considering our history?”
She gritted her teeth at his arrogance. “Why would he be?”
“I think that much is obvious.” His deep voice and insinuation washed over her like a warm spring breeze.
“Whatever we had, died six years ago. Any feelings I had for you were over after spending thirty-six hours in labor. Alone.” Her conscience pricked at her, but she needed him to back off.
The vehicle jerked a little to the left, the only sign he’d heard what she said. When he didn’t respond, she leaned her seat back and closed her eyes. Maybe sleep wasn’t such a bad idea. It wasn’t even dark, but after what had happened, the adrenaline rush had worn off and she could feel her brain crashing. And if she was asleep, she could block out the fact that hired assassins were after them and the man who’d broken her heart sat a scant foot away.
Hunter loosened his grip on the steering wheel when he realized Alexis had finally dozed off. He wasn’t sure why he’d been baiting her, especially when he needed to keep his distance. He couldn’t seem to help it. Seeing her cheeks flush and her eyes flare as she got worked up was a special kind of torture. Years ago he’d loved getting her worked up in a much different way. At least her anger was better than her giving him the cold shoulder.
He knew he had no chance of taking a place in her life. He’d given that up years ago. Still, being so close to her dredged up too many unwanted memories. He felt like a kid in a candy store with no money. He could look at her all he wanted but he couldn’t touch.
And forget about being involved in the boy’s life. He planned to financially make up all the lost years to Alexis, but Jonathan would be better off without him. There was no doubt in his mind. Alexis’s fiancé obviously had more to offer, and it wouldn’t be fair or right to inject himself into their lives. He might be a lot of things, but he wasn’t that selfish.
Hunter had grown up in Brooklyn with next to nothing, and no one to look after him. With a heroin addict for a mother, and no clue who his father was, his life could have turned out very differently. Just shy of his fourteenth birthday, his mother had finally killed herself with an overdose. And he hadn’t shed a tear.
Directly after her death, he was put into foster care, and he never could seem to stay in one place too long. By the time he turned sixteen, he’d become a petty thief and was well on his way to a life of crime. Fortunately for him, he was caught trying to break into a church donation box. Not his finest moment. His life was saved that day by Father O’Reilly. Instead of turning him over to the authorities, the Father put him in a home he knew to be safe and non-abusive. Then, about once a week, he would come by and check on him to make sure he was keeping up in school and staying out of trouble. If it hadn’t been for the priest he would most definitely be dead or in jail by now.
Alexis wouldn’t want him in their son’s life either, and even if the knowledge stung, he couldn’t blame her. He wouldn’t want someone like himself in his kid’s life either.
Hunter double-checked the address as he pulled into the driveway. What Michael had described as a beach cottage was a three-story house with a deck that extended around the entire dwelling. Green and yellow awnings covered most of the windows, and the entrance was two oversized French doors.
“Cottage, huh?” muttered Hunter.
Alexis sat up and rubbed her eyes. “This is amazing.”
Jonathan was also awake by now, and before Hunter could say anything to Alexis, Jonathan bounded from the truck. “Cool house, Mom!” Gone was the shy boy who hadn’t wanted to shake his hand. He jumped from foot to foot, waiting for Alexis to come around the vehicle. “Can we look for sand dollars tonight?”
They’d made good time and a couple hours of daylight remained. Hunter started to answer yes when Alexis shook her head. “Let’s wait until we unpack, then we’ll make a decision. Why don’t you see if there are some toys on the back deck? Michael said there should be a chest of stuff for you to play with.”
“Okay.” He raced toward the house, up the stairs and ran around the deck.
“He’ll be fine,” she said. “He just needs to burn off some energy.”
Hunter grabbed his bag along with hers, and bounded up the small flight of stairs to the first deck. As he twisted the key in the lock, he looked over his shoulder. “Why don’t you go around back and get him and I’ll unlock the back door?”
Moments later, he opened the back door and Jonathan ran through, holding a small bucket and shovel. “Can we go to the beach now?”
Alexis trailed behind him. For the first time he noticed the tired lines around her eyes. “How about you pick your room first, then your mom and I will take you out?”
“Okay.” Without another word, he streaked out of the living room and around the corner.
Hunter let out a small sigh. He’d talked to the kid and he’d responded. Sure, it was one word, but it was better than a shrug. “Is he always this energetic?” Hunter asked as they followed him up.
She nodded and sighed. “This is nothing.”
The inside of the house was even more impressive than the outside. It had five bedrooms, all with private bathrooms, and a loft, which Jonathan claimed immediately. Alexis chose a room on the second floor, and Hunter made sure his room was next to hers.
“Why don’t you unpack and I’ll take care of Jonathan for a little while?” The words escaped before he realized he’d voiced the question aloud. Hanging out with the kid alone was stupid, but Alexis just looked so damn tired. Like she needed a few minutes to herself. He’d brought so much misery to her doorstep he wanted to relieve her any way he could. And if he was honest with himself he wanted to spend some time with Jonathan. He might not have a future in his life, but he could still take some decent memories with him.