Page 99 of The Bitterroot Inn (Jamison Valley 5)
“What?” I moved to stand by her side and scan the pages myself, but they fluttered to the floor as Maisy whispered.
“Everett’s mother is seeking custody of Coby.”
Maisy
“We need to talk, baby.”
“No, we don’t.” I sidestepped Hunter in the living room of my parents’ house.
Before I could make my escape to the back patio, his arms wrapped around my shoulders, trapping me against his chest. “Maisy—”
“No, Hunter. No.” I shook my head. He’d been insisting on having “a talk” over the last month, but I’d denied him every time. “I told you. I don’t want to know. If whatever you have to say is just going to hurt, then I don’t want to know.”
“Please,” he begged. “I have to tell you some things about my past.”
“No.” I squirmed out of his embrace and turned, planting my hands on my hips. “I love you. I need you. I can’t make it through this if you aren’t by my side. And if you have to tell me something that’s going to make me want to send you away, then I don’t want to know.”
His jaw clenched tight. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Yes, I do.” I stepped closer and covered his bearded cheek with my palm. “I know that whatever you’re going to tell me is going to ruin us. It’s going to break us apart. I see it in your eyes every time you’ve asked to talk. But I’m barely hanging on by a thread here. Please, don’t cut it.”
He sighed and closed his eyes.
I fell into his chest and snaked my arms around his waist. “Do you love me?”
“You know I do.” He wrapped his arms around my back.
“Then please do this for me. I trust you.”
He kissed my hair. “You won’t.”
My heart fell. “And that’s why I don’t want to know.”
It was foolish and naïve to stick my head in the sand about our relationship—I didn’t care. I’d slid backward this month, every day losing more and more of the confidence I’d found these last few years. The progress I’d made to move past Everett’s actions had disappeared, and the only thing keeping me from completely going off the rails was Hunter. Whatever secrets he had to confess about his past or family would have to wait until I knew the fate of my son.
Coby needed all of the strength I could summon. He needed all of my wits and my focus. I couldn’t let Hunter break my heart when Coby needed it to stay intact.
So, like I’d been telling Hunter over and over, I needed him by my side. He was part of the glue keeping all my pieces together. After Monday, when the judge made his decision about the petition, then I’d let all the pieces fall apart.
“Dinner!” Mom called from the kitchen.
Hunter let out a deep breath. “I’ll go get Coby.” He kissed my hair one last time, then let me go, walking out of the living room and toward the back patio where my brothers were watching Coby play in the yard with Pickle.
I turned and walked to the dining room, the mountain of stress on my shoulders making my footsteps heavy.
It had been thirty-six days since Everett’s mother, Eleanor Carlson, had served me with a custody petition. Thirty-six days of spontaneous crying fits. Thirty-six days of skipping meals because food rarely sat well in my knotted stomach. Thirty-six days of greeting myself in the bathroom mirror each morning with dark circles under my eyes.
Thirty-six days of waiting for a judge to decide my fate.
If not for Hunter, I never would have survived this month. I’d lost count of the number of times he’d reassured me things would be okay. The
number of times he’d pulled me into his arms because he’d known I’d been on the verge of tears. Other than when he’d go to work, he’d been constantly by my side. He’d even come to every appointment with Stuart Redhill, my attorney.
Including the one I’d had this afternoon.
I wasn’t looking forward to telling my family about my meeting with Stuart, but that was why we were here. This special Friday-night dinner was to prep everyone before the custody hearing on Monday morning.
“Mommy!” Coby came racing inside, followed by Hunter and my brothers. “Uncle Michael said he’s taking me wif him to the park!”
