Page 126 of The Bitterroot Inn (Jamison Valley 5)
“Where does this one go?” Beau asked, holding up the picture Hunter had taken of me and Coby.
“Oh, um, that one is Hunter’s. He wants it for his house.”
He nodded and set it down. “How are things going with you two? Are you working it all out?”
I shrugged. “We’re in a weird spot.” I hadn’t seen Hunter since the football game a week ago. We’d texted a couple of times but hadn’t talked, mostly because I just didn’t know what to say.
“You guys seemed fine at the football game last Friday,” Beau muttered.
My face flamed bright red and I turned away from my brother, going to the mini fridge to hide my embarrassment. Everyone except the kids knew exactly what Hunter and I had been doing when we’d returned to the stands without the drinks we had left to collect.
“Want a pop?” I asked Beau.
“Sure.”
I pulled out two Cokes and set them on the counter. Then I pulled up my stool and took a seat while Beau leaned his massive forearms on the counter.
“So what’s up?” He popped his soda. “Why are you guys in a weird spot?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just . . . scared.” It felt really, really good to say it out loud.
“Scared of what?”
“Everything? I honestly don’t know how to explain it. I just feel scared.”
“Do you love the guy?” Beau asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, but he kept so much from me. How can we get past all that stuff?”
“Is he still keeping secrets?”
“No. Whenever I ask him something, he’s really forthcoming.” Ever since his past had all come to light, Hunter hadn’t denied me any information.
He nodded and took a drink. “Are you scared because you don’t trust him?”
“Maybe. No. I don’t know.” I slumped against the counter and started talking it all out. “I trust him with Coby. And I trust him to tell me the truth. When I think back, I see now that truth was never the problem. He never lied to me. He just left things out. Important things.”
“But you know it all now.”
I nodded. “I think so. And what I don’t, I’m learning. I just hate that he didn’t tell me sooner. I guess I’m scared something else is going to happen and instead of confiding in me as his partner, he’s going to hide it.”
“Listen, what he did was an asshole thing to do, but after you sat us all down and explained it, I can see why he did it. I honestly think that was a one-time deal. If he’s open with you now, why do you think he’d start keeping things from you again?”
Now that Beau had asked the question point-blank, I didn’t think Hunter would keep secrets from me again. “Do you think I’m being stupid? Dragging this out for no reason?”
Beau’s face softened. “No, of course not. We all get this can’t be easy. You’re being careful and thinking about the future. The rest of us are following your lead. If you don’t think you’ll ever move past it, we’ll be right there. If you want to let him back in, we’re all good with that too.”
I smiled at my brother. “Thanks.” Not all that long ago, I was the one giving him relationship advice when he’d been trying to win Sabrina. Now that our positions were reversed, I couldn’t think of anyone better to confide in.
“I don’t know if I’m really all that hurt anymore,” I admitted, “but I still feel mad sometimes. When I think about how many opportunities he had to fess up, I just feel that anger start to bubble. What if that never goes away?”
“Do you want to know what I do when I get pissed at Sabrina?”
“What?”
“I tell her I love her.”
“When you’re mad?” I cocked my head. “Why?”
