Learning to Live

Chapter 39

"Want to go outside?" Hunter asked, sticking a fork in his bowl of pasta. I glanced at the French doors.

"You've bought furniture?" I asked. I hadn't seen any last time.

"Just an outdoor loveseat and a table. Don't know if I'll keep them," he said, rubbing his left ear. "I'm not very good at decorating and stuff."

I bit back a smile. "Decorating and stuff?"

"You know what I mean," I grumbled, picking up my big smoothie glass. I got a spoon and followed him out. He was cute when he was embarrassed.

Brownie and Stevie appeared beside us as soon as we opened the French doors. The loveseat sat in one corner of the back porch, which was more of a terrace. In front of it, a matching low wicker table. They made the big terrace look even more empty.

Hunter and I sank on the white cushions. Brownie immediately tucked herself between the seat and the table and sat on top of Hunter's feet.

"You've got your own feet warmer," I said, pulling my glass away when Stevie stuck his nose towards it. I swiped some with my finger and held it to her nose. She sniffed and immediately licked it. I chuckled. "You're a big foodie, aren't you?"

Stevie sniffed at my hand again. "That's it," I said. "You need to lose weight, young man."

Stevie gave an excited bark.

"She can eat that?" Hunter asked.

"It won't hurt her," I said.

"Good to have a vet around the house," Hunter said. After losing hope of me, Stevie went around the table and wedged himself next to Brownie.

I ate my smoothie, because it couldn't be drank. And Hunter finished his pasta. The backyard looked too empty, too unfinished. It was massive, and it needed more than just the two trees it currently had. The pool was still covered in one side. The pond and the bridge still unfinished.

The grass glinted orange under the sunset, and a soft breeze blew. Hunter finished his food first and leaned his head back, stretching his arms over the back of the seat, and closed his eyes. If I leaned back, I could put my head on his arm.

I took the chance and looked at him. The strong column of his throat, the curve of his lips, the scar on his eyebrow, the slight stubble on his strong jaw. If someone told me a couple of months ago that I would be here, considering a relationship with Hunter Jamison, I would've told them to get off whatever drug they were on.

And yet here I was.

I finished my smoothie and put the glass on the table. The sound had Hunter straightening. He turned to look at me.

"So," he said.

I wiped my hand down my jeans. I wished I'd changed into something more comfortable. "So?"

"What did you want to talk about?"

I chewed on my lip. How did I even start? My heart hammered in my chest, and my guts knotted. Okay. This was not the time for anxiety.

"I don't know how to start," I mumbled.

"How about telling me how you lost Cheddar?" he said. "If you want."

I frowned. "Stefan didn't tell you?"

He shook his head. A lock of hair fell on his forehead, he pushed it back with impatient hands. "To be honest, I don't think he meant to tell me in the first place."

I sighed. "It was a car accident."

Hunter's eyes darkened. He knew my history with car accidents. I crossed my arms, toed off my shoes and tucked my feet under me, angling my body towards him.