Page 7 of 2204 Hunter Lane
“Sorry. I’m honestly just a bit overwhelmed and nervous.” I admitted.That’s an understatement.
Payton lovingly placed a hand over mine and pressed her thin lips into a small smile. “Don’t be nervous, hun. None of us bite.” She glanced at Dex. “Well, maybe this one but that’s after hours.”
Oh.
Dex softened his gaze at her and shook his head, returning her smile.
“Get on with it then, I’m losing my patience.” Hunter scoffed, rubbing his jaw in agitation.
Holy asshole, Jesus.
Payton swung her head to face him. “Hunter, get some rest, will ya? You’re still drunk.”
“I’m good right here,” he countered.
Before they bickered some more, I lowered the blanket over my shoulders and cleared my throat.
“I moved here last year to live with my boyf –ex, boyfriend,” I corrected. “I um, found out a few hours ago that he’d been cheating on me so I packed whatever I could get my hands on and just drove off.
“My car got a flat in front of your lot, and I don’t have any gas or charge in my phone…” I trailed off. I sounded pathetic,I am pathetic. Admitting my problems to a bunch of strangers, two of which would’ve probably shot me had Payton not intervened.
“Listen, I was just hoping that –”
“What? You think we’re some bed and breakfast?” Hunter interrupted.
I blanched. “No, not at all –”
“What then? Think we’re gon’ solve all your issues like it’s our cross to bear? Like it’s any of our damn business?”
Dex stood up and pointed to the doorway. “Out.”
Hunter scoffed and turned on his heel, disappearing behind the walkway and slamming the front door. A few moments later, the sound of an engine roared from the open window and headlights flashed and faded as Hunter drove off into the night.
Dex sat down and Payton smiled apologetically, both of them seemingly calm at the fact Hunter was literally driving drunk. Or supposedly drunk. Whatever the hell he was on.
“He ain’t a bad kid.” Was all Dex said before kissing Payton’s temple and leaving through the same walkway.
The kettle screamed from the stove, infiltrating whatever active thoughts were bouncing in my brain from the last few minutes of chaos.
“I’m sorry about him.” Payton shook her head, her expression pensive as she fiddled with her fingers. “He’s been through a lot.”
So have I and I’m not a living, breathing douchebag.
“I understand.”Yeah, that’s a better thing to say.“And I’m sorry for the trouble I caused. If you can set me up with a taxi number or something I can just get a hotel and come back for my car in the morning.”
Honestly, I’d feel a lot safer that way anyway. I don’t know what the hell I did to piss Hunter off but if he came back and I was still here, Christ, I think he’d shoot me on the spot no questions asked.This guy was rogue.
Payton waved me off and slid out of the bench, grabbing hold of the kettle and two mugs. “Nonsense deary, stay the night. We got a spare room in the basement and Dex will look at your car in the mornin’.”
My heart practically exploded in my chest. This lady was truly an angel.If only my own mother was like this.If only.
She opened the fridge and pulled out a baking tray of cinnamon rolls, slicing one and handing it to me on a white plate.I knew it.
“I can warm it up for you if you’d like? Two seconds in the oven should do the trick.”
I almost broke my neck shaking my head so many times. “No, please this is more than enough.”
She smiled contently, pushing the plate further in my direction. “Alright, eat up then and I’ll get your room ready.”
