Page 60 of New Year, New Guy
And to think at one point he’d regretted accepting Polly’s invitation to Plymouth.
Much later he checked his phone while watching Laura sleep. Most of his messages and emails were work related, all of which Rory could deal with until he returned to work next week. But one heading stood out and he clicked to open the attachment.
‘Well I’ll be damned.’ Hunter peered at the photo a second time and Daniel and Johnny’s smiling faces stared back at him.
‘Wow that’s . . . unexpected.’ Laura wriggled in under his shoulder.
‘You can say that again.’
Things were a bit dicey at first, but we talked things through and we’re good now. You were right about me needing to face up to the past, although that makes your advice about staying away from Daniel flat-out wrong. Ha ha! Can’t win them all! Polly and I even got an invite to spend a week in Cornwall in the summer. Hope your dad’s doing well and you and Laura are behaving yourselves – or not! J.
‘If it’s any consolation, I thought you were right on both counts.’
He tossed the phone aside and wrapped his arms around Laura. ‘Sure is, but I’m happy to be proved wrong. We’ve changed the way we cope with the fallout from the past – isn’t that what learning from history is all about?’
‘Very profound for a lazy afternoon.’
‘Yeah, well that’s me. Profound.’ Hunter chuckled. ‘Are you up for more exercise?’
‘I thought I’d worn you out?’
‘You’ve got a one-track mind.’
‘I do?’
‘Yeah, if you can drag your mind out of the gutter long enough, I was going to suggest a hike.’ The blush spreading all over every inch of her smooth, pale skin almost changed his mind. ‘I want to give you a taste of the Smoky Mountains so you can see how it compares to Dartmoor. I could take you to one of the popular tourist spots like Laurel Falls, but I reckon the area around here is equally pretty.’ He tried to explain why it took him so long to pick the perfect spot for his cabin. ‘I needed its fairly close proximity to Gatlinburg for work but couldn’t stand living in the middle of all that hullabaloo. Pigeon Forge is even worse.’ Hunter couldn’t get through there fast enough these days past the tacky souvenir shops, unhealthy all-you-can-eat buffets and overpriced play areas designed to lure in gullible families. ‘Gets me why people come to this area and spend a bomb on takin’ kids to a dinosaur miniature golf course when you can take a picnic and hike in the mountains for free.’
‘If you ever have dinosaur loving children you might change . . .’ Laura buried her face in his chest. ‘Sorry.’
Hunter sighed. ‘You have nothin’ to be sorry for.’
‘But—’
‘—But nothin’.’ He scooted down in the bed forcing them face to face. ‘You’ve shaken my world, Laura. I’d come to the conclusion I was better off alone ’cause no woman would tolerate my . . .’
‘. . .quirks?’ Laura’s gentle laughter loosened the knot of tension in his gut. ‘We’ve all got those. I’m not getting into a competition with you.’
‘Good. I’d win.’ If he wasn’t careful, they’d stray away from the subject in hand again. ‘Kids.’ Hunter grasped her hands. ‘I’d love a family. With you. Is that plain enough?’ He couldn’t spellit out any clearer without taking out an ad in the newspaper. Laura’s mouth gaped like a fish, although he wasn’t stupid enough to make that comparison out loud. ‘I’d prefer to wait until we’re a bit further down the line with our plans but if Mother Nature plays around with us, I’m good with that too.’ She needed to know he wouldn’t let her down. Ever.
‘Oh God, I love you so much.’
That swept the legs out from under him because they’d never spelled out their feelings in so many words. ‘I love you too.’ He gathered her in his arms. ‘You’ve got a choice – dinosaur golf or a hike in the woods. Whatever you want we’ll do that. No judgement on my part.’
‘You said that with a straight face.’
‘Hopefully I’m gettin’ better at the whole relationship thing.’
Laura beamed. ‘You certainly are, and I’m racing to catch up.’
‘Catch me any time you like.’
She squeezed his thigh. ‘Let’s go walk. I’ll easily catch you there.’
‘You’re on.’ In a roundabout way they’d committed to each other and instead of scaring him stiff it had the opposite effect. For two pins he’d suggest they hike up Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the state of Tennessee and shout the good news from the top.
He’d keep that idea tucked away up his sleeve for now.
Chapter Thirty-Three
