A Step Two Close

  Hunter cursed. “Women! Why are you so fucking difficult? You say one thing when you mean another and you expect us men to know the fucking difference. We’re not psychic, you know.”

  I crossed my arms even tighter. “I guess not!” I had this immense desire to poke my tongue out at him. The last time I had that urge was with Hunter. Funny that.

  “You still have the ability to drive me fucking nuts.” He was smiling this time.

  “I guess I just have a natural charm.” I smirked back, loving the interaction.

  Hunter smiled back at first, but then he frowned. “You’re not using your natural charm on anyone else right now, are you?”

  I uncrossed my arms and leant forward. “Are you trying to ask if I’m dating anyone right now?”

  He nodded. “Yes, I guess so.”

  I looked away for a moment. “No, there’s really not been anyone. Well, not anyone who lasted past two dates.”

  He frowned. “You look sad about that.”

  I shrugged. “It’s one of those things. I guess there will never be another you for me either.”

  I looked up to him timidly, and I saw the big shit-eating grin on his face. The one reserved for when he was damn right pleased with himself. “Don’t look so smug about it.”

  He kept the smile. “I’m not.” I rolled my eyes and got up from my seat. “Where are you going?”

  I grabbed my handbag, pushed my chair in, and picked up my paper. “Back to work.”

  “Can I see you after?”

  I started walking and Hunter followed. “No.”

  “Maybe tomorrow?”

  I kept up my pace outside the shop towards work. “No.”

  “Or the day after?”

  I got to the stairs and started climbing. “No.”

  “AJ, please go on a date with me.”

  I got to the front door and opened it up. I turned to Hunter before walking in. “No.”

  *****

  I went back into my office to finish off the rest of the afternoon, but of course I could think of nothing but Hunter the whole time. It didn’t help when another text came through later.

  Fuck Face: That connection we had... I’ve never had with anyone else. We shared something together, AJ. We became a part of each other that time in Spain, remember? I hadn’t shared myself like that with anyone before, and I haven’t since. You are it for me. I’m not giving up on us.

  The next day, after my book signing, I got another message.

  Fuck Face: I saw you had another charm on that bracelet I bought you. That means another happy memory.

  I placed the phone on my desk at work and started playing with my bracelet. I had never taken it off because, as usual, I couldn’t bear to be apart from Hunter in any way. As time went on, I bought another charm for it. I was anything but happy, but the memory was one of happy times. It was a charm with the letter H.

  Fuck Face: I’m guessing the H is for horseshit?

  I started laughing and immediately another text pinged.

  Fuck Face: Go on a date with me.

  Me: No.

  Fuck Face: I want to add more charms to your bracelet.

  Me: No.

  Fuck Face: I told you—I’m not giving up.

  I never answered after that, but I wasn’t surprised when another text came the very next morning.

  Fuck Face: I want to spend my life making it up to you, AJ. Start by going on a date with me.

  Me: No.

  The very next day, another text sounded on my phone while I was at work.

  Fuck Face: Remember how we used to talk to each other for hours, and time always slipped through our fingers? I always wanted more time with you. Forever never seemed enough. Go on a date with me.

  Me: No.

  After work the next day, while I was at home, another message came through.

  Fuck Face: Check your mail.

  I frowned, wondering what all this was about. I had collected my mail on the way into my house, but it was still just sitting there on the counter unopened. I got up and sifted through all the bills until I came across an envelope with a hand-written address on it.

  I bit my lip and opened it up to take a peek inside. When I pulled out the card, I saw it was a voucher for one hundred pounds for Johnny’s in Aylesbury. I also noticed it had the name Hunter Davenport written on it. Despite not knowing what the hell he was up to, I started to cry. The tears came, and before I knew it, I was laughing and crying at the same time.

  During my moment of madness, I heard my phone chime. I picked it up and read what it said.

  Fuck Face: I was given this voucher the other day, and there’s only one person I want to spend it with. There’s only one person I could ever spend it with. Go on a date with me.

  I sighed, closing my eyes. Why did he have to pull that stunt on me? He was using our past to get to me, but by fuck, it was working. My resolve was weakening by the second. As I was contemplating what to reply, another text came through.

  Fuck Face: Please, AJ.”

  I bit my lip, knowing I had to answer. There could only ever be one answer as far as Hunter was concerned. He made damn sure of it.

  As I wiped my tears away, I picked my phone up and stared at it for a moment. I had no other choice but to end this flurry of text messages. Hunter was never going to give up. I knew that now, I also knew I didn’t want him to. Hunter would always get what he wanted.

  So, I started typing.

  Me: Okay.

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  “Hunter, where on earth are you taking me?”

  It was a Friday, and, unfortunately, it was also my birthday. I still hated my birthdays, but Hunter was healing my fractured heart little by little. He didn’t want me to be depressed on my birthday again, so he put his foot down. He was going to end it once and for all tonight. He had a surprise, he had said. Little did he know, I had one, too, and I was planning on telling him tonight.

  We were married and had been for the last thirteen glorious months. I knew I was still young, but with two successful book releases and another one on its way, I was set for life. In the end, I decided to leave the police station I had worked at, and I only aided them when necessary as a consultant.

  Hunter, in turn, was doing exceptionally well at Davenport and Son. I knew he would. I had as much faith in him as he had in me. I must admit, things between us were a little strained at first. It took Hunter at least six months to come to terms with the fact that his father was going to be as much in my life as he was in his. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust me; it was simply due to how awkward our situation was. Mason was great about the whole thing. Within two months of my reconciliation with Hunter, he met someone, and he had been with her ever since. I met her, and she seemed really nice. Mason wanted to take things slow, but I was sure marriage was in the cards for him too.

  As for as my mum, she was still in prison and receiving treatment for her schizophrenia. I hadn’t heard from her, and I was happy with that. Those wounds were still very much open. Something like my mother trying to kill me would do that. I was nowhere near able to forget or even forgive at this stage. I realised she wasn’t very well, but, at that moment, I was in an internal struggle with myself. Hunter said that I should stop struggling and let myself deal with it in my own time. As always, I loved him to pieces. I really didn’t know what I would do without my best friend in my life. He meant the world to me.

  Christian and Mandy were still very much in my life. Mandy looked set to get married soon as well—to Charlie from her work. I was so pleased that she had found someone she could be happy with. Christian, on the other hand, was still very much single. I think he was beginning to want something more after seeing just how happy Mandy and I were. I told him to stay away from sugar and all would be fine. He laughed at me and said, “Honey, I’ve always got to get me some sugar,” and that was the end of the conversation. Yes, he was still as mad as a hatter, but I loved him to bi
ts.

  “How many times do I have to tell you, it’s a surprise?” Hunter looked over to me briefly in the car, and, once again, the fire between us started. His eyes still penetrated me. He still looked at me like I was the only woman in the world for him. He made me feel... precious.

  “Okay then, if you’re going to play that game, then so will I.” I poked my tongue out at him and giggled. “I have a surprise for you, too, Mr. Orgasmic.”

  Hunter turned to me briefly with a mischievous grin. “Oh, you do, do you?”

  I nodded. “Yep. I do.”

  “Do I have to tickle it out of you? You know how much I hate surprises.”

  I waved him off. “What’s good for the goose and all that.”

  “Ah, so this is tit for tat? I see. Well, maybe I’ll hold out tonight.”

  I snorted. “Oh, please. I only have to look at you a certain way and you’re ripping my clothes off.”

  Hunter smiled across at me. “That’s because I can’t get enough of you. Have I told you just how fucking sexy you are?”

  I looked at him cheekily. “I think you may have mentioned it once or twice.”

  Suddenly, Hunter looked ahead. “We’re here now.”

  I looked out, and all I could see were rows of houses. “Who are we visiting?”

  Hunter put the car in park and looked at me. “You’ll see in a minute. I really hope you won’t kill me for this.” He got out of the car, and my nerves were suddenly shot. What on earth was he up to?

  Hunter was soon round my side of the car and helping me out. He always liked to be a perfect gentleman around me.

  “I’m starting to get really nervous here.” I gave him that look. The one that told him I wasn’t impressed.

  Hunter cleared his throat. He seemed nervous too all of a sudden. Now I really didn’t like this. “Come with me. It will be fine.” Hunter took my hand and led me to a townhouse. He knocked on the door and waited a few seconds.

  Pretty soon, a middle-aged lady with dark hair and glasses opened the door. “AJ, nice to meet you. I have someone here who has been expecting you. In fact, he won’t stop bending my ear!” She walked back in the house, and I was left flabbergasted. One, she had called me AJ, and two—just who in the ever loving hell was she?

  I turned to Hunter, who had a huge smile on his face. “Hunter, what have you done?”

  Hunter just motioned for me to go in the house. “After you, sweetheart.”

  I huffed, shook my head, and walked into the lady’s living room. I wasn’t sure who she was or what she was up to, but curiosity was getting the better of me.

  The room was dark with only a few candles illuminating the vast space. It was cosy with cream sofas and soft orange walls. Somehow, I immediately felt relaxed.

  “AJ, please sit down. Would you like a drink?”

  I sat down and shook my head. “No, thank you. I would like to know what’s going on.”

  Hunter and the lady laughed as we all sat down to get comfortable. “Well, your good husband here contacted me a few days ago to arrange this for you. The only thing I knew about you was your name, Ayden Pearson, and that sixteen years ago you lost someone close to you. Someone I now know to be your father, Bryan.”

  I gasped and looked at Hunter. “How could she know?”

  “I haven’t told her anything, I swear.” He motioned to the lady. “This here is Sophia, and she’s a medium.”

  I blinked rapidly a few times unable to comprehend what was going on. Hunter never told me he was into this sort of stuff.

  As if reading my mind, Hunter grabbed my hand. “Have an open mind, AJ.”

  I looked into his smiling eyes and eventually tore my stare away from him and turned it on Sophia. Sophia, in turn, smiled, but then frowned when she looked at Hunter. “You’ve lost someone, too. I’m getting a strong female presence. Someone who carries a lot of guilt.”

  Hunter hissed in a breath, and immediately, I felt his grip on my hand tighten. “This isn’t about me tonight. This is about AJ.”

  Sophia nodded. “Yes, she knows, and she wants you to know how sorry she is... about everything. She wants you to know that you must stop beating yourself up. That Ayden is right. Your mother was not in a good place when she died. If you hadn’t given her the money, she would have gotten it from somewhere else. She says that you must learn to forgive yourself because there is nothing to feel guilty over.”

  By this stage, the tears were welling in my eyes. She was good. Too good. The pressure of knowing I was coming next was immense, but I also knew that Hunter needed to hear this. I knew he still beat himself up over his mum’s death. No matter how much he shrugged it off, I could see it still bothered him.

  Hunter continued to just stare, so I shook his hand a little. He snapped his head to me, and I smiled gently at him. His shoulders immediately relaxed as he smiled back.

  “Now, AJ. Your father seems to have a bone to pick with you, young lady.” I snapped my head to Sophia and immediately cowered. This doesn’t sound good.

  “He wants to know why you keep blaming yourself for his death. In fact, he’s so mad about it that he’s been bugging the hell out of me all day.” She huffed and shook her head in annoyance.

  Out of nowhere, I started laughing. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. In all my years, I have been dying to have my father tell me off. I know that sounds stupid, but something as simple as a little telling-off by my dad had me yearning for a normal life. I missed all of that growing up, and I was glad to have a chance at it with Hunter. In fact, I couldn’t stop smiling through my tears.

  “He wants to know what’s so funny.”

  I laughed a little more and turned to Hunter for a moment. He was smiling at me. “I don’t know. It just seems so domestic. I would give anything to see my father and have him shout at me right now. I know that sounds wacko, but it’s true.”

  Sophia smiled. “He says he’s sorry he missed you growing up, but he’s immensely proud of you.” She saw my tears coming and smiled. “He said you also must learn to let go. You have missed so many of your birthdays, and he said you must not miss one more. He wants you to use that day as a day of celebration from now on. Not a day of mourning.” She leaned forward and captured my free hand. “He’s desperate for you to be happy. He said that you have been through so much, and he wishes he could have been there to protect you, but you must let it go now. You must let him go. He’s happy and in a good place. He wants you to know this.”

  I sniffled, letting go of the lady’s hand, capturing my tears as they fell. I always knew my father would feel this way about me. It never stopped my guilt, though. It never stopped the pain of knowing that—because of my birthday—my father was dead. If I could have chosen any other day but that one, I would have. It was something I would never be able to change, unfortunately. But, at the same time, I had gained peace just knowing that my father was happy.

  I caught Sophia smiling widely all of a sudden. “He also wants you to know that he approves of your husband. He wishes he could have been there to walk you down the aisle.” I smiled up at Hunter and nodded my head. In the end, it was Christian, who took me down the aisle. It was the first time I had ever seen him in a suit, and boy did he look good in it. There had been a few single girls there swooning over him, and they were disappointed when they found out he wasn’t interested in the female sex. It was still comical to watch him blush despite that fact. The day couldn’t have gone better. I just missed that one person on my special day. One person I wished would walk through that door, take my arm, and lead me to the start of a new life with my new man. How amazing would that have been?

  “He loves his AJ. He wants you to know this.” I looked up at Sophia and smiled as my tears still fell. She went silent for a moment allowing me some time to take a deep breath and curl my fingers more tightly around Hunter’s. My Hunter. The love of my life, who was determined to put more happy memories on my Pandora bracelet. On our wedding day, our something new was
another charm. A charm with the number twenty-one on it. It was to mark how old I was when I married as well as the day. Hunter and I married a year ago on the twenty-first of July. It was a day I would cherish for the rest of my life.

  “I love him, too. So much.” I stared into Hunter’s eyes and smiled as best I could. Hunter was giving me a special gift today, and I would be eternally grateful for it. I hoped, in turn, he will be grateful for the gift I was about to bestow upon him.

  “He wants you to go now. Be happy and stop mourning. He’s asking if you can do this for him.” I turned to Sophia and nodded my head with a smile. She smiled back. “Good. He says he can go away a happy man.” She looked away a moment and frowned. She then turned back to me with the biggest smile. “He also has a direct message. For both of you, in fact.” Hunter and I looked at each other in curiosity, and then turned back to Sophia to await my father’s message.

  “Look after my granddaughter, AJ.”

  Acknowledgements

  I went completely out of my comfort zone with this one. I was brought up by a loving mother, and as a mother myself writing Kat’s character was one of the hardest I’ve ever had to put down on paper. I’m sure plenty of readers will have a say about Ayden’s mother and the abuse she had to put up with from such an early age. It was a journey I will never regret though. Ayden’s story had to be told.

  I have to say that my family is the absolute best. I have so much support from my husband, children, mother and sisters, it’s unreal. Living abroad and being apart from family members is hard at times, but they are always in my heart.

  I want to thank my beta readers, Sabine Willems and Sally-ann Hall. You both loved Hunter and his #AngrySnake, and for that I was over the moon. I love you girls!

  I need to thank Shannon Steed for the editing and Vanessa Leret Bridges from Prema Editing for proofreading. I really enjoyed working with both of you, and hope to have plenty of other projects for you in the future. You girls rock!