His Every Move (11 page)

Red moved away from her attempt at calming him. “I’ll deal with this,” he told her softly. Then he looked directly at Hunter. “What do you think you’re doing right now?”

Hunter was still seated, and he looked completely at ease, although he’d set his computer aside. Kallie was anxious, watching her two worlds collide, as people that cared about her wellbeing fought over the best way to take care of her.

“I think I’m making sure Kallie safe,” Hunter said simply. “That’s my only goal right now.”

Red barked a disbelieving laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding. We live in a gated house with twenty-four hour security.”

Hunter shrugged almost indiscernibly. “There’s no better security than me watching her and taking care of her, from my point of view.”

“That’s a pretty selfish point of view, if you ask me.”

“Well, I didn’t ask you.”

Red adjusted his stance. “Listen, buddy. I don’t think you get it. Kallie is coming back with Nicole and me.”

Hunter glanced up at him, and his eyes were burning with just barely suppressed rage. “You might be Kallie’s boss, but you’re not mine,” he said quietly. “And last I checked, Kallie is an adult and she can decide where she wants to go.”

This seemed to take Red aback, as if he’d never considered the possibility that Kallie might actually want to go with Hunter.

“Nicole, are you listening to this crap?” Red asked, shaking his head.

Nicole sighed. “Obviously I want her to come with us. But—“

“But nothing,” Red said sharply.

Nicole stayed calm. “But, she is an adult and I have no idea what she’s discussed with Hunter.”

Everyone looked at Kallie now. Her head had begun pounding again, and she put her fingers to her brow momentarily, as if to still her aching mind. “I don’t want you guys to argue. Please.”

“We just want what’s best for you,” Nicole said. “Do you know where you want to go to recover?”

“I think—“ Kallie began. She hadn’t known there was going to be a choice to make. And her intellect told her that Nicole and Red were stable and trustworthy, and that they would make sure to attend to her needs. But they also had a new baby home that needed a lot of care, and Nicole still had health concerns of her own that needed attention. Obviously, Red would always put Nicole first—as he should—and he also had a tremendously busy work schedule.

The truth was, Kallie might not be as well-looked after in their home as they’d have liked to believe.

And besides, Kallie simply wanted to be with Hunter as much as possible.

In the end, the answer came easily to her. “I think I’m going to stay with Hunter, if it’s okay with you,” she told Nicole, not daring to look at Red.

Nicole smiled knowingly. “Of course it’s okay with me,” she said. “It’s okay with both of us, isn’t it honey?” She glanced back at Red.

He sighed and grumbled. “Yeah, whatever. What the hell.”

Nicole and Kallie laughed.

“Listen, you can call me anytime, and I mean that. Anytime. And you’re always welcome back, whenever and however you need to get there. Okay?” Nicole said.

“Okay. Thank you for everything.” Kallie’s eyes watered as she thought about everything Nicole had done for her. “And thanks, Red. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you.”

Red laughed. He seemed to be getting over his initial frustration. “Listen, you’re a great nanny and a great friend. You could never disappoint us.” He turned to Hunter and looked down at him. “Just make sure to take good care of her like you say you will—or you and I really will have a problem.”

Hunter smiled but his eyes were equally challenging. “Understood.”

“I guess we’ll be going then. Nic?”

Nicole shrugged, leaned in and gave Kallie a quick peck on the cheek. “Let me know how it’s going, okay?”

“Okay.”

And then they were gone.

Kallie spent the next few hours in shock at what she’d witnessed. Hunter had stood up to Red, and he’d vocalized his intentions to take care of her. She wanted so badly to believe that his change of heart was real and sincere and permanent, but she was afraid to allow herself that luxury.

What if he changed back to his old self just as suddenly?

What if he decided that she wasn’t worth the trouble--wasn’t worth taking care of—what if he abandoned her again?

If Hunter sensed any of her reluctance, he didn’t acknowledge it. He was busy getting her things together, making phone calls that seemed to involve shuffling his schedule around.

And then during one call, it was clear he was talking with Scarlett.

“Are you settled in?” he said, his back to Kallie.

She watched as he listened. She couldn’t hear anything from the person on the other end. Finally, he responded. “Good. Good. You’ll have twenty-four seven protection, and they’re armed. These guys know what they’re doing, okay? And nobody else has any idea where you are. It’s completely secure and he won’t be able to trace it.

Even if he somehow did, he wouldn’t be able to get to you.”

Kallie bit her lower lip, wishing that somehow Scarlett could disappear from this picture. And she hadn’t given enough thought to what it meant to be living in the same house as Hunter’s ex-girlfriend.

Maybe I won’t come first after all, she thought sullenly. Maybe I made a mistake saying I would go home with him.

When Hunter got off the phone, he looked at Kallie. “You’re upset,” he said.

“I just think maybe we’ve jumped into this too quickly. I appreciate you saying you’d let me stay at your house—“

“You’re staying with me,” he replied evenly and firmly.

Kallie laughed. “You’re sweet. Really.”

“And you’re staying with me. Really.”

She shook her head and fought back the tears. She was way too emotional lately.

“What is it?” he asked softly, coming closer. “Is it because I was on the phone with Scarlett? I had to make sure she was set up properly. But I won’t be speaking to her much anymore.”

“I don’t see how you can avoid speaking to a woman living in your house. And I don’t think I want to spend time sharing space with your ex.”

“She’s not living with me anymore, Kallie.”

Her eyes widened. “She’s not?”

Hunter shook his head slowly. “I’ve sent her a good distance away, and she’s got her own apartment and lots of security. The chances of Terrence finding her are slim to none.”

“You’re paying for all of that?”

He sighed. “Money’s not an issue for me. But I hope you understand that I can’t throw her to the wolves. I need to do this, Kallie. Can you respect that?”

Kallie didn’t answer at first. Her heart was singing, knowing that Hunter had finally removed that woman from his house. But the thought of him spending all that money to take care of her also made Kallie jealous. She struggled with her competing emotions.

“I’ll end it right now if you want,” he said. His voice was strained. “I’ll put in the call and let Scarlett know that she needs to find her own way and I’ve done all that I can.”

Kallie shook her head. “No, I don’t want you to throw her out on the street. Just promise me she won’t ever interfere with us again.”

He looked Kallie in the eye. “I promise. Nobody will come between us again.”

About an hour and a half later, the nurse came in and let Kallie know she could leave the hospital.

Kallie sat up in bed. She’d only been out of bed on her crutches once or twice to use the bathroom and take a slow, unsteady walk down the hospital corridor that lasted all of about three minutes. Hunter had walked slowly and patiently beside her, giving her encouragement, and, occasionally helping to steady her when she lost her balance.

Now, she slid to the edge of the bed and asked for her crutches again.

“Oh, you won’t be needing those. Hospital rules—it’s hospital policy that every patient must use a wheelchair during discharge.” The nurse smiled perfunctorily as a large male in green scrubs came into the room pushing an empty wheel chair.

Kallie tried to smile back, but when she saw the look on Hunter’s face, it was difficult.

“Go ahead and just slide into the chair from the bed,” the nurse said.

The man beside the wheelchair looked bored and stood there mutely.

Hunter was staring with eyes that looked like he was seeing his worst nightmare come to life. Kallie could hardly look at him, because she knew that whatever he’d gone through with his father, this must be bringing back terrible memories.

“I can do it myself, I’m fine,” she piped up happily. The truth was, she felt dizzy and a little sick to her stomach, but she didn’t want to appear at all unwell right now. Not with the way Hunter was reacting to all of this.

With some difficulty, she managed to maneuver herself out of bed and into the wheelchair.

“Great job,” the nurse said. “Ready to go?”

Kallie looked up at Hunter. He was still staring blankly. “Hunter?”

He snapped out of it, as if waking from a nightmare. “Oh. Yeah, let’s go. I’ve got everything packed up. He forced a strained smile and grabbed the two bags and his laptop bag. “Onward.”

They slowly made their way out of the hospital room and down the long corridor.

Every minute that Kallie was in the wheelchair felt like an eternity. She hated knowing that Hunter was watching this and that it was inflicting pain on him.

Finally, they arrived outside the hospital doors and she was allowed to take her crutches and stand again.

Hunter looked at her. “You sit down,” he told her. “I’m going to pull the car around.”

“I’m fine,” she laughed, even though her arms already felt weak trying to hold her bodyweight on the crutches.

He pointed to the wheelchair. “Sit. I’ll be back in two minutes.”

She sat down gratefully and waited for his return. Not long after, he pulled the car up next to the curb and put her things in the trunk, then opened the door, placed her crutches in the backseat.

He closed the back door and opened the front passenger side door. Seconds later, he’d lifted her from the wheelchair in his arms and easily transitioned her into his car.

When he got inside a moment later, he began driving.

“You made that look so easy! It was like a red carpet ride, the way you took me and whisked me to the car,” she laughed, trying to lighten things with a joke.

He glanced at her. “I’ve had a lot of practice,” was all he said.

***

Kallie managed to fall asleep on the car ride home, and when she woke up, Hunter was carrying her again. This time he was walking her up the stairs and into his bedroom.

He laid her down on his bed and smiled at her as she gazed up into his eyes.

“You get some sleep,” he said.

“All I’ve been doing is sleeping lately,” she replied.

“That’s what your body needs.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” He sat down next to her on the bed and began stroking her hair softly.

“You have no idea how much I missed you when we were apart.”

“I missed you too,” she whispered. “Don’t ever leave me again, okay?”

“Never,” he replied.

She drifted off to sleep once more.

When she woke up again, it was night, and the room was shrouded in darkness.

Downstairs, she could hear the sounds of indie rock music and Hunter—of all people—

singing along. She was surprised to hear him sing, and the strangest part of all, was that he had a wonderful voice.

Kallie lay in her bed and smiled at the sound of it, wondering what other surprises Hunter Reardon had in store for her. He was like a totally new person, and she didn’t quite understand how he’d changed, but she didn’t want to look too deeply into the matter, for fear that somehow he’d change back into his old self again.

A few minutes later, she heard his footsteps coming up the stairs. And then he came into the bedroom, appearing as a shadow at first. “Kallie?” he whispered softly.

“I’m awake.”

He came further inside. “Is your head hurting at all?”

She hadn’t even noticed her head since waking up, but now that he mentioned it—there wasn’t much pain. “Actually, I feel a lot better.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I guess I could eat something. The hospital food was so dull that I think I lost interest.”

Hunter chuckled softly. “I was going to make chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese. That always used to make me feel better when I was sick as a kid.”

“I’d love that.” She smiled in the darkness.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He started to leave and she called out to him.

“Hunter?”

He stopped at the doorway. “Yeah?”

“You have a really lovely singing voice.”

He laughed. “Shit. You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

“I love it. Could you sing a little more for me down there?”

He sighed. “Your wish is my command.”

And then he went back downstairs and she heard him rattling pots and pants and dishes. The sounds were soothing, comforting.

I’m home, she thought.

Curling up beneath the covers once more, she listened as Hunter put on an old rock song she recognized because her dad used to listen to the local classic rock station when she was in the car with him.

It was a Queen song—Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Hunter sang the words full out, like he was performing at a real show.

How could he sing this well and not have become famous for it? She wondered.

But then she thought, maybe it’s just because I think he’s amazing in nearly every way.

Maybe I’m just biased.

But his choice of song was interesting. The whole song was about being in love and how crazy and scary it was, but how you still enjoyed it anyway.

She wondered if he’d chosen that song on purpose.

She hoped so.

Not long after that, he came upstairs again carrying a tray, delicately balancing a tall glass of water, a bowl of piping hot soup, and a grilled cheese sandwich.

He placed it on the bed next to her and turned on the light nearby.

Kallie rubbed her eyes. “It smells delicious.”

“Should I feed you?” he laughed.

“No, I think I can handle feeding myself.” She shook her head and picked up half the sandwich. It had the perfect amount of crispiness to the bread and the cheese was melting down the sides. When she bit into it, she couldn’t believe how good it tasted.