them numb with pain. “What kind of messed up…?”
Molly didn’t let him finish before she kissed him hard. He released her and tried to shove her away, but she reached out, grasping his back. He fought. She won. Hunter’s anger mixed with his passion as Molly regained control over him once more.
• • •
The fire burned down after a while. Without a word, Hunter stood and climbed upstairs, leaving Molly on the floor. She smiled to herself and started wrestling on her clothes, hungry from all the activity. A couple of minutes later, Hunter reappeared downstairs fully dressed in dry clothes, looking all cute and frumpy.
She smiled playfully at him. “That was fun.”
Hunter said nothing as he rotated the handle in the fireplace that held the cast iron pot they used for heating water. He threw two fresh logs in the fireplace, still saying nothing. He stirred up the coals and got the fire flaming again, laid his wet clothes out on the hearth, then removed the wet cushions from the couch and set them on the floor closer to the fire. He placed the orange bucket back in the corner. Only then did he acknowledge Molly.
“So what do we do now?” she asked, standing up. She expected he’d want her to help clean house. Forget that.
Hunter sighed. “Now you go home. I’m breaking up with you.”
Molly smiled. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’ve never been more serious. We’re done. I’ll pack your stuff and leave it at your door tonight.”
Something inside Molly cracked. She could hardly believe the pain as she struggled to remain standing on her shaky knees. “You…you can’t do this to me.”
“I just did,” Hunter said. “The front door is that way.”
Hot tears filled Molly’s eyes as she reached for him, but he retreated like she had transformed into some evil, contaminated thing. Her bottom lip trembled and her hands clenched into fists. This was so wrong. It was the worst thing in the world and she wished it would all just end so she could stop hurting. This couldn’t happen to her—not like this—not again. He was just a stupid kid! She would kill him first.
“You’re going to regret this,” she growled.
“Maybe.”
“Bastard!”
Molly spotted the bucket on her way out and flung it at Hunter’s head with all her might. He deflected it. He did not appear upset or angry that she’d thrown it. He just looked at her like she was nothing—nothing at all.
She had almost reached the front doorknob when Scout swung the door wide open from the opposite side, shocking her as a blast of cold air entered the house.
“Hey, how’s the love life, Molly?”
Molly rushed past him before he could see her cry. She ran all the way back in Hunter’s wool socks to her apartment above her sewing shop, with frozen tears against her face.
Scout leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Okay, do you want to tell me what the hell just happened? And why are all the cushions off the couch? You didn’t just pull a wheelie on my couch, did you?”
Hunter rubbed the palms of his hands into his tired eyes. He swayed with exhaustion and tried to steady himself before his body crashed to the floor. Between no sleep, hauling buckets of water and the emotional ride of his breakup with Molly, he figured there was no chance this day would get any better.
“I just broke up with her.”
“What happened to my couch?” Scout moved forward and inspected the wet stains with a closer, critical eye. “I love my couch, you know.”
“Our sofa is fine. Molly dumped a bucket of water on me while I was sleeping.” Hunter ran a hand through his hair. It still felt damp. Scout glared at him.
“You didn’t hit her, did you?”
“It took everything I had not to.” Hunter slipped into his boots and tied the laces. The empty feeling in his stomach might be hunger, but that didn’t explain the hollow feeling in his chest. “Have you eaten lunch yet?”
“That’s why I came back to get you. I guess you haven’t heard about the visitors.”
Hunter looked up from his boots and squinted. “What visitors? Where are they?”
“Last I heard they were at Brittany’s. They say they drove here from Iowa. I think we need to take a ride around in case they got more people hiding out.”
“Let’s grab something to eat first and see what they look like. We can clue Jimmy in so he doesn’t freak out after we’re gone.”
“Very responsible