he’d talk to his grandfather, who actually owned the diner, about finding someone to replace her for a few months so she could take time off before and after the baby’s arrival.
He would’ve gotten away with sneaking in if Horace hadn’t jumped up from where he was sleeping next to Megan to bark at Hunter.
“Hush,” he whispered to the dog. “Mommy’s sleeping.”
“Not anymore,” Megan muttered.
“Sorry. I tried to be quiet, but someone wasn’t having that.”
Horace gave a playful yip.
Hunter kissed the top of the dog’s head the way he did every night when he got home. He loved the routines and rituals of having his own family and couldn’t wait for their little one to arrive to make what was already perfect that much better. “How’re you feeling?” he asked as he sat on the coffee table and leaned in to kiss her.
“Pretty good. Just tired and fat.”
“You’re not fat. You’re pregnant.”
“I’m pregnant from head to toe.”
“You’re adorable.” He pushed the blonde hair back from her face, which was fuller thanks to pregnancy. “Did you get the message I left you?”
“I did. What’s up with your parents?”
“You won’t believe it.”
“They’re okay, right?”
“They are, but you know how we never talk about my dad’s family?” When she nodded, he said, “It turns out that’s because my grandfather forced my dad to choose between my mom and his original family.”
“What? Seriously?”
Hunter gave her an abridged version of the story his parents had told them.
“Oh my God. That must’ve been so awful.”
“It was, but he said emphatically that he never regretted his choice because he got to spend his life with my mom.”
“That’s so sweet and romantic.”
“Except for the part where he never saw his mother or siblings again.”
“I can’t even imagine that.”
“Neither can I. If anyone had asked me to choose between you and my siblings…”
“It’s monstrous. Why did he decide to tell you this now?”
“His father is dying and wants to see him.”
“No… No way. He’s not going, is he?”
“We’re all going. Tomorrow. We’ll be gone one night.”
“Why, Hunter? Why would he go there after what that man did to him?”
“Because he needs the closure, I think, and maybe he’s hoping to reconnect with his siblings.”
“What about his mother?”
“She died a few years ago.”
“Without ever again seeing her son. What a tragedy for both of them.”
“I know.”
“Promise me we’ll never let anything come between us and our children. No matter what they might choose that we don’t agree with…”
“That’s an easy promise to make, unless they grow up to be serial killers, of course.”
She gasped and then laughed. “Hunter! They’re not going to be serial killers!”
“I’m just saying. That’s my only line in the sand. Everything else is on the table.”
“Good to know.”
“Don’t worry, honey. I’d never let something like that happen in either my original family or our family. I wouldn’t be able to bear it.”
“Me either. So you’re going away tomorrow, then.”
“You want to come? I’m probably going to rent the same bus that took us to Boston last summer. There’re too many of us to deal with flying.”
“I’d love to go, but I think it’d be too much for me right now. You go, support your dad and hurry home.”
“I don’t want to leave you here alone.”
“I won’t be alone, Hunter. I assume not every member of the family will be going. There’ll be others around if I need anything.”
“You can’t need anything when I’m not here to get it for you.”
“I’ll try my best not to.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “You know I’d never leave you for any reason, even for just a night, if I didn’t really feel like I had to, right?”
“Of course I know that, and you absolutely have to be there for your dad. I love that you were the one who said let’s show them what came of this choice he made.”
“I bet his siblings don’t know he has ten kids.”
“It’s unreal, especially in this day and age when people are so connected. Well, everywhere but here in the cell phone wasteland known as Butler, Vermont.”
“The Butler disconnect probably saved my dad from having to see and hear all the things his family was doing without him.”
“That’s true.” She held out her arms, inviting him onto the sofa with her.
“Move it, Horace.”
The dog whimpered but gave up his space next to Megan.
“The poor guy. I know how he feels. I wouldn’t want another guy moving in on my territory either.”
“I have plenty of love for both of