humanly possible to avoid Brody for the past five days. Right now, I was trampling a new trail through the woods to avoid the well-worn path that could be seen from the main house. Idiot. Another branch poked at my side as if to agree.
But I needed that distance. Desperately. Because the more time I spent with Brody nearby, the harder it would be to resist that pull. I started getting up even earlier. Feeding the chickens and getting in a workout before Brody would ever consider leaving his bed. I came up with excuses to avoid having meals together, and I certainly didn’t want him with me while I went into town.
I broke through the tree line and startled a curse out of Hunter. He whirled on me. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“Sorry. I was, uh, just trying a new way down to the water.”
Hunter’s lips twitched. “Still avoiding Brody, huh?”
I gripped the cuff of my sleeve, tugging it down. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, you don’t. You know, even a blind man could see the chemistry between you two. It clogs the air when you’re around each other.”
“It does not.”
Hunter let out a bark of laughter. “Still in the denial phase.”
Yes, I was. And that was where I planned to stay. It was safe in denial land. Even if I did have brush and branch scratches all over my body. “There’s nothing going on between us.” Just chemistry that would probably burn me alive.
Hunter sobered. “You’ve done a real good job of keeping people out. I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it’s because you got hurt somewhere along the line. But the thing is, a life alone is a hell of a lot more painful than the hurt you’d get by letting people in.”
I stayed quiet. Hunter didn’t know that letting people in could literally get me killed. Get them killed.
“Don’t get me wrong. There’s pain in every relationship. But you’re going to get a lot more good mixed in. If you stay out there on your own little island all alone, you’re in for nothing but that hurt. Maybe it’s worth taking a risk.”
I took a deep breath and swallowed the urge to tell Hunter to mind his own business. “Are you a contractor or a therapist?”
He grinned. “You’d be surprised how often those two intersect. Building someone a home, restoring what’s been damaged, it can bring up a lot of feelings.”
“It’s made you pretty damn observant, too,” I muttered.
He held up both hands in mock surrender. “I just call ‘em like I see ‘em. You don’t have to listen to a word I say.”
I made a humming noise in the back of my throat. The problem was, I couldn’t unhear Hunter’s words. Forget his astute observations. I had been standing alone on my island for as long as I could remember. And for the first time, Brody had coaxed me off. But the second I got scared, I went running back. I didn’t know any other way.
I sighed and patted Hunter’s arm. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Anytime. And you know you’re always welcome to come to our Saturday night get-togethers at The Catch. Caelyn and Griffin always go. My brother and his fiancée. A couple of other friends. It might be good for you to get out and about. Be with people and listen to some live music.”
His offer tugged at my heart. The sheer kindness of it. “I’ll think about it. Thank you.”
Hunter gave me a chin jerk. “Open invitation.”
“I’m heading into town for mail and supplies. Do you need anything?”
“Nope. All good here.”
I moved before I could think twice, reaching up on my tiptoes to give Hunter a quick peck on the cheek. “You’ve got a kind heart. Make sure you keep it that way.”
Hunter flushed. “Don’t tell Brody you kissed me. I don’t want to get fired.”
I choked on a laugh and headed for the dock. The entire trek to Anchor, Hunter’s words played on an endless loop in my head. I saw the merit in them. And I sure as hell didn’t want to live the rest of my life never letting another soul truly see me. Was that what I had signed up for? I’d been so sure that Michael wouldn’t last a month out of detention before doing something to get sent back. But it was almost April and…nothing. I checked arrest reports weekly for his name and hadn’t seen or heard a peep.
Guilt gnawed