face light up. And just like that, with complete and total clarity, he realized he didn’t give a shit if it ended badly. Being with James for however long it lasted was worth whatever disappointment or heartbreak might happen in the end. Suddenly, that didn’t scare him at all. The only thing that scared him was the thought of letting James slip away and spending the rest of his life miserably wondering what could have been.
Because there wasn’t going to be another James.
James was staring at him now with only the slightest hint of nervousness in his expression, a nearly imperceptible quirk of his brows. But there was a daring look in his clear gray eyes, a wild gleam that challenged Hunter to rise up to his level of honesty.
“It is insane,” Hunter said at last. “But I can’t help it either. I think I’m in love with you, too.”
James’s eyes widened as if hadn’t seen that answer coming. As if he’d actually thought there was even the tiniest sliver of a possibility that Hunter didn’t share his feelings.
“Come on, James,” Hunter murmured, shaking his head with a smile. “Like I ever stood a chance. I wanted you from—”
James crushed his lips in a kiss, throwing his arms around his shoulders so tightly it almost hurt. Hunter hugged him back just as fiercely, though it was hard to keep up with his lips when he couldn’t stop smiling.
It didn’t matter what happened next. This was the biggest, most beautiful dream he’d ever had, and he was going to savor every fucking second.
“I gotta warn you,” Hunter laughed between kisses. “I’m gonna take it seriously.”
“You better,” James breathed, and Hunter could have sworn he saw something wet on his cheeks before James pulled him close again.
Chapter 33: Back Upriver
“Wait,” James said, stopping Hunter from turning off the truck after they parked at Spruce Market, because Kurt Cobain was only moments from breaking out into the final unearthly notes of ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night.’ “Best part.”
Hunter leaned back with a quiet laugh, reaching across the seat to take James’s hand. “Good call.”
James laced their fingers together, biting his lip to suppress a grin. It still felt weird to smile so much. It had only been a week since they’d decided to take ‘whatever this is’ and run with it.
So far, so good.
“All right?” Hunter asked him when the song finished, his eyes sparkling with affection. At James’s nod, he turned off the truck and they both hopped out.
Rose and Charlie were by the cash register, and James greeted them both with a smile.
“I knew it the day you walked in here,” Rose exclaimed at once, wagging a finger at him. “I knew it. I figured it out.”
“Should’ve told him, Rosie.” Beau emerged suddenly from between the aisles with a popsicle in his hand. “You all had him running around the woods on a snipe hunt.”
“A snipe hunt?” James asked.
“That’s not really a snipe hunt,” Hunter said absentmindedly, scanning the fishing reports near the door.
Beau grinned at James. “He knows. He’ll show you.”
“God Almighty,” Rose said. “You two do look like your mother.” All at once her face softened and she looked at James. “I’m sorry about Grace, sweetheart. How are you holdin’ up?”
“A little better these days,” James said, which was finally starting to be true. “Thank you. Did you know her?”
“I sure did,” Rose said, and proceeded to reminisce for the next thirty minutes. By the time James left the store with Hunter and Beau, he knew at least twice as much about Grace and Ruth and the Woodstocks as he’d known before.
Beau had talked about how easily history was lost in the woods. But lately James had a different perspective. In this tiny place where families stayed for generations, all kinds of memories were alive and within reach. Connections between friends and neighbors and families wove in and out through the decades like trails of footprints. You just had to care enough to follow them.
Back in the truck, Beau climbed in after James. They were all going to Deenie’s for a taco night they’d been sworn to the last time they’d gathered, and then they were going to Camp Five, where James was determined to hear whatever Beau did on a guitar that had Bud and Wanda so starry-eyed that day in the woods.
“Should I build a new cabin, Hunter?” Beau asked as soon as he buckled up, like he and Hunter had known each other for years.