Page 35 of Saving it with My Best Friend's Brother

Amelia

Midnight at Pine Haven had its kind of magic. The empty halls echoed with possibility. Moonlight crafted silver patterns through the windows, and tonight, Hunter’s office glowed like a beacon of warmth against the darkness.

I stood in his doorway, watching him pore over festival security plans. His jacket was discarded, sleeves rolled up, and hair disheveled from running his hands through it—a gesture I was learning meant he was worried. The photo from his father’s accident sat on his desk, haunting us both. Even from here, I could see the tree, the wreckage, the shadowy figure that had sparked many questions.

“You should be sleeping,” he said without looking up, but something in his voice suggested he knew exactly how long I’d been standing there.

“So should you.”

He finally raised his head, and the vulnerability in his eyes made my heart catch. The polished CEO was gone, leaving just Hunter—exhausted, worried, human. “Can’t. Too many ghosts tonight.”

I moved into the office, closing the door behind me. The click seemed to seal us in our private world. “Tell me about him. Your father.”

Hunter’s hands stilled on the papers. For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer. Then:

“He was a lot like your dad. Believed in doing things right, not just doing them profitably.” He smiled sadly. “Would have loved Pine Haven.”

I perched on the edge of his desk, close enough to feel his warmth. The moonlight through his office window cast everything in shades of silver and shadow, making the moment almost dreamlike. “What happened that night?” I asked softly. “With the photo?”

Hunter moved to the window, moonlight silvering his profile. He looked younger, like the boy who must have answered that terrible phone call. “I was fourteen when he died. That photo... it’s not what they’re trying to make it look like.”

“What do you mean?”

“The figure they’re claiming is me?” He turned to face me, shadows deepening the lines of tension in his face. “It was Jack Morrison’s father. He was there that night, supposedly ‘first on the scene.’ I didn’t understand the significance then, but now...”

“Now you think he was involved?”

“I know he was.” Hunter’s voice was rough with old pain. “Dad refused to sell his company to Crystal Ridge’s parentcorporation. A week later, his brakes failed on that mountain road.” His hand clenched at his side, a gesture so like my father’s when he talked about Mom.

My heart ached for the teenage boy he’d been, losing his father so tragically. Without thinking, I moved closer, taking his hand. His fingers were icy despite the warmth of the office. “I’m so sorry.”

“They’re trying to use that photo to create doubt,” he said, his fingers tightening around mine. “Make you question whether you can trust me.”

“It won’t work.” I squeezed his fingers, feeling the slight tremor there. “I know who you are, Hunter.”

His eyes met mine, filled with something that made my heart flutter. The moonlight caught the gold flecks in his irises, reminding me of sunlight through whiskey. “Do you?”

“Yes.” I stepped closer, drawn by the vulnerability in his expression. “You’re the man who dropped everything to help save Pine Haven. Who remembers every staff member’s name, who makes my father laugh in his hospital room, who looks at me like...”

“Like what?” His voice was barely a whisper, his free hand coming up to brush my cheek.

“Like I’m something precious.”

The moonlight cast shadows across his face as he raised his other hand to cup my cheek. His touch was gentle, reverent almost. “You are precious. More than you know.”

Time seemed to stop as he lowered his head, giving me plenty of time to pull away if I wanted to. I didn’t. His lips met mine with infinite tenderness, a kiss that felt like coming home. My hands rested lightly on his chest, feeling his heart race beneath his shirt as he cradled my face. The moment was sweet and perfect, untouched by threats or danger.

When we finally parted, he rested his forehead against mine. His breath was warm against my lips. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”

“Me too,” I admitted, smiling up at him. His hands were still cradling my face, like I might disappear if he let go.

A noise in the hallway made us step apart, though our hands remained linked. Reality intruding on our moment.

“Hello?” An unfamiliar voice called out. “Anyone here? I’m the new night security guard...”

Hunter squeezed my hand once before letting go, though reluctance showed in every movement. “Tomorrow?” he asked softly. “Dinner? An actual date?”

“Yes. I’d like that.”

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