Page 6 of Merritt and Her Childhood Crush
If I have to be essentially homeless and jobless, there are worse places than Oakley to be marooned, at least from a purely food-based perspective.
I snag a variety pack of Moon Pies—chocolate, vanilla,andbanana—and toss it in the cart before slowly hobbling onward. I probably look ridiculous, but honestly, I’m past caring, a sensation that feels both utterly foreign and completely liberating at the same time.
New York Merritt never would have left her apartment looking sweaty and disheveled with no makeup on. Even while running, New York Merritt looked polished and poised. New York Merritt also wouldn’t be buying Moon Pies after ogling Hunter Williams’s butt.
Apparently, Oakley Island Merritt is FULL of freaking surprises.
Speaking of surprises.
Neitherversion of Merritt would have agreed to come at all had Eloise informed her thatHunter Williamswas the contractor working on Gran’s house. I mean, I knew before coming that I might bump into him here. Living his perfect life. Enjoying his perfect wife.
But to be working at Gran’s where I have toseehim every day?
I never would have agreed. Unfortunately, by the time Lo mentioned Hunter’s name, I alreadyhadagreed. I was already here, even. Present. Committed.
Still, I can’t blame Lo. She has no idea the kind of history Hunter and I share. She was too young the last time we were in Oakley to realize what was going on.
Now, if Sadie were involved, this would be some kind of scheme. She likes to poke the bear more than anyone I know, and she at least has some idea of how I feel about Hunter.
Oof. Felt about Hunter.Those feelings are definitely past tense.
Theoretically, past-tense feelings mean I should be able to handle this whole situation like a grownup. I try to imagine casually talking to Hunter about bathroom fixtures and wall colors and cabinets.
Nope. Can’t picture it.
Especially not after suffering through the delicious torture of being thrown over his shoulder, smelling his new, manly Hunter smell, feeling his Hunter touch as he lightly gripped my thighs. I swear, I can still feel the imprint of his big hands.
Big hands NOT wearing a wedding band.
He probably takes it off for work reasons, I tell myself before stomping on that thought like an errant spider.
Yeah …no.This is all too much.
Sadie will have to come down here and figure out how to do her high-level security work from Gran’s carriage house.Sadiecan handle the renovations and dealing with Hunter.
Which would leave me … living with Mom and the stepdad I barely know? Oh man. No thanks. That might actually be worse.
You could just be brave and stay.
Gran’s voice echoes in my head, a light chuckle woven through her words like she’s issuing a personal challenge to me. But Gran should know better. Even the subliminal version of Gran’s voice that’s taken up residence in my head since I arrived. Gran had a front-row seat to the horror show and heartbreak my last visit to Oakley turned out to be. She’s the only other person who knows—knew—about That Day—the one where, like an enormous idiot, I drove all the way here to surprise Hunter and tell him I loved him.
Spoiler alert: never, ever decide to surprise someone you haven’t talked to in a few years to confess your love. Trust me. It won’t work out.
“Excuse me,” an older woman in a green apron emblazoned with Gator’s Groceries says, stopping next to my cart.
Her smile is blinding, and I have to remind myself that down here, it’s normal for random people to speak to you. Or smile at you.
“Hi,” I say.
“Y’all need help finding anything? Not to be rude, but you look a little lost.”
Understatement of the year. Also, I forgot how y’all can mean one person or twenty.
“No, but thank you.”
“And we do have a motorized cart if that would help.”
She eyes my ankle, which screams,Yes! Please get a motorized cart!But the rest of me cannot imagine anything more humiliating than being a twentysomething riding on a motorized vehicle through Gator’s Groceries.
