Page 36 of Playing A Risk
“Hunter told me he wants to get back together. He told me this could all be mine.”
“It’s no secret he wants you back, but how do you feel?”
A wall of fog covers my thoughts as my chest heats. “I don’t know. He’s been different with me. Good different. A change I didn’t expect to see in him.”
Something grabs Mel’s attention behind me.
She smiles wide. “You were reading my mind.”
She wades over to me and I peek over my shoulder. A woman about our age with wavy, short brown hair is comingtoward us, balancing a serving tray. On it is a coffeepot and two mugs.
“Hi, I’m Katy. Hunter asked me to bring this up.” She whips a metal stand open and places the tray on it near the edge of the tub. “You must be Dorothy.”
I lift my hand out of the water to shake hers. “You can call me Dori.”
“Dori, it shall be.” She glances at Melanie as she takes my wet fingers and carefully shakes my hand. “And you’re Melanie.”
They shake hands, then Katy goes about preparing us a cup of coffee. “If you go by Dori, why does Hunter call you Dorothy?”
“It’s a pet name of sorts.” I take the mug from her extended arm. “Thank you. You’re a godsend.”
She laughs a little and then prepares Mel a cup. “Hunter said you’d say that.”
“He knows me well.” A strange tug pulls at me. I press it away as I drink my breakfast. “So, Katy, why have we never met before now?”
“Hunter didn’t want us to.”
“Why?” Melanie and I ask at the same time.
“He’s protective of you. He said you would be uncomfortable knowing I knew about your relationship.” She hands Melanie her coffee.
My eyes narrow. “So why now?”
She shrugs. “He said you may want alone time and asked me if I minded hanging around and tending to your needs. He doesn’t want you to feel like he’s hovering over you. Don’t worry. I had to sign an NDA about knowing you and Melanie are here.”
Melanie blows out a laugh. “Now I’m part of this secret affair?”
“It seems so.” Katy reassuringly smiles. “Can I get you two anything else?”
Mel points to the tray. “Do you mind bringing us some Baileys or something like that? It’s Saturday and the first day of vacation.”
“Of course. Or I can bring you an espresso martini. They’re made downstairs and taste divine.” Katy rolls her eyes back into her head.
“You convinced me.” I glance at Mel.
She agrees, and Katy disappears through the library entrance. She’s a cute girl, but I can’t get a read on her. A sudden pang of jealousy sparks my heart. Hunter has her doing so much behind the scenes.
He’s not yours, Dori.
“What was that look for?” Melanie settles back in her spot.
I shrink a little. “Don’t judge me, but I got a little jealous of Katy.”
“Why? She’s nothing like you.”
“But she’s cute, and nothing’s stopping Hunter from being with her.”
“She’s cute in a way that says I do nothing fun in bed.”
