Page 3 of Tempting Hunter
“Uncle Hunter’s coming to my house tomorrow, Grandma,” Madison announced.
“That’s just wonderful, sweetheart. Your father will be here in a moment.”
Hunter saw his twin get ready to open his mouth and gave him a look. Cooper and their father had been at odds since forever and Hunter didn’t have the strength to play referee today.
Ava came over and gathered the children. “I’m going to get them settled in the family room with a movie. I’ll be right back.”
“Hunter, how are you, son?” Edward Prescott, entered the room, his commanding presence filling the space.
He stood and embraced his father. “I’m good, Dad.”
“Okay, I’m back. What did I miss?” Ava asked as she rushed back into the room and claimed a seat on the sofa next to her husband.
“Nothing,” his mother said. “Hunter?”
Every eye turned his way. Knowing he couldn’t hold off any longer, he leaned forward, clasped his hands together and bowed his head. Granddad’s words filtered in his mind.Let the family in, Hunter.“When we were leaving the bachelor party, I fell and couldn’t move. Mark took me to the hospital and after lots of testing, the doctor said I had something called polymyositis. It’s an inflammatory muscle disease and started causing weakness in my legs and arms, then progressed to the point that I couldn’t move at all.” Hunter closed his eyes, recalling the stark fear that had gripped him, the depression and the constant “why me” questions that had dominated his mind.
“Dammit, Hunter! We should’ve been there,” his father said, running an agitated hand over his head.
“Apparently, Cooper was there.”
Cooper threw up his hands and scowled at Dominic. “Look, I’ve only known for a couple of months, so no, I wasn’t there. Can we move on?”
His mother came and sat next to Hunter and slid an arm around his shoulder. Hunter didn’t have to look at her—or Ava—to know they were crying, and Prescotts never cried. But he drew strength from the arm that had always provided comfort while growing up. “I couldn’t handle the pity and I didn’t want any of you to see me that way.” It had been hard enough for him. The first time he’d seen himself in the mirror had shocked him and sent him spiraling so deep into depression he didn’t ever think he would be able to climb out. “I was in the hospital for several months and when I came home, had twenty-four hour care. I had to learn how to do everything again—walk, dress,everything.”
“I can’t even imagine,” Maverick said. “So, this…happenedjust like that.” He snapped his fingers.
“No, you can’t imagine, and I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. It wasn’t something that happened spontaneously. My best guess was that it had been going on for about a year. The fatigue I thought had to do with my long work hours was actually the part of disease.”
Dominic raised an eyebrow. “But you’re up and around now, so you’re cured, right?”
“There’s no cure, but thank God, with the medication and therapy, my recovery has been…” He trailed off as his emotions engulfed him, once more.
“It’s been a miracle in my eyes,” his mother said, hugging him close. “Is there anything you need us to do to help you, Hunter?”
“You’re all here. That’s all I need right now.” He met his family’s gazes and knew that no matter what, he’d have their support. The room fell silent for what felt like forever.
“Grandma, when are we going to eat? I’m hungry.”
Everyone spun around at the sound of Madison’s voice and his mother said, “As soon as we finish talking to your uncle, okay, honey?”
“Uncle Hunter can you be finished, so we can eat?”
Hunter laughed for the first time since that horrible night and it felt good. “Yeah, baby girl, I can befinished.” Besides, the conversation had emotionally drained him and he needed five minutes to himself. A grim feeling settled in the pit of his stomach when he remembered that, at some point, he would have to have the same conversation again. With Michaela. Somehow, he knew it wouldn’t go as smoothly.
