Page 45 of X My Heart

Hunter

Iglance at her before I turn my attention to the main house. What the fuck just happened? She closes the passenger side door and looks at me.

I tap my fingers on the steering wheel. “If you want, contrary to what some people believe, I’m a good listener.” I refuse to let her go without her telling me what the hell is going on. I’m not going to back off, no matter how hard she tries to push me away.

She flashes me a small smile. “I don’t know where to begin to tell you the truth.”

“We all need a friend you know. I thought I didn’t need anyone for a very long time, and that worked out great until I changed, or started to change,” I answer. All the lights are on in the house, if Jay finds out what we did he’d probably grab his shotgun. Then I spot Drew, Mac and the man in question sitting on the porch, talking and laughing.

Jay turns his head and stands, looking in the direction of the truck. She shrinks back in her seat. The car windows are slightly tinted and still a little fogged up so he can’t see us—I hope.

His smile turns into a grimace. I swear under my breath, because I forgot my dirt bike is in the truck bed.

“Want something to eat?” I ask, at the same time that Jay shakes his head and turns around. Better if he doesn’t see her like this, like she just got her brains fucked out.

“You’re always feeding me,” she says, smiling.

“Babe, one gust of wind and you’ll be flying to the track,” I joke.

She grins, shaking her head. “Okay. With Jay probably wanting to kill us both,” she says, motioning to her father, “what did you have in mind?”

“I know a great place not far from here.” My hands grip the steering wheel tighter. I hope she’ll say yes. “Least I can do for being my asshole self for the last couple of days. And damn, babe, I’m starved after what we just did.”

She is quiet for a moment, biting her lip, probably weighing her options. “And maybe we can talk about what just happened,” she says after a couple seconds. “You’re not an asshole, Hunter. Maybe a pain in the ass, as Jay would say.”

“I’ll take it, babe,” I answer, barking out a laugh.

It doesn’t take me long to get to the diner and park in the rear, luckily she looks a little better. “I’ll just send Jay a quick text,” she mumbles, typing on her phone.

“That we’re having dinner?”

She locks eyes with me. “Should I?”

“Shorty, you can do whatever the fuck you want,” I say, stepping out.

Following me outside she asks, “This is it?” a soft smile playing on her lips.

“Yep, this is it,” I say, spreading out my arms.

She stares up at the old nineteen-fifties style eatery, the side of her mouth twitching.

“Hasn’t changed one bit since nineteen-fifty-eight,” I explain to her.

She nods, not saying anything, following me toward the door. Once inside, the bell dings, and some Elvis tune is playing in the background. The restaurant is packed.

“Well, by God,” May, the seventy-year-old owner drawls. “Clay!” she yells, calling her husband. “It’s Hunter, with a cut under his eye.”

“A black eye?” Clayton yells from the kitchen. He pauses. “Again?”

I roll my eyes at Sky, and she laughs.

May gives me a hug, and a kiss on my cheek. Clay comes out and slaps me on the back. “Boy, I haven’t seen you in here for a long time,” he says.

“I know,” I tell them, focusing on the tiles on the floor. “Been doing competitions.”

May pinches my cheek. “Have you been walking the line, honey?”

“I try.” I smile. Man, why am I fucking nervous?

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