“Where's Braxon and Joshua?” he asked as he shot a casual look around the place. He was happy to see the lawn was impeccably maintained and the grass was a pretty shade of green. Clearly, things had changed since the days when their grass was wildly overgrown and burnt a pale yellow shade from the sun. Gone also was the peeling paint on the house and the distinct look of ill repair.
Sadie and Mae exchanged furtive glances. Neither one of them seemed eager to answer his question.
“Oh, no. What's wrong?” he asked as a feeling of dread rushed through him.
“It's Joshua. He got arrested last night in a bar fight. They ordered him to be held overnight in the county jail. Braxon went to bail him out.” Much like Sadie, her words were blunt and to the point.
Hunter let out a groan. Joshua was the eldest Rawlings brother. He'd been to hell and back fighting as a soldier in the Middle East and he'd recently returned home after three tours of duty. Ever since his return Joshua had been plagued by flashbacks, night terrors and extreme mood swings. His return to civilian life had been extremely rocky and the entire family was concerned about his well-being. Not once prior to being in a war zone had Joshua ever been involved in a brawl. He'd always been a gentle giant – tough but tender. A teddy bear through and through.
“Things haven't gotten any better, have they?” he asked, fear rippling through him as he thought about the bleak possibilities of his brother's condition.
“No, son, they haven't,” his mother answered with a pained expression on her face. “In some ways things have gotten worse. At the moment we're shooting around in the dark looking for a way to help him.”
It wasn't easy being a parent, Hunter realized. Even when your kids were grown up and out of the nest, the worrying never went away. He could see the worry lines on Mama's face, the frown lines that were now permanently etched beside her mouth. The chinks in his mother's armor had first appeared after the sudden death of his father. And she hadn't had a moment's peace the entire time Joshua was enlisted. It was almost as if fear had become her constant companion – fear of losing yet another person she loved. And now, despite the fact that Joshua had returned home from military service, there was still a battle raging inside of him.
Joshua was the oldest, with Hunter sandwiched in the middle and Braxon the youngest of the boys. Sadie brought up the rear as the baby of the bunch. Although they'd always been a handful, Joshua had been the calmest of the bunch. Other than his father, Joshua had been the person in the world he'd most admired. He couldn't imagine having the courage to withstand three tours of duty in a war zone. He didn't know if he'd have been able to do one tour of duty, never mind three.
The crunch of tires on the gravel heralded the arrival of Joshua and Braxon, who drove up in a broken down Jeep Wrangler that had certainly seen better days. A flash of irritation nipped at Hunter. He'd given Braxon unlimited access to his fortune and he still insisted on driving around in a beat-up car. What in the world was he doing driving around in a wreck? Couldn't his little brother ditch that chip on his shoulder long enough to invest in a better car?
At just under six feet, Braxon was a few inches shorter than Hunter, with a compact, rugged physique. With skin the color of burnished wood and heavy-lidded, brown eyes, Braxon was a striking looking man. On a dare he'd shaved every strand of hair off his head in the dead of winter. Two years later and he was still sporting a bald head. With his strong, masculine features and rugged physique, it only served to make him more appealing to the ladies, who thought he favored the buff actor, Vin Diesel. Much to Mae's displeasure, Braxon had a reputation around town as a lady’s man.
“Surprised you made it back here in that thing,” Hunter called out to his brother as he exited on the driver's side of the Jeep.
“Surprised you're still not buying American,” Braxon drawled as he cast a dismissive glance at the Kawasaki.
“It's nice to know some things never change,” Joshua said with a cheeky grin as he bounded across the yard and pulled Hunter into a bear hug. It always amazed him how massive Joshua was, both in height and breadth. At six foot four he was the tallest of the brothers. His wide shoulders were strong and steady. Physically, he was a machine, which was one of the reasons he'd been such a successful soldier. His skin was a warm cocoa color, and his caramel colored eyes were his most dramatic feature. The cleft in his chin lent him the look of a wayward angel.
The brothers hugged it out for a moment, exchanging a few private words between themselves. Braxon stood off to the side, silently observing the joyful moment between his brothers, the beginnings of a smile making his mouth twitch.
“Give your brother some love,” Mae admonished as she wagged a finger at Braxon. Hunter pulled his younger brother towards him so that all of them were entangled in a three-way hug fest.
“Aww, you guys,” Sadie said as she burst into tears, surrendering to the emotion of the family reunion. Mae put her arms around her daughter and squeezed her tightly, her eyes misting with tears as she surveyed all four of her children back in the fold.
“God is good,” she said as she raised her hands up in praise to the heavens.
Hunter stood shoulder to shoulder with his family, soaking in all the love and attention he'd craved for years. There was nothing like this in the world – not climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, not dating a supermodel, not making his first million dollars. This rush of feeling coursing through him was invigorating. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been filled with so much joy. For the first time in a very long time he didn't feel so achingly alone.
“Love comes when you least expect it. When it does, remember to grab ahold of it. And no matter what happens, don’t let go.” Callie Duvall Holden
Chapter Four
“Tell me everything. And don’t leave out even a sliver of information.” Callie’s beautiful face was animated. She leaned forward across the table and stared at Olivia with unbridled enthusiasm. With her eyes wide, mouth slightly open, Callie resembled her eight-year-old self. Olivia began to chuckle.
They were sitting in Callie’s light and airy kitchen in the guest cottage at Savannah House, the property they had recently inherited on Tybee Island, a small barrier island twenty minutes from downtown Savannah. Callie had been living on the property of the estate for several months now, just prior to Miss Hattie’s passing. She hadn’t yet decided if she would stay on at the cottage after her marriage to Jax, who owned a condo right in the city.
“He’s as gorgeous as ever,” Olivia acknowledged, letting out a small sigh as Hunter’s face popped into her head. “Would you believe he drove all the way here on a motorcycle? And he looked like the original bad boy when he roared away on it,” Olivia said with a chuckle. “All swagger and confidence.”
“Sounds like the Hunter we know and love.”
Olivia wagged her finger at her best friend. “Don’t tease me.”
Callie giggled. “It’s just an expression, although something tells me it’s not far from the truth.” Callie wagged her eyebrows at Olivia.
Olivia raised a hand to her heated cheeks. “I’ll admit my heart was racing the whole time. It felt surreal. After all these years he was standing in front of me, laughing and talking. And he looked different, but the same if that makes sense.” Olivia shook her head. “I know it’s crazy, but it felt like no time at all had passed since we’d last seen each other. I was a little nervous, but we fell right into a natural banter.”
Her best friend sent her a knowing glance. “I’ll bet. That’s how it is sometimes when you really truly have bonded with someone. And from what I remember, the two of you shared something special.”
Olivia bit her lip. “We did. I was head over heels in love with him.” Tears swam in Olivia’s eyes as she remembered how deep her feelings had been for Hunter. They had been so very real. It had broken her heart when Hunter had left Savannah.
Callie reached across and squeezed her hand. “I know you were.
In case no one has ever told you, Olivia Renault, you wear your heart on your sleeve.”
Olivia let out a sigh. “Ain’t it the truth. I suppose that’s the way the good Lord made me and there’s not much I can do about it. Although sometimes I wish there was.”
Callie made a tutting sound. “He made you into the wonderful woman you are, Olivia. Having a heart as big as the ocean isn’t a bad thing. Matter of fact, I think it’s pretty terrific.”
Olivia shook her head. “Let’s change the subject. We need to get down to business about Savannah House. The renovations are almost finished, which means we have to figure out our timeline as well as the different roles we’ll be playing.”
Callie nodded. “We need to have a meeting with all of us present so we can discuss this in further detail. Sooner rather than later. After that, I have to admit I’m going to be tied up with the wedding and my honeymoon. But I think we have some wiggle room since the renovations are still ongoing.”
Olivia let out a squeal. She was so happy for Callie and Jax. They made such a beautiful couple. Jax had loved Callie from afar for years and years, yet it had only been recently that Callie had given in to her feelings and fallen for her childhood buddy.
One day I’ll find my Prince Charming too. Olivia blinked away the image of Hunter that passed through her mind. How was it possible that after all these years she still thought of him that way? If Prince Charming rode fancy motorcycles and wore leather jackets, she thought with a smile.
“It shouldn’t be a problem,” Olivia reassured Callie. “Hope has her hands full with the baby and Fancy is still trying to wrap up things in New York. We’ve got a little time to play with. But let’s get together in a few days and get things moving.”
“I agree,” Callie said with a nod, her red hair tumbling over her shoulders. “Thankfully, everything is structurally sound. Miss Hattie did a good job of keeping everything fairly up to date, especially considering the fact that Savannah House hasn’t been used as a resort for several years.”
“I still can’t believe what a wonderful gift she bestowed on us,” Olivia gushed. “And I can’t help but think she wanted us to renew our friendships. She was making sure that we would be a united front. Miss Hattie believed in us.”
Over the past few years the friendships among the six friends had been fractured. Fancy, who had once been engaged to Callie’s cousin, Case, had felt betrayed by her friends in the aftermath of her broken engagement. The circumstances were complicated, but Fancy had made a terrible mistake in her relationship and turned to another man out of fear and loneliness. Case had found out about her emotional affair and broken off their engagement. Charlotte, as Case’s sister, had felt torn apart by choosing sides. Fancy, believing one of her friends had betrayed her by telling Case about her involvement with another man, ended her friendships with the girls and moved to New York City to pursue a modeling career. Little by little all the friendships—with the exception of her and Callie’s—had eroded. The inheritance from Miss Hattie had brought them all back together for a common purpose.
Not only would the six young women be sharing ownership of Savannah House, but each would be responsible for an area of the resort to oversee. Callie, due to her background in business, would be handling the finances and accounting, while Morgan would be the chef for Savannah House. Olivia was still trying to figure out her role in the scheme of things. All she knew for certain at the moment was that she wanted to deal with the clientele. People were her forte.
Olivia glanced at her watch then jumped up from her seat. “Oops. I better scoot. I’m hosting Mae and Sadie tonight for dinner. And we have a special guest…Hunter.”
Callie let out a squeal. “How exciting. You’ll get a chance to get reacquainted. I know Jax is thrilled that he came back for the wedding.”
Olivia reached out and hugged Callie. “We’re all excited for the wedding of the century. I can’t tell you how happy I am for the two of you.”
Olivia let go of Callie, who was tearing up. “Now we just have to get you married off, Olivia. Remember we vowed to raise our kids as the best of friends.”
How could Olivia forget their childhood promise? It had been their most fervent wish. Olivia wasn’t sure how to respond to Callie’s statement. Although she would love to get married and settle down, she feared it might not happen for her. There hadn’t been a single man who had made her heart beat fast…not since Hunter had faded from her life.
And she knew that the feelings she still harbored for Hunter might stand in the way of living out all her dreams. How could any man ever compete with him?
As she drove back to town from Tybee Island, she uttered a prayer for guidance. Dear Lord, please don’t let me tumble back into love with Hunter. Yes, I have strong feelings for him, but I never want to feel that I’m living and breathing for him and that I might die if he’s not in my orbit. Been there, done that. He already broke my heart once. I can’t afford a second go-round.
**
It was official, Olivia thought as she flung herself on her Queen sized sleigh bed. She was a mess! For over an hour she'd rummaged through her closet like a maniac trying to come up with an outfit to blow Hunter away. She'd tried half a dozen outfits on, finally narrowing it down to a tomato red silk jumpsuit she'd bought at a local boutique and a nude colored sheath dress she'd purchased in one of the shops on Tybee Island. All the clothes in her closet were several years old. Despite the fact that she still had numerous credit cards tied into her father's account, she didn't have the heart to use them under the present financial circumstances. Those days were gone, perhaps forever if Renault Industries went belly up. Impulsively, she grabbed the red jumpsuit and put it on, then quickly brushed out her hair and applied some lipstick and eyeliner.
It would have to do. If only she was a size or two smaller this outfit would be sheer perfection, she thought with a critical eye. As it was the fabric clung to her curves like a second skin, making her feel self-conscious about her shape. Own your curves. Her mother's voice rang out in her head, serving as a vivid reminder of her tendency to doubt herself. Her mother had been her biggest cheerleader in life. She'd always supported Olivia in every endeavor she pursued, whether it was baton twirling or ice skating. When Olivia had complained about her figure and her desire to lose weight, her mother had always encouraged her to walk proudly in the world. Olivia stared at her reflection and smiled at the woman looking back at her. She knew she looked beautiful and that she was simply doubting herself.
A few minutes later, with Rascal following closely at her heels, she opened the door to Hunter, Sadie and Mae. Mae pulled her into her arms for a warm hug and held out a bottle of Merlot for them to enjoy over dinner. Immediately, Hunter's eyes slid over her, a look of male appreciation etched on his handsome face. It immediately caused goosebumps to pop up on her arms.
Ugh. Why did she have to react to every slight gesture or movement on his part? Why was she so weak when it came to Hunter?
Hunter slowly nodded his head approvingly and flashed her a carefree grin. Her stomach began to flutter nervously as he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, his lips lingering for a few seconds too long. When he pulled away from her she could feel the hot rush of warm air against her face as he whispered, “You always did have the most beautiful lips, Liv.”
Liv. It's what he used to call her back in the day when they were dating. Dating? Was that really what it had been between them? It all seemed so long ago, almost as if it happened in another lifetime, an alternate universe. It had lasted all of six months – six glorious months when they'd secretly been boyfriend and girlfriend. One hundred and eighty days of pure bliss.
Olivia and Hunter. The rebel and the rich girl.
She'd loved him from afar since she was a kid, and he'd always treated her like a pesky tomboy, until he'd seen her decked out at the high school dance in tight leather pants and a form fitting lace bustier. That outfit had been tucked i
nto her gym bag and she had switched up her outfit in the school bathroom so her parents wouldn’t balk at the risqué attire.
Olivia smiled at the memory of Hunter pulling her onto the dance floor and slow dancing with her to one of her favorite songs. He'd whispered in her ear, “You have the most beautiful lips, Liv.” And then he'd kissed her, his lips slanting over hers in a possessive, soul-shattering kiss that had left her breathless. And more in love with him than she'd ever been. Or could ever hope to be.
And now, all these years later, he'd spoken the same words to her in a sweet, teasing voice that hinted of their romantic past. Beautiful lips. Those words brought to mind tender kisses in the moonlight and a love so poignant and pure that it had crushed her under its weight.
Mae and Sadie were staring at her strangely while Hunter stood off to the side with a gigantic smirk on his face. He'd distracted her to the point where she had no idea of what Mae and Sadie had said to her. And Hunter couldn't have been more pleased with himself for distracting her with his charm and good looks. She let out a low groan of frustration. He knew what he was doing to her! Of that she felt certain.
“Pardon,” Olivia said as she drew herself out of her thoughts. “I didn't hear what you said.” Since I was too busy dreaming about smooching your too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good son.
Mae patted her on the arm, her sweet face full of concern and motherly affection. “I was just asking if you needed any help in the kitchen.”
“Thanks for asking, but I'm good. I've been prepping the food for most of the afternoon.”
“Where'd you go just now?” Sadie asked as she looked back and forth between Olivia and her brother. “You seemed to zone out for a few moments there.”
Hunter reached out and grabbed his sister by the shoulders, giving her a gentle shaking as he said, “Give her a break. She's making dinner for five people. Not that you would know anything about that, would you?” he asked in a teasing voice. “You can't even boil water.”
A Moment in the Moonlight (Secrets of Savannah Book 2) Page 4
