She loved him. There was no doubt in his mind about it.
Still. After all these years. She'd sworn years ago that she loved him, but at the time he'd been running away from all those feelings. More than anything, he'd wanted to love and be loved. And he'd loved her back, hadn't he? Isn't that why he'd carved their initials on the bridge? And wasn't that the reason he'd left town so abruptly with nothing more than his run-down motorcycle and a few of his belongings?
Escape. Yes, he'd wanted to make his mark in the world and begin the process of becoming a success in the world of finance, but he'd also been running away from his feelings. Loving Olivia had been way too dangerous.
Before Hunter knew it, they had arrived at the tuxedo shop to pick up their tuxes and make any last minute adjustments. While Joshua was parking the “sweet little ride” rental Porsche, Hunter took the opportunity to check the status of his cell phone. He’d been charging it on the ride over. Since it was partially charged he was able to see eight missed calls on the screen, all from Simon's cell phone. After punching in his password so he could listen to his voice messages, he heard the sound of Simon's voice filled with tension and urgency.
“Hunter, we've got to move on this acquisition. We're running out of time.”
“Where are you, boss man? Call me.”
“Is this some sort of test?” Simon's voice had been filled with doubt, which may have been a first for his confident, efficient assistant.
Simon's final message, delivered this morning at eight a.m. was short and to the point. “I'm about to pull the trigger.”
Hunter took a deep breath that should have made him feel a lot calmer than he did. Before he'd left New York City he'd instructed Simon to buy controlling stock in Renault Industries once the stock dipped to a certain price point. Although his assistant had seemingly done the very thing he'd wanted, he couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach now that the deed was done. Simon's message unnerved him. I'm about to pull the trigger. The very words made him feel guilty, as if he'd just committed a heinous crime. Regret filled up his insides, flowing through him like a rushing river. The more he tried to shake off his feelings of regret, the more intense those feelings became.
What had he done?
Maybe…just maybe, it wasn’t too late. God, please help me fix this. If it isn’t too late, I want to change course.
Hunter impatiently dialed Simon's private line, relief coursing through him when his assistant answered after the second ring. Simon's clipped British accent radiated over the phone line.
“Is it too late?” he barked into the phone.
“Too late for what?” Simon asked, confusion evident in his tone.
“Simon, did you act on the acquisition?” He tried to tamp down his impatience, but there was too much riding on Simon's answer to play it cool.
“Yes, I followed your instructions. You're now the majority stock holder of Renault Industries.”
“No!” He growled in a savage tone, fighting against the rising temptation to hurl the cell phone out of the moving vehicle.
Joshua turned toward him from the driver’s seat. His brow was furrowed in confusion as he mouthed the words, “Everything okay?” Hunter gave Joshua a thumbs up sign, feigning an air of indifference despite the wild pulsing of his heart and the ripple of dread flowing through him.
“Boss, did I make a mistake?” He could hear the fear creeping into Simon's voice and he felt ashamed of himself for making him feel insecure about something he'd instructed him to do. Simon was an excellent employee. He wasn’t the one who’d done something wrong. That knowledge burned inside his gut.
“No, Simon,” he said in a more controlled voice. “I did.” Abruptly, he disconnected the call, knowing in his heart that there was no point in prolonging the conversation. What's done is done. His mother must've uttered that phrase a hundred times or more to him and his siblings when he was growing up. A broken vase. A spilled carton of milk. Staying out late well after curfew. There was no way he could compare what he'd done to those trivial things.
This was epic.
Raiding corporations was his specialty, something he'd done so often and so well that seminars were conducted about his specific skill in that area. It had made him a very wealthy man. It was second nature to him to view the weaknesses of a company, then glide in and acquire it. It was always just business. But he'd never felt this feeling in the pit of his stomach - this churning, gnawing sensation that made him feel unsettled and awful and terribly wrong.
When they arrived at the tuxedo shop, a short, olive skinned man was standing at the door awaiting their arrival. The man quickly opened the door and waved them in with a flourish.
“I am Giorgio Pietro. Welcome to Tuxes by Giorgio,” he said in a practiced tone. “It is a pleasure to serve you, Mr. Rawlings.”
Giorgio led them into his shop where his staff was lined up with eager smiles lighting up their faces. Braxon snorted and rolled his eyes while Joshua shook his head in disbelief.
“Is he for real?” Joshua asked in a loud whisper.
“Sadly yes,” Braxon said. “It's called rolling out the red carpet.”
Giorgio was heralding Hunter's arrival as if he were a combination of a famous movie star and a rock star. It made him cringe. He was used to people rolling out the red carpet for him, and truth be told, he found it useful at times. But, he wasn't used to being celebrated in his own hometown, and his natural instinct was to deflect the interest in him and let it roll off him. The truth was he was treated like this in his everyday life, twenty-four seven. Coming back home had been refreshing because no one fawned over him or made him feel like a VIP.
It was ironic. He'd always dreamt of coming home to a hero's welcome, to have all the citizens of Savannah rise up to greet him as a conquering hero. But the reality was he didn't want all that. It went way deeper. He wanted to belong. He yearned to be embraced by the town, not for all his wealth and accomplishments, but because he was one of their own. A hometown boy.
By the time he'd outfitted himself in his winter white tux, his brothers were already eyeballing themselves in the dressing room’s full-length mirror.
“You look pretty good all cleaned up,” Braxon said as he eyed Joshua in his tuxedo. “Not as handsome as Hunter and I, but you always were the ugly duckling of the family.”
“You don't look half bad yourself,” Joshua said. “Just remember not to drag those knuckles down the aisle.”
Braxton pretended to sucker punch Joshua, who grabbed him by the waist and hauled him to his shoulder before he managed to break loose from his grip. The sales assistant huffed noisily and stalked out of the dressing room. As his brothers rough housed with each other and traded insults, Hunter's mind was consumed with thoughts of Olivia. How in the world was he going to tell her that he now owned her father's company?
“If you love somebody, you have to do whatever is in your power to be with them. No matter what, don’t give up. Fight the good fight.” Jax Holden
Chapter Eleven
Savannah Country Club, established in 1897. Hunter shook his head, stifling the feeling of disbelief that kept rising up within him as he walked around the interior of the club. 1897? Had this hallowed institution really been around that long? He would bet his last dollar that until recently the Country Club had restricted membership to only those who were members of Savannah’s old money crowd. As a kid he'd caddied for a few of the members on the golf course in order to have some extra spending money in his pocket. Who would ever have imagined that all these years later he would be a guest at the rehearsal dinner for his friends?
As he walked into the grand ballroom his eyes automatically swept the room searching for Olivia. His heart starting thumping wildly in his chest as he spotted her clear across the room chatting with a well-dressed group of people and playing the bridesmaid role to perfection. Her beauty was radiant, he realized with a pang. She was the most beautiful woman he
'd ever known. Tonight she'd outdone herself. She was wearing a champagne colored dress with a form-fitting bodice that clung to her figure like a second skin. The color perfectly complimented her cafe au lait complexion. She was wearing a bright red pair of high heeled shoes that added a burst of color to her monochromatic look. Her hair was swept up in an elegant chignon style, accentuated by glittering hair jewels at the crown.
When she saw him striding towards her, she flashed him a radiant smile, making his knees buckle a bit as her beauty hit him like a thunderbolt. She'd been distracting him all day since he couldn't seem to stop thinking about her. He needed to come clean with Olivia before it all blew up in his face. He had a little bit of a reprieve since his name hadn’t yet been attached to the stock purchase. But he knew he was living on borrowed time.
At some point in the evening when things settled down and it was just the two of them, he would tell her everything. He would lay himself bare for her, if need be, and beg her forgiveness. Somehow, he would make things right. Please Lord. Help me set things to right. I care way too much about Olivia to risk losing her.
As he walked across the ballroom, heads swiveled in his direction and people began to whisper and point. “There goes Hunter Rawlings,” one woman gushed while an elderly man with a grizzled beard said, “I remember when he used to come into the Seven Eleven for a slurpie with his siblings.” He paused along the way to greet old friends and acquaintances with hugs and handshakes. By the time he reached Olivia's side he felt as if he'd walked the gauntlet. He leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek, then slid his mouth to her ear and whispered, “I've had you on my mind all day. For some reason I can't stop thinking about you.”
Olivia raised an eyebrow, then shushed him by raising a finger to her mouth. “You're not being discreet,” she admonished. “People will hear you. And see you kissing me.”
He looked around, noticing for the first time that his entire family had already arrived at the party. Sadie, who was standing a mere five feet away, was eyeballing him with suspicion and seemed to be watching closely his interaction with Olivia.
“I don't care who hears me,” he said. “I'll shout it from the rooftops if you want me to.”
She laughed and playfully swatted him with her hands. “Hunter Rawlings, you wouldn't dare make a scene at this fancy event.”
“Are you actually daring me to do something? 'Cause in case you've forgotten, there's nothing more challenging to me than a dare.”
He knew full well it wasn't the time nor the place for a public display of affection, since tonight was all about celebrating Callie and Jax, who were standing a few feet away being photographed for the local newspaper. They were doing a feature on them and how two childhood friends had found love as adults.
Hunter intended to have fun playing with Olivia and making her sweat a little bit.
Olivia quickly backtracked. “No! No! I'm not daring you! Please, please, don't take me up on that dare!”
He threw his head back and let loose with a deep-throated chuckled. He loved watching this woman, loved the way her stunning features lit up and became animated when she got excited. She was adorable. Unforgettable. And he was having trouble focusing on the festive celebration, because thoughts of Olivia consumed him like a wildfire in the brush. All he wanted to do was get her alone, far away from prying eyes and curious glances. He wanted to take her into his arms and forget that anything else existed other than the two of them. And the scary part was that he couldn’t imagine this feeling ever going away.
“Meet me outside on the terrace.” He was fighting a losing battle against his need to take her in his arms, to smell the light scent of her perfume and to brush his lips against her velvety soft skin. For a man who'd built an empire out of sheer will, he suddenly felt weak. Unsure of himself.
“We're supposed to be mingling,” she said in a prim voice.
He locked gazes with her, letting her know in no uncertain terms that he meant business. “You're the only one I want to mingle with. Fifteen minutes. Terrace.”
As Hunter walked away from Olivia, he made a beeline towards Callie and Jax, who were now standing amidst a group of well-wishers. He’d met Jax for lunch the other day at one of the local spots downtown. So far he hadn’t seen Callie until this very moment.
Callie spotted him and let out a cry of delight. “Hunter!” she cried out. “I can’t believe it’s you after all this time.” She crashed into his arms and gave him the world’s biggest bear hug. Jax looked on adoringly with the biggest grin gracing his face.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Hunter said as Callie released him from the hug.
“You look the same,” Callie said, narrowing her gaze as she studied him. “Give or take fifty million dollars.”
Hunter threw his head back and laughed enthusiastically. Only good friends could say something that brash and get away with it.
“And you, my friend, are lovelier than ever.” He lowered his voice. “Are you sure you want to marry this guy?”
“Hey!” Jax protested. “You’re supposed to be on my side as one of my groomsmen.”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me from marrying him,” Callie said, her eyes filled with adoration as she looked at Jax.
“Aww, baby. That’s really sweet,” Jax said as he lowered his head and placed a tender kiss on his bride-to-be’s lips.
The love between Jax and Callie hummed and buzzed in the air around them. He felt blessed to be part of something so spectacular. A mighty love.
The next thing he knew Hunter was being rushed by a group of old friends. Luke. Fancy. Charlotte. Morgan. And Hope. It felt like old times as they chatted and hugged and caught up on each other’s lives.
After what felt like an eternity, he looked impatiently at his watch, willing the minutes to tick by swiftly so he could take himself far away from the ballroom and straight into Olivia's heavenly embrace.
**
Olivia waited exactly sixteen minutes before she made her way outside to the terrace. As soon as she pushed the door open the cold night air greeted her. When she rounded the corner Hunter was standing there in the dark like a panther, with nothing more than the soft light of the moon to illuminate him. Before she could make her way toward him in the darkness he rushed over, pulling her into his arms in a kiss that left her breathless. His lips slanted over hers powerfully, causing her pulse to quicken and her legs to turn to jelly. A low hum thrummed in her belly. Everything else faded away.
She loved the way she fit into his arms, like two pieces of an interlocking puzzle.
“Mmm. I've been thinking about doing this all day,” Hunter whispered as he ran his hands down along her back.
“Y-You're not the only o-one.” She could hear her teeth chattering as she spoke.
“You're freezing, Liv,” he said, his brows wrinkled in concern. He reached out and rubbed her bare arms in an attempt to bring warmth to her.
She'd been so eager to meet him on the terrace that she'd left her cashmere wrap in the ballroom. “Actually, your kisses are warming me up quite a bit,” she said in a teasing voice.
Hunter took off his dark suit jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders so that it enveloped her like a warm cocoon. The jacket was infused with his very essence—it smelled woodsy with a hint of exotic spices. She pressed her nose to the fabric, deeply inhaling his masculine scent.
“Better?” he asked in a low voice.
“Much better,” she said as she snuggled into the jacket.
“See what happens when you run around trying to look cute,” Hunter said with a wicked grin. “You end up freezing your butt off.”
“I was trying to look elegant, not cute!”
“If you say so,” he said doubtfully. A mischievous look twinkled in his eyes, transporting Olivia all the way back to childhood when, more times than not, he'd been up to his elbows in mischief. But wasn't that one of the things she'd always lov
ed about him? He’d been a sweet, spirited rebel.
“What?” she asked, intrigued by the glint in his eyes.
“You look incredible tonight,” he gushed. “And you know it. Every man in the place couldn't keep their eyes off you, including my brothers.”
“You're exaggerating,” she said. Heat rose in her cheeks at Hunter's over-the-top compliment. Lord! Everything he said went straight to her head. He made her feel ten feet tall. One word from him was enough to send her rocketing into orbit.
“I don't exaggerate,” he said, his face drawn in serious lines. He reached out and placed his hands on either side of her face, his thumbs gently stroking her jaw as he gazed intensely into her eyes. “You're the most beautiful woman in the place, perhaps even in the world. You always have been.”
“I don't know about that,” she said, self-consciously smoothing the fabric hugging her waist. “I could stand to lose a few pounds.”
Hunter's eyes narrowed to slits, then flashed like fiery embers. “Olivia, you cannot be serious.” He reached out and placed both hands on either side of her face. “You're lovely. God made you as you are…sheer perfection.” He let out a groan. “Don't ever let me hear you say that mess about losing weight or needing to change yourself to look good. It makes no kind of sense.”
“Hunter,” she whispered, her throat clogging with emotion as his words washed over her. His words of praise reminded her so much of her mother's steadfast devotion. It felt like forever since she'd had this type of unconditional support. Tears gathered in her eyes and she felt a hot splash of moisture on her face.
“Baby, please don't cry,” he said as he reached out to wipe tears from her cheeks. “This night is all about celebration. Joy. Love.”
A Moment in the Moonlight (Secrets of Savannah Book 2) Page 11
