The Cottage Next Door Read online

  He hadn’t given her any reason to stay. Fuck. He’d told her to go.

  Hunter pushed away from the table. That had been the plan. He hadn’t wanted to give her a reason to hang around with him any longer. He’d backed away for a reason. He didn’t want to hold her back. She needed to get on with the rest of her life.

  And he… What did he need?

  Was he going to spend the rest of his life mourning Jenny? Would she want him to live his life that way?

  Maybe he could get some closure by visiting the one place he’d avoided since Jenny’s death.

  He climbed back into the SUV and called a number he hadn’t dialed in almost two years. “Deb? It’s Hunter.”

  “Hunter? Oh my God, Hunter! How are you? Brad, it’s Hunter!”

  He could picture Jenny’s mom, with her close-cropped blond hair and tailored clothing and perfect makeup. Brad, Jenny’s father, had a very successful accounting business he ran from home. Deb interrupted him all the time, and Hunter suddenly realized that was probably the reason Jenny had thought it was fine to break in on Hunter anytime she wanted to. She’d never understood that analytical work like her father did and creative work like Hunter’s were two totally different animals.

  “I’m good. Listen, I know this is short notice, but you said I could call anytime.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m on my way home from Florida. I thought about driving straight through but…”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. You come here. Stay here. I’ll make dinner. We can catch up.”

  “It might be pretty late before I get there.”

  “We’ll wait.”

  It was almost dark when he reached Deb and Brad’s house. He was exhausted. How could he have ever thought to drive straight through? He was getting too old for this shit. There had been one more text alert after his last pit stop, so as soon as he pulled in the long circular driveway, he grabbed his cell.

  I got the job!!!!!!

  Hunter almost called her before he caught himself. He didn’t want to talk to her. Besides, he had to get inside. He sent her a text.

  Congrats! Not slinging burgers I hope? He’d wait a few minutes before he went inside, in case she was near her phone. The reply came almost immediately.

  Thanks. Receptionist in a lawyer’s office. Guy I graduated with. My high school sweetheart. :)

  What was it about high school sweethearts? And what was this twist of jealousy in his gut?

  Don’t let him take advantage of you, he texted back.

  A knock at the driver’s-side window startled him. Brad was peering in, a confused frown on his face. Hunter opened the door, clutching his cell in one hand.

  “I thought that must be you. Are you okay?”

  Hunter climbed out of the car, shoving his cell in his pocket. “Yeah. Sorry. Just reading a text.” He reached out his hand. “How are you?”

  Brad took his hand, then pulled him in for a quick hug. “Good. Come on in. Deb has dinner waiting.”

  As soon as he stepped into the wide, marble foyer, Deb stepped forward in a crisp black-and-white dress and heels. She grasped his shoulders. “You look terrible.”

  “Deb, give the guy a break. He’s been driving all day.” Brad wore freshly pressed trousers and a button-down shirt. Hunter knew he looked like shit in wrinkled shorts and the rumpled white T-shirt Sylvie had worn a few days ago.

  As if on cue, his text alarm chimed and it took all his willpower not to whip out his phone right then and there.

  “Let’s get you a drink. Dinner’s been waiting for hours.” Deb grabbed his arm to lead him into the dining room where he knew they had a well-stocked bar. But no beer. At least they never had before, but she opened the minifridge behind the bar and pointed to the six-pack sitting on the bottom shelf.

  “For me?” Hunter asked with a smile.

  “Yes, for you,” Deb said, returning the smile. “You can take the rest with you when you go. I don’t know how you can drink that stuff.” She handed him a can and a pilsner glass. “Go on and take a seat. Brad, help me in the kitchen.”

  Alone for a moment, Hunter slid the cell phone out of his pocket to read Sylvie’s answering text. Maybe I want to be taken advantage of.

  What? He better keep his hands off you. He hit send before he thought about whether that was a good idea or not.

  Do you want to put your hands on me?

  Desperately. I can’t.

  Well, there’s a guy somewhere who can!

  The thought of some well-dressed lawyer with his hands on Sylvie made Hunter growl as he stared at the screen. Fletcher’s words came back to him. If he couldn’t let himself love again, he had to let Sylvie go. It wasn’t fair to her.

  But was it his love for Jenny that was holding him back now?

  “Hunter? Is everything all right?” Deb asked. She and Brad had come in from the kitchen each holding serving dishes.

  He must have looked kind of crazy growling at his phone. “Sorry.” He turned off the cell and shoved it back into his pocket.

  “Bad news?” Brad asked as he passed a plate of grilled chicken breasts.

  “No. Actually a friend with some good news.”

  “Well, dig in. You must be starved.” Deb laughed, high and brittle. “I know I am.”

  Dinner didn’t go as well as Hunter had hoped. Drinks flowed more freely than the conversation, but what had he expected when the three of them avoided all talk of Jenny, like her ghost wasn’t sitting right there with them at the elegant dining table?

  He didn’t know what he thought he’d get from this visit. Hugs and forgiveness maybe? For all of Deb’s apparent happiness at hearing from him, she frowned at him now over her third, or maybe it was her fourth, martini. Brad had stopped talking altogether, but then he’d never been one for small talk anyway.

  Hunter decided he’d take one more stab at conversation and then he’d plead exhaustion. It wouldn’t be a lie. Maybe he’d get a few more pages written if he couldn’t sleep.

  “Finally started a new book,” he said, then got up and grabbed a second beer.

  “Great,” Brad said. “Another in the series?”

  “Yeah. Book six.”

  “Well, good for you,” Deb said sarcastically. “At least you don’t have a marriage to break up now with your stupid scribbling.”

  Her caustic tone stopped Hunter halfway back to the table. “What?”

  “Deb, don’t,” Brad said softly.

  “Jenny told us how unhappy she was. How you ignored her. She told us—”

  The overcooked meal turned to stone in Hunter’s stomach. Things hadn’t been that bad. Sure they’d argued, but all couples argued.

  “Deb, don’t,” Brad said again, sharper this time.

  She tossed her head scornfully at Brad and turned a dark gaze on Hunter. “If not for you, she’d still be alive.”

  The force of Deb’s hostile gaze sent Hunter stumbling back, the accusation hitting him smack in the middle of his chest. He had to get out of here, away from the parents who lost their only child.

  “I shouldn’t have come.” He grabbed the rest of the six-pack from the fridge and staggered past the table. Brad stood with an apologetic look on his face, but Deb’s glare still burned. “Thanks…thanks for dinner. I’m out of here.”

  He’d nursed that first beer all through dinner, trying to be polite, but as soon as he sank into the driver’s seat, he guzzled the second can. Then he picked up a third beer from the passenger seat, but didn’t pop the top. Not yet. He rolled the cool can between his palms.

  It would be so easy to slide back to the bottom of that pit again. Too easy to feel sorry for himself. To let the loneliness weigh him down, hold him down. He could drink the rest of the six-pack and hang out here in the driveway until morning.

  He th
ought about Sylvie and scrambled to turn his phone back on. His text chime rang immediately. Another text from only five minutes ago. Sitting on the front porch in the dark thinking of you.

  Sylvie was the reason he’d never sink to rock bottom again. He put down the beer can and dialed her number.

  “Hey,” she said. Her soft voice soothed him right away.

  “Can’t sleep?”

  “Haven’t even tried yet. Riley’s sprawled out here beside me. He doesn’t have any trouble falling asleep.”

  “No. He never did.” He chuckled and pushed the seat back as far as it could go. “Congrats on the job, by the way.”

  “Thanks. I got lucky. My mom started getting the word out before I got here. I think it’ll be a good fit. We’ll see when I start training.”

  “You’ll do great.”

  “I hope so. How’s the book coming?”

  “Good. I hate taking the time away while I travel, but my hand needed the break.”

  “Where are you now?”

  “At Jenny’s parents’ in northern Virginia. I thought I’d stop and see them on the way home, but it didn’t go well. I had to get away. I’m sitting outside in the driveway now.”

  “I’m sorry. Want to talk about it?”

  It was like those nights back at the cottages when they were just voices in the dark. It was easier to talk that way. “They blame me for the accident. For making their daughter miserable. For being alive when she’s not.”

  Sylvie was quiet for so long he wondered if she had fallen asleep. Then he heard her deep sigh. “Is that her parents talking? Or you?”

  “Sylvie…”

  “It doesn’t matter whether they forgive you or not. You have to be able to forgive yourself. Not for the accident. You know that wasn’t your fault. But for surviving when she didn’t. That’s the tough one. I know.”

  Hunter clutched the phone, his hand cramping like it did when he was writing. The darkness weighed down on him from all sides. Sylvie’s voice was his only world right now. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “You’re allowed to be happy, Hunter.” She sounded strong, fierce, and it made him smile even though he didn’t know if he believed her words.

  “Try to get some sleep,” he said, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say that didn’t sound pathetic.

  “You too. Drive careful tomorrow.”

  He didn’t want to lose touch with her, but there was nothing more to say. “Good night, Sylvie.”

  “Night.”

  Hunter dropped his head back and closed his eyes, leaned the seat back as far as it would go. He was exhausted.

  He jumped when there was a pounding on the driver’s door. He opened his eyes and saw Deb standing there. Fuck. He rubbed his eyes and shoved the door open. “Okay. Okay. I’ll get off your property. I’ll—”

  “No. Hunter. I’m sorry.” She knelt down beside the car on the grass in her dress and heels. In the dim glow from the car’s interior light he could see her makeup was a mess. She’d been crying. “I’m so sorry. I’m a lousy drunk, as you can see. I haven’t had a drink in months but when I saw you it all came back.

  “I miss her still.” She sniffed. “But I had no right to attack you. I’m sorry. I don’t think you’re to blame for the accident.” She took his hand. “Please come in the house. Don’t sleep out here. Please forgive me.”

  Hunter got out of the car and knelt beside her in the cool grass. “I still miss her too. Can you forgive me for not making her happy?”

  “She was never happier than when she was with you.”

  “But you said…”

  “She liked to complain. You know that. I imagine she got it from me,” she said with a sigh. “There’s nothing to forgive.”

  “But I lived. And she died.”

  “Oh, Hunter.” She placed her hand on his cheek. “Do I wish you’d both lived? Of course. But I don’t wish you’d both died.”

  Sloppy tears rolled down his face. “I loved her so much.”

  “I know. She loved you too.” Deb laughed. Sobbed. “Look at us. I don’t think she’d like to see us like this.”

  No, she wouldn’t. Still, kneeling there in the damp grass, Hunter couldn’t stop the words from bursting out. “I failed her.”

  Her expression softened, fuzzy through his tears. “You know that’s not true.”

  He scrubbed the tears away. “We had such a great life planned out.”

  She clutched both his hands so tightly he fought a grimace. “And now you have to live that life without her.” Deb’s voice cracked but stayed strong. “And that’s okay. That’s the way it should be. Don’t feel guilty because of it.”

  He could hear Sylvie’s silky drawl coming out of the darkness, talking about Matt. The best way to honor him is to live a full and happy life.

  “Oh, man…” She’d been right. He could see it now. He’d been putting his life on hold too. Well, he wasn’t going to do that any longer. He was going to live it.

  “You’re allowed to be happy again, Hunter,” Deb murmured, echoing Sylvie’s words.

  The stars sparkled in the sky above them, the moon a bright beacon. He smiled. The weight of his guilt that had been holding him down for the past two years lifted away.

  “I’ll never forget Jenny,” he said. “I’ll always love her.”

  “Of course, you will. But love is a wonderful thing,” Deb said, still holding his hands. “It fills your heart, stretches it. Makes it grow even bigger.”

  “Yeah.” He loved Sylvie. He knew it now. Hell, he’d known it for days. His heart was big enough to love her too.

  He helped Deb to her feet and followed her into the house. He thought he might be able to sleep tonight.

  Sylvie had resisted texting Hunter all day. It was almost dinnertime now, and she couldn’t stand the idea of not having some kind of contact with him, even if he didn’t respond. So she sent him another picture of Riley splashing in the creek. Riley misses you.

  It wasn’t quite the same as being at the beach, but sitting here by the water with Riley was the closest Sylvie could feel to Hunter. There was a little house down the road advertised as rent to own. It had a big yard that backed up against this same creek. Maybe they’d be interested in simply renting it for a while.

  She’d been so lucky to move back to town right at the time Greg’s pregnant receptionist decided not to go back to work after the baby was born. She’d given her two-week notice and would start training Sylvie on Monday. It sounded like the receptionist position was more than answering the phones and making appointments. There was talk of filing and organizing and assisting. She was looking forward to it.

  Sylvie was on her way to building her new life. She’d have liked to have Hunter as a part of that life, but if it didn’t happen, she knew she could move on without him. She would probably love the jerk for the rest of her life, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t find someone else if she had to.

  Her text chime rang out and she pick up her cell from where it lay in the grass. I miss him too. Then another. And I miss you.

  She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. That was something. Maybe they still had a chance. Maybe he’d—

  Another text. You make me happy.

  Tears prickled Sylvie’s eyes. Riley started barking and shot across the backyard. Sylvie whirled around to see a figure of a man rounding the back corner of the house. She smiled as he crouched down and opened his arms. Riley barreled into him, knocking him down. She could hear the now-familiar laughter from her spot by the creek.

  Her heart raced. Soared. She wanted to run to him, but let the man and dog have their reunion. She wasn’t going anywhere.

  Riley thoroughly kissed Hunter’s face, whining as if it had been years since he’d seen him instead of a few days. Lying on the ground beneath the wr
iggling dog, his arms wrapped around him, Hunter knew he’d come home. After a couple minutes of hugs and kisses, Hunter pushed up to his knees. “Let’s go get Sylvie, boy.”

  Riley barked and took off. Hunter followed close on his heels. Sylvie jumped up and met them halfway. Finally, she was in his arms again. Kissing him again. He had his family back.

  “I missed you,” he whispered in her ear. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”

  She squeezed him tight. “You’re here now.” She leaned back to stare him in the eye. “You are here, right?”

  “I’m here.” He cupped her face. “I love you, Sylvie. I wish I could have said it back at the cottage, but it took me longer than you to get over all my crap.”

  “I love you too.” Her smile lit up her whole face. “Oh God, I can’t believe you’re really here. That you found me. ”

  “You know one of the pictures you sent of Riley had a shot of the mailbox with the address on it?”

  Her eyes sparkled. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Congrats on your job. You be sure and tell your boss that you’re not available for overtime of any kind.”

  She laughed. It was a glorious sound. “Don’t worry. He’s married and has twin boys.”

  “Neglected to give me that bit of information, didn’t you?”

  Sylvie pulled him down onto the soft grass. Riley curled up beside them. “Yeah.”

  He stretched out beside her. “I’ve decided I don’t want to live in New York.”

  She leaned in for a quick kiss. “Oh darn. And just when I thought that would be my new home.”

  “Really?”

  “If that’s where you wanted to live, Riley and I would come with you.” It sounded so simple when she said it like that. “Where do you think you want to live now?”

  “South Carolina looks pretty good. I can write anywhere, but the woman I love has a job here.”

  “Am I really the woman you love?” she asked, her soft, lilting voice a little breathless.

  “Yes, you are.” He kissed her again. “Didn’t I tell you that I love you?”