Eli opened his mouth, then closed it. “I...I didn’t feel safe until I got here.”
Hunter’s stomach tensed. He stood up, rubbing his hand over his face. His son, who knew good and well how he felt about honesty, was telling him Jo had been drunk when she picked him up?
His Jo?
Jo wasn’t a drinker. Hadn’t been a drinker. Hell, they’d barely been old enough to drink when things fell apart. Was she a drinker? It might explain what had happened...
He glanced at his son, at the heartbreak on his young face. If she had been drinking, she’d put Eli at risk. Anger rolled over him. His son hadn’t felt safe. He could barely choke out his words. “Anything else I need to know, Eli? You can tell me anything, you know that.”
Eli nodded, staring at him for a long time. A few times, he looked as if he was going to say something, but he’d stop himself. All he added was, “I’m sorry.”
“No reason for you to apologize, Eli.” Hunter bent down and pressed a kiss to his son’s forehead. “I’m sorry you were put in this situation.” He ruffled his son’s hair. “You look beat. Get some sleep.”
“What are you going to do?” Eli asked, clearly still uneasy.
“I’m going to sort this out.” He shot his son what he hoped was a reassuring smile and pulled the door closed behind him. He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the past forty minutes.
“Need anything?” His father’s voice was low, soothing.
Hunter straightened, pushing off the bedroom door. “Go in and sit with him awhile?”
His father nodded. “Everything okay?”
He shook his head. “No, Dad. It’s not.”
His father gripped his shoulder. “Well, now, it’s nothing you can’t fix.”
“Maybe this time there’s nothing left to fix, Dad.” His heart had been broken before and he’d survived, barely. This time, he wasn’t so sure.
Chapter Seventeen
Josie pulled the sheet pan from the oven, eyeing the brandied fruitcake. She was exhausted. It was eleven o’clock and she hadn’t heard from Hunter or Eli. Every time the phone rang, she jumped.
“You’re as jumpy as a jackrabbit.” Her father stood back as she turned the tray and pushed it back into the large oven.
She glared at him before returning to the bakery dining room.
“This is my favorite.” Annabeth pointed to the peppermint-flavored coffee Lola was testing on the customers. “Very holiday-y.”
“One more?” her son asked, pointing at the mini sweet rolls in the basket on the table.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow at him.
He smiled brightly. “One more, please?”
She put another sweet roll on his plate and cut it up for him. “Thank you for using your manners.”
Josie grinned, watching the little boy gobble up the sticky goodness in two huge bites. “Someone has a good appetite.”
Annabeth nodded. “Gonna eat me out of house and home before he hits puberty.”
Josie’s smile faded as Hunter’s truck parked in front of the bakery. She smoothed her hands over her wayward ponytail and dusted off the flour from the holiday apron she wore.
The first thing she noticed was Hunter’s exhaustion. His shoulders drooped, his steps were hesitant; he seemed broken. They locked eyes then, and the look of complete devastation in his pulled her around the counter to meet him. She didn’t know what to say, what she could do, but she would be there for him. There was nothing she wanted more than to be there for him, now and forever.
“Did you talk to Eli?” she asked, unable to imagine how Hunter felt.
He nodded, barely looking at her.