"So what's going on with Ryan's dad?" I asked, as we ate our meals.
"He said that his dad was at a stoplight and some guy just ran into him. I guess it's done something to his back, although I don't know what. It's going to take some rehabilitation, apparently."
I sat back taking all that in. It sounded like he was going to be okay.
"I think it was good for all of them to be there together with him," she finished.
"They seem to be a pretty close-knit family," I said, cutting my chicken doused in a creamy white wine sauce.
Kelly nodded. "Very close. You know their mom died when they were young."
I remembered hearing something about that, but I didn't know the details. "How come their Dad doesn't work for the company?"
"I guess losing his wife really knocked him for a loop, although Ryan says that his father was never really corporate material. When his wife died, he decided he was going to be a dad and raise his boys. So that's what he did. And while they all have their quirks and issues; they are good men," Kelly said, finishing up her vegetables.
Hunter wasn't bad, but there was something about him that he didn't have the lightness that the other brothers had. "Was Hunter particularly close to his mom? He seems to be a little broodier than the other boys.” I hoped my questions about Hunter didn’t give away my clandestine relationship with him.
"I don't reall
y know Hunter well, but I don't think it goes back to his mom or the family. I do know that he seems to be a commitment-phobe, but I'm not sure where that comes from."
"You could say that about all the Strong men, really. I mean, Ryan wasn't out looking for the wife."
Kelly shrugged. "Yeah, well, there's a difference between sowing your oats and being adamant that you’ll never love anyone, which is kind of the vibe I get from Hunter. For a long time, I thought maybe he just got bored easily, but Noah says things sometimes that make me wonder if there's something else going on. It's not really my business so I haven't asked."
It seemed to me now that she was married into the family, she could ask. But Kellie was always respectful of people and their feelings. So, if I wanted to know what was up with Hunter, I’d have to find answers somewhere else. I could talk to Noah. He was a friendly enough sort, and seemed to be the closest to Hunter.
We had our dinner and then after giving Kellie's belly a pat and getting a responding kick from the baby, I headed home. I changed into my painting outfit of my oversized overalls and a tank top, and was just about to get started on a new project when I got a text
Meet me at Cesare’s as soon as you can.
Initially I was annoyed at Hunter’s demand that I should drop everything I was doing and go see him. But then I remembered his father had been in a car accident, and he wasn't the best at social graces at the best of times, so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
I texted back, I have to change first.
I was in my bedroom grabbing a pair of jeans when my phone beeped.
Don't bother. Come to the restaurant.
I looked down at my get up and laughed. Okay, I thought. I wondered if the moment he got a load of me and my painting outfit if he’d send me packing and end our friends with benefits situation. There was a part of me that wanted to go and change to make sure that didn't happen. On the other hand, if it did happen, maybe that was a good thing.
I parked and walked up the street to the restaurant. At first, I thought it would be funny to show up in my painting outfit, but as I approached the front door, I was self-conscious. Fortunately, Hunter strode out the door, turned me around and walked me across the street toward the high-end hotel.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting a room.”
I looked up at him. Normally, that sort of statement would either tick me off because he was being presumptuous, or turn me on, because we were going to have sex. But his tone lacked affect and I couldn’t decide which mood to go with.
We didn’t go to the front desk. Instead, he directed me to the elevator and we rode up to the top floor. During the ride, he didn’t say anything. He didn’t even look at me.
“Are you alright?” I finally asked.
“Sure. Yeah.” The door dinged and we stepped out of the car. He opened the door to a suite that was probably three times larger than my apartment.
“Want a drink?” he asked, heading straight for the bar.
“Sure.” I figured this was one of those, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em type things. “What is this place?”