"I'm going to have to do something really nice for Natalie since she's had to go at night without her husband," I said.
"She and Kellie spent the night together. I think she's fine. But I did get a text that she was on her way home."
I knew that was code for he wanted to leave, but he wouldn't if I needed him. "You go. I'm okay."
Hunter sat back in his cha
ir holding his coffee mug. "What are your plans for today?"
"Not much. Want to try and put my brain back together. I'm going to apologize to Jess. I’ll research my trip to the Amazon. And after that, I don't know."
He leaned forward as he studied me. "You're going to apologize to Jess?"
I nodded. "Yes. I shouldn't have embarrassed her like that."
"She brought her new boyfriend to flaunt in front of you. She's rejected and hurt you over and over again —"
"I don’t think she considered I’d be at Cesare’s." I looked down. "She can't help it if she doesn't care for me. I forced her to keep pushing me away because I wouldn't take the hint that she wasn't interested. That's on me. So, I'm going to make my apology and then I'm going to leave her the hell alone."
"She left her date."
I looked at Hunter. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she got up and left, and he didn't follow her out. He stayed and had his free meal."
I shrugged. "I embarrassed her. She probably didn't want to be in front of all those people."
"Maybe. But still, you’d think he would've gone with her. She might've been on a date, but I don't think he means anything to her. Not like what you mean to her."
I got up from my chair, because Hunter didn't know what he was talking about. I went over to the sink and put more water into my glass, gulping it down. "I don't mean anything to her."
"Well, that's not completely true. I'm not as astute about these things as women are, so I can't say that she's in love with you, but I could see that she felt like shit that she hurt you."
"Well, when I apologize to her today, hopefully, that will alleviate her guilt." I put my glass in the sink and turned to him. "I’m going to take a shower and get myself together. You head home and give your wife a hug and whatever it is you do. I do appreciate all you've done for me, Hunter."
Hunter stood and came over to me, patting me on the shoulder. "Love can be a bitch, Carter. But don't forget that you have your family here with you. Don't go get lost in the Amazon somewhere. In fact, maybe you can go out and see dad."
I nodded.
An hour and a half later I was in my car heading over to Jess's house. I decided that maybe I would need a peace offering, so I stopped at the bakery that made the cookies my father loved. Along with some cookies, I bought breakfast pastries as well.
I pulled up in front of the little bungalow that Jess shared with her roommate Reggie, who, as it turned out, was a woman. Even though I knew everything between Jess and I was dead and gone, there was a bit of relief that she wasn't living with a man. And a little bit a guilt of thinking that perhaps she'd been cheating on Reggie with me.
I grabbed the bakery box and strode up the neat and tidy front walk to the door. I stood there for a moment wondering if I was feeling a little bit sick because I was nervous or because of the lingering hangover. Taking a breath, I rapped on the door and waited.
The door opened, and a woman that I didn't know answered it.
"You must be Reggie," I said, extending my freehand. "I'm Carter Strong. I was hoping to see Jess."
The woman's brows arched high on her forehead as she shook my hand. "Yes…ah…"
Before she could say anything, I heard the squeal and joyful laughter of a child. From behind her, a little boy ran past with no clothes on. Right behind him was Jess. She scooped up the boy and covered his face with kisses.
Only then did she realize that someone was at the door and turned to look. The minute she saw me, her face froze. Like last night, when I accused her of lying, all the blood drained from her face.
"You should probably come in," Reggie said, standing back and giving me room to enter their home.
New feelings were swirling around in my chest and I couldn't quite figure out what they were. The first was shock as it appeared Jess was a mother. Had this been the secret she'd been keeping? And if so, why? Did she think I wouldn't care for her if I knew she'd had a son?