My Friend's Dirty Uncle

I was shocked. “You gave up your company?”

“Yes. And I should have done it before. I should have done it the day when my father asked me to choose. But I chose wrong, and there will never be a day that I don’t regret it. I want you to know, I choose you now.”

I stared at Hunter, unable to believe what I was hearing. He took a deep breath, taking my trembling hands between his big ones.

“Dani, I will choose you always. I just hope you can give me a second chance.” Hunter’s voice softened and I could tell there was real feeling in his heart.

I stared at him, like I was seeing the man for the first time. He looked older and wiser. There were faint lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before, as well as brackets around his mouth, making him look distinguished. But the ache in my chest was still there, thumping dully beneath my breast. What if he hurt me again?

“I don’t know if I can,” was my anguished whisper. “My heart is too broken.”

But Hunter shook his head fiercely.

“You don’t know unless you try. Please, Dani.”

My chin quivered as I stared into my former lover’s cerulean gaze. “I’m so sorry, Hunter. I just don’t know if I can.”

Chapter Fifteen

Hunter

The curvy girl had rejected me. Despite my best efforts, Dani had turned me down and there was nothing else to do. So I walked her back to her apartment, and we stood looking at each other for one final moment.

All I wanted to do was grab her and hold her in my arms, just to see if she was real. But I was afraid she wouldn’t let me, so I kept my hands shoved firmly in my pockets. I hated the way the brunette looked at me, like she desperately wanted to trust me, but couldn’t.

Because I wanted to prove to her that I wasn’t that man anymore. Things had changed. I’d made big strides, and I would never do anything to hurt her again.

But that didn’t solve the problem at hand because Dani was still deeply wounded. I knew I had to give her the time she needed. So even though it broke my heart, I forced myself to walk away once more she needed time to think. More importantly, I needed to respect her wishes. Maybe this wasn’t what I wanted, but it was what she wanted, and that’s what was paramount.

All I knew was that I would spend the rest of my life ruing my mistakes … with the bitter taste of regret in my mouth.

Epilogue

Dani

I spent two days locked in my room, and it took everything in me not to cave and call Hunter.

Joshua and Kimmy dropped by to see how I was. Kimmy had heard about the mystery guy from the club and she’d asked me about it, but I’d stayed tight-lipped. Thankfully, my friend hadn’t pressed the issue.

Joshua hadn’t taken it quite as well. He’d ranted and raved a bit, eventually subsiding into an offended silence. I felt bad for hurting him, but I knew that he and I never could have made it as a couple.

And now it was the day of my departure, but I still didn’t know what to do. Was I ready to give Hunter another chance? Was my heart ready for it? I still didn’t know. I towed my luggage outside, secretly hoping that he was waiting for me, but the street was deserted and my heart sank.

Was he really sorry? Or was I just projecting how desperately I wanted him back?

On the way to the airport, I realized that it was possible that we had ruined each other. Maybe Hunter and I would only love each other for the rest of our lives. It certainly seemed possible.

The taxi dropped me off at the airport and I got to my feet, hauling my luggage inside. My foot slipped on the floor and I gasped as I crashed right into a hard, muscular body that was made of solid brick.

When I looked up, it was Hunter.

“Before you say anything, I’m not going to take no for an answer. Dani, I will follow you to the ends of the earth until you realize we’re meant to be. I know it sounds stalkerish, but I’ll live the rest of my life trying to make it up to you in any way I can. Even if it takes me-“

“Yes,” I said, cutting him off.

He looked perplexed. “Yes?”

“Yes,” I repeated. My mouth was dry and my heart was thumping in my chest as I stared into the eyes of the only man I would ever love. “I’ll give you another chance, Hunter.”

He stared at me a long time before he picking me up and twirling me around. “Thank you,” he breathed in my ear before leaning down to press a desperate kiss to my lips. “Dani, baby, you don’t know how much I love you and appreciate you.”