No matter how hard I tried to fall out of love with Arabella Adams and move on, it seemed I couldn’t. I had once promised her my heart, and it appeared she truly owned it. And I knew a part of her, deep down inside, felt the same way about me. I would catch her looking at me sometimes. I could see it in her eyes. Feel it in the way she smiled at me.

I still couldn’t figure out why she’d pushed me away all those years ago, though I had some guesses. Some I really didn’t want to think about—some I hated to think about. All I knew for sure was that I still needed answers, and I hoped she would give them to me this week when we met for coffee. I couldn’t keep living my life like this. Holding on to a dream I wasn’t even sure was going to become reality. After a certain amount of time, you couldn’t help but let it slip from your hands to float away downstream.

Over the phone, Arabella cleared her throat. “If you wouldn’t mind picking me up, that would be great.”

I was positive my mouth fell open in my state of shock. Not only had she agreed to the coffee date, but now she was going to let me pick her up and spend time alone with her?

Ignoring the way my heart pounded in my chest, I replied, “No, I don’t mind at all. Give me time to drop off Jack, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Don’t rush. Just be careful driving.”

Smiling, I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “I will. See ya soon.”

“Okay, see you soon, Hunter.”

The moment I hung up with Bella, Willa called to let me know she was on her way to the hospital. She’d already called our folks, and they’d meet us there. I got Jack settled and headed over to Bella’s place. I pulled down the main driveway, past James and Sharon’s house, to the small cabin in the back where Bella lived. It was the original house that had been built on the property when Sharon’s grandfather had bought the place and settled there.

I parked and made my way up the porch steps. I knocked on the door and heard Bella call out for me to come in.

When I stepped inside the cabin, I couldn’t help but fight all the memories that came rushing back in an instant.

Ten years.

Ten fucking years since I’d stood in this small living room. Bella had moved out to the cabin after she’d graduated high school so that when we came home from college, she’d have more privacy. Of course, we took full advantage of that. Her folks never said anything when my truck was here all night long for days on end. Even James and Sharon had expected us to get married once we got out of college.

Bella walked into the living room—and it felt like the air was sucked straight from my lungs. She was so damn beautiful. Her blonde hair was in a braid that looped around the side and over her right shoulder. She wore jeans that showed off her incredible body, which had certainly gained more womanly curves over the years. And her light blue sweater made her eyes pop even more. There was a lightness to her step, something I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“Hey,” she said with smile.

“Hey, you look beautiful.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink and I nearly let out a moan. I loved it when she blushed.

“Thank you. You look…”

Her eyes moved slowly over my body, and I couldn’t help but notice how she took her time with her perusal. I had left my coat at home, since I knew I wasn’t going to be outside for long. I had on jeans, a long-sleeve T-shirt, and a Boggy Creek Police Department baseball cap. I raised a single brow when she made no secret of the fact that she was checking me out.

“Um,” she said as she cleared her throat. “Handsome. I mean, good. You’ve been working out.”

That made me raise both brows.

She quickly shook her head. “No. I mean, obviously you have to work out because of your job. Your chest looks good—no, I mean…” She sighed. “I always did like it when you wore baseball caps.”

I winked. “I didn’t know that. I’ll have to wear them more often, then.”

She chuckled and graced me with an even bigger smile. I loved that it reached her eyes. After staring at each other for a few more moments, Bella cleared her throat again. “We should probably go. Let me grab my coat and purse.”

“Okay.”

Watching her walk out of the room, I tried not to smile like a goddamn fool. This was the first time Arabella had given me any real indication that she was still attracted to me. Well, except for a few months ago, when she was over at Greer and her fiancé Hudson’s house, and the girls all got smashed, dressed in sexy outfits, and ended up dancing on the dining room table. Kyle—who was Greer’s brother, and also a Boggy Creek police officer—and I both got calls for the noise complaint.

Tags: Kelly Elliott Boggy Creek Valley Romance
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