Wide Open Spaces (Shooting Stars 2)

Running a hand through his hair, he leans his head back. “I don’t like it.”

“I know you don’t, but Max, can you honestly tell me that if he lived with you, you’d be home? You wouldn’t be working all the time and traveling for business as much as you do now?” she asks, and his face goes hard.

“I have to work.”

Swallowing, her face softens and her lip goes between her teeth for a moment. “I know you have to work, and I know you love what you do, but if he lived with you, who would be with Hunter when you were working or out of town?” she asks gently.

“I’ll get a nanny.”

“When we found out I was pregnant, we both wanted one thing. We wanted our son to know he is loved,” she says, and pain rocks through me, because that was all we wanted for Samuel too. We wanted him to know he was loved beyond reason. Beyond us making him, we wanted him to have a family who could give him everything he wanted and needed. Everything we couldn’t give him at the time. “You told me once that you didn’t want Hunter to be raised by a nanny. To grow up the way you did, always feeling like no one really cared about you except for the people being paid to.”

“We’re not talking about this in front of your boyfriend.” He turns toward me expectantly.

“I’m not leaving,” I state evenly, and Shel’s face softens further before she moves to stand in front of me, but his eyes are still locked on mine over her head.

“Hunter and I are building a life here, and part of that life includes Zach and his kids. I won’t talk about your past in front of him if you don’t want me to, but he’s not going anywhere.”

“I know who he is Shelby,” he says, lowering his eyes to her.

“I know you do,” she agrees softly, taking a step back toward me. “And he knows you’re Hunter’s dad, and the guy who came at me, threatening to take our son from me just weeks ago.”

His nostrils flare. “You have to see where I’m coming from.”

“I do. I really do see where you’re coming from. I know it would kill me to be away from him, but for all I know, there might come a time when he wants to live with you. It’ll suck, but if that does happen, I will deal with it. I won’t make him feel like he has no choice, no voice or opinion in what’s going on. I won’t make him feel like he has to choose between us.”

“Fine,” he growls, tossing his hands in the air. “I’ll call my lawyer Monday and call the whole thing off.”

“Max,” she sighs. “What you did blindsided me and hurt our son. I don’t want to do this again in a few days, weeks, or months when you’re not happy with the way things are going. So if we need to have a lawyer write something up, then that’s what we need to do.”

“I was worried.”

“I know you were, and I understand that, but you should have cooled down and talked to me. Given me a chance to explain the situation and trusted I would never put Hunter in danger.”

“I know.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I’ll talk to my lawyer and figure out a way to deal with everything. It won’t happen again.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly, then turns toward me. “Will you go get Hunter and let the kids know everything is okay?”

“Sure, baby,” I agree, giving her shoulder a squeeze and placing a kiss to her forehead before leaving and heading to my house.

“Is everything okay?” Hunter asks as soon as I open the door, where I find all of the kids and Penny sitting at the bottom of the stairs, huddled together.

“Yeah, kid. It’s all good. Come on. I’ll walk you over.”

“I don’t want to go back to Seattle. I don’t want to leave my mom,” he states, not moving, and something inside of me shifts. Walking toward him, I get down on my haunches so we’re at eye level, and rest my hand around the side of his neck.

“You’re not leaving your mom. Your dad just wants to spend some time with you, so he came to visit.”

“Oh,” he mutters, and Steven gives his shoulder a gentle shove.

“I told you it was okay.”

“Yeah,” Hunter says, looking behind him to where Steven is sitting, and even though I can’t see the look in his eyes, I know he’s looking at him with admiration.

“Maybe we can all have dinner with your dad tomorrow,” Aubrey chimes in, and I fight my smile and stand.

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen, gorgeous, but you’ll see Hunter and Shel. Okay?”

“Oh, yeah, okay,” she agrees.

Steven rolls his eyes, muttering, “Bre, you really are crazy.”

“I didn’t think,” she gripes, hitting him in his arm.

“Whatever.” He stands. “I’ll unload the truck, Dad.”

“Thanks, bud.” I lift my chin toward my boy then leave with Hunter and walk him back over to Shel’s. I don’t stick around long after dropping him off. I know they need to talk without me around. An hour later, I take Shel and Hunter their bags and make sure they’re good with Max staying the night. Shel’s not thrilled about having him in the house, but insists she’ll be fine. I reluctantly leave her with a wet kiss before heading home.

Hearing a thump, and a loud, “Oh fuck, that hurt,” I roll out of bed and move to the balcony door to open it, and then hurry over to Shel, who is sprawled out on the deck.

“Jesus, baby, are you okay?”

“No, my ego is bruised,” she moans, looking up at me, and I smile down at her then scoop her up into my arms and carry her into my room, sliding the door closed behind us. “You made that leap seem so easy when you did it,” she complains, and I laugh as I lay her on the bed. I then reach over and turn on the lamp, seeing she’s in a pair of cut-off sweats, my plaid shirt I didn’t ask her to return, and socks that go up to mid-calf.

“My legs are as long as you are tall.”

“This is true,” she grumbles, rubbing her knee.

“How bad is it?” I question, moving her hand away so I can see for myself.

“I’m okay. It’s okay.” She winces as I run my fingers over the bruise that is forming.

“You should have used the front door.”

“I didn’t want to knock and wake the kids.” She rolls her eyes, and I take hold of her face in my hands.

“You could have called me, and I would have met you at the door. Then you wouldn’t have had to knock and wake the kids.”

“I didn’t think about that.” She frowns, and I lean in to kiss the look off her face.

“Well, now you know. For future booty calls.”

“This isn’t a booty call.” She laughs, leaning back, and I lean closer.

“Really? It’s after one in the morning. Why else would you be showing up at my door this time of night?”

“I wanted to talk,” she lies, and I move onto the bed, wrapping my hands around her legs and pushing them apart, making room between her thighs.

“Oh yeah? And what did you want to talk about?”

“I… um… you…” she breathes, lying back.

“That’s very interesting.” I grin, and her eyes narrow.

“You’re throwing me off. I can’t remember what I wanted to talk about, now that you are all up on me and stuff.”

“I plan to be all up in you in a minute, baby. Do you think you’ll remember then?”

“Yes, I mean no,” she says, and I smile against her mouth then go about making sure she can’t remember what she wanted to talk about, which doesn’t take long.

“Zach, you have to move. I need to get up,” Shel whispers, and I feel her fingers slide through my hair and her warm, soft body squirm under mine.

“Sleep. It’s too early to get up,” I grumble, dragging her farther under me, locking my arm around her waist.

“Normally, I would agree, but I need to get home and get ready for work.”

“What time is it?” I open one eye and see it’s light in the room, which doesn’t mean much since it’s still summer, so the light can play tricks on you here in Alaska.

“Just seven, but Hunter has camp, so he’ll be up soon, and I want to be there before that happens.”

“How long is Max staying?” I ask, getting up on an elbow in the bed and looking down at her.

“He said a few days. I don’t know what that means. I didn’t get into it with him, but hopefully a few days ends on Wednesday. I don’t know how long I will be able to handle having him under the same roof as me.”

“You can always come spend the night with me.” I smile, running my fingers through the hair at the side of her head and spreading it out across my pillow.

“I’ll probably stay here tonight. But I’ll tell Hunter I’m here, so if by chance he comes to find me, he doesn’t worry.”

“Sure, and I’ll tell the kids you’re sleeping over.” I say ignoring the look on her face then ask. “How was Max last night after I left?”

“He was fine. Nice even, but it was weird having him around asking questions about pictures and things. Stuff he never cared about before.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs, letting out a breath. “I tried to remember when we got here, and Hunter found a picture of my mom and me, if Max ever asked about my parents, but I don’t think he did. I mean, he knew they died, but he didn’t ask to see pictures or ask about what kind of people they were. Last night, he seemed to have a million questions and it kinda freaked me out.”