Heart of the Hunter by Chance Carter Page B

great meal. Is there any pasta in that little bag of tricks you brought over?”
    Had Hunter really been there, or had I imagined the whole thing like some odd mixture of fantasy and nightmare? I took a step toward the table where Grace had set the groceries and felt the soreness between my thighs. I looked at the table, at the dried watermark Hunter’s beer had left on the table. He had been there. I was just getting better at forgetting.
    By tomorrow he’ll be gone, Kelly. Just keep moving forward.
    “You read my mind, dear. There’s some spaghetti noodles in there and I even had some of my famous sauce in the freezer. Cook those noodles and I’ll defrost the sauce. Then we’ll clean this place up a bit after we eat.”
    “I thought I was making you dinner. Now you’ve gone and done all the leg work for me.”
    She looked over at me with her warm eyes.
    “We’ve all had a long day, sweetie. Plus those noodles don’t cook themselves. Hop to it before I fade away to nothing in this filthy room!”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    I couldn’t wait to sit down and enjoy a meal with her. I liked making small talk about the business, the silly books she was reading, the weather. It was time to forget Hunter and, for the first time since I met him that morning, it seemed like I was going to be able to.
    “The Christian in me says we should invite that troubled boy over and see to it he gets a good meal tonight. His kind tend to fight sin with more sin and I think we could show him a better path with some kindness.”
    My stomach sunk.
    Please. Please, God, no.
    “Grace, I don’t know if that’s,” I started.
    “Oh hush, child. I don’t want to see him anymore than you do. I said, the Christian in me. There’s also a tough old woman in there that wants to teach him some manners. Even if he did protect my baby, he’s got no right playing executioner at his will and destroying my livelihood for a day. That boy is lost and has no business around you, me, or this town. I’m going to tell Dennis to cut him loose tomorrow, first thing. We don’t need someone like that around here and I think it’s best if he just moves on. Maybe I’ll speak with the sheriff as well, and see if he can just, you know, shuffle him along. Surely he can.” Grace crossed herself. “Forgive me, Lord. I’m just protecting mine.”
    Grace was right. I had no business with Hunter and he had no business with me. We weren’t the same and he was dangerous. I needed to take the day for what it was and move on with everything that was good in my life. Grace, Lucas, my quiet and peaceful town. Hunter was sin in the flesh and had led me to temptation with his ways.
    Never again, Kelly. Never again.
    When Elle had been here, she’d found herself a bad boy and gone off to California to create an exciting new life with him. That’s what I’d thought I wanted. I’d been to her wedding. I’d seen the mansion her man, Forrester, had taken her to. So many times I’d daydreamed about some guy coming along and sweeping me off my feet like that. Something told me that wasn’t going to happen for me. At least, not with a man like Hunter. He was a thug and a criminal. He was nothing like Forrester and the brothers who lived with him in California.
    No. I would never allow myself to be alone with Hunter again. I would never even think of him again.
    I kept repeating that to myself in my head as I started to boil the water, and I began to feel better. Mostly because I knew that it was a bold faced lie. He’d claimed me that afternoon. He’d taken me as his . Hunter wasn’t gone, he wouldn’t leave me, he would come for me. I could feel it in my bones. I just prayed I could resist him when the time came.
    I crossed myself as well, but suddenly knew nothing could protect me anymore. I had followed him down into the fire and my only hope was that he would have mercy on me.
    I could feel myself heating up as the lid on the pot started to rattle with boiling