Chapter 13

The interview was going well. I was grateful for the interview I had done two days ago as it had been a good warmup. The man from the company’s HR department looked kind as we talked in the online meeting. He explained that the main responsibility for the role was to act as a first line for questions about most things regarding internal matters. He reassured me that I didn’t need to know everything. They had an excellent knowledge base that was easy to use. When we ended the meeting I felt good. I had been able to answer all of his questions and it felt more like a conversation than an interrogation. I had also got an answer to the questions I had about the role and the company. To be honest, this job would be a godsend if I managed to get it. It paid well, it had benefits that included healthcare and I could work from home. I was grateful both to Hunter and his former client for giving me the chance. Hunter had been amazing all around. I needed to do something to show my appreciation. But after he had given me eight months of rent, everything I thought of seemed petty in comparison. I ended up in the same place I always ended up; baking. It couldn’t compare to what he had given me, but it was a start. By the time my phone dinged with a message from Hunter I had everything ready.

H: I’m parking outside and will be up in two minutes.

I smiled at my phone and my smile grew bigger when I heard a knock at the door. As I walked into the hallway I had to remind myself that this wasn’t a date, despite the butterflies in my stomach. Hunter was coming over to discuss business and I needed to stop acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. I still checked myself in the mirror as I passed it and sighed at the fact that I wasn’t as thin as I should be. But at least I looked well put together. I checked the peephole to make sure it was Hunter outside the door and then unchained all the locks and opened the door.

“Hi. Come on in,” I told him and stepped to the side to let him in.

“Hi. Thank you. How are your feet?” he asked as he walked inside with a warm smile. I was a lost cause, I was the schoolgirl that was crushing hard for the hot teacher. It was inappropriate in every way.

“Much better. Well wrapped up,” I said. I did my best not to let it show that it was still hurting, especially if I was sitting up for longer periods of time, when I stood up the scabs would split and it hurt like hell. “Do you want some coffee?”

“I would love some if it’s not too much trouble,” he said.

“No, I’m in need of a fix myself,” I said as we walked into the kitchen. As I made the coffee I expected Hunter to take a seat at the small kitchen table, but he stood not far from me and made small talk. When I opened the cabinet to take out the cups and plates he took them from me and walked over to the table and set it. I just watched him in surprise.

“What?” he asked when he noticed me looking.

“Nothing,” I said and handed him a platter with cookies and cinnamon buns. We sat down at the table and Hunter was just about to start talking when he took a cookie, broke off a piece and put it in his mouth. The reaction was almost comical. His eyes grew big and whatever he had intended to say was lost as he looked between the cookie and me. He swallowed and took a bite out of the sweet treat. And a sigh that was halfway to a moan escaped him.

“These are amazing,” he told me.

“Thank you. It’s dark chocolate and orange cookies. They are a little on the adult side, but I love the flavour combination,” I said.

“Truly amazing,” he agreed and took another. I loved seeing people enjoy the things I baked so I was happy with sitting back, sipping coffee and watching Hunter go for his third cookie. I was in no rush so I didn’t feel the need to ask him why he had come. I guessed he would get to it sooner than I would like. Truth be told, I was enjoying being in his company more than I should. After he had downed his fourth cookie, making the most alluring sounds of appreciation, he drank some coffee and cleared his throat. “You have made me lose my train of thought completely with those cookies. If that was what you were planning on selling in your bakery, you would have been an instant success,” he told me. Then he got a look of shock on his face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that up. That was insensitive of me,” he apologised. I waved my hand at him.

“It’s fine. And thank you. It’s nice to hear someone who isn’t my best friend say it,” I told him and smiled at him. He relaxed and smiled back.

“As much as I would like to sit and stuff my face with cookies, we need to talk about a few things.” There it was. We had arrived at the topic for today much sooner than I would have liked, just as predicted. I just nodded and leaned my elbows on the table. Hunter looked indecisive for a moment. It wasn’t a look that suited him or one I had been expecting. He always seemed to know what to do. “I’m not sure if you want to know this or not, but I think you are better off knowing,” he started.

“I agree, in my situation information is always good. Even if it is information I won’t be happy about,” I agreed without knowing what he was talking about. He nodded.

“I tracked down Simon.”

“Oh.” It was all I could think of to say.

“I had a chat with him. I was hoping to convince him to take responsibility for putting you in this situation. But I don’t think that will happen.” He looked truly defeated as he said it.

“I’m sorry.” We had both said it at the same time and looked at each other.

“Why are you sorry?” I asked in surprise.

“He’s my son. I can’t understand why he has done this and why he refuses to back down. The answers he gave me, they just don't make any sense. I’m sorry, I think I have to take some of the responsibility for this,” Hunter told me. I could see how hurt he was by all of this. I could tell him things I had learned about Simon from our years being married. It would help him understand things. But it would also hurt him. Simon would never be half the man Hunter was, and I didn’t share Hunter's view that it was his fault. And I didn’t want to break his heart worse than it had already been broken by his son.

“It’s not your fault. Simon is a grown man, he makes his own choices and he needs to own that,” I told him. Hunter sighed deeply and looked into the coffee as if he would find the answers he was looking for there.

“Why did you apologise?” he asked.

“Because I could see how much it hurt you and I’m sorry Simon did that,” I said.

“If you tell me it’s not my fault, it certainly isn’t yours either,” Hunter said with conviction. I nodded.

“But I dragged you into all of this.”

“No. I dragged myself into it. Or rather Simon's actions made me go looking for him and his actions put you in a place where I needed to help you,” he objected.

“So it’s Simon's fault?” I hesitated to ask.

“Yeah, it is,” Hunter agreed. We sat in silence for a while.

“Well, I’m sorry you were disappointed, and I appreciate you telling me. But I never expected help from him. So don’t worry about my feelings,” I finally said. He looked at me and nodded. I wondered if that was all. He had said we needed to talk about a few things. But maybe this whole mess with Simon counted as a few things?

“My company’s contacts reached out to Aksakov,” Hunter said. My eyes shot up to find his. “He agreed to a meeting to discuss things.”

“When?” I asked.

“In two days. He demands that you be there.” The way the muscles in Hunter's jaws stiffened it looked like he would have objected to it if he had a choice. He didn’t tell me how little choice I had in the matter, he didn’t need to. I either showed up or the talk was off. I nodded slowly.