Chapter 11 Chapter 11: Too Close for Comfort
Catherine’s P.O.V
Startled, I look outside and my breath catches when I find Hunter standing by my car, his presence so sudden it feels like a disruption I don’t have the energy for. I frown as I lower the window, my voice coming out tired and sharp at the same time.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, then add before he can even answer, “I really don’t want to deal with your bullshit right now, Hunter, so if you’re here to say something clever or cruel, just don’t.”
He doesn’t smile, doesn’t joke, and that alone throws me off. “I came because I saw you,” he says quietly. “You were sitting here crying, all alone, while your husband was inside pretending everything was fine. He doesn’t even care enough to check on you himself.”
I let out a hollow laugh and shook my head. “You don’t know that,” I snap, though my voice wavers.
He leans closer to the window, “I know he wasn’t here when you needed him. And I know that when someone is falling apart, you don’t leave them to drown. Unlike Xavier, I don’t take advantage of people’s weaknesses.”
That makes something ugly twist inside my chest and I scoff, the sound bitter. “Oh really?” I say. “Because last I checked, you kissed me when I was emotionally unstable, when I couldn’t even think straight. You saw I was vulnerable and you still crossed that line. So tell me, Hunter, how exactly are you any different?”
My hands tighten on the door as I add, “You don’t get to act righteous now.”
He exhales slowly, like he’s choosing his words carefully. “I’m not pretending I’m perfect,” he says. “And I’m not denying what happened. But look around, Cat.”
His voice softens. “I’m the one here with you right now. Not him.”
I look up at him, truly startled this time, my throat tightening as his words sink in. “I…” My voice trails off, and for once, I don’t know what to say.
But just then, voices drift toward us, and I turn, my breath catching when I see Xavier coming down the porch stairs with his mother and Caroline, the surrogate. He’s holding Caroline’s arm, his hand firm but gentle, guiding her step by step like she might shatter if she slips. My stomach drops so fast it almost makes me dizzy.
“Careful,” Xavier says softly, his voice pitched lower than usual, and Caroline lets out a small laugh. Their voices drift towards me easily in the quiet of the night.
“I’m pregnant, not made of glass,” she teases, and his mouth curves into that smile I know too well, the one that used to be reserved for me. “Humor me,” he replies, still not letting go.
His mother chuckles. “You’ve always been like this, Xavier, overly cautious.”
He shrugs, smiling warmly at Caroline. “Someone has to be.”
I tell myself to breathe, to act normal, but then I see it…how his fingers linger around Caroline’s hand even after they reach the last step. Too long. Just a second too long. Caroline looks up at him and says, “Thank you,” her voice shy and a little giddy. And he smiles at her too brightly, like he’s proud of himself, like he’s pleased to be thanked.
“Of course,” he says, and something in his tone twists in my chest.
“He’s always been very attentive,” Lydia says, and Caroline laughs again. “He has,” she agrees. “I’m lucky.”
The word lucky echoes in my head, loud and sharp. Xavier clears his throat and finally lets go of Caroline’s hand.
“You should go inside,” he says. “You shouldn’t be standing too long in the cold.”
“See?” Caroline says lightly to Lydia. “Always worrying.”
He smiles again. “That’s my job.”
I watch their interaction through the windshield, telling myself not to read into it, not to let my insecurities poison every small moment. Maybe this is nothing. Maybe I’m overthinking it, letting fear fill in gaps that aren’t really there.
Xavier leans down to pat Caroline’s stomach, a gesture that makes Lydia beam with pride as my fingers dig into my palm.
He’s just checking on the baby…that’s all.
I swallow and remind myself that this is all in my head, that I’m letting jealousy whisper lies. Still, as his laughter blends with hers and his hand hovers just a little too close to hers again, I can’t stop wondering if I’m imagining things… or if my heart already knows something I’m not ready to admit.
I watched it all play out in front of me, my fingers curling into my palms as if I could anchor myself there, as if watching longer would somehow make it make sense. But then, Hunter snorted beside me, not even trying to hide his displeasure.
“Wow,” he said flatly, “you really still don’t see it, do you?”
I turned to him sharply. “See what?” I snapped, already bristling.
He shook his head, lips twisting. “You’re still so naïve, Cathy. Still believing in that perfect husband fantasy.”
My chest tightened. “Don’t talk about him like that,” I said, my voice low but shaking. Hunter laughed under his breath.
“Perfect husband?” he repeated. “That man isn’t who you think he is. Not even close.”
“Enough,” I said quickly, heat rushing to my face. “I don’t care about your cryptic nonsense anymore.”
He looked at me then, really looked at me, and something unreadable flickered across his eyes.
“You should,” he replied quietly. “If you want to save yourself the heartbreak, you need to.”
I shook my head, words tumbling out. “No. I’m done. Unless you’re going to be clear…actually clear about what you mean, I’m done listening to you.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something else, then stopped. Silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable. I glanced back toward Xavier just in time to see him say his goodnights to his mother, his voice gentle, his smile familiar, and my heart twisted anyway.
I exhaled and shake my head to snap myself out of it. “You should go,” I said hurriedly. “Before he comes back and gets mad.” I gestured vaguely.
“Just… go.”
But when I shifted my gaze toward the window again, back to where Hunter had been standing, he was already gone.
No last comment. No smug remark.
Just empty space where he’d been, leaving his words hanging in the air like something unfinished, something I didn’t want to think about…but already was.