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“Did he kill Nash?” I catch the angry vein that pulses when Hunter is mad. He turns away from me and starts walking out of the house. “That’s right, walk away again when it all gets too much.” He stops, turning his haunting look on me, yet says nothing. “I know you’re keeping something from me, and the longer you take to trust me, the longer it will be before I trust you.”
Not waiting for a response, I grab the letter and photos and take them to my room. Placing them on my bed, I take one more look at all of them. I have sisters. Then, my gaze falls to the envelope. A part of me wants to rip it open and find out what my brother had to say, but the other part doesn’t want to open the closet and discover skeletons hidden there.
What am I going to do?
I collapse onto the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling. My stomach rumbles, and I remember I haven’t eaten anything this morning. Sitting up, I put the letter and photos on the bedside table and return to the now-empty living area.
I’m not sure where Hunter went. May needed a moment, and I don’t blame her. This would be a lot for her as well.
It’s as though my eyes are being opened for the very first time. Like a newborn must learn new things, now, so must I. I must decide if this is what I want. After seeing the pictures of my sisters, hearing about Nash, and spending time with May, I want to be a family again. Who wouldn’t want their family together again?
But it comes at a cost.
Hunter.
Marrying him and dealing with his family. I’m not sure I’m strong enough.
Lost in thought about everything, my stomach growls, reminding me I need to eat. I head to the kitchen, open the refrigerator, grab some leftover stew from last night, and heat it up. When it’s done, I take a bottle of water and head out to the back porch.
This place is stunning. The green lawn, the sun lighting it up and giving it a fresh look. The air here is fresh and clean. It’s nothing like living in town. Birds are flying around, singing. Beautiful gardens with different flowers are spread around the back of the house.
A black SUV pulls out of one of the barns and drives past where I’m sitting. From what I can tell, Landon is driving with Hunter in the passenger seat. Hunter is watching as they pass, and my stomach tightens. Where is he going?
When I finish my meal, I wash my bowl and rinse it, stacking it in the dishwasher. I spot the boots on the floor, which I’m guessing are the ones May brought to me this morning before everything happened.
After slipping off my flip-flops, I make my way back out to Snowflake. I pause when I see May standing there, watching her as well. She turns and greets me with one of the warmest smiles I’ve ever received.
“Sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to dredge up the past. I’m sure it’s painful for you,” I say.
She waves at me. “Don’t be sorry. You have every right to know about your family.”
“Can you tell me about my father? Why is he the man he is now?” I was going to say the evil man but thought better of it.
May picks up the bucket off the ground near her feet and hands it to me. “We can talk as I show you the ropes around here.”
I take it willingly. “Okay.”
I glance at what is in the bucket. It honestly looks like something I’d throw up. May chuckles, and I’m sure my face is contorted in a grimace.
Following her out the back of the barn where the stalls are, there are two large mud-covered pigs. She points to the trough. “Tip that bucket of food in there.”
“You call this food?” I remark, unable to hide my disgust.
“Hamlet and Ham love it.”
I do a double-take. “That’s their names?”
She laughs. “Yes. They will eventually be killed for food. I’m all about growing my own here. Out in the fields, you’ll find some good cows as well.”
I balk at her words. “I think I may never eat meat again.” I gag. “Remind me to hide when they get slaughtered.”
“Don’t worry. All the stuff happens away from the farm. I probably wouldn’t eat meat again if I saw it get done. But I try not to get attached to the animals that will go to slaughter.”
“Um...where did Hunter go?” I ask, tipping the sludge into the trough, and the pigs come running over, squealing and bumping into each other, causing a ruckus as they dig into their food.
May clears her throat. “He has to make an appearance back with his family, or they’ll get suspicious.”
My head flies up. “So he’s working both sides?”
