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“I’m planning on getting you settled and then heading down to the salon. I know you have a lot going on there and you’re integral to managing that all day.”
The fact he acknowledged that made her soften even more. This conversation had her completely off balance. “You’re willing to go to my salon and keep it running today?”
“Of course. That is part of helping you, right?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“Then I’m taking it on.”
Confusion filled her. Her heart raced, and she thought of the biggest thing that had been bothering her. It was stupid, but … she couldn’t let go of it.
“What do you want to say, Reese?”
She hesitated.
“Say it and let’s deal with it so we can move on.”
She didn’t speak.
“Say it,” he said quietly, sitting in the chair and steepling his fingers. “Let’s deal with what we have to deal with so we can move on. I am so sorry about hurting you, and Tim says you can press charges if—”
“I’m not pressing charges,” she said, cutting him off. “You told Roger about making out with me.”
There. She’d said it.
“Oh.” His face fell. “I did do that.”
“Yeah, you did, and I felt betrayed.” There. She’d said that, too. “Maybe it’s dumb and I probably should have told Roger when it happened and I didn’t. That’s my own fault, but you were such a jerk that night.” Even thinking about that night and all the emotions made her angry. “And of course I wanted to go see you and check in on you after you lost your eye, but we’d had that thing where you kissed me and then held me and—”
“You slapped me,” he finished for her.
She nodded, feeling angry at herself, too. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
For a long moment, they held each other’s gaze. There was so much between them, and now that she’d spoken her feelings out loud, it didn’t seem like such a big deal anymore.
Hunter scooted the chair closer to her bed. “It’s okay, Reese. I forgave you for it the instant you did it.”
She didn’t know how to handle that response.
The side of his lip tugged up. “I mean, there’s actually not a lot you could ever do to me that I wouldn’t forgive you for.”
She stared at him.
He put his hand lightly on her arm. “Will you forgive me? For betraying you that night? For acting like …” He hesitated, seeming to search for the right words. Then he grinned at her. “Like it wasn’t … us.”
For some stupid reason, his words made her feel gooey inside. Completely disarmed, completely back to where she’d always been with him; best friends. She blinked back tears.
“Please, Reese.”
She pressed her eyes together, shocked to find herself in this situation. She hadn’t completely processed everything, and it felt … unsettling. “I forgive you,” she said quietly. Relief surged through her with the words.
A huge grin swept over his face, like he’d won something. “Okay then.” He moved toward the door. “I’m going to make us some eggs, help you get ready for the day and settled, and then I’m heading to the salon. If that’s okay?”
Warmth filled her and she couldn’t help but grin back at him. “Sounds good.”
Chapter 16
At the salon, Hunter answered the phone, washed and stacked towels, had one of the girls update him on inventory tracking for the products, and chatted pleasantly with everyone who came in.
