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The sun was going down. It was getting dark.
A horn honked, yanking him from his thoughts. He looked around to see a white Audi pulling over. Cheryse’s car. Of course. He shook himself and tried to clear his mind as he approached. Cheryse needed him. She would be hurting too. She had been hurting at the funeral when he’d acted like a jerk to everyone and stormed off.
He opened the passenger side door and got in. “Hey.”
She wasn’t wearing the veil anymore. He liked seeing her face, which wasn’t surprising. Right now, her green eyes were bright with emotion and her face was gentle and worried. She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know what to say, but I had to come find you. I didn’t even know where to go, but I took a chance you’d come this way.”
Unable to express in words what this woman meant to him, he only nodded. “You guessed right.” She was like a soothing balm. His mother had always used the term “balm of Gilead.” He knew it was from the Bible, but he wasn’t sure what it was. If it was from the Bible, it must be good.
She looked around, did a U-turn, and headed into South Port. “Do you want to go back to the house? I know there’s people there and food.”
Hunter waved off the idea. “No.”
With a nod, Cheryse took the other way at the next fork. “Okay. Then we’ll drive.”
* * *
Hunter didn’t knowhow long they drove, but by the time Cheryse took him back to the inn, he glanced at his phone and saw that it was after midnight. Hunter didn’t know how Cheryse had done it, but he felt better. They’d driven and played music, which had included some of Trent’s faves, then all of their faves, and they’d gotten lost in memories and laughter.
His knee still burned with pain, and his neck was throbbing. His whole head was throbbing, really, but somehow talking to Cheryse over the last few hours had really helped.
He got out of her car, and she got out with him. He pointed. “Let’s go around back.”
She followed him. It didn’t seem like anyone was awake, and he didn’t want to wake everyone up. They went to the back door, and when he checked the lock, he found it was open.
“So what are your plans now?” Cheryse asked quietly.
Unable to stop himself, he opened his arms to her again, and she went into them, pressing her face to his chest. For a long time, they simply held each other. His mind spun. This could not be right. His brother could not be gone.
Finally, he pulled back a bit. “I don’t know what my plans are. I guess I’ll see with my injuries how fast I’ll heal.”
Her lips turned down, and she clutched at his shirt. “Don’t go out anymore. Please.”
“I don’t know.” Hearing Cheryse beg him to stay did funny things to Hunter’s insides. Was it stupid that he noticed how good Cheryse smelled? Something like lemon, or maybe strawberry.
Cheryse let out a light sigh. “You always did like to smell me.” When she looked up at him, there was a soft, sad smile on her lips.
Unable to stop himself, Hunter smiled too. This was his first genuine smile since everything had gone wrong. “Guess so.” A pang of guilt hit him for feeling attraction to this woman on the day of his brother’s funeral. But if he knew Trent at all, his brother would understand.
It was Cheryse, after all.
She kept him close, leaning on his chest again. “You dang Stone boys and your need to constantly save everyone. I wish you would just quit being a SEAL. I can’t lose you, too.”
Instantly, his mind’s eye had a flash of Trent. Pain ripped through him, and he pulled back. “Guess I’ll just have to work on not getting blown up, you mean?”
She frowned.
“Dark humor. Sorry.”
Cheryse reached for his hand. “It’s okay.”
“I’m sorry.” She was the only thing keeping him from going completely crazy. He forced himself to calm down. His eyes closed, and he wished for Trent back.
“Are you … okay? I mean, never mind. Of course you’re not.”
He knew what she meant. He stared at her. “I keep thinking that if I just go back to sleep, if I just keep my eyes closed for a long time, that somehow …” He sniffed and then cursed, flashing his eyes open and wiping his nose. “Somehow, Trent will be back. He’ll reappear. This will all just be a horrible nightmare.”
“I want that. I want him back.” Cheryse reached up and softly touched his face. “I can’t believe it either.”
