Derek stood and gave me a hug. “I will. And I’ll see you next month.”
I turned to Hunter, grateful for a public goodbye and quick escape. “Give me a call,” I said very noncommittally.
Hunter spoke to Derek. “Give me a few minutes. I’m going to walk Natalia out, and then we’ll head to the game.”
“Sure thing.”
So much for a quick escape. With his hand on my lower back, Hunter guided me out of the bar.
I looked at my feet, not wanting him to see what I was feeling written all over my face.
But he cupped my face and pressed his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry if I upset you.”
“You didn’t,” I said. But not even my own ears believed me.
He waited me out, knowing eventually I’d have to look up. When our eyes finally met, he spoke into mine. “I care about you, Natalia. It’s not going to be easy for me to leave either. This last month and a half has been great…” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Especially the last few weeks since I wore you down.”
Maybe hearing that I wasn’t alone should’ve made me feel better. But it was the unsaid that cloaked a feeling of melancholy over me like a suit of armor. It was going to be hard on him to leave…but he wasn’t considering staying either. Nor was there any mention of attempting something long distance. This was over when our time was up.
I forced a small smile. “I’ll give you a call.”
He looked into my eyes, briefly closing his before nodding. “Okay.”
His lips covered mine in a gentle kiss before going to my forehead for another. “Be careful on the trains.”
“Have fun at the game.”
It was difficult to walk away, but I knew I needed to be the one to do it. I felt Hunter’s eyes on me the entire walk down the block to the train station, certain he stayed outside the restaurant to watch me. But I didn’t turn around to check. That was how it was going to have to be between us—I’d need to walk away since he wasn’t going to do anything to stick around in my life.
Chapter 27
Natalia
I hadn’t seen Hunter in five days.
To most couples, that might be normal. Weekdays are busy. I have a teenager to take care of. Then again, we weren’t really a couple, were we? Since Hunter and I had gotten together, we’d never been apart this long. We’d grab a bite to eat, catch one of Izzy’s games, steal a few hours in his bedroom, or even meet for breakfast. It had never been an effort to find the time. Until now. And it wasn’t a lack of effort on his part. I was avoiding him, and he knew it—although he hadn’t yet called me out on it.
But I had a feeling that was about to change as I pressed the buzzer to unlock the front door downstairs. After five days of me saying I was busy and delaying answering his texts, he’d showed up unannounced at my apartment this morning. Conveniently, Izzy had just left for school, and he knew I rarely had appointments before ten o’clock.
I unlocked my apartment door and waited. Hunter stepped off the elevator and walked toward me with purpose. It pissed me off that my body reacted to seeing him when I didn’t want to be excited. And that anger was evident in my snarky tone.
“In the neighborhood and thought you’d drop by to say hello?” I asked. I didn’t open the door to invite him in.
Hunter looked me right in the eyes. “Nope. Came to talk to you. Izzy gone?”
Anger was an emotion I could tolerate. I folded my arms across my chest. “Yes. But I have to get ready for work. You should have called first.”
He took a step closer, into my personal space, and looked down at me. “Why would I have done that? So you could blow me off again?”
A mini stare-off ensued. I refused to back down, even though being so near him made me want to crumble. Straightening my spine, I said, “It’s been fun, Hunter. Let’s not end this on a sour note.”
His eyes blazed. “Can we go inside and talk?”
“I’m not sure there’s anything we need to talk about. It was fun. Now it’s over.”
Then he did the one thing I knew I couldn’t withstand—he reached out and cupped my cheek. Stupid tears threatened at the tenderness of his touch.
His thumb stroked my skin. “I’m sorry, Natalia. I really am.”
I swallowed and tasted salt in my throat. “Really? It doesn’t seem that way.”
Hunter closed his eyes. “Can we go inside and talk? Please?”
I nodded, and he followed me into my apartment.
Not ready for the conversation that was to come, I stalled for time and filled the air with anything but silence. “Do you want some coffee?”