I laugh at the remark. "I'm right, aren't I? You didn't want to meet him."
"I panicked," he admits. "I've never met the dad of a woman I'm dating before except for..." his voice trails.
"Except for Coral," I whisper.
He nods his head. "I'll make it up to you. We can plan another dinner with him."
"It's not that important," I skirt the truth. "We'll just see how this goes. I need to get back to work." I stand and walk back towards the counter, the weight of Coral's connection to him once again pushing on my shoulders.
Chapter 16
"He's never going to get over her. I'm right about that. Don't you think?" I open another of the doors in Alexa's kitchen looking for the spices.
"I don't know about that." She points to the cabinet above the stove. "You're kind of a reminder of her."
I can't turn back around to face her after the remark. The same thought keeps coursing through my mind. I'm the ultimate reminder of the girl who died when he was next to her. How does a person get past that?
"Should I end it now?" I ask in barely more than a whisper as I sort through the spices looking for something to season the salmon fillets I brought with me.
"No." I hear her rush up behind me. "You can make him forget her. You just have to lighten up."
"You don't know what it's like." I spin back around so I'm looking at her. "You can't know what it feels like that have her heart inside of me and to know that he's probably thinking about that every time he sees me."
"Maybe he sees you." She cups her hand over my cheek. "Maybe you're already making him forget her and that's hard for him."
"I don't know what you mean." I turn back towards the cabinets so I can begin a hunt for olive oil.
"Think about it." She reaches past me to retrieve the bottle of white wine she opened when I arrived. "You said he hasn't had a lot of serious relationships, right?"
"He's alluded to that," I sigh. "And I guess the fact that he only ever met Coral's dad says something about how casual his other relationships have been."
"I think Hunter is falling in love with you." She doesn't hesitate as she says the words. "I think you're making him forget Coral and since he thinks he's responsible for her death he's having trouble with that."
"You mean he feels guilty if he finally finds happiness?" I can feel my pulse racing at the mere suggestion that he's falling in love with me.
She nods as she refills her wine glass. "You're the one woman who is making him let go of all of that."
"I hope so." I exhale sharply as I turn back around to season the fish. "Nothing would make me happier."
***
Are you decent? I'm coming over.
I wait with baited breath for him to reply to my text. I'm sitting in a taxi in front of his building.
Turn around and see for yourself.
I crane my neck around to look behind me and I see him standing directly on the sidewalk in front of the building. He walks swiftly to the taxi's door as I push it open. I fumble in my purse for my wallet but before I can retrieve it he's pulling some bills out of the pocket of his suit's jacket. "Have a good night," he calls over the seat to the driver as he hands him the cash.
"How did you know I was in the taxi?" I sigh as he brushes his lips across my cheek.
"I can sense when you're close." He cocks a brow as he bends lower to kiss my lips. "It's my Sadie sense working."
I raise my brows in response. He's so charming, it's no wonder I keep feeling the pull back to him.
"Did you bring your keys?" He holds out his hand and I feel a tinge of disappointment rac
e through me. I don't want him to take them back. Maybe he's pissed after the way I dismissed him at the bistro the other day.