The ache in his chest intensified while the tension in his limbs softened. He cleared his throat and tried to find his gruff persona again. “Why would you stop off and meet with the photographer from the Lake Lure project?” he asked, folding his arms tightly.
Audrey snorted loudly.
He glanced at her and saw her sitting on his couch and kicking her heels off. “What was that for?”
Audrey gave him a look of sheer and utter disbelief. “If you expect me to believe that is all she is to you, then you, dear brother, are a moron of the highest caliber.”
He opened his mouth, then closed it. “I never said that was all she was to me,” he muttered, leaning against his desk. “But right now, that is all she is.”
His sister sighed and tucked her legs under her. “Hunter, you’re trying your best to hide everything emotional, and I get it, it makes you vulnerable, but it’s me. I heard it in your voice, all the way in Seattle. You love her.”
He sighed and unfolded his arms. “Yes.”
“So why are you here and she’s there?” Audrey asked, leaning her elbow on the armrest. “What happened?”
He shrugged, shaking his head. “I have no idea. I must have done something, but I’ve been over it thousands of times… I don’t know.”
Audrey hummed and threaded her fingers through her hair. “You should have seen her jump when I said your name.”
“What?” he cried, all systems on the alert again. “Why would you do that?”
His sister’s trademark mischievous smile lit her face. “Oh, come on, I had to try it. And it worked. I think I covered it well, though.”
“Why would you put her through that?” he barked. “What is wrong with you, Audrey?”
A look that was a little too like their mother’s for his comfort flashed in his direction. “Oh, stop. Like I intentionally went to Denver to torment the one who got away from you. I’m not entirely heartless, just a bit defensive of my brother.”
“What did you do, Audrey?” he asked her, suddenly exhausted.
“I went to her studio and said I wanted to discuss the Lake Lure project and turned it into lunch.” She shrugged unapologetically. “But then I liked her too much to pretend, so I gave it up and talked about Seattle with her. I think I might have convinced her to come do a project for Abby and me, if we ever get it off the ground.”
He was surprised by that. “Abby’s in on it?”
Audrey gave him a look. “Our little cousin is quite the talented writer, brother dear, if you haven’t noticed. I wanted her in on it, and it’s not that far for her to come. It’s the only way she lets me fly her in and out.”
He grunted but said nothing further. Abby was the daughter of his mother’s only sister, and she was as stubborn and independent as everyone else he was related to. Despite her impressive skillset, she was holed up in some little town in Oregon, barely making ends meet doing freelance writing and working at a library. They’d offered to help her out financially, but she adamantly refused every attempt.
“Are we still paying the bills for her aunt?” he asked quietly.
She nodded. “Yep. Her dear Aunt June will get everything she needs, and the money Abby thinks she’s paying for bills goes right into the trust for her. And the house is covered. I put that money into a fund strictly for repairs and upkeep.”
Hunter nodded once. Abby could refuse and be as independent and stubborn as she wanted, but Hunter and Audrey were more stubborn and even more interfering. And she could deal with it.
“And she wants in on your project?” he asked, still dubious.
Audrey tilted her head. “Are we talking about Abby or Mal now?”
Hunter gave her a hard look. His sister was poking at him, and he did not like being poked.
“Abby’s all the way in,” Audrey said with a roll of her eyes and a sigh. “Very excited and really wants to meet Mal.” She smirked at him, then let it fade. “Mal seems pretty game, but she needs more details. We talked about it for quite a while, and she’s got some great ideas. She’s impressive, Hunter—professionally and personally.”
He swallowed with some difficulty. “And then?”
She grinned up at him. “Then we talked about food, and she persuaded me to move to Denver if Seattle gets too old. We talked about all the best places to eat, the best dishes, and some shows on Food Network.”
Against his will, he returned her grin, his heart warming just thinking about the conversation between his sister and Mal. “You like her,” he said simply.
“I told you I did,” Audrey reminded him, gesturing as if he were stupid.