after JR had been born, Liz was the one Barb called when a date went bad. Or when she was making big decisions in her life. It was fitting that Barb would run to Lizzie today. Getting her mom away from the house while Cassie moved her furniture had been an excuse. She’d needed her friend.
“Pour my glass to the top. We’ve got a lot to talk about.” Barb accepted the rose-colored wine sparkling in the sunshine and looked down at the ring on her left hand. A placer ring she hadn’t been able to take off. A ring she didn’t want to take off.
Being here was good. Mostly because Hunter Martin wasn’t here. Barb didn’t think she could stand to be next to him without reaching out to hold his hand or put her hand on his arm.
Yep, hiding out in a rental cabin in the Idaho mountains was a good thing.
• • •
Hunter pulled his truck into the driveway in front of his Eagle home. He’d bought the place after John and Rachel had died, wanting to keep Kati in the same school district and the same neighborhood. Hell, he even hired the same babysitter on the rare nights he had to leave her alone. The counselor he’d visited in the early days after the accident had told him to try to keep her outside world as normal as possible. Maybe he’d gone a little overboard.
He picked the morning paper off the walkway, opening the door into the three thousand square foot house that was way too big for him and Kati. He had a cleaning service come in weekly and they probably spent more time in some of the rooms than Hunter ever had. Bella skidded across the stone tile in the foyer to greet him.
“Hey, little girl.” He reached down to pick up the fluff ball. Bella had been Rachel’s dog before the marriage and had come with Kati. Hunter had felt a little foolish at first walking the toy Pomeranian around the neighborhood, but the dog had won his heart. He walked toward the living room. “Where’s Kati?”
A voice called from the family room. “We’re in here.”
His dad, John Carter Martin, sat on the sectional with Kati cuddled next to him watching Sleeping Beauty . Hunter deposited Bella on the couch where she went to lay by Kati, then dropped into a recliner. He’d have to replace that movie disc soon, as often as Kati watched it.
“How’d the trip go? Did Jesse win?” His dad spoke over Kati’s head.
“Didn’t stay for the ride, so I can’t say.”
John Carter frowned. “Vegas isn’t a two-day flight. What happened?”
Hunter sighed. “Long story. I took off Saturday after a few issues, then got stuck in Denver. Damn airlines anyway, I think all the planes are about ready to fall apart.”
“Recession’s got everyone cutting back.” His dad grinned. “Except in their ice cream consumption. Our profits for that division have never been so high.”
“Are we having ice cream?” Kati sat up straighter. “Can I have chocolate this time?”
Hunter shook his head. “I suppose your grandfather has let you eat ice cream all weekend. Did you even cook dinner?”
“We went out. Not my fault the girl likes her ice cream.” John Carter stood, kissing Kati on the head. “Gotta go home and check on the stock.”
Hunter walked his father out. “She do okay?” he asked when they were out of Kati’s earshot.
“She was a little mopey until Saturday when we went to her riding class. Man, that girl has taken to that horse like she was born to ride. She reminds me of John when he competed in high school.” John Carter slapped Hunter on the back. “You could have been as good as Jesse Sullivan if you’d stuck with riding.”
“Been there, done that.” Hunter hadn’t loved bull riding. Not like John had loved bareback. He’d tolerated the rodeo weekends with his dad and brother, glad when he went off to college and out of the corrals. “Thanks again for taking her this weekend. I needed the break.”
“You can drop her off any time. I’m usually home.” John Carter looked back toward the living
“Pour my glass to the top. We’ve got a lot to talk about.” Barb accepted the rose-colored wine sparkling in the sunshine and looked down at the ring on her left hand. A placer ring she hadn’t been able to take off. A ring she didn’t want to take off.
Being here was good. Mostly because Hunter Martin wasn’t here. Barb didn’t think she could stand to be next to him without reaching out to hold his hand or put her hand on his arm.
Yep, hiding out in a rental cabin in the Idaho mountains was a good thing.
• • •
Hunter pulled his truck into the driveway in front of his Eagle home. He’d bought the place after John and Rachel had died, wanting to keep Kati in the same school district and the same neighborhood. Hell, he even hired the same babysitter on the rare nights he had to leave her alone. The counselor he’d visited in the early days after the accident had told him to try to keep her outside world as normal as possible. Maybe he’d gone a little overboard.
He picked the morning paper off the walkway, opening the door into the three thousand square foot house that was way too big for him and Kati. He had a cleaning service come in weekly and they probably spent more time in some of the rooms than Hunter ever had. Bella skidded across the stone tile in the foyer to greet him.
“Hey, little girl.” He reached down to pick up the fluff ball. Bella had been Rachel’s dog before the marriage and had come with Kati. Hunter had felt a little foolish at first walking the toy Pomeranian around the neighborhood, but the dog had won his heart. He walked toward the living room. “Where’s Kati?”
A voice called from the family room. “We’re in here.”
His dad, John Carter Martin, sat on the sectional with Kati cuddled next to him watching Sleeping Beauty . Hunter deposited Bella on the couch where she went to lay by Kati, then dropped into a recliner. He’d have to replace that movie disc soon, as often as Kati watched it.
“How’d the trip go? Did Jesse win?” His dad spoke over Kati’s head.
“Didn’t stay for the ride, so I can’t say.”
John Carter frowned. “Vegas isn’t a two-day flight. What happened?”
Hunter sighed. “Long story. I took off Saturday after a few issues, then got stuck in Denver. Damn airlines anyway, I think all the planes are about ready to fall apart.”
“Recession’s got everyone cutting back.” His dad grinned. “Except in their ice cream consumption. Our profits for that division have never been so high.”
“Are we having ice cream?” Kati sat up straighter. “Can I have chocolate this time?”
Hunter shook his head. “I suppose your grandfather has let you eat ice cream all weekend. Did you even cook dinner?”
“We went out. Not my fault the girl likes her ice cream.” John Carter stood, kissing Kati on the head. “Gotta go home and check on the stock.”
Hunter walked his father out. “She do okay?” he asked when they were out of Kati’s earshot.
“She was a little mopey until Saturday when we went to her riding class. Man, that girl has taken to that horse like she was born to ride. She reminds me of John when he competed in high school.” John Carter slapped Hunter on the back. “You could have been as good as Jesse Sullivan if you’d stuck with riding.”
“Been there, done that.” Hunter hadn’t loved bull riding. Not like John had loved bareback. He’d tolerated the rodeo weekends with his dad and brother, glad when he went off to college and out of the corrals. “Thanks again for taking her this weekend. I needed the break.”
“You can drop her off any time. I’m usually home.” John Carter looked back toward the living
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