Hunter's Vow by Susan Meier

Author:Susan Meier
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

“So, the thing is, Tyler,” Hunter said, finishing the short speech he had given to his son, though he was awkward, uncomfortable and guilt-ridden, “your mother and I are not married and we have no intention of getting married, but because we are your parents and because we both love you, both of us want to live with you.”

He couldn’t understand why Abby allowed him in her home and their son’s life if it made her so unhappy. Because if the pain in her eyes was anything to go by Abby was definitely heartbroken and miserable. Yet, there she sat, generously allowing him to be Tyler’s father without restriction. Knowing he was the cause of her sadness created an odd jumble of emotions inside him. But he ignored them, realistically recognizing there wasn’t a damned thing he could do about them or the past.

“We just don’t want you to get the wrong impression,” Abby interjected, tapping Tyler’s forearm to get his attention. The little boy turned his big gray eyes on her. “We don’t want you to get your hopes up and think that something is going to happen that isn’t going to happen.”

At the clumsiness of her last statement, she grimaced, but Hunter sensed Tyler understood what she had said.

“Hunter is still going to live here?” the boy asked.

Abby nodded. Hunter said an emphatic, “Yes.”

“And everything’s going to stay like it is?”

Hunter nodded. Abby said, “Absolutely.”

Tyler shrugged. “Okay,” he said and slid off his chair. “I’m going outside to play with Jimmy.”

“Jimmy Parker?” Hunter asked curiously, knowing this was the kid who had bullied Tyler only a few weeks before, but Abby said, “Are you sure you’re okay with our situation and that you understand?”

Tyler shrugged again and indifferently said, “Yeah.”

“Then, you can go,” Abby said, rising from her seat at the kitchen table. Tyler scurried out the back door.

“Well, that went pretty good,” Hunter said with a relieved breath of air.

“It was fine,” Abby agreed, smiling tightly, as she untied her apron. Without another word, she began to walk out of the room.

Hunter stopped her. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going shopping with Claire this afternoon, but, really, Hunter, that’s not your concern. The one thing you and I forgot to discuss last night was that from here on out I won’t be asking your whereabouts and you shouldn’t ask mine.”

Though her last statement put him in his place, it at least took the stricken look from her face. He nodded. “Okay,” he said and watched her walk away.

He cursed his life, his past, and all the stupid mistakes he had made, but most of all he cursed Abby. And her parents. He knew that was where she had gotten her foolish fairy-tale notions about life. And he knew that was why they had never thought him good enough for their daughter.

The worst of it was, it seemed he had proven them right.

When Abby phoned and said she would be having dinner with Claire, Hunter made supper for himself and Tyler.

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