Since there was no time to spare before Nina and her husband left town, Hunter used his morning coffee stop to set up a meeting with her for that afternoon, after the diner closed at two. Like always, the diner was full of people enjoying coffee and breakfast when Hunter came in at quarter after seven.
Megan caught his eye immediately, smiling and pointing to her wrist, letting him know he was right on schedule. He loved that no one in the diner knew she’d left his bed just over an hour ago. She made him want to shake things up, to bust out of the rut he’d been in for the thirteen years since he’d graduated from college. Until recently, the rut had worked well for him. But now he wanted to examine life outside the lines.
He’d begun his new experiment by not shaving again that morning. Two days in a row broke all his personal records, and his siblings would be all over him about it when they saw him. He planned to explain the stubble by telling them he was growing a beard. Let them wonder. The idea of him being even slightly unpredictable was preposterous to everyone who knew him, which made it fun to embrace the unexpected.
That it made Megan happy was the ultimate payoff. All she’d had to say was that she liked him with some stubble, and he’d put down his razor.
He chose a spot at the counter that gave him a full view of the diner and Megan as she went from table to table, talking, refilling mugs and smiling. She was smiling a lot. Did he dare to think he might have something to do with that? God, he hoped so.
Nina poured him a mug of coffee and slid the creamer and sugar across the counter.
“Can we talk later?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“My office after the lunch rush?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Thanks.”
Megan worked her way to his end of the counter and slid onto the stool next to him. “Could you hand me a mug, Neen?”
Her sister put one on the counter in front of her.
“Thanks.” Megan poured the last of the coffee in the pot she’d used for refills into her own mug and stirred in cream.
Hunter fought off a powerful urge to lean over and plant a long wet one on her in front of the hometown audience.
She glanced at him, as if she knew what he was thinking, and said, “Don’t.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Megan.”
She giggled behind her hand. “Hunter.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t act so innocent. I know better.”
“Mmm, yes, you do.”
“You’re now officially five minutes over your allotted breakfast time.”
“Don’t tell my dad. He’ll dock my pay.”
“Wouldn’t you be the one to dock your pay?”
“Yeah,” he said, scratching at the stubble on his chin, “I guess I would.”
“So you can stay for another five minutes?”
“That can be arranged.”
“Good, because there’s something I want to show you in the office. Can you come see?”
Hunter tried to get a read on whether she actually had something she wanted to show him or if she wanted to be alone with him. Like a lovesick fool, he hoped it was the latter. “Lead the way.” He followed her into the kitchen, past Butch, the cook, who stopped what he was doing to give him a once-over. There was a dude Hunter wouldn’t want to screw with. He nodded to Butch, but the cook never so much as blinked.
Megan led him into a cramped office that had a desk, a chair and not much else. Squeezing around him, she closed the door to Butch’s prying eyes.
“What did you want to show me?”
“I made that up so I could do this.” She drew him down and into a kiss. “Before you did it in front of everyone.”
Hunter pinned her against the closed door and tipped his head to kiss her again. “You surprise the hell out of me, you know that?”
“Why? Because I wanted to kiss you as badly as you wanted to kiss me?”
“Yeah. I keep feeling like I’m going to wake up, and I’m still going to be wishing I could touch you like this.” To make his point, he cupped her breasts through her thin cotton T-shirt and felt her nipples harden immediately.
She returned the favor by caressing the erection that pressed insistently against his zipper. “You feel very much awake to me.”
All the air left Hunter’s body in one long, low sound that was part exhale, part moan.
The sound of a bell ringing snapped Hunter out of the desire-induced stupor.
“Megan!” Butch barked. “Pick up!”
“He’s such an ass,” she said, right before she initiated another kiss that involved tongue this time.
Hunter was actually weighing whether they could pull off a quickie in the office when the bell began to ring incessantly.
“Megan!”
“I don’t have any orders in, and he knows it. I’m going to kick his ass.”
“Is he into you?” Hunter asked. The thought had never before occurred to him, and the possibility left him reeling.
“No! He’s like a brother to me and Nina.”
“Does he know that?”
“Yes, Hunter,” she said, exasperated. “He’s very protective of us.”
The bell continued to ring repeatedly, which had to be annoying the patrons by now.
“Damn him,” Megan said, the second before she threw open the door. “What the hell, Butch?”
“You’re working.”
“I’m taking a break!”
“Not in there alone with him you’re not.”
“I’m going to be twenty-eight years old in a week. Leave me the hell alone.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
Hunter made a mental note of her upcoming birthday as well as the cleaver Butch held in his left hand. “I’ll see you later?”
Megan never blinked in her stare-down with Butch when she said, “Don’t go yet.”
Hunter stood awkwardly by her side until she finally ended the staring contest.
“Leave me alone, Butch. I mean it.” She took Hunter by the hand and all but dragged him out of the kitchen and back into the crowded diner right as Hannah and Nolan came through the door. They stopped short at the sight of Megan dragging Hunter around by his hand.
“Well,” Hannah said with a big smile for her brother, “looks like things are going well with you two lovebirds.”
Megan immediately released his hand. “I, um, I should get back to work.”
“I’ve got it, Meg,” Nina said. “Hang out with your friends.”
Though she had no good reason to be nervous, the thought of “hanging out” with Hunter’s twin sister and her husband filled her stomach with angry bats. She missed the butterflies.
His hand on her lower back helped to calm her as they followed Hannah and Nolan to a booth in the back of the diner.
Conversations halted and the volume dropped considerably as every patron stopped what they were doing to watch them walk by. No doubt Mrs. Andersen had already told the whole town she’d seen them together at the grocery store. In Butler, walking through the diner with Hunter Abbott’s hand on her lower back counted as a public coming-out party.
She appreciated that Hunter guided her into the side of the booth that put their backs to the prying eyes of the town. Across from them, Hannah, already glowing from her pregnancy, positively beamed at her brother.
“You two are so cute together,” Hannah said.
“Cut it out, Han.”
Megan glanced at him and was surprised to see him looking tense and out of sorts. “What’s wrong?” Was he embarrassed to have been caught with her by his sister? Was he not ready to make such a public declaration in front of the town? Did he not want people to know about them? The thoughts rifled through her mind one after the other, making her feel dizzy.
“Nothing. Sorry.” He put his arm around her and pulled her in tight against him, kissing the top of her head.
Megan’s face flamed with embarrassment as Hannah and Nolan watched with increasing amazement and curiosity.
“I take it things are going well?” Hannah asked.
“Hannah!” Hunter and Nolan said together.
“Leave them alone, babe,” Nolan said with a sympathetic look for Hunter.
“Like everyone left us alone when we were first dating?” Hannah asked her husband.
“That was different,” Hunter said.
“How so?” Hannah asked.
Had Megan ever noticed before how much the two of them looked alike? Right down to their expressions, the warmth in their brown eyes and their silky dark hair. She was the female version of Hunter and obviously shared his dry sense of humor.
“That was you. This is me. So it’s different.”
Hannah’s ringing laughter had her husband smiling at her mirth. “You’re so full of shit your eyes are brown,” Hannah said.
“That must be why your eyes are brown, too.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, and Megan held back a laugh she knew Hunter wouldn’t appreciate. They were too cute together. Pressed up against him, his arm heavy and strong around her, his incredibly appealing scent filling her senses, Megan felt herself relax ever so slightly. It felt good to be held in public by him, to sit with the sister who meant the world to him and have him tell his twin, with only his arm around Megan’s shoulders, that she mattered to him.
Wanting to let him know she appreciated his public display of affection, she put her hand on his leg and felt his entire body tense.
“I hope he’s treating you well, Megan,” Hannah said.
“I give up,” Nolan said, smiling at Hunter. “Sorry, man.”
“It’s all right. She can’t help herself.”
“That’s right, I can’t,” Hannah said. “So, Megan, all is well?”
Amused by Hunter’s obvious distress and annoyance, she smiled up at him. “All is well.”
“That’s it? That’s all I’m going to get?”
“Hannah …” Hunter’s low growl was full of warning.
“So you’ve given up shaving, too? I don’t think I’ve seen you with stubble since college. I’ve got to say, it looks good on you. Kind of rugged and sexy. Don’t you think, Megan?”
“Did you just refer to your own brother as rugged and sexy?” Nolan asked his wife.
“So what about it? Just because he’s my brother doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes. He’s a good-looking guy. Don’t you think, Megan?”
“I’m going to kill you, Hannah,” Hunter said, “and I’m going to make it hurt.”
“Oh hush,” Hannah said, clearly undeterred by Hunter’s irritation. “I’m talking to Megan. Leave me alone.”
“I’m sorry about her,” Hunter said. “She’s been a pain in my ass since about four minutes after I was born.”
Megan could no longer contain her laughter. It was indeed hilarious to see the calm, cool, collected Hunter handed his ass by his twin. Spending more time with Hannah was now at the top of Megan’s to-do list.
“Don’t encourage her by laughing. You can’t think she’s funny and be with me, too.”
“Well,” Megan said, “it was nice knowing you.”
Hannah dissolved into laughter and raised her fist to Megan, who gave it a bump. As she did, she met the darkeyed gaze that was so much like Hunter’s, and detected a hint of respect coming from Hannah. Until that moment, Megan hadn’t realized how desperately she wanted Hunter’s family to like her, especially Hannah, who was so important to him.
Nina arrived at their table with four mugs, looking harried and frazzled. “Sorry for the delay. Coffee for everyone?”
“Decaf for me,” Hannah said, with obvious distaste.
“Do you need help, Neen?” Megan asked.
“Nope. I got it.”
When they all had steaming mugs in front of them, Hannah shifted her attention back to Hunter. “What’s this I hear about the family buying this place?”
“Gramps is thinking about buying it.”
“Is that right?” Nolan said. “That’s cool, huh?”
“Yeah, except he expects me to oversee the whole thing like I’ve got nothing else to do.”
“If anyone can do it, you can,” Hannah said.
“We’ll have to make some changes, but—”
Megan sat up straighter. “What kind of changes?”
“A few structural things.”
“Like what?”
“I should really talk to Nina about this.”
“Nina will be gone in a couple of days, and you said you want me to help you run this place if the sale goes through. Doesn’t that give me the right to know what kind of changes you have planned?”
“She’s got you there,” Hannah said, earning another glare from her brother.
“For one thing,” Hunter said tentatively, “the hood over the grill needs to be replaced. It failed the inspection.”
“Oh. Okay. That’s doable. What else?”
“We might have to look at the pricing.”
“What about it?”
“At the moment, the diner is operating in the red because the cost of the food is higher than what Nina is charging.”
“So you want to raise the prices.”
“Possibly.”
“Do you know how many people eat here every day because they can’t afford to eat anywhere else?” Before he could reply, she continued. “Do you know how many of them come here because they have no one to talk to at home and can find a family of sorts here while they eat meals they couldn’t otherwise afford? It’s not all about money here. It never has been, and if that’s what you’re about, you might want to save your grandfather’s money and yourself the trouble of buying the place. We’d be better off to let it close down than to try to turn it into something fancy and refined. There’s more to the story here than what you’ll find in the numbers.” He stared at her, and she had no idea what he was thinking. “I need to get back to work. Hannah, Nolan, nice to see you.”
Embarrassed by her outburst, but not at all embarrassed by what she’d said, Megan slipped out of his embrace, got up and walked away.
“I like her,” Hannah said with a dreamy sigh. “I like her so much.”
“So do I.” Still reeling from Megan’s passionate speech, Hunter never would’ve guessed her true feelings about the diner and its clientele until she’d so thoroughly schooled him.
Hannah leaned across the table. “Now tell us everything, and leave nothing out.”
“I’m not doing that, Han.”
“Come on! You’ve gotta give me something. Who was more up in our business when we first started dating than you were?”
“That was different,” Hunter said. “You’d been through so much after losing Caleb. I was just being … protective.”
“Do you think I feel any less protective toward you? Just because you haven’t lost a spouse doesn’t mean I wouldn’t claw the eyes out of any woman who dared to hurt you.”
“She’s not going to hurt me. She’s amazing. It’s everything I always hoped it would be and a few things I never dared to imagine.”
Hannah’s mouth fell open and her eyes bugged. “Oh. My. God. You’re in love with her.”
“I have been for years.” Admitting that to himself at the same time he admitted it to Hannah was amazingly freeing. Of course he was in love with her. How could he not be?
“Dude, I know the feeling,” Nolan said. With a smile for his wife, he added, “Nothing better than finally having everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m quite there yet, but I’m closer than I was a week ago.”
Hannah blinked, and Hunter realized she was trying not to cry. “Hannah …”
“Don’t mind her,” Nolan said. “She cries over insurance commercials these days.”
“That commercial was sad!” Hannah wiped away tears that cascaded down her cheeks. “And how is it wrong for me to feel weepy about seeing my favorite person in the whole wide world so happy?”
“Gee, thanks,” Nolan muttered under his breath.
“It’s a twin thing,” Hannah told her husband. “You wouldn’t understand.” When she reached across the table, Hunter gave her his hand. “I’m going to be honest with you for a minute here.”
“And this is new how?”
“Shut up and listen to me, will you please?”
“I’m listening.” Despite her meddling and the current histrionics, she was his favorite person in the whole world, too, and she knew it.
“For a long time, I didn’t like her very much.”
“Hannah—”
“Hear me out. I didn’t like her because she could be edgy and bitchy at times. We’ve all seen that. That said, I also didn’t know her very well. Sure, I see her all the time when I come in here, but I didn’t know her.”
“And now you do?”
“I know her better than I used to. I’ve had a few really fun conversations with her lately, and I’ve decided she uses the bitchy edgy thing as a defense mechanism.”
Hunter had already figured that out for himself, but far be it from him to stop Hannah when she was on a roll. He sat back to listen to what else she had to say.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that she’s actually very sweet and often funny, too.”
“Anything else?”
Her eyes flooded with tears again. “I think … it’s possible … she might be good enough for you.”
Hunter laughed.
“Don’t laugh. I’m being serious!”
“I know you are, and I appreciate your endorsement. I’m sure Megan will, too.”
“I want you to be happy, Hunter. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”
“I’m happy, Han, so you can stand down.”
“Call me crazy,” Nolan said, “but Megan seemed sort of pissed just now.”
“I’ll fix it with her.” After what they’d shared over the past few days, Hunter felt fairly confident they could withstand an occasional bump and get past it. “We’re good, and I need to get back to work.”
“So do I,” Nolan said. To Hannah, he said, “Want me to take you home?”
“I do not,” Hannah said indignantly. “I’m perfectly capable of driving myself. Cameron is coming over to go over the final plans for the grand opening of Guthrie House, so I’ve got a full day ahead of me.”
“One that includes a nap, right?”
“I’ll have no choice about that.”
Nolan smiled and kissed her as if Hunter weren’t sitting three feet from them watching the whole thing.
Hunter dropped a ten-dollar bill on the table. “And that’s my cue to get the hell out of here.”
“We’re right behind you.”
Megan was nowhere to be seen as Hunter left the diner, but he knew he’d see her later when they’d have the opportunity to work out their differences about the pricing. It went against everything he believed in as an accountant and a businessman to allow a business to be intentionally unprofitable. Surely there were some concessions they could make that would allow the diner to continue to assist those in need while also making a profit. He refused to believe it wasn’t possible to have it both ways.