The evening quickly absorbed the last of the afternoon light, the cloudy sky plummeting the damp road to the Harris’s house in murkiness.

I had texted and called Hunter when I got to the car, but he didn’t respond to either. I dialed another number.

“Jones?” I said when a guy answered.

“Jaymerson?”

“Yeah. Is Hunter with you?”

“No. Not yet. I think he’s heading over here later.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“I think he’s home.”

“Thank you.” I hung up, put the car in drive, and pointed it up the hill.

The house lights glowed through the trees as I drove up. This time I held no reservations. I knew exactly what I wanted, and I needed to tell him truthfully how I felt. Whatever obstacles came our way, I was willing to tackle them. The thought of Cody didn’t frighten me, nor did Krista or any other person who might judge us for being together. I wanted him, and we would make it work.

My excitement quickly drained into trepidation, filling my stomach with bile as I struggled to compute the scene in front of me. I slammed my foot on the brake.

Two figures lit by the outside lights thrashed around in the driveway, one shoving and punching the other.

Holy shit.

Mr. Harris, still dressed in his suit and tie, wrapped his arm was around Hunter’s neck, pinning Hunter to his side. Julia stood on the top steps to the house screaming indistinctly.

I climbed out of the car and raced down the drive. “Hunter!” No one seemed to hear me.

“You are such a fucking disgrace,” his dad seethed. “You can’t even be there at your own brother’s memorial. The whole town was there. The mayor. Even Jaymerson. How do you think it looked to your mother and me? How humiliating that our son can’t even show up?”

Hunter ripped his head from his father’s grip, pulling away. “I don’t give a shit how it looked to others.” Blood leaked from Hunter’s nose, and the side of his face was puffed and bruised.

“You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”

“Me?” Hunter screamed confoundedly. “All you are concerned about is yourself and your stupid image! Not me. Your son. Just how it will appear to others.”

“How dare you!” Mr. Harris moved forward, diving back at Hunter.

“Stop!” I jumped in between them.

“Mitchel!” Julia screamed in warning, her hand at the base of her throat in horror. Mr. Harris reared back in shock at my sudden appearance.

“Jaymerson,” Hunter shouted, trying to shove me out of the way. “Get away from here.”

“No!” I barked, standing my ground. Rage took over. His father’s words and blows shredded the last of my self-doubt.

“You need to leave, Jaymerson. This is family business,” Mr. Harris said through clenched teeth, his hand wiping his mouth.

“Then how come you know so little about yours?”

“Jayme,” Hunter growled, his hands reaching for my shoulder, but I jerked away.

“No. He needs to hear this,” I shot at Hunter, then faced Mr. Harris, my eyes narrowing. “How can you not see the truth? Or is it you simply don’t want to?” I moved closer to Mitch. “All you care about is if Hunter shows up and plays a part?”

“You need to go. Now!” Mr. Harris yelled, pointing at my car.

“Colton was the boy you dreamed about. One to brag to your friends and model after you. The captain of the football team, with good grades, and a sweet, dismissive girlfriend. The golden boy going off to Princeton. Right?” I swung my arm, gesturing to Hunter. “Hunter, on the other hand, never fit your ideals. He has a strong personality, he stands up to you. Chooses to be himself. You hate it.” The tension in the air was palpable, but no one stopped me. “Did you ever once try and support Hunter, love him for who he is?”

“Jayme…” Hunter took a step to me.

“Because he is the only real one here,” I stressed. “And you’re too blind to see it.”

“You don’t know anything about us or this family.” Mr. Harris’s voice was cold and hard.

“Don’t I?” I matched his tone. “Then how is it I know the tru—”

“Jaymerson. Stop.”

“The baby you think is Hunter’s? It is Colton’s!” I shouted, looking back and forth between the wife and husband. Mrs. Harris paled, her hand going to her mouth. “Hunter claimed it, wanting to protect his brother, the football scholarship, your love…” I tapered off, my focus on Mr. Harris. “But you knew, didn’t you?”

“Stop!” Hunter grabbed my arm.

“And Colton let him,” I whispered hoarsely. “You let him... all to save your precious boy’s reputation.”

A gasp came from the steps. Julia stared at her husband, waiting for him to respond. “Is it true, Mitch? Is it Colton’s?”

He ignored her question, his rage pulsing in my direction.

“Answer me!” Julia demanded, venturing down the steps.

Fury blistered Mr. Harris’s eyes. “How dare you come here and act like you know anything about me. Or my family.” His fists clenched at his sides. “I love my boys. Both of them.”

“Just not equally.”

His chest doubled in size.

Hunter grabbed me by the shoulders, forcing me to back away. “That’s enough, Jayme.”

“You were never good enough for our son. Either of them. You’re merely a gold digger,” his dad spat. “One died so you took up with the other?”

A glitch of silence. Hunter’s hands dropped away from me, fury trundling off him. He stormed up to his father, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him close to his face, showing how easily he could overpower his father if he wanted to.

“Don’t ever talk about her like that.”

“And you don’t talk to me like this.” His dad shoved him back. “Why am I not surprised you’d defend her? She’s wrapped you around her finger like she did Colton. What is it about her? She’s nothing special.” The energy in the air was swelling, violence nibbling at the edges.

“Both of you stop this!” Julia ran down the steps, rushing to them. “I’ve had enough of you two constantly at each other’s throats.” She shoved at their entangled arms. Hunter stepped back, releasing his father.

Mr. Harris straightened his suit, as if he could make the scene right by doing so.

“Is it true? Is the baby Colton’s? I need to know now.” Julia glanced back and forth at the two men. “Hunter?”

Hunter looked away. “Yes,” he murmured.

Pain flashed over her face, and she turned to her husband. “Mitch, look at me. Did you know about Colton?” Julia grabbed his arm, forcing his attention on her. “That the baby was his?”

Mitch shook her hand off, walking a few steps away. He ran his hand over his short hair.

“Tell me!” Julia demanded.

Mitch swung around. “Not for sure.”

“But you suspected?”

He grunted, shrugging his shoulders in a noncommittal response.

Hunter exhaled, shaking his head in resolved disappointment. “If it was me, you could ignore the ‘bastard,’ right? But if anyone found out it was Colton’s, you’d have to accept you had a grandchild. Take care of it.”

“The girl probably got pregnant on purpose.” Mitch swung around. “Tried to trap Colton. I would not give that trash our money or our name.”

Everyone froze, staring at him in disbelief.

“It may be harsh, but it doesn’t make it any less true. It was better this way,” Mr. Harris continued. “He had a future. She would have sucked us dry and opened us up for more trollops looking for a payout.”

“Mitch!” Shock and sadness seeped into Julia’s voice.

“I simply wanted to protect him, Julia.” Grief crawled over his features, tearing down the anger. “I only wanted the best for him. Our boy.” A sob wrenched from his throat. “And now he’s gone…” He grabbed his wife, pulling her in.

They both held each other, sobbing. Not once did they look at Hunter, to bring him in and share their pain together. It broke my heart.

Hunter slowly turned from them and walked away.

“Hunter?” I chased after him.

“Go home, Jaymerson.”

“I’m sorry. I lost it when I saw him fighting you. I felt like they needed to know the truth.”

He sucked in a breath, curling and flexing his hand.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“I’m not mad. You’re right; they needed to know. I’m relieved the truth is out.” He opened the jeep door, his voice void of any emotion.

“Hunter…?”

“Goodbye, Jayme.” I bit my lip and nodded, climbing in.

“Hunter?” Julia’s voice came down the drive.

“I’ll be right there,” he responded. Turning back to me, he closed the jeep door. “Good night.”

“Will I see you tomorrow?”

He stared at me, then gave me a quick nod. “Yeah, see you tomorrow.” He pushed off from the door and walked away.

Diving home, emotion swelled around my throat, choking me. I swallowed them back. I will see him tomorrow, I told myself. But trepidation settled in, pulling me down like an anchor.

I went there to tell him I wanted to be with him but left with the deep resonating feeling he’d just said goodbye.