He glances up, his eyes singed with fatigue. “You’re home.”
Tears gather in her throat at the sight of him, a sight that fills her with shame and love and the fresh, ferocious pain of their loss. He stands, catching her as she lets her body go limp in his strong arms. He leads her to the den off the kitchen, lowers them both down onto the couch.
She sobs into his chest. She doesn’t know how much time passes, only that she’s relieved just to be there in Hunter’s arms, sharing the burden of this pain. When she finally picks her head up, Hunter is staring straight ahead, his gaze impenetrable.
“Where’s Stella?” she asks, rubbing her eyes.
“Asleep in our bed.”
“Really? She hasn’t taken a morning nap since … I can’t even remember.”
“I know. Yesterday completely exhausted her, I think. She’s wiped. I let her watch Frozen after breakfast, and she passed out five minutes in.”
“You’d think she’d be sick of Frozen by now.” Molly gives a tentative smile.
“You would think.”
She wishes Hunter would look at her, but he stares into his lap.
“I’m so sorry, Hunt. I don’t even know where to start.”
He exhales—a deep, tired sigh. “Are you okay, Molly?”
“I will be,” she says, remembering Jake’s words. But you’re stronger than you know, all right? Don’t ever forget that. “Are you?”
“I’m angry.”
“I know.”
“I’m just … I’m wrecked.”
“I’m so sorry,” she repeats, though the words feel flimsy, futile against the weight of her actions.
“Do you love Jake?” Hunter finally looks at her, his eyes pained.
“Yes,” Molly answers truthfully. She doesn’t want to lie to him; she promises herself she never will again. “A small part of me probably always will. But I’m in love with you, Hunt. You’re the love of my life. It’s a completely different thing.”
He says nothing. Closes his eyes for a long moment.
“I didn’t sleep with him. I swear.”
“But you kissed him.”
Molly nods. “I slipped.” She draws in a breath. “Honestly, when we found out Sabrina’s husband was Jake, when he was all of a sudden in our lives, you and I never really … we didn’t talk about it, Hunter. It was this huge, earth-shattering thing, and you barely acknowledged what was happening. It’s made me feel completely isolated.”
He frowns. “So, what, you turned to Jake?”
“No, that’s not what I—”
“Because it’s been isolating for me, too, Molly. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been for me to watch the way the two of you are around each other? All hot and bothered?” Hunter shifts forward, pressing his forehead to his hands. “But you’re right. I just … I shut down, I guess.”
She reaches for the back of his head, runs her fingers through the neatly trimmed hairs at the nape of his neck. “I understand. I can’t imagine how insanely weird and hard this has been for you, Hunt.”
“But it’s been hard for you, too. We should’ve been talking.”
“From now on, we talk.”
“Deal.” They sit in silence for a few moments. Then Hunter’s eyes lift, finding Molly’s. “Did the kiss mean anything?”
She blinks. “I could say it meant nothing, but that wouldn’t be true. It meant something for the person I left behind when I got pregnant with Stella … when I stopped writing … when I moved out here with you. That was wonderful, but it happened so fast—I became a mom, then a wife, and all in one second. Jake and I—” She swallows. “We had unfinished business. And even though I used to think he could’ve tried harder to get in touch—after some time had gone by, I mean—it was my fault for leaving it unfinished.”
Hunter’s mouth forms a thin line. He shifts forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “There’s something I never told you.”
Molly’s eyebrows draw together. “What is it?”
“Jake emailed me, a couple of months after you guys broke up. He sounded really desperate and worried. He said he hadn’t heard from you and wanted to know if you were okay. I never replied. I should’ve mentioned it, but I didn’t. I just … I loved you so much, I didn’t want to risk you going back to him.”