Free Perfect Contradiction by Peggy Martinez Page B

out,” he said softly.
    I couldn’t. The same reason that said we wouldn’t work out was the exact same one that told me we had a fighting chance. The baby could break us or the baby could bond us. It was all a confusing jumble of contradictions. His kisses scattered what wits I had left to the four corners of the earth, and I melted into him. Too many fevered kisses and several buttons of my top undone later, Hunter’s cell phone rang, effectively snapping me out of the madness I was quickly slipping into. I put a hand up and gently pushed Hunter back. He took a step back, his eyes hooded in desire, his lips still perfectly kissable. I shook my head and grasped ahold of the only thing I could think of at the moment.
    “Was that your girlfriend?” I asked, trying to put more space between myself and the man I wanted desperately. Hunter’s head whipped back like I’d struck him.
    “Girlfriend?” he asked in a low, calm voice.
    I turned and put a lid on the container of goodies I had been preparing for Hunter. “Blonde, long legs… beautiful ?” I reminded him harshly. Still he stared at me like I’d grown two heads. “The woman you were with at Hot Diggity Dogs a few weeks back,” I prompted, my head starting to pound.
    “You were in St. Louis?” Hunter accused instead, effectively dodging my question.
    Uh-huh . “Yeah. I had some things to pick up for the inn, so I swung by to see you,” I said, not looking at him as I began straightening up my already immaculate kitchen.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, oblivious. Just like a dude .
    “Umm, hello? The blonde bombshell you were kissing wasn’t enough of a clue?” I asked.
    Hunter blinked. He looked angry and hurt.
    I felt confused. “Can you tell me you aren’t seeing her? That I made a mistake?” I asked. Dear God, my voice had sounded hopeful. I hated myself for that.
    “No, I can’t say that,” Hunter answered evenly.
    I nodded, unable to trust myself to speak. “That’s what I figured,” I muttered a few seconds later.
    “You should have come up to me, Jen,” Hunter said again.
    I rolled my eyes.
    “Sometimes life has a way of making me think that God is just playing one big, cosmic joke on me,” he said. He sounded as tired and emotionally drained as I felt.
    “Listen, Hunter, I’ve had a long day and I have to get up really early to bake,” I started. I held out the container of sweets I made for him. Reaching out, he took it from me. He turned and took a step toward the kitchen door. My heart felt even heavier if that was at all possible. I felt like we were on a precipice and whatever we said and did in this moment was going to change everything between us. Hunter spoke first.
    “I’ve decided to take a more permanent position in the family business,” he said. Hunter’s family not only owned farmland, but they also owned a thriving movie theater business that spanned several cities in Missouri. “I’m almost finished with my business degree, and I guess I should just go ahead and put it to good use.”
    “That’s… great, Hunter,” I said. What did that mean exactly ? I wondered.
    “Yeah. I’ll be moving to St. Louis permanently tomorrow and doing a lot of traveling,” he said with his back to me.
    “Wait. What?” I asked.
    “I’ll be taking over most of the business. My dad wants to phase himself out of the movie theater business. He’s busy enough with the farm and the church as it is. He asked me tonight if I would consider taking over.”
    My mind was spinning. Hunter would be gone from Salem on a permanent basis. I sucked in a sharp breath. It hurt even more when things worked out like I hoped they would. With Hunter gone, it would make things easier on me when people found out I was pregnant, easier to keep it from him, and easier to pretend I knew what I was doing. Still, to hear him say he was going to be gone permanently hurt me on a level I didn’t realize was possible.
    “I don’t know