The Country Duet(68)
Chapter 13
Teale
The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
-Dolly Parton
“You truly made Baker’s day.” I run lines down the cold mug in front of me.
“She made my day. You’ve raised an incredible daughter, Teale.”
“I’ve been honest with her since the day Jerico brought her to me. I told her about how I hurt you, and should’ve been honest, and how much I love you.”
“She told me.” He takes a long pull from his beer.
“She did?” I quirk up a brow.
“In a roundabout way, she did.” He leans in closer over the table. We are so close I can taste the beer floating off his lips. “She told me she wished for a Daddy today and wants it to be me because her momma loves me.”
I cover my face in embarrassment. I have to love the honesty from babes. “I do love you, Hunter, but you need to hear the whole story. I should’ve told you from day one, but it was all too painful. It sounds dumb, but I figured if I didn’t talk about it then it would fade away.”
Hunter shocks me when he slides out of his side of the booth and then slides into my side. He pushes me until I’m up against the wall and there’s no room between our two bodies. Hunter seductively licks his lips, with hunger and desire simmering in his eyes.
“Let me kiss you first,” he whispers.
I don’t even have time to nod before his lips brush against mine. We both still relish in the contact. My eyes snap shut, allowing me to take everything Hunter in. I’ve missed his taste, tender touch, and love. He’s my other half, and I knew this the day I met him. The timing was all wrong, but it didn’t stop me. I nearly lost my other half because of it.
His tongue swipes across my lips, and I open for him. He swipes into my mouth, soaking up my taste. It takes me long moments before I move and taste him. We kiss like hell until we are forced to part and inhale oxygen.
“I’ve been dying to do that since you were cooking me waffles.” He smiles.
“Hunter.” I place my palms on his chest and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping not to lose courage. “I have to get this out.”
He wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his chest. His lips kiss the top of my head over and over. “Talk, baby.”
“My sophomore year I thought I fell in love. Mr. Hawthorne, my English teacher, was the man who I thought I loved. He paid me particular attention and seduced me in with his looks and words. I’m not innocent here, Hunter. One thing led to the other, and we had a sexual relationship.”
I choke on my words, not wanting to finish the story even though the ugliest part has been divulged.
“I find myself sixteen and pregnant with my teacher’s child. My parents’ marriage was already falling apart, then this was the final straw that shredded everything. My mom was a monster on a war path. She sued the school and pressed charges against Mr. Hawthorne. Everything went public. She wasn’t doing it for me, but the paycheck.
“Long story short, they took Baker from me when she was born. I only had special visitation with her, and I never missed a visit. Mr. Hawthorne’s brother, Jerico, was also on a mission to save his family’s name. He won primary custody after years of court battles. There was a stipulation about me getting a steady career, then the court would re-evaluate.
“Jerico has a new fiancée, and the attention had worn off having Baker, so he brought her back to me. He wasn’t abusive to her, but also wasn’t a good man.”
“Why were you here in Idaho?” Hunter asks.
I squeeze my eyes tight. “I had to leave California to focus in on my nursing degree. There were too many distractions in California, between my mom and Jerico’s mind games. I did everything to get her back. The sacrifice killed me, then I met you.”
“And Mr. Hawthorne?” Is his next question.
“He’s in prison and has signed away all rights to Baker.”
“So, she’s yours now?”
“Yes, Hunter, she’s all mine. It’s been a battle since the day I fell pregnant.”
“And Jerico was bad to her?”
I finally muster up enough courage to peer up at him. “It was a sterile environment with minimal toys because Jerico hates clutter. She was never exposed to daycare or preschool because Jerico had a nanny for her. Her only interaction and play was with me. I never missed my time with her until I had to leave.”
This part of the story makes me cry. Leaving Baker behind nearly killed me. I left a piece of my soul with her that day, but I had to do it for our future.
“I knew that he was a bastard when his smug ass stepped into the shop that day. I immediately hated him.”
“He’s a cruel bastard. Baker was never his concern, it was their family image.”
Hunter’s hand cups my cheek. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Teale.”
“I’m a failure.”
“No, you are not.” Each one of his words are well-pronounced.
“I am. I failed Baker for so many years and then crushed you.”
“You did hurt me, Teale.” His raw honesty destroys me, but I don’t let my face show it. “I’ve never been so devastated in all of my years, and it’s because of how much you mean to me. There hasn’t been one day since I walked out that you haven’t been on my mind. It’s all you.”