Rumors: Brianna & Hunter Read online

  Rumors

  Brianna & Hunter

  Rachael Brownell

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Afterword

  Imperfect Love Story

  About the Author

  Also by Rachael Brownell

  Chapter One

  When Hunter told me we needed to head to Megan's to help her move, my jaw hit the ground.

  First, he said her name. He hadn't mentioned her in the last year except to tell me she was banging Vinnie.

  Second, the thought of him willingly helping her catches me off guard.

  "We're helping Megan move? The same Megan we agreed I would stay away from because she was, how did you put it, a tramp who couldn't keep her legs closed?"

  Hunter grins at me from across the kitchen.

  "Yeah. Same person, new and improved personality."

  Doubtful. Megan didn't need to improve her personality. She's amazing. She needed to clean up her image, though. People saw her one way and one way only. They didn't care about the person inside; they focused on the mistakes she made. Her poor choices and bad decisions.

  This has been a hard year for me. Megan was my closest friend. My confidante. The one person I felt like I could talk to about my situation and not be judged.

  When the family shunned her for her actions, I had a choice to make. I could either lose my family or lose my friend. Hunter is my world, my everything. He has been since the moment we met.

  There was no choice to make.

  I knew she would understand. I knew she wouldn't force me to take sides.

  Still, I wanted to talk to her. To tell her to come clean about what really happened. When I tried, she shut me down. My friend was long gone, and in her place was only a shell. She put on a front that everything was fine, that she was in control, but I could see the pain in her eyes. The devastation.

  She was losing everything and everyone she cared about because of some stupid plan I tried to warn her about.

  The one time I met Jared, I could tell he was bad news. Not because of anything he did. It was the way he looked at Megan. The way he watched her. He could be completely engrossed in conversation and still know where she was in the room.

  Ryder's best friend, my ass.

  If Ryder ever saw what I saw, he would never have believed what he walked in on. I have a feeling Jared had been planning things longer than Megan even knows.

  "Where is Megan moving?" I ask as I slide his cup of coffee across the counter.

  "She's moving in with Vinnie."

  Time seems to stop.

  Emerson's been keeping me in the loop on the office gossip. I swear the rumors that go around that place are ridiculous. Who would ever have believed that Angela was pregnant and not telling Tyler? Or that Justine screwed her ex in the conference room? As far as I know, the only people who've had sex on the conference room table are me and Hunter, and no one knows that.

  She, however, failed to mention that Megan and Vinnie were getting this serious. The last I heard, they weren't speaking because of some stupid rumor. I'm glad they moved past that and didn't let it ruin what they've started, but this seems like a big leap, especially for Megan.

  She's always been cautious. The one spontaneous thing she's ever done was marry Ryder, and I think that was more his idea than hers. Not that they weren’t madly in love at the time, but from what I’ve heard, he was the one that suggested they elope.

  "When did all this come about?"

  "Last week, I think. I'm not sure. All I know is Tyler needs my help loading, and I thought you might want to hang out with the girls."

  My phone chimes just as he finishes talking. I'm guessing that's my invitation to work.

  EMERSON: Hey, headed to Megan's to help pack. PLEASE come with me.

  I love that Emerson has found a way to coexist with Megan. I love that she's trying to like her and hope that, one day, they'll actually form a friendship. Still, I understand why she wouldn't want to go alone.

  New girlfriend plus ex-wife plus ex-husband plus new boyfriend equals awkward tension.

  ME: Sure. Pick me up on your way out there.

  EMERSON: Thank you.

  ME: ;)

  "Emerson?" Hunter asks.

  "Yep. She's going to pick me up. When are you leaving?"

  "Tyler sounded desperate, so I'm gonna head out in a few minutes," he replies, setting his coffee cup on the counter and reaching out for me. Once I'm wrapped in the safety of his arms, he whispers in my ear, "When we get home, be prepared to be ravished, though."

  Smiling against his chest, I let out a soft giggle as he swats me on the butt.

  There are days I can't get out of bed. Days where all I do is cry. The past year, those days have been more frequent than the good days. Through it all, the one thing I never questioned is how much Hunter loves me. How strong our relationship is.

  He knows I would give him ten kids if I could. And I know he would settle for one. A little Hunter or maybe a mini-me. It doesn't matter as long as it's healthy.

  The fact of the matter is, I can't. There's no possible way. My body isn't strong enough to carry a child. There's too much damage from when I was younger. We've had three miscarriages that no one knows about, all from IV fertilization before we knew it wasn't my eggs, it was my body.

  Still, we try every day, hoping for a small miracle. He's not letting the doctor’s diagnosis get him down.

  I'm another story.

  Seven years is a long time to try. A long time to have your dreams shattered over and over again.

  "I plan to hold you to that, Mr. Dixon," I retort, stepping out of his arms and poking him in the chest playfully.

  "Someone's feisty today."

  "You know I wouldn't be able to survive if I didn't have my daily dose of you."

  "Only one dose? That's all it takes?"

  "Well, if you're offering me seconds, I'm not going to turn you down."

  "I think maybe I should get to Megan's, get that truck loaded so I can get back here sooner."

  "I like the way you think."

  As soon as Hunter's out the door, I change into a clean pair of jeans before Emerson arrives. I hope she realizes she has some explaining to do. I may not work at the office, but I like to know what’s going on with my friends. We talked yesterday, and she didn't mention Megan moving in with Vinnie. In fact, she hasn't mentioned Megan once in the last few weeks. Not since the rumors started circulating and Megan visited Ryder at work.

  That was an interesting conversation.

  It's not often Emerson calls me from work, so when she did, I thought something was wrong. And there was, but not what I was thinking.

  Megan was in Ryder's office. With the door closed. She'd been in there for close to ten minutes, and no one had heard a peep. No yelling. No arguing. Nada.

  That's when she told me about the night before, at the bar. Girl's night that turned into couple’s night.

  Not my scene. I enjoy a glass of wine every now and again, but with all the drugs the doctors have had me on, anything beyond that makes me sick.

 
; Megan told everyone the truth. She confessed and had proof of what really happened. I smiled the entire time Emerson told me the details. Details that didn't surprise me, but I couldn't say that. I had been keeping Megan's secret for almost a year, and it was her story to tell, not mine.

  That's when I realized that she had broken.

  I wanted to call her, to reach out and see if she was okay. She's a strong person, and for her to break, something big must have happened. I'm guessing it was Vinnie.

  He was her breaking point.

  In either a good or bad way.

  Before I had a chance to ask Emerson, she had to rush back to her office. Megan was emerging from Ryder's office, and she didn't want to get caught trying to listen to their conversation.

  "Hello!" Emerson shouts as she lets herself in.

  "In here," I call out to her.

  There's a huge smile on her face as she enters the kitchen.

  "You look awfully happy to be headed to your boyfriend’s ex-wife’s house."

  Her smile turns to a frown at the mention of Megan.

  "Funny," she replies dryly. "I don't really want to go, but I promised Ryder I would help so he'd get done sooner. From what he said, things are moving really slow. Like, the truck is barely full and boxes still need to be packed."

  I grimace at the thought of packing boxes. Hunter and I have been in this house for almost eight years. The last time we moved, I made him swear we wouldn't have to pack again for at least a decade.

  "Well, let’s get this over with, then. The sooner we get there, the sooner we finish."

  The drive to Megan's is a beautiful one from my house. Instead of taking the highway, I guide Emerson down the back roads. Meadows and fields of corn and wheat pass by as she fills me in on all the gossip I've missed over the last few weeks.

  "So, let me get this straight. Megan confessed to Ryder; he forgave her. Then, she freaked out when she heard what Vinnie said to Tyler, but instead of confronting Vinnie, she went to Tyler who set her straight."

  "Yep," she replies, popping the P for emphasis.

  "And at what point did she decide to move in with him?"

  "I don't know; you'll have to ask her. I think he asked her, though. He's renting a house that's conveniently close to Amara's school and work. Ryder said they were getting serious, but I didn't see this coming at all."

  "What do you know about this guy? I know he's a friend of Tyler's, but that's about it."

  "Not much more than that. He's a damn genius when it comes to tech marketing. We're lucky to have him on board, especially with Hunter taking over for Herman. I know he used to live in California and likes to mess with Tyler any chance he gets."

  I hear everything she's saying, but my mind chooses to focus on her comment about Hunter taking over for Herman. Something we knew would happen eventually, but we're not prepared for. Not yet. Not until we had our family, at least that's what we were hoping for.

  Herman's been grooming Hunter for the past two years. We knew he was going to want to retire eventually, but he shocked us all when he announced it. He's still in his prime, great at what he does, and able to do it. Why would he retire now?

  My best guess… he’s tired and he knows he’s leaving the company in good hands.

  No one wants to ask. They're all scared of offending him or upsetting him, I'm not sure which.

  As his first 'daughter' of the family, I feel like I could ask him and he would give me the honest truth. And I plan to. When the moment is right. Most importantly, when no one else is around because I don't want to put him on the spot.

  He doesn't owe anyone an explanation.

  "Well, I think it's great as long as they're both happy. I mean, think about it. If Megan is happy, things should be easier between her and Ryder. Especially now that they've cleared up what happened."

  "You would think. Ryder has been acting kind of weird the last few days, though. Quiet and keeping to himself. He even stayed late to help Hunter last night. You know he hates working past five. We had Amara, and it's against his beliefs to cut into family time."

  He worked late last night?

  Hunter was home by six o'clock, which is early for him these days. He's normally in the office until at least seven, sometimes eight o'clock. Fridays are normally his latest days, so when he came home last night early, I was surprised.

  He also had flowers and a bag of sour gummy worms for me, my favorite.

  Come to find out, he wanted something in return for my sweet treat. Not that he has to bribe me to jump into bed with him. I'm more than willing, anywhere, anytime. I always have been.

  So, knowing that Hunter wasn't at work late last night, it makes me wonder where Ryder really was and what he was actually up to. It's not like him to lie or sneak around. He's one of the most honest people you'll meet, almost to a fault.

  Don't ever ask him a question you're not sure you want to know the answer to. He's brutal sometimes.

  "Well, there's been a lot going on the last few weeks. Everyone's still adjusting and you know how crazy Fridays can get sometimes. I'm sure he was just finishing a few things up so he could enjoy his weekend."

  "I know, but things just feel off. There's always a lot going on, but he's never this withdrawn. It makes me wonder if this is what ended things between him and Megan. She said she was trying to get his attention. I don't plan to follow in her footsteps, but if our relationship has run its course, I don't want to be strung along."

  Well, shit. I can't have her thinking that. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

  "Look, I'll ask Hunter what they were up to last night and do a little snooping. Until I report back to you, try not to worry, okay?"

  Emerson nods, but I can tell the worry has already set in. It won't go away until she has answers. I just hope I can get some for her that won't add to her stress level.

  Chapter Two

  Helping Megan pack and move is about as much fun as I thought it would be. Not only is she less prepared than I expected her to be, but Amara is slowing down the process. That sweet child, my niece, who I love dearly. She's also a constant reminder of what I'll never have.

  Of course this means I watch her every move, which makes me retreat into my own head.

  Self-doubt and blame are screaming at me.

  The doctor’s words front and center.

  "Your body will never be able to carry a child. I'm sorry."

  Sorry? I don't want his pity. I want him to help me have a baby. I want him to fix what's wrong with me.

  But he can't, and I know that. Still, I blame him. All of them. Every doctor I've ever seen. Every doctor who's tried and failed.

  At the end of the day, though, I know I'm really the one to blame. It's my body. It's my fault.

  The years I spent focused on gymnastics. Weighing my food. Counting calories. Eating as little as possible so I could stay as small as my coach said I needed to be. To avoid the backlash of gaining weight.

  Then I would binge like crazy after a meet and make myself sick. After a while, the vomiting came easily and without the sting it used to have.

  I put my body through hell when I was a teenager. It wasn't until I stopped competing and went off to college that I realized there were better ways to manage my weight. Healthier ways to live. At that point, it was too little too late. The damage was done.

  It would be years before I would find out. Getting married and starting a family weren't even on my radar until I met Hunter. He made me want things I never considered. My focus was on school and a career.

  After we graduated and were married, we both focused on each other for a few years, enjoying married life. We were both starting our careers, him with a small marketing firm, following in his father’s footsteps, and me at a private school teaching history. We would travel as often as we could, mostly during the summer when I wasn't working.

  Life was great.

  Until we decided we wanted to start our family and after months of trying
, nothing had changed. The first doctor said it might be the stress we were putting on ourselves to get pregnant. He told us to 'enjoy' the process and it would happen when the time was right.

  We took his suggestion and rolled with it for a year. Still nothing.

  About the time Herman asked Hunter to move up here and work for him, we decided it was time to take a break. We would get settled and then start trying again in a few months.

  In my heart, I knew something was wrong. There had to be a reason it hadn't happened yet. We were having sex at least once a day, sometimes more. We hadn't used any type of contraception in years. We had even started to track my ovulation cycle.

  We were doing everything right.

  Without telling Hunter, I decided to make an appointment with a specialist. My hope was to get answers. To understand why it hadn't happened yet. Was something wrong with me? Was Hunter shooting blanks?

  I found an endocrinologist who was highly rated in the area. The day my appointment rolled around, Hunter was waiting for me in the kitchen, keys in one hand and my purse in the other.

  He should have been at work. He wasn't supposed to know.

  Well, the office called to confirm my appointment while I had been in the shower. He took down the details and made sure he was there to go with me.

  That's the kind of man I married. Silently supportive. He allows me to make my own decisions, and he'll be there to hold my hand when I need him.

  We had appointment after appointment with the doctor. He ran tests on both of us. Made a few suggestions of holistic ideas to try. He wanted answers as much as we did. When he finally has some, he cried with us.

  None of us wanted the results to be what they were. My heart broke that day, and as much as I'd like to say that it's healed, it hasn't. The only thing that will truly heal my heart, make it whole like it once was, is a child.