Chapter 39

Late that night, Hunter managed to slip away once his stepmother had gotten herself drunk on a bottle of wine and passed out on the couch. He didn’t waste even a moment before he grabbed his keys and headed to meet Ava at their arranged meeting place, taking time to pick up a little special for her along the way. The late-night dive restaurant was quiet except for a radio playing from the kitchen. As he entered, escaping the summer heat, the smells of the dinner made his stomach rumble. When the cool air conditioner hit his skin it made goosebumps prick his skin as his eyes roamed the area for her.

He didn’t need to see her, though. He could smell Ava’s coconut body lotion when he walked in. Scanning the room, there he found her tucked away in a back corner booth with a look of nervous tension written on her face. She must have not seen him pull up in his luxury car, because she was looking around at other patrons with worry in her eyes. After all, it was late and she was a woman alon