Sunshine Hunter Read online

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Before allowing myself to drift off to sleep, I relived the confrontation with Mick. I didn’t know how I could forgive him. Even if I could, how would we go forward from this? I was only certain about one thing. My heart hurt so much, I knew I had fallen deeply in love with him.

  As the tears started to come again, I forced myself to choke them back. I didn’t want to have another crying jag and end up with swollen eyes in the morning. What I wanted to do was go over a mental checklist of everything I needed to do tomorrow before leaving with Darby on Monday morning. I forced myself to concentrate.

  Angela wouldn’t mind taking over the weight-loss center for a week. She had been asking for more responsibility, and this would give her an opportunity to show she was manager material. I hadn’t scheduled a vacation in over a year, so I was due for one, and taking time off wouldn’t be a problem.

  Airline and hotel reservations would have to be made to coincide with Darby’s. Where were we going? Where would we be staying? I was partial to the gulf side of the state. When I was younger, my parents had taken me to Naples on several occasions to visit my Aunt Charlotte. Oh my gosh! My mother! How much of what happened today did I want to tell her? I had told her about Mick, and both she and my dad were happy for me that I was finally moving on and into a relationship. This was going to upset them, too.

  My parents had traded cold Ohio winters for hot Texas summers, and they loved living in Dallas. We didn’t talk often, but Mom and I tried to keep in touch several times each month by email. I would be going to visit over Christmas, and I was looking forward to catching up with them. I had hoped to take Mick with me to meet them, but obviously, that wasn’t going to happen now. Maybe I would give Mom a call later in the week.

  Florida was going to be hot. I needed more clothes. I would go shopping tomorrow.

  I couldn’t stay awake any longer. My eyes were heavy, and I was exhausted. I barely heard the blare of sirens go past my apartment as I drifted off to sleep.