What You Don't Know (Sequel to "Secret Love")(Hunter Hayes/James Marsden)

[Should Have] Told Her

I'm really surprised by your reactions here, guys! I love it! I really never anticipated that the anger would fall toward Hunter. I mean, that was just not at all foreseeable! Anyway, I hope you're all still reading, commenting, voting!

God Bless and Happy Reading!

Amanda sat back in her chair. She had her arms folded across her chest and her lips were pursed.

"She really should have told me," she said, turning indignantly to face Hunter, who was staring out the window of his apartment. He had been back in town for about a week; he had not seen Amanda since the tour had ended, and now he wished she had not come over.

"I mean, why couldn't she have told me that? I would have understood!" Amanda pushed off the couch and paced back and forth on the floor, muttering expletives and yelling about the injustice of it all.

Hunter felt sick. He had not meant to tell Amanda. Really, he had only wanted some company. One hug and he had given up. All she did was ask him what was wrong and he caved. Now Amanda knew the whole story: the FBI's call, the staged public break-up, their actual proposal, and the possibility that Bethany had just broken his heart because she loved another man. A man who had once tried to steal her innocence; the man who was likely the cause of tens if not hundreds of murders.

"Amanda, stop." She did, midsentence, and looked at him.

"Why aren't you more angry about this, Hunter? I mean, she just left you here, by yourself, to go to New York with this man she hates? And now, what? She thinks she can just be with him until she gets all of this done and then come crawling back to you? She's treating you like - like - well, I don't know like what, but I don't like it! And she really should have told me - "

"Enough, Amanda! I didn't tell you all of that to make you mad, okay? I just...I don't know. I can't believe what's happening, and I thought maybe saying it out loud would make it easier to swallow. Just forget I said anything."

Hunter turned his head back to stare out the window again, but he felt the window seat squish as Amanda sat down beside him.

"Hunter, you don't really think she loves him, do you?"

He shrugged, focusing on a single brick in the building across the street. The possibility was definitely there, and it made him want to fly to New York with a pistol and shoot Trenton McDermott in the head. Mass murderer or not, Hunter did not want that man on the planet any longer.

"Even if she doesn't, how can I let this go? How could I ever look at her again, knowing that she let him...knowing that even though he's...could you do it, Amanda? If you were in my shoes, could you let the woman you love fall into the trap of another man and just get over it like it had never happened? Because I really don't think I can."

Amanda was silent for a long moment. She rubbed his calf consolingly.

"No, you're right. I would have done the same thing." She leaned back against the window and took a deep breath. "You really are the best sort of people, Hunter Hayes."

Hunter looked over, and Amanda was smiling at him.

"Thanks, Amanda."

"I mean it. Nobody has ever loved me the way you love Bethany. Matt was just using me to get to you. The guys I dated before him just wanted sex or money or, I don't know, my bargaining skills."

Hunter laughed wryly with her.

"What about Markob?" he asked, picking at a piece of lint on his bended knee.

Amanda shrugged. "He's great. He's the sweetest guy I've ever been with. And I'm sure that I'm going to be with him for a long time." She gave Hunter a knowing look. "But I don't think I'll ever be as sure that Markob loves me as I have always been that you love Beth."

Hunter sighed. "Not that it matters now."

"Sure it does! Hunter, you are the single most amazing guy probably ever. I mean, even when we were together, you were always the best possible boyfriend that you could be! I never appreciated it, of course, but I appreciate it now."

Hunter met Amanda's eyes, and felt her grab his hand. He looked down in surprise, then back up at her.

"You're going to be just fine, Hunter Hayes. If anybody can find someone else, I'm confident that it's you."

He hesitated, then pulled her in for another hug.

"Thank you, Amanda."

"You're welcome, Hunter," she replied, laughing.

"Thank you for being here."

She squeezed him hard. "Anytime. You know that."