Page 52 of Always You

“Morning, Mrs. Parker.” My lips curl as I look at the old lady shamelessly eyeing Hunter. She’s the epitome of a southern older woman, looking fabulous, her gray hair styled without even a strand out of place, and the same amount of sass still running through her body as when she was sixteen, so I’ve heard. She’s seventy-five, and even though this is the third time she’s going through chemo, she refuses to die. She makes these visits a little less depressing.

“Good morning, Charlotte. Is he yours?” An approving look appears, her pearls tugged between her red-painted fingers, while Hunter gives her a wink before I can reply.

Cocky asshole.

“Something like that,” he replies. His discomfort has suddenly evaporated when he saunters toward her with the grace of a fucking prince, then offers his hand.

“Name is Hunter, ma’am. Hunter Hansen. Pleasure.”

She jerks his arm a little closer, holding it a tad longer than necessary, as she shamelessly lets her other hand stroke his toned bicep. I can barely cut back a chuckle, watching how he’s completely getting manhandled while I help my mother into the chair.

“Fiona Parker. The pleasure is all mine,Hunter.You’re a bad boy, aren’t you?”

“No, ma’am.” He shakes his head with a snicker.

“Then why do you have knuckles like they run into a wall on a daily?”

“I fight for some extra cash, ma’am.”

Her eyes lower to slits, her eyebrows pulled together. “Why do you need the extra cash?”

Hunter clears his throat, briefly locking his gaze with me before flicking his attention back to Fiona. “To give myself a better life after graduation.” He shrugs, his cockiness suddenly leaving the room for a brief moment. “Take care of those who matter.” His eyes meet mine for a split second, my heart stuttering.

The air crackles under Fiona’s silence, her features changing as if she’s trying to form an opinion. “Bless your heart, boy. If that’s your attitude, you’ll get there. Work hard and stay true to the people you love. Including yourself. You’re a good boy.”

He awkwardly pushes out a smile. “Thank you, ma’am.”

She lets go of his arm, putting her focus on me. “You did good, Charlotte.”

“We’re just friends,” I explain.

“Who told you thatbullshit?” Fiona blurts, pulling a little gasp from my throat.

“They both did,” Mama counters.

“Hey! It’s not me!” Hunter scoffs with a playful glint haunting his expression.

“Oh, God. What is it with kids these days? What is it y’all are calling it? Playing hard to get? Let me tell you something, life is too short for that bogus. You gotta grab that girl and kiss her.” She raises her arm with a balled fist, roaring the words as she frowns at Hunter.

Hunter studies Fiona as if he’s weighing out the pros and cons in his head, then he shrugs. “I can do that.”

Without hesitation, he aims his frame at me, coming my way with a stroll that lifts his cheeks more with every step he takes. I freeze, my lashes frantically feathering my cheeks until he’s almost in front of me, with a dark film falling over his eyes.

“Stop flirting with me!” I yelp.

He presses a smile between his lips, then raises his arms up in a placating way before he flops down in the vacant armchair beside me. “See? It’s not me.”

“Oh, it’s your daughter who’s being a pain, Liz,” Fiona concludes.

“Hunter, shut your pie hole,” I hiss, rolling my eyes.

“Nah, it’s really both of them.” Mama chuckles while I hand her a magazine, closing my eyes to ignore their ridiculous comments. “But that’s okay. They still have time. I’m sure one of them will get their head out of their ass soon enough. Preferably,beforeI die.”

“Okay, no one is going to die,” I wail, with a tone to end the conversation. “Hunt and I are going to see if there are anysnacks, so you two can talk about us without giving me the unwanted pleasure of hearing whatever y’all have to say about it.”

I grab Hunter’s arm, dragging him up before anyone can say anything else, and shove him into the hallway. “You know I’m never going to hear the end of this now, right?”

“Come on, Charls.” He swings his arm around my shoulder as we walk down the hall to the cafeteria, that same smug grin still on his face. “You gotta give that woman something to talk about. We could go back and give them even more by showing them our first kiss? I’m down if you’re down.”

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