Page 11 of Mistletoe Magic

“Mom and Michele came to the rink today, and Matthew was just at my apartment. You’re the only one not pressuring me.”

“I don’t even want to go. Your mother is walking her down the aisle because I don’t support this marriage. I never have and never will. They hurt my baby girl.”

“Thank you, Daddy. I love you.” She hangs up. “Now, let me look at you.” She giggles as she makes me twirl around like a ballerina. “Damn, baby, you look so damn good, I don’t know if I can share you.”

“How do you think I feel? The men are going to want you, and the women are going to want to be you.”

“Stop it. You are not getting out of feeding me, so where are you taking me?”

Is this woman for real?

Ava

Matthew showingup took me by surprise. I’d just finished getting ready when there was a lot of banging on my apartment door. He is such a hateful man, and I don’t understand how I ever fell in love with him.

“Ready to go?” Hunter pulls me from my thoughts.

“Yes, where are you taking me?”

“I’m not telling you.” He kisses me with his hand on the small of my back as we walk out of my apartment. We make small talk as we drive to the restaurant. I noticed the address when he punched it in, but I won’t spoil his fun. My cell buzzes in my hand.

Lyssa: Apparently, we are double dating sometime soon

Me: What?

Lyssa: Jack called me. Hunter called him. He wanted to know your favorite restaurant and mentioned a double date.

Me: News to me. Girl, coffee tomorrow. Big news.

Lyssa: Tomorrow. Date night. All. Night. Long.

Lyssa: Get it, girl.

I put my phone down. Why would he plan this date for me? Is it just for the sex? No, he doesn’t seem like that kind of guy.

“I thought maybe you could do dinner with my family some night in the next two weeks. We have so many questions about Uncle Denny and his life here in Florida.” Hunter keeps his hands gripping the steering wheel. It’s weird for me.

“I’d love that. I also have pictures of him. Hunter, are you okay? You keep gripping the steering wheel.”

“My fingers are twitching,” is all he says as he pulls into the parking lot of the steak restaurant. He tells me to wait as I grab the handle to open my door. He jogs around the front of the car and opens my side of the door. Hunter holds out his hand for me. As I get out of the car, I smile up at him before kissing him on the cheek.

“Thank you, kind sir.” Hunter takes my hand, and we entwine our fingers. We walk into the restaurant, and people turn their heads to stare at us. It’s making me uncomfortable.

“Reservation for King,” Hunter tells the hostess, who pushes up her chest, but he pulls me closer to him. “Have I ever told you that red is my favorite color?” I shake my head.

After my shower, I went through my closet, trying to find something sexy to wear. I bought this dress on a dare with Lyssa. It’s a red spaghetti strap dress. It shows off every curve without making me too insecure about my body’s rolls. I’m a size twenty-two curvy woman and have an unhealthy obsession with never feeling sexy or pretty. Lyssa constantly tells me how beautiful I am, but I don’t see it. Hunter constantly touching me or kissing me is like heaven.

“Right this way,” the woman’s voice purrs. Hunter rolls his eyes as he places his hand on my lower back again, guiding me through the restaurant. There’s a table outside with red roses as a centerpiece and my favorite, Moscato, wine chilling on the table. I gasp.

“You did this for me?” I stop dead in my tracks. I spin around to him and bring his lips down to connect with mine. After I thank him with my lips, he pulls out my chair for me. “Thank you so much for all of this. I love listening to the waves while I eat.”

“I called Jack. I wanted our first date to be special.” Hunter’s eyes peek over his menu. I can see the top of his ears redden, so I know he’s blushing. He put this much thought into our first date, but what about when he leaves for California?

Nope, not going to think about that right now.

“I want to make a proposition for you.” I lean back in my chair.

“And what would that be, Miss Richfield?” He counters in his professional voice.

---