Page 14 of Capitally Unexpected

My hand reaches up without a conscious instruction from my brain and cups his cheek. He leans into it, the warmth of his skin tingling up the length of my arm. “I know the feeling.”

“Michelle, listen?—”

“Hunter!” A call comes from the main rooftop area. It sounds like Hayden. Hunter swears and steps back before his twin appears around the corner. “Oh!” Hayden sounds surprised to find us both back here. “Uh, it’s our turn for beer pong. You coming?”

Hunter looks at me, his eyes searching for something, before answering his brother. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

My heart plummets. Wanting to know I’m real and wanting to spend time with me are two different things. My mind searches for a way to get his number, imagining being able to call him with the news after he’s back ... wherever he lives.

“Look, I promised Hayden we’d play together. It’s been years since we’ve had the chance. But I’d love to spend more time with you. But not here surrounded by a majority of my family. Can I see you tomorrow? We have a whole thing planned on Sunday and I fly home Monday, but I can get out of tomorrow.”

I nod, my heart skipping in my chest when it shoots back up and lodges itself firmly in my throat instead. Tomorrow. If I want to tell him in person, I have to figure out how to do it—and find the nerve—in the next twenty-four hours. No biggie.

“Here. I’ll put my number in your phone?” He says it like a question. I see doubt written on his face.

“Yes. Let’s do that.” I find my voice. “Give me yours, and I’ll give you mine too.”

We swap phones and type for the next few seconds. Our hands brush as we trade back, and my fingers tingle from the brief contact.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then. Let me pick a place? I’d ... I’d love to take you somewhere nice. Anything you don’t eat?”

“Sushi and soft cheese,” I say without thinking. Hunter’s face stays mercifully blank, and I throw up a thanks none of the other brothers have procreated yet.

“Very specific. No sushi and no picnics. Got it.”

“Hunter!” Hayden yells again, more impatient this time.

“I gotta go before he causes a scene. And to think he’s the older twin.” Hunter steps forward and wraps me in a brief hug, stepping back again before I can react. “Tomorrow,” he says, making it sound like a promise as he backs away from me. I nod in response once more.

“Tomorrow,” I say to myself, reeling from the last twenty minutes. Maybe Preston is on to something with that water thing.

I’m hit with the sudden urge to lie down and know it’s time to leave. At this point, if I stay, I’ll only end up staring at Hunter the rest of the night and making it weird.

I leave the little bathroom alcove for the last time and make my way to the elevator lobby. I hit the down button and look at the table sitting below the metal panel. Sitting on it is a bottle of water, resting on a napkin that says, “Michelle.” My eyes start to water again and I look through the glass door. Jax is standing there smiling and makes the universal sign for call me before turning back to her group, not wanting to draw attention I’m leaving not all that long after we arrived.

The doors ding open, and I step on, unlocking my phone to call a ride share car to get home. I can’t stomach the Metro rightnow. My phone screen lights up, displaying a new contact card. The name above the number reads Bonnie with a few mountain emojis and a deer emoji. A smile so big breaks across my face. I’m glad I’m alone so I’ll never need to explain it. Whatever happens tomorrow, I can’t help but be glad life brought us back to each other.

Epistolary Interlude #1

BRANDT BROTHERS GROUP CHAT

Hayden

You guys are never going to believe this.

Hunter

Seriously? You couldn’t do this in the chat without me?

Hayden

Hunter got himself a DATE last night and is skipping out on poker night.

Duncan

You’re just mad because his tells are the only ones you can read, so you’re going to lose allyour money.

Hayden

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