Page 55 of Some Kind of Forever
“Hey, baby.” He nuzzles his face into my neck, leaving kisses along my jaw.
I turn, pressing a quick peck on his lips. “No Hunter again today?” I ask. He hasn’t been around much since that day in the parking lot with Ash, and after my mom’s bombshell confession, I can’t say I blame him.
“Nope. He’s trying to give you both some space.” His head tips over at Ashlie, whose eyes are wide as she finishes up her chapter. “I think whatever happened between them gave our littleHunter a bit of a conscience,” he says, rubbing circles on my hip with his thumb.
“Whew, okay. I’m done. Hey, Chase,” Ashlie says, closing her book. “Where’s Hunter?” Her voice is light, but the way she looks around the room shows me she’s nervous about running into him.
“I don’t think he’s coming back until you start talking to him again.” Chase shrugs. “So, you gonna tell us what happened?”
“Why are you two in my business?” Ashlie rolls her eyes.
“Because yourbusinessis just starting to fade from your neck,” I say, before turning to Chase. “She won’t tell me anything either.”
“He said he doesn’t want to make things worse, but that’s all I’ve been able to get from him,” Chase says.
“Ash, if you won’t talk to me about it, at least talk it out with Hunter. You said you were going to talk to him…” I say.
“No. I said Ishouldtalk to him. Big difference.” She holds her hand out, inspecting her nails to avoid my eye roll.
“Okay,whywon’t you talk to him?” Chase tries again.
“Oh. Easy. Because I don’t want to.”
The door chimes again, and I look over my shoulder just in time to see Maggie and her friends walk in.
“Here we go,” I say under my breath, loud enough that Chase snorts in response. He kisses my shoulder, keeping me in place with his arm.
“Ugh, see, this is why I hate coming here. The service is horrible.” Maggie glares right at me. If I weren’t at work, I’d have some words for her.
“Then leave,” Ashlie sneers at the ballerina, crossing her arms in a “try me” fashion.
“I would, but Daddy wants to try thisfamousapple pie everyone keeps raving about for my twenty-first birthday tomorrow.”
“Your dad’s here?” Chase asks.
“Oh, Chase, hey,” she answers sweetly. “Yes. Daddy arrivedlast night for some founders’ meetings with your dad and Uncle Kendall.”
Chase nods, and I steel myself for the interaction I know I’ve got to have with her.
“Now that I’ll be twenty-one, maybe you can take me for my first drink…”
Oh, please.
“Did you want anything else with the pie?” I ask, standing and moving toward the dessert display.
“Just the pie.” She rolls her eyes like I’m bothering her, like she didn’t walk intomydiner. Boxing up the dessert, I watch her move in closer to Chase.
“He actually wants to talk to you while he’s here,” she says, looking up from her lashes, hinting at something. What? I have no idea, but Idoknow she can take several steps backward. She’s a little too close to my boyfriend for my liking.
“I’ll have to see if I can catch him then.” Chase’s voice is uninterested as he offers her a polite, tight-lipped grin.
“It’ll be fourteen dollars.” I drop the pie box on the counter between them, getting a little satisfaction out of the small jump she takes backward. Chase flicks his eyes up to mine and stifles a laugh, sticking his tongue in his cheek. I slide over to the cash register and wait for the ballerina, who I’m realizing reminds me way too much of my former roommate.
Maggie turns an icy glare toward me, maintaining eye contact the entire time she fishes her wallet from her handbag. She hands me a twenty, and when I give her the change, she grimaces and juts her chin toward the tip jar. Looking me over one more time, she turns on her heel, grabs the pie, and flits out the door with Camryn and Tamryn close behind.
“Couldn’t be me…” Ashlie glares at the trio in the parking lot.
“Maggie’s harmless. She can be annoying, but she’s all talk.” Chase shakes his head.
