Page 84 of Sweet Silver Bells
“Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, dear,” Minerva said. “Come on now, Hunter, your father will be happy to see you.”
He moved out of the backseat and up to Olivia’s door, opening it for her. If his mom saw her opening her own door, he imagined that he would get an earful later.
“What do you think?” Hunter asked her as she blinked at him from her seat. He leaned over her lap, his hand sliding up her thigh and her hot breath against his neck. He reached down until she heard a click, his hand pushing down to let her seatbelt free.
“Let’s go, kids,” Minerva shouted behind her, her heeled boots stomping on the stone-paved path covered in salt. “You can kiss later.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” Hunter whispered, letting his lips find Olivia’s in a swift, sweet moment.
Minerva stood waiting for them up the three steps leading to the home's entrance, large potted plants scattered around the edge catching Olivia’s eye.
“Nice to see that you’re still a gentleman,” Hunter’s mom said before turning and opening the double doors into the home. “This house, Olivia, has been in my family for a few generations now. One day it’ll belong to Hunter, and then his children. I’m assuming there will be many.”
This was it; this was when he murdered his poor, overeager mom.
“Not presumptuous at all, Mom,” Hunter said through his teeth.
“What do you think?” Minerva asked, completely ignoring Hunter. She pulled Olivia’s attention away from the plants by grabbing her arm and dragging her inside.
“About what?” Olivia asked, staring up at the open vaulted ceiling, the banister railing, and the elegant staircase that greeted them.
“Well, about children, of course,” Minerva laughed, taking her coat off and hanging it on the rack in the entryway.
“I was a child before,” Olivia said.
Hunter had to turn his head over his shoulder to prevent his mom from seeing him laugh. He grunted a few times.
“Excuse me, something in my throat.”
“Hmmm,” Minerva said, displeased.
“Honestly, Mom, I feel like I might fall over at any minute. What room should we use? We need some rest.”
“You’re not even going to say hello to your father?” Minerva scoffed. “Mark, Hunter, and his ... friend ... are here. I picked them up because a tree fell on his house.”
“I’m about to step in the shower, welcome,” Mark shouted back from somewhere upstairs, a door closing.
“Well, I guess that’s that,” Hunter said. “What room?”
Minerva sighed. “Second on the right upstairs.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Hunter said, kissing her on the cheek. “I appreciate everything you’re doing for us.”
He had to give it to her. She was killing herself from the excitement of him being here, and his words worked—she seemed to perk right back up.
“Go rest. When you two come back down, I’ll make sure there is a bounty of food. I’ll have your father grab your bags and put them by your door when he’s ready for the day.”
Taking Olivia’s hand, Hunter led the two of them upstairs. The soft beige carpet melted under their feet, and the walls were lined with acrylic paintings of oranges and limes. He entered the room that was once his childhood bedroom, now turned into a posh guest room with purple bedding and seasonal winter flowers sitting atop a dresser in the corner.
“She can be a lot,” Hunter apologized.
“Your mother? How lovely it must be to have a mother.”
Hunter put his arms around Olivia, and the two fell into bed, closing their eyes while wrapped around one another.
24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.
