Page 48 of Making New Plans

Hunter, in all his freshly showered and groomed glory, stood there, holding two cups from Sarah’s Sugar Shack. One gigantic, the other much more normal-sized.

“For you,” he said, handing me the gigantic one. “And thank you for the tennis balls. I can pay you back.”

I waved off the suggestion as I slurped greedily from my cup. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe Arwen can thank me later with some puppy snuggles.”

Hunter smiled. “I bet she’d love that.”

He fidgeted with his cup lid, took a sip, then frowned at it. Shuffled his feet. “Anyway, you still didn’t answer my question earlier. Are you okay? You looked a little murderous.”

I glanced away. I didn’t want him to know that everything was getting to me. That he might’ve been right. “Just some scheduling issues, but I’ll work it out.”

He shifted his weight again and ran his free, unbandaged hand through his hair. I could tell he was working something over in his mind because his jaw kept clenching, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to let the words out. I waited.

Finally, he said, “You look like you could stand to blow off some steam. Maybe somewhere relaxing.”

“If only,” I groaned. Nothing sounded better at this exact moment. Not even the world’s largest caramel coffee or bubbly Red Bull.

He dipped his fingers into his pocket and withdrew two pieces of paper. They bent slightly in his grip. He bit his lip before offering them to me.

They were tickets. Trying to ignore the human pillar of tension in front of me, I skimmed the printed words. A surprised laugh escaped my lips, and I looked up at him, beaming. Which was definitely the right reaction from the relief in his eyes.

“This is your idea of relaxing?” I asked.

“One of them,” he said with a slow smile.

My heart crammed its way into my throat. “You’re on.”

* * *

The rest of the day passed quickly and slowly at the same time. Hunter and I didn’t get much time to talk with our lodge duties, plus Carter swinging by to help Hunter with the rest of the shelf installation.

I sent a panicked group text to Sarah, Gina, and Rose, outlining the situation. My phone turned into a thigh massager over the next half hour with the amount of texts zipping through. Even though it was short notice, the offers poured in to be on call for lodge emergencies and assistance in getting ready.

Throat tight, I texted them a dozen thank-you’s and promised favors including heaps of junk food and alcohol, babysitting (for Gina), work coverage, kidneys, body disposal, whatever they needed.

As soon as I could professionally leave, I ran home without even saying goodbye to Hunter. After showering faster than a Navy SEAL and cramming a chicken sandwich down my throat, my fabulous friends converged on me. Gina with her totes of makeup, Rose and her expert eye for fashion, and Sarah armed with a curling iron, her only true skill with hair.

After they put the finishing touches on my transformation from efficient lodge manager to sleek, sexy rocker chick, they stepped back to admire their work while I did the same in my room’s full-length mirror.

“Wow, you guys, I look…”

“Hot.”

“Scintillating.”

“I’d do you.”

I quirked an eyebrow at Sarah. “You’ve been hanging out with Carter too much.”

She shrugged and grinned. “We’re watching Fixer Upper tonight over at his house, then I’ll probably crash there. Just want to let you know you’ll be coming home to an empty house.”

A sensation like warm, heavy honey swirled through my core. “It’s not like that. It’s a rock concert, not a date.”

Rose smiled and shook her head, her long silvery earrings flashing. “How many guys have invited you to see a rock band you love?”

“Umm, none?”

Neither Jason nor Davis had even known that I liked rock. After a few nasty comments about that particular genre of music compared to their similarly undying love for country, I’d never brought it up. One less thing to feel bad about. One more thing to walk on eggshells for. Always a compromise. But with Hunter…

---