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“The girls wanted to know what was going on and, I guess, I don’t even know what’s going on so I made it sound casual. A fling.”
“A fling? That’s fine if that’s what you want to call it. Glad I haven’t disappointed you.” He pocketed his phone and his keys. “I’ll have dinner in town.”
“Hunter—”
“You’ve got your girlfriends here to take care of you.”
“Are you sulking?”
“I don’t sulk, Saylor, and as far as you’re concerned, I don’t do flings.”
I watched him leave the kitchen. Heard the front door close, then watched him drive away. I was in turmoil. Rex’s message had rattled me. I never wanted to see him again, and it was so out of character for him to contact me after I’d called everything off. Humility wasn’t part of the Rex package, and humble pie certainly wasn’t on his menu.
But, Hunter? Did he really feel something for me? I didn’t mean those words he overheard. I was just trying to get the girls off my back because I was still struggling to understand the depth of my feelings for Hunter. I thought if I denied my true feelings then I wouldn’t be so hurt when he left.
I returned to the lounge feeling all my joy crumbling away.
“Lover’s tiff?” Casey asked.
I pulled a face and sat down, rubbing my forehead. “I don’t know what it is, but he’ll be gone in a week so I guess it’s for the best.”
“You like him a lot, Saylor.”
Dani wasn’t teasing this time.
“I do, and it doesn’t make sense. A few weeks ago I was about to marry Rex and now, here I am, lusting after an old childhood crush. Rex’s cousin, no less. Matt’s best friend and business partner. Everything about Hunter has a big Forbidden sign in neon hanging over it. This couldn’t be more wrong.”
“It’s your heart,” Casey stated like an expert. “Hearts never make sense. They’re renowned for dragging you off the dance floor and straight to the VIP room with the bad boy and a bottle of Cristal. But you only get one chance at this life, girl. If it feels right, go for it.”
“Thanks, Casey, but it looks as though I’ve wrecked it now anyway,” I said.
“Pfft. He’s giving you space to be with your girlfriends. I bet he’s up there on that mountain wishing you were swooshing down the slopes with him,” Casey added. “Come with me and try on your bachelorette outfit. We can shoot some photos for your ’gram-fans.”
“I don’t have a bachelorette outfit,” I protested.
“You do now. We bought you one.” Dani grabbed my hand and pulled me from my chair. “It’s super-sexy and we want to dress you up.”
They weren’t kidding. The dress was near obscene and made me pleased I wasn’t having a public bachelorette party in the city. The top fit, just. My breasts squeezed and boosted for maximum cleavage did their best to pop out and say hello whenever I bent over. The outfit hugged my waist and the tulle skirt barely reached past my panties. It was topped off with a pink tiara and tiny veil. I looked like a horny old man’s fantasy bride.
“My god, where’s Hunter when we need him? If he saw you like this he’d drag you to the altar—” Dani began, but stopped when Casey shot her a dark look.
“What?” I said, looking between them.
“We didn’t want you to be reminded that you’re not actually getting married, Casey said.
“Yet you bought me a bachelorette outfit.”
“That’s for the marrying-yourself thing. It’s different.”
“I love you girls, but sometimes you don’t make a lot of sense.”
Dani threw me a coat. “Come on. Out into the snow with you and we’ll get some stunning winter-bride shots.”
Casey brought champagne and we had a lot of fun, hamming it up for the camera in the stunning snowy landscape. But I couldn’t help thinking about cutting the tree with Hunter, and the snowman we’d built together. I pushed those thoughts from my mind because all the did was raise doubt about my sologamy intentions.
It took another hour to choose the best image for Instagram. Once I uploaded it, Dani stayed glued to her phone reading out comments as they dropped while Casey and I cooked dinner. Mostly, the comments were supportive and sweet.
Hunter got in late, looking like a man who’d spent a day on the mountainside, his face burnished by sunstrike off the snow. I wanted to be alone with him, to reconnect with what we’d shared before the girls had arrived. He sank into an armchair and took a bottle of water to his lips, easily swallowing half the contents before setting it down on the coffee table.
