“He’s a manipulative, spoiled jerk.”
“Yes. A little bit. But he has a lot of great qualities, too. You’ll like him once you get to know him. And you’re going to get to know him, because he’s officially my boyfriend now.”
This does nothing to reduce her horror. “Remember when we were joking around about me selling you to Hunter? That was a joke. I don’t want you to marry a mobster, either. Maybe I should be more careful about the jokes I make. I thought we were on the same page.”
“You haven’t sold me to Hunter,” I assure her.
Technically, I’ve sold myself.
I don’t add that part.
“You said he wasn’t your boyfriend. Now he is. I’m not an idiot, Riley. He’s holding this money over your head to get what he wants from you.”
“No. I mean… kinda, but it’s not how you’re imagining it.”
“It is. This is exactly the kind of thing I saw coming when he first started sending you gifts four years ago. I shouldn’t have let my guard down.”
“Mom, stop. Please,” I say, pleading with my eyes. “I don’t need you to protect me, not from Hunter. It’s complicated and I don’t really want to explain why, I just want us all to start here. Let your impression of him be a good one. He’s not doing anything bad to me, I promise. He was just tired of being my boyfriend, but not really my boyfriend. Yes, he used giving Ray money as leverage, but it’s honestly not a big deal. And I’m not trapped in it. If I don’t like being his girlfriend, I can dump him. It doesn’t change anything between him and Ray. That is solid, it’s separate. There is no ongoing obligation on my end to keep that going.”
That is a massive revision of the truth, but I can’t tell her I’m technically stripped of my ability to say no to Hunter until graduation if Ray takes the money. She’d never agree to it.
Regarding me with enduring uncertainty, she says, “Are you sure?”
I nod. “Positive. Tell Ray to take the money. This is the break he’s been waiting for. And Hunter does have social media marketing experience. He models for his dad’s clothing line, but he runs the social media, too. I bet he could even model for some pictures to promote the gym. His body is… Trust me, it will do the job to convince people they should join his gym.”
“Yes, I’ve seen his Instagram,” she mutters.
“He’s perfect for this, honestly. And you know what? He’s not even out the money he’s investing. He said his dad was planning to buy him a starter business as a graduation present, anyway. Hunter spoke to him about the gym, and he’s agreed to finance this instead, so it’s really a win-win for everybody.”
“A… starter business?”
“He’s very entrepreneurial,” I explain. “He believes hands-on learning is the best teacher. Hunter will still go to college, of course, but his dad thinks you take things more seriously if there are real stakes—real people depending on you to make your business a success. One of his friends started doing it for his kids, so he borrowed the idea and decided to do it for Hunter since… well, he’s illegitimate and gets the short end of the stick in a lot of ways.”
Mom shakes her head. “Rich people are so weird.”
I crack a smile. “They have a different set of problems, that’s for sure.”
“Anyway, I wasn’t worried about if this is a good deal for Hunter,” she says, rolling her eyes. Focusing all her concern back on me, she says, “I only care that it’s a good deal for you.”
“It’s a great deal for me,” I assure her.
“But you didn’t want to be his girlfriend. Surely you have a good reason.”
“I do. I did. But…” I sigh, trying to think how to explain. “My hands were tied. I wanted to say yes, but I needed to say no. Now… Hunter has made it so that I can’t. He really just freed me up to do what I wished I could do anyway. We’re all good. I want this.”
“You’re sure?” Mom asks.
“Completely sure. And, how’s this for a bonus? We’re all invited to Italy for spring break.”
Mom blinks. “What?”
I nod, taking her arm and gently leading her back toward the kitchen. “Hunter comes with perks. But also costs. He wants my Friday nights from now on. Like, not just a date night—he wants me to spend the night with him at his place every Friday night.”
“His place?”
“His mom’s dating some guy in Miami, so she’s never around anymore. Hunter basically has the whole place to himself.”
“How comforting,” she says wryly.
I pat her hand. “It’s all worth it, trust me.”
She doesn’t appear to be entirely convinced, but I’ve ushered her through the worst of the doubt. I’ll let Hunter do the rest.
Ray looks between us as we come back into the kitchen. “Everything good?”
I nod, flashing him a smile. “Yep.”
He looks to my mom for confirmation.
Less enthusiastically, she nods. “You can start the steaks. I guess Hunter’s staying for dinner, after all.”
Ray accepts this and goes to grab the meat and head outside, but Hunter looks to me.
I wander over to him, sliding my arms around his neck and leaning against him. I’m not entirely comfortable with such public affection, but I think it’s important for my mom to see me loving on Hunter to ease her guilt about the money.
“Everything okay?” Hunter asks, draping his arms around my waist and holding onto me.
I nod. “I only wish I had known you were the investor. We wouldn’t have cooked at all. I would’ve made you do it.”
Hunter’s apprehension eases, an easy smile tugging at his beautiful lips. “Oh yeah?”
I nod more vehemently, then pull back so I can turn around and look at my mom. “We’ll have to have Hunter over for dinner one night and let him cook.”
“Hunter can cook?”
“Hunter can cook,” I assure her, with feeling. “I’m not talking boil boxed pasta and heat up jarred sauce, either. He can cook with real ingredients. His talents are pretty much boundless. It’s ridiculous. But the cooking I’m very happy about. If all of his other career options fail, he can open a restaurant and he’ll do very well for himself.”
Mom regards us skeptically. “I do like good food…”
I nod eagerly.
Hunter slides his arm around my waist now that we’re side by side and regards my mom. “And, I don’t know if Riley told you, but I’m buying her a car. Soon, it’ll be too cold for her to walk everywhere. I don’t know if you enjoy car shopping, but I do know you like spending my money, so if you want to take her out this week to help her pick one out…”
Mom’s eyes narrow in consideration. “I do like spending your money…”
Hunter looks over at me. “Did you tell her about Italy?”
I nod.
He looks at Mom.
She sighs. “I like Italy, too. I mean, I’ve never been there, but I imagine I’d like Italy.”
“I’m sure you will. It’s beautiful. Obviously, I spent some time there. I’d be happy to take you guys around, show you the sights.”