No sooner were her words out, then he was quickly undoing his button fly. “I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”
Once Hunter covered her body with his, Violet wrapped herself around him. “Where this is concerned, Hunter, it’s always going to be okay to be presumptuous.”
“I invited Violet to Dean and Courtney’s wedding.”
Why he was so nervous about telling his family about his plans, he had no idea. But when he looked up and saw his entire family staring at him, Hunter realized he couldn’t get a read on any of their reactions.
And then started to squirm in his seat.
“Okay, somebody say something. Please.”
He expected Dean or Courtney to be the ones to speak first, considering it was their wedding, but after some exchanged glances, it was his sister who opted to be the voice of the family.
Everyone was quiet as Scarlett cleared her throat. “Hunter, what we’re all hearing is you are…dating someone, and you’d like to include her in a family event. Do I have that right?”
Why did he think this was going to be a simple thing?
Forcing a smile–because he knew they were all just messing with him–he nodded. “Yes, I believe that is exactly what I’m saying. Courtney and Dean…”
“Uh-uh-uh…” she quickly interrupted. “Not so fast.”
One glance around the table showed him how amused everyone was.
Including his father.
Traitor.
“Yes, I believe there was talk of the four of you having dinner together Friday night,” Scarlett went on. “So, there was a double date…”
“It wasn’t a double date…”
“A double date,” she repeated for emphasis, “and now the wedding. Dare we think this is getting serious?”
He caught his brother Kyle’s eye and saw him barely holding in his laughter. He hated airing his personal stuff like this–especially where Violet was concerned because it wasn’t conventional. At least not for him. And it certainly wasn’t the kind of relationship that justified bringing her to such an important event.
But time was ticking fast on their relationship and he wanted to squeeze every minute out of it that he could. There was going to come a time when she was gone and all he was going to have were the memories–and he’d only get to enjoy them in between working way too much and making sure Eli was taken care of by his lone parent.
His sigh was out when there was still silence and everyone piled on at that point.
“So, it’s serious?”
“Why didn’t you invite her to dinner?”
“Call her now and invite her for dessert!”
“When did she decide to stay in Magnolia?”
Rubbing his temples, Hunter finally shouted, “Enough!” And remarkably, everyone stopped talking. “Everybody needs to just calm down.”
“Geez, way to ruin the fun, Hunter,” Kyle murmured.
“Yeah, we’re just happy for you,” Scarlett added.
“I’m not trying to ruin anyone’s fun,” he reasoned, “but you’re all a little off-base here and need to reel it in a bit, okay?”
“What’s going on?” his father asked. “I must have missed something.”
Hunter had shared with his father that he was casually dating someone, but he hadn’t given him any specifics–mainly because it wasn’t the kind of thing he and his father usually talked about. “This isn’t anything serious because she’s not staying. Once the baby’s born and Brian is home, she’s going back to Nashville and already has her next big travel trip planned. So…” He let out a long breath. “I just thought it would be okay to ask her to come to the wedding as my date. I didn’t want to be the only one there going stag.”
“Um…I don’t have a date,” his father said, and Hunter both loved him for it and wanted to explain how that statement wasn’t helping anything.
“Yeah, I’m not bringing anyone either,” Kyle said. “Because, let’s face it, Courtney’s got some hot single friends and who knows? I may get lucky.”
Everyone groaned.
“Kyle, please try to not be that guy,” Courtney groaned.
“What guy?”
“The smarmy guy who hits on the bridesmaids or single women at a wedding. It’s sad,” she explained.
“But…”
“No buts,” Dean interjected. “Just…don’t.”
Frowning, Kyle looked around the table before blurting out, “Weren’t we focusing on Hunter and his secret girlfriend?”
“She’s not secret,” Hunter countered. “We’re just…this is temporary. If it’s that big of a deal, I don’t have to bring her. I just thought…”
“No one said you couldn’t bring her,” Courtney corrected. “I think she’s amazing, and I’m a little bummed she’s not staying because she’d be really cool to hang out with.”
“Really?” Scarlett cried. “Like someone we can take to lunch and get mani-pedis with?”
“Exactly!” Courtney agreed. “I mean, you and I will always be BFF’s, but I think Violet would be an awesome addition to our little group.”
“As long as she doesn’t try to steal you away…”
Things were spiraling, and he had no idea how to stop it.
Fortunately, his brother Dean had his back. “No one’s stealing your BFF, Scar. Violet’s just really nice, and trust me, you’ll like her too.” Then he looked at Kyle, sternly. “And you? Keep it in your pants at the wedding or I will have to kick your ass.” Next, he turned to Hunter. “We’re thrilled you invited Violet to the wedding, and for what it’s worth, we all think it’s great you’re so happy. And hopefully, she’ll stick around after Katie and Brian’s baby arrives.”
Yeah, so did he, but he wasn’t going to say that here with this crowd.
“So…everything set for the wedding?” he asked in hopes of the topic turning toward something other than him.
Luckily, it worked.
For the remainder of the dinner, conversation flowed, and no one brought up Violet–or his dating life–again.
Until he was getting ready to leave and his father walked out to the car with him and Eli.
“Everything okay, Hunter?”
“Uh, yeah. Why?”
“You just got a little defensive in there over dinner. You know no one meant any harm.”
He nodded. “I know, Dad. It’s just…I don’t know, after everything that happened with Melissa–how everyone warned me I was making a mistake–the last thing I want is anyone offering any opinions on my relationships. And I certainly don’t want anyone pointing out how they think I’m making another mistake.”
“Do you think you’re making a mistake?”
Do I?
“Honestly, Dad? I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like a mistake, but…” he let out a long breath. “Other people have casual relationships with no regrets and don’t call it a mistake, so…why can’t I?”