chapter 32
HUNTER
AFTER INVITING MY SISTER over for dinner with me and Riley, I decide I’ll cook something for my two favorite women. I also buy a few bottles of wine. They like wine.
“Smells good in here,” Riley says. “Do you want some help?”
“No, I’ve got it,” I tell her, but she starts to do the dishes anyway, and tidies up my kitchen counter. “How long do I have until Cleo gets here?”
“An hour,” she replies, coming next to me to supervise me making the lasagna.
“Are you going to be a backseat chef?” I ask, arching a brow.
“A what?” she asks, wrinkling her nose.
“It’s like a backseat driver, but the chef version. You know, calling out instructions from the backseat, and not letting the driver just drive,” I explain.
She studies me for a second, then starts laughing. “Where do you even come up with this shit? Seriously. No, I’m just seeing what you’re doing.”
“Silently criticizing?”
“Maybe I’m admiring.”
“You’re a woman. You’re always thinking that I’m not doing something right,” I grumble, then pause and add, “Except in the bedroom, because you know I have that under control.”
“Okay, fine, I was just thinking you should put a little more béchamel sauce on each layer,” she admits, smirking. “But I wasn’t going to say anything, I was just thinking it.”
“I knew it!”
She lifts up on her tiptoes and kisses me. “I’m going to go sit down.”
“Please do.”
She jumps up on the countertop and opens a bottle of wine. I grab her a glass so she doesn’t have to move.
“Do you want a glass?”
“No, I’m good, thanks,” I tell her. There’s a knock at the door. My sister must be early. “Can you keep an eye on this while I get the door?”
“Sure,” she says, jumping off the counter.
I rush to the door and open it to a big, warm hug from Cleo. “Hello, baby sister.”
“Mom and Dad aren’t happy they didn’t get invited to meet your new girlfriend,” she says in welcome. “They didn’t think you’d ever commit to anything other than your gym membership.”
I rub my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “Nice to see you too, Cleo.”
She grins and walks past me to the kitchen. Riley turns, smiling at Cleo. “Hello again.”
Cleo, always affectionate, gives Riley a hug, who looks a little awkward at first but eventually gives in to it. “Nice to see you again, Riley.” She lets go and spots the bottle of wine. “Oooh, I love this wine.”
Luckily I brought some backup with me.
“SO, HOW DID YOU get Hunter to be exclusive with you?” Cleo asks Riley. “Did you have a chat about it and tell him that you don’t share?”
Riley flashes me a daring look. “I didn’t realize we had to have that chat. Is this a thing, Hunter?”
I shift on my seat. “It’s a thing in the dating world, yes, but no, we don’t need to have this conversation. I only want you, and I’m not going to fuck that up.”
“You must be really good in bed,” Cleo whispers to Riley, who almost chokes on her bite of lasagna.
I pour myself some more wine.
“How’s work been?” I ask my sister, trying to get off the subject of me usually not being exclusive with one woman and how good Riley is in bed.
“Same old,” she says, shrugging. “I’ve been taking on more shifts, so I haven’t had much time for anything else really. I really need to come to your pub, Riley. What nights are the best ones?”
“Friday night is probably the busiest,” Riley says. “You should come have a drink. All the staff are really nice; we’re more like a bunch of friends than anything else.”
“Any hotties?”
“Izaac, the bar manager, is pretty hot,” she says, cringing as she looks my way.
“Is he, now?” I quickly insert, not missing a beat. “I thought you didn’t notice how attractive he is?”
“Well, I’ve had time to,” she murmurs, clearing her throat. “You know, I see him every day at work. Preston is good-looking too, in a different kind of way.”
“Yep, I’ll definitely have to come in.” She looks to her brother. “Why don’t we go together this weekend?”
“Okay, sounds good,” I tell her. “But if you’re going to hit on guys and shit, then I’m not coming.”
“I’ll behave,” she says, rolling her eyes. She throws Riley a See what I have to deal with? look, and Riley just laughs. “How much trouble can I get into while my brother is right there? And his woman owns the place. If I wanted to pick up, I’d go out alone.”
“Good,” I grumble, sipping on my wine. “Because it would be awkward if I got into a fight at Riley’s.”
“Riley must get hit on every day; I mean, look at her,” Cleo says, leaning back in her chair. “I love the whole red bandanna thing, by the way. Super sexy.”
“Oh, thank you,” Riley says, lip twitching. “I started wearing those years ago, and it kind of just stuck. It keeps my hair out of my face, and yeah, I guess I like the look of it too.”
“It’s hot,” Cleo announces.
“Well, nice to see the two of you getting on okay,” I say, brows rising. “As you can see, Riley, my sister has no filter and will say whatever pops into her head.”
“Wonder who I learned that from,” Cleo fires back, arching her brow at him. “The shit I’ve heard you say, Hunter. Riley, I should tell you about all the men Hunter has scared away from me. It goes back to primary school and still hasn’t stopped.”
“I haven’t scared men off you. You do that on your own,” I say in a dry, dull tone.
“Last year. Jason Mitchell” is all she says, crossing her arms over her chest and studying me.
“He was a douche.”
“You threatened to put him in jail if he came near me again. He was scared,” Cleo groans, covering her face with her hands.
“He was scared because he was shady as fuck, and had priors. If you choose someone who isn’t a criminal next time, I won’t say a thing,” I tell her.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
I look at Riley, who is watching our exchange with an amused expression, like one would watch a tennis match. “Izaac have a criminal record?”
She shakes her head. “Not that I know of. If he does, he buried it.”
“Smart. I like that.” Cleo smirks, patting her stomach. “Did you make dessert, Hunter?”
I scrub my hand down my face. “I didn’t make dessert, but there’s ice cream in the freezer.”
“Cool,” she says, smiling warmly at me. “Thanks for having me over and cooking.”
“You’re welcome,” I tell her, gentling. “Riley offered to cook, but I thought I’d show off my skills.”
I want to ask her if her money situation is any better, or if she needs more, but I don’t want to ask in front of Riley and embarrass Cleo, so I’ll wait until I have a moment alone with her.
“Well, the lasagna was pretty great. Tastes just like Mom’s,” Cleo states, a proud look on her face. She stands and collects her plate and glass. “I’ll do the dishes. Does anyone want any ice cream?”
“I do,” Riley pipes up, standing and taking her empty plate and mine to the sink. She gets out three bowls and places them on the table, while Cleo gets out the ice cream and serves it. The two of them stop to chat, women shit, something about clothes, and then dogs, and then a joke about me being a pain in the ass.
Still, they are getting along, and that means the world to me.
They’re also cleaning up while I get to sit here and enjoy a moment of silence.
Priceless.