Chapter Twenty-Six
Kylie
The next day, we packed up after Hunter’s errands and headed over to Bailey’s for Cat’s party. We arrived at Bailey’s a little late, but late was better than never. Vince was carrying the present as we got out of the car. Hunter and I walked behind him, watching the little boy run to the other kids playing together.
“You’re late!” Bailey came to meet us, a tray of colorful cupcakes in her hands. I kissed her cheek, greeting her warmly. I went to give her the present I bought for Cat, but she refused it.
“No, you’ve got to give that to Cat. She’ll love getting something from you.” She directed us to the tables and showed us our seats. We watched as the kids got along together even though some of them were just meeting for the first time. Kids were great like that. So open and accepting.
Bailey offered her tray to us, giving us some cupcakes.
“You’ve got to try these. Pick two or three,” she persisted, and Hunter and I couldn’t deny her. Both of us took two each, taking a bite as Bailey sat down at the table with us.
“Thanks, Bailey, these cupcakes taste awesome. You’ve got talent, girl.” Hunter finished his first cupcake and was going for his second one.
Bailey smiled at him, her eyes silently scrutinizing Hunter. It was their first time meeting, and Hunter was making a good impression on my best friend from what I could tell.
“I’m happy you liked the cupcakes. You should have come earlier so Vince could have played longer with the kids in the neighborhood.” She looked pleased about Hunter. He smiled modestly at her, staring back at me as if he were apologizing.
“It’s my fault. I asked for them to wait for me so we could all come together. I had to attend to some personal matters and got delayed on the way here. Sorry for that.”
Bailey nodded. “Oh, I see. Come on, let’s eat. The buffet table’s waiting for you!”
She stood up and went to the table. I looked at Hunter and smiled before we followed Bailey’s lead. The table was filled with delicious food courses for both adults and kids. There were plenty of pasta dishes and chicken on the menu, as well as hotdogs and sweets. I took a little bit of everything, even the kiddie treats. Every dish laid out on the table looked sumptuous.
As I returned to my seat, Hunter was already eating, looking like he was at home. I sat back down beside him, joining in the fun of trying everything with small, tentative bites. Hunter watched Vince out of the corner of his eye, watching his son and making sure he was doing okay.
“He said he’s not hungry.” Hunter looked at me, seeking my opinion on what to do. I smiled at him to somehow ease his worries, telling him that I’ve got his back.
“After I finish my plate, I’ll call Vince and have him eat just a little.” He seemed relieved and returned to his meal. I continued eating as well, grateful for Bailey’s party. We needed some fun together as a family.
Bailey returned to our table with Cat. She was holding her little daughter’s hand as she approached us. The cute and cuddly girl wore a Snow White costume, resembling her favorite Disney princess. She kissed my cheek and laughed with a joyful glee.
“Happy birthday, little Snow White.” I gave her the present I bought yesterday. She kissed my cheek as a sign of her gratitude.
“Thank you.” Her sweet little voice was too adorable to neglect. I squeaked in response, staring at Bailey to express my amusement at her little daughter. She raised her brow before smiling.
“I told you, Kylie. This kid’s going to be a superstar someday.” Cat stared at her mother and pulled the hem of her skirt. Bailey leaned down, and Cat cupped her little hands around her ear, whispering something. My best friend’s face lit up, and she laughed.
Vince came running toward us, trickles of sweat on his forehead about the time I started to ask what Cat said.
“I’m going back outside. Just wanted to check in,” Vince said, breathlessly.
“Hey, you’ve got to eat first.” I took out a towel from his bag and wiped his forehead and back. His big grin was clear evidence that he was having a blast at the party. He nodded and followed me as I took a plate for him and asked which of the dishes on the buffet table he wanted to eat.
When we returned to our table, Bailey was on the low platform speaking into the microphone. She was thanking everyone that came today, especially the kids who played along with little Cat.
“Now, I present to you Cat’s special guest, Mr. Dave, the Magician!” She left the platform, and it was taken over by a jovial man in a glittery magenta tuxedo and a golden cane. He entertained the kids as he showed them some magic tricks.
Bailey returned to our table, sitting beside me to join our little group. Vince had just finished his meal, and Hunter took him inside the kitchen for his shots, which were in the fridge, staying cool. A few seconds later, Hunter dropped down beside me with a soft grunt, and Vince skipped back toward the magic show.
“You could pass as a nurse,” Bailey kidded at Hunter.
“You’ve gotta try to give your kid the best, right?” he answered, putting his attention on his son. He watched Vince from afar, then turned his attention back to Bailey. “By the way, can I take some cupcakes home with me? I would not mind putting on a few pounds with those sweets. They’re worth it all the way.”
Bailey laughed it off, finding Hunter’s compliment over the top. “No problem. Kylie doesn’t like them anyway. She always tells me that hers are better than mine.” She elbowed me, teasing me. I gave her a skeptical look and rolled my eyes.
Hunter laughed. “You can’t object too much, Bailey. Sorry to say, but Kylie’s a tough contender when it comes to cooking.” He looked at me with admiring eyes, expressing his great love for my cooking.
Bailey gave a shrug, admitting her defeat. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
I snorted. “Brother.”
“This girl’s the next Master Chef.” Hunter smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, kissing the side of my face.
I looked at the two of them as their conversation carried on. Hunter was at ease chatting with Bailey about anything. He showed interest in the things she opened up about. Watching them was entertaining. It was like they had known each other for a long time, which was comforting. She was my closest friend. If she didn’t like the man I saw in my future, I wasn’t sure what I would do.
As the magician pulled out his last trick, I walked over to Vince to give him a glass of water. He was enjoying the magic show with Cat, who was seated beside him. The two seemed to get along together really well.
“Wait up; I’ll get a to-go place for you guys to take some food home with you. Stay where you are,” Bailey said.
Bailey returned from the kitchen carrying a large paper bag in her hands. “In case Hunter needed some cupcakes.” She smirked, teasing me. “I’m kidding with you. I’d never steal Hunter from you. I’m teasing. Seriously.”
I started to respond, but the kids ran up, grabbing my attention. I wasn’t worried about Bailey stealing anything from me. Hunter would fall in love with me, or he wouldn’t. I couldn’t do much more than I was already doing.
“Alright, Little Miss.” I bent down and kissed Cat’s cheek. “Happy Birthday again, and I love you very much.”
“Me too!” She bounced around before pulling a stunned Vince into a tight hug. “Love you too, Vince.”
He blushed, and we all laughed as I pulled him close to me and took his hand. “You’re so sweet, little guy. All the girls are going to love you.”
“We better get going. It’s getting late. Thanks again for this, Bailey. It was nice to meet you.” Hunter waved as the three of us left.
The sun was setting as we drove home. The three of us rode in Hunter’s car, eager to go home and relax for the rest of the day. As soon as we had driven down the road a bit, Vince started talking about his day and the friends that he made. “Cat loved the gift we bought for her. Those cat ear headbands were totally cute, just like her.”
“How about mine? Did she like my gift?”
I turned my head to look at him from the back seat. “Yeah! That necklace was the best gift ever. Her mother even kept it in her pocket, just to make sure it would not get lost.”
I leaned back with a smile on my face. The best feeling was when someone appreciated the little things you did for them. I looked at Hunter, wondering if he felt the same.
Did he appreciate me? Because I appreciated him.
Vince carried on with his story about his day. He did not stop talking about the kids he had just met and the friends he had just made. The sparkle in his eyes was evidence of him having a great time. I loved it.
After quite some time, Vince ceased telling his tales and fell asleep. He laid peacefully on the back seat, drowsy from both exhaustion and happiness. He was smiling while his eyes were closed.
“Look, little man is sound asleep,” I told Hunter as he drove along the highway.
He glanced over at the rearview mirror and chuckled, although his eyes were still on the road. “I’m so happy I came along with you and Vince. I had a great time.” He was smiling beautifully.
Despite the fact that only half of his face was available for me to look at, he was unbelievably handsome. Even though people would ask me several times about how I felt about Hunter, my answer would never change.
“Yeah, I can see that. You seemed to get along with Bailey well.” I tried to keep my tone steady but failed miserably. Maybe I wasn’t okay with her and him getting along so well.
“Are you jealous?” He asked the most dreadful question.
I glared at Hunter, my voice faltering as I felt the need to defend myself. “Of course not!” I claimed. I looked away at the window, watching the world rush by us.
I heard him laughing, but I did not bother to look at him. Thank goodness it was getting dark. My cheeks were burning red, ashamed of my own silly concerns. I shouldn’t have asked him.
“Don’t worry about it, Kylie. I’m into you, baby. You know that.”
Just when I was about to turn to him to make sure he was serious and not teasing me, he took my hand gently, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles slowly. It left me feeling secured, protected, loved. It was heartfelt and sincere.
There was no need for any other words. For the first time, I felt Hunter express his true feelings. I looked at him, almost expecting him to say something. Anything. All I got in response was a sweet smile on his face as he squeezed my hand tighter.
It was a new found feeling. I couldn’t fully comprehend it, but maybe I didn’t need to. It felt too damn good to overanalyze and possibly destroy.