She gestured with a tip of her head across the room and my gaze followed. Huntley stood talking with the guys, but his eyes were on me. I gave him a tiny smile and nodded because I could tell he needed to know I was okay. He smiled back and my heart fluttered.
Turning back to me, my sister had a puzzled look on her face.
“What?” I asked.
“Well, my question was how did that man walk over here and do what he did?”
I started to shrug and then stopped myself.
“Because he’s Huntley.”
As if that explained everything, my sister smiled. “Let’s go get you that wine I can’t have.”
“Sounds good.” I looped my arm through hers, making contact I didn’t normally initiate, and she gasped. I knew I shocked her. Pulling her along, I said, “I’m really excited about the baby.”
“Me too. Let’s just hope it's a boy so Stormi gets her wish.”
I laughed, the sound matching all the ladies as we moved into the kitchen.
“What did we miss?” Lake asked them.
“I was just telling the ladies about a funny scene I wrote in the book I’m working on,” Alley said.
We joined the group and after she recanted what she’d just told everyone else, I knew I had to try her books.
The conversations went on and on, while glasses of wine were handed out left and right. I indulged and knew I couldn’t drive home. I glanced out across the open floor planand motioned with my hands like I was driving, then shook my head no.
Huntley chuckled, his muscled chest shaking as he did. Then he mouthed, “I’ll drive you.”
I smiled, proud of myself for being able to read his lips and then giggled because I was sure I looked like a fool. When I turned back around to rejoin the talk going on around me, I heard Teal ask Ruby how Jett was doing.
Ruby’s face fell a bit along with Patience’s.
“It looks like he is getting deployed overseas soon,” Ruby said. “It’s bad enough him living on base so far away from us, but with him going to a foreign country it’s even harder.” She wrapped her arm around Patience, who was like a sister to her—and also the girl I’ve heard was most likely in love with Jett—swaying them back and forth in a comforting manner. “He’ll be okay, sweetie,” she whispered to Patience.
I could hear the worry in Ruby’s voice. She was trying to reassure herself as much as she was Patience. Everyone else nodded and agreed to try and calm the nerves that were on full display from the two women.
We had to think positively somehow.
After that, things livened up. The kids came running in to get snacks, Embry convinced Gyth to sing, while they all danced. It was a lot of fun and Bre had been amazing with the kids, while Lennon enjoyed hanging with the guys.
Then the good times had to come to an end.
“You ready to go?” Huntley leaned over my shoulder and whispered in my ear. Goosebumps tricked down my spine.
Maybe the good times aren’t over.
Chapter Sixteen
HUNTLEY
I was finally gettingmy River time.
Even if I had to share it for a bit with the kids first.
After promising to get her vehicle the next day, we left it at Gemma’s for the night. River may not have been drunk, but she seemed relaxed. Lennon could have driven them home, but the kids were tired.
It was a good look on her.
