“My son can be demanding, too,” Effie stated with a sigh. “He’ll roll right over you if you let him.” And then she eyed me. “You’re not, are you? I hope he’s been good to you.”
“Oh, yes. He’s um… Ocean’s not what I expected.”
“I’m sure he feels the same way with you. Ocean’s kindness and generosity often surprise even himself. He runs from it because of his father, but I’m hoping that you can help him with that. You and that brave young lady you both speak so highly of.”
My eyes flared as I met Effie’s in the mirror.
She smiled knowingly as she strutted away, sipping her third glass of champagne.
Suddenly, the heavy curtain shielding one of the dressing rooms parted, and Hunter stepped out wearing her maid-of-honor gown. It was a champagne number with a low scoopedneckline and high split that showed off the curve of her thigh. Priscilla had shown me a number of bridal party gowns, and I remembered choosing this one weeks ago because I knew that Hunter would love it.
The rest of the room faded away as I admired how her hips pulled at the crystal satin. It was a good thing Effie was no longer standing there because I couldn’t hide my attraction to Hunter anymore if I tried.
“Damn, Coby.” Hunter rushed to my side as fast as she could in the mermaid-style gown. “You look so beautiful. This dress is so you.” And then I realized it was Hunter’s first time seeing my wedding dress. In a perfect world, she would have been there to help me choose it. In fact, I never imagined it going any other way.
“Thanks,” I said quietly.
“And Hunter, you also look stunning, baby,” Effie complimented.
Hunter beamed. “Thank you, Mrs. K.”
“I told you,” my future mother-in-law gently reminded her. “Call me Effie.”
Hunter glanced at me, probably feeling like she was encroaching on my future mother-in-law. Seeing that I wasn’t going to descend into a jealous rage, she conceded with a shy smile. “Okay. Effie.”
“This was such a great choice, Coby,” Ocean’s mom praised while studying Hunter more closely. “I think the color goes beautifully with the theme you chose.”
My gaze slowly met Hunter’s in the mirror. “Yeah… I think she looks beautiful.”
It didn’t occur to me until I saw Hunter look away that Effie had asked how I felt about the dress, not how it looked on Hunter.
Officially embarrassed and unable to trust myself around anyone right now, I excused myself and hurried off the dais. I had to lift the ample skirt of my gown to move as quickly as the satin and crystal Christian Louboutin pumps would allow.
The bridal dressing room was the size of an oversized closet to accommodate all the extra material in the wedding gowns. It even had mirrors with built-in LED lighting to taunt me with the glimmer of the tears I had yet to shed. I put my face in my hands, my shoulders trembling with the effort it took to hold them back.
Eventually, I collapsed into a sea of white satin and lace, and that’s where I stayed. I stewed in my misery until the curtains were ripped back without warning. Fearing it was Effie, I snatched my hands away and stood with some excuse ready on my lips, but it was worse.
It wasn’t my future mother-in-law who had snuck in while my wounds were wide open.
It was the one who’d dealt them. My best friend. My ride or die. The one person I would let hurt me over and over.
Hunter.
Today was her debut as my new bodyguard, so she was dressed once again in her all-black uniform—skin-tight cargo pants, boots, and a shoulder holster over her shirt. She was armed to the teeth with her long braid cascading down her back and her baby hairs laid.
The moment I finished eye-fucking her through my tears, she shoved me against the mirrored wall—much like I’d done to her last night in Glamis’s lavish kitchen—and got in my face. “What is it with you, Coby? You’re either being stolen away from me or running away all on your own. I’m getting sick of it.”
“I’m sorry,” I said pathetically. “I fucked up.”
“Shut up already.” Hunter gave me no option but to obey when she pressed her soft lips against mine, hard enough to steal my breath. Ocean’s kisses always felt like the stars were aligning.With Hunter, I heard them sing. Her hands glided over my bare shoulders, down my arms, and circled my wrists. “If you don’t know that I never stopped wanting you,” she whispered between kisses, “you’re not as smart as I thought.”
“You said we had to stop. You said we couldn’t be like that because one day it might end and we’d lose each other forever.”
“I know.” Hunter ended the kiss and exhaled heavily as she shook her head. “I’m not very smart either.”
Was I dreaming? Or was this really happening, meaning I’d died and gone to heaven?
Hunter kissed me again as if she’d heard my thoughts and wanted to prove that it wouldn’t be like last time. I waited for this to feel awkward or wrong, but it didn’t. Not now and not then.
