On The Rocks

Hunter’s eyes slide briefly to mine, and they crinkle around the edges. He’s amused with me, and I realize that the look on my face must reveal exactly how I’m feeling. I glare at him and turn toward the house, intent on slamming the rest of my beer and getting another. Casey asks me to get her one too, and I just nod in response.

Oh God, this is torture. Being around Hunter, and yet not being with him. I know I’m the one that wanted to keep this secret, but it’s killing me right now to not be able to talk to him. It’s killing me right now not to be able to nudge my way in between him and the beach bimbo, so his eyes are only on me.

But this is my bed and I willingly crawled into it, so I have no choice but to put on my big girl panties and live with my choice.

As soon as I step into Hunter’s house, I run straight into Steve Coursier. He’s a few years old than I am and went to my high school. We occasionally see each other around town. He’s always been friendly, in a goofy sort of way, and he’s really cute on top of that. Steve’s family owns a chain of novelty beach shops called The Shells along the Outer Banks, and he helps to manage them.

“Hey, Gabby,” he says as he bends over to give me a quick hug. “How’ve you been doing?”

I give him a warm smile after he releases me. “I’m good. Busy. How about you?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Same old. Gearing up for the tourist season.”

“I bet,” I tell him, walking by so I can head into the kitchen. “I’m on my way to get a beer—do you want one?”

He shakes his head, but then he says, “Hey… I’m glad I ran into you. I was wondering if, um… maybe you’d like to go out some time? Dinner—maybe catch a movie or something?”

My eyebrows raise in shock. I mean, I’ve known Steve for years and we’ve always been casual friends. He’s never once indicated any interest in me that way, so I’m more than surprised about him asking me out on a date.

My mind goes blank. The unequivocal answer is no. Not because there’s anything wrong with Steve, but because my heart is already being pulled in a million different directions by Hunter. The problem is, I can’t say that—not out loud—and frankly, it’s hard to admit it using my inside voice.

I open my mouth to start a gentle letdown when I hear, “She’s not interested, Coursier.”

Spinning around, I see Hunter standing just inside the doorway that leads out to his back deck. He has a bland smile on his face, but his eyes are hard as they bore into Steve.

After staring at Hunter for just a moment, Steve says, “If it’s all the same, I’d rather hear it from Gabby.”

Hunter shrugs his shoulders in that “whatever dude” sort of way and steps past us. “Fair enough. Gabby, when you get done crushing his heart, do you mind if I talk to you in the kitchen… about the remodel?”

“Sure,” I say, completely ill at ease that Hunter would take it upon himself to turn down a potential date for me. I mean, I was going to turn him down anyway, but his alpha tendencies are a little annoying.

Hunter walks into the kitchen, and I turn to Steve with an apologetic look on my face. “I’m sorry. But I’ll have to decline.”

He gives me an understanding smile. “No problem. Never hurts to ask, right?”

“Right,” I tell him, relieved he took that gracefully.

I start to turn away when he asks, “When did you and Hunter start seeing each other?”

“What?” I say loudly as I spin back to look at him. I’m sure my eyes are wild with fright that he would say that out loud. “Why would you think that?”

Steve tilts his head to the side and smirks. “Seriously, Gabby? After he just practically lifted his leg up to pee on you, so he could mark his territory?”

My face goes beet red, and I start babbling. “No… joking… just Hunter… not serious.”

Steve just snorts at me and heads back out to the deck. Leaning back against the wall, I bang my head against it a few times, cursing inwardly that Hunter would do something so stupid.

Asshole.

Which I think I’ll give said asshole a piece of my mind right now.