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No one answers, but Wyatt stands up and says, “It’s getting late, and I have to work tomorrow. I’m going to head out. ”
He glances around the table as everyone says goodbye, and I note that Sasha doesn’t look too broken up about it as she gives him a cheerful smile.
Wyatt claps Hunter on the shoulder as he walks by. “Later, man. ”
Keith stands up from the table, grabbing his glass. “I’m getting me another drink. Anyone want one?”
Sasha and John both raise their hands, and Keith teeters off toward the bar.
“He’s going to have a hangover from hell tomorrow,” Hunter remarks as he reaches down to my hand and pulls me from my chair. “Now, if y’all will excuse us, Gabby and I are going to take a walk out on the beach so I can have some alone time with my girl. ”
My heart sighs. Yes, it’s evident. I love him.
Leading me by my hand, Hunter weaves his way among the crowd out to the back deck. The area is still closed off to patrons and has a huge sign proclaiming it so, but he walks right through the door and into the cool evening breeze.
We’re silent as we make our way down the stairs and onto the sand, our feet sinking in deep until we make our way closer to the water, where it’s more hard packed. He leads us south with the water on our left, our hands loosely clasped and swinging back and forth.
“So how long after I left the table before they pounced… tried to get you to choose sides?” he asks me quietly.
“Two seconds,” I tell him.
“Have you picked a team yet?”
“Well, let me make sure I know who’s playing,” I tell him with a small laugh. “On Team Let’s Get Hunter To Surf Again, you have Keith and Sasha for sure. I’m going to take a good guess and say that John and Wyatt are on Team Let Hunter Make His Own Mind Up. Am I right so far?”
“Pretty much. But go ahead and add a third team. There’s Team We Want Hunter To Stay. That’s comprised of Casey, Mom, and Dad. ”
“Really?” I ask surprised, because they have always supported Hunter’s career as a professional surfer.
“Yeah,” he says softly, with a ton of love in his voice. “They love having me home and aren’t afraid to say it. ”
“Where does Brody stand?” I ask hesitantly.
Shrugging his shoulders, Hunter says, “No f**king clue. We haven’t talked about it, but we need to. Seeing as how most of my decision has to do with him. ”
“You’re wrong,” I murmur.
Hunter stops walking, bringing me to a halt as well. Turning to me, he brings his hands to my shoulders, and then caresses upward along my neck until he’s cupping my face. “How am I wrong?”
The moon is bright and I have no problem seeing Hunter’s eyes, so I know he can see mine as well. I hope he understands what I’m trying to convey. “It doesn’t have anything to do with Brody. It has only to do with what you want, Hunter. No one else. ”
He stares at me a long moment, his eyes full of understanding and appreciation of what I’ve just said. “You will always put me first, won’t you, Gabs?”
“Yes,” I answer him simply, because I will. I’ll always put him ahead of everything and anyone.
Leaning in, he brushes his lips across mine. When he pulls back, there is something in his eyes that I’ve never seen before. It is an emotion that is so strong, so powerful, that it makes my legs go weak and my heart start to thrum. It makes butterflies swim in my stomach and causes heat to unfurl throughout my body. I know what that emotion is… it’s self-evident.
But to make sure I understand what his eyes are telling me, he says, “I love you, Gabby. I always have. I’ve loved you like a sister and like a friend. Most importantly and most recently, I love you as a man loves a woman. I need you to know that. ”
My mind spins back five years ago, to when we stood facing each other, just after our kiss. I was young and naïve, and I wanted those words then. But they weren’t right, I realize. Not back then. Because what we had back then wasn’t anything like what we have now. It has taken time, maturity, experiences, and work to get to where we are at this moment.
My hands come up to clasp onto his wrists as they still hold my face. “I love you too, Hunter. I’ve always loved you, and just like you, it’s been many different types of love. But what I feel now… this is the type of love I always wanted with you. ”
The smile Hunter gives me is soul stealing. Then he kisses me and this time, it’s absolutely different. Because this time, we’ve traded the words that have solidified our relationship. We’ve affirmed to each other that our hearts are mated to one another, and let me tell you, it makes a regular kiss border on the divine. It shakes me to my core, the depth of feeling that we pour into the kiss, and never, ever, in my entire life, have I felt such peace.
Such utter contentment.
Such love.
When Hunter finally pulls his lips from mine, it’s to move them to my forehead, giving me a soft kiss and telling me he loves me again. I close my eyes and let his voice wash over me, knowing I will never tire of hearing that from him.
Taking my hand, Hunter resumes our walk, his hand holding onto me a little more tightly. “What team are you on, Gabby?”
“I’m on your team, baby. I’m on the team that makes Hunter happiest. ”
“Fuck,” he grumbles. “I didn’t think it was possible for me to love you more, but you just made the impossible happen. ”
Giggling, I give his hand a squeeze. “Seriously… whatever your gut tells you to do, it will be the right call. And you have my support. ”
“And you’ll wait for me if I go?”
“Of course I will. ”
“Will you visit me on tour?”
“If I can swing it… I’d love to come watch you and spend time with you. ”
“It’s going to be brutal, Gabby. Being apart from each other… sometimes for months. ”
“Yes, it will,” I tell him honestly. “But we can do it. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve waited my whole life for you to wise up and love me. ”
Hunter’s quiet for a moment, but then he says, “You have loyalty like no one I’ve ever known. You dropped out of school without a moment’s hesitation, all to keep your dead father’s dream alive. Not your dream… his dream. ”
I stop walking and turn to look at him inquisitively. “Hunter?”
“You never put yourself first. You’re putting me first right now, and I have to wonder what it says about me that I’m letting you do that. ”
“It doesn’t say anything,” I assure him. “This is nothing more than making the best decision for you at this particular point in your life. It’s about doing what’s right and having no regrets. You’re not hurting anyone by this decision, so what’s the problem?”
He looks at me skeptically and simply says, “If I go… it will hurt you. ”
“No. It won’t hurt me because there is no intent by you to hurt me. Will I be sad? Yes. Will I be lonely? Yes. That’s going to happen. You’re going to feel those things too, I suspect. But never hurt. ”
Hunter pulls me roughly into his arms, gripping the back of my head and pushing me against his chest. I can feel his heartbeat thumping against my cheek as my arms wrap around his waist.
“Thank you,” he says quietly.
“For?” I ask, not quite sure why thanks is needed.
“For being you, Gabs. Just for being you. ”
Yes, it’s self-evident.
I love him.
20
At Gabby’s insistence, I went ahead and opened Last Call back up for lunch, since all inside work was complete and the outside would be done by the end of the week. But it’s extremely slow right now for a Sunday, and not many people know that we are serving lunch again.
No one is sitting up at the bar, and only a few of the booths are occupied, so now is as good a time as any for me to pull Brody aside to talk. I feel like I have to catch him unawares in ord
er to get him to give me ten minutes of quality talk time. He’s vigorously avoided talking to me since his blow up at Alyssa.
“Hey Wanda,” I say to one of the waitresses as she passes by. “I need to talk to Brody for a minute. Can you handle this area by yourself?”
“Sure,” she says with a wink. “It’s just Henry Coursier and his cronies. I think I can handle that group for a bit. ”
I laugh, because Henry Coursier is a big talker and a big charmer. He’ll keep Wanda occupied and on her toes. Glancing over at him as he laughs exuberantly at something someone says, I wonder if he’s reviewed Gabby’s bid and what he thinks of it. I want to ask him, and also put in a good word for her, but I’m thinking that might be stepping on Gabby’s toes. Still, it hasn’t escaped my notice that he’s not called me for a reference, and I hope that doesn’t mean he won’t consider her bid for some reason.
I’ll have to think on that for a bit, and maybe by the time I get done talking to Brody, if he’s still here, I’ll bring it up in casual conversation.
“Hey Brody,” I call out to him. “My office. Need to talk. ”
By the time I sit down behind my desk, Brody is walking in behind me, shutting the door. He sits down quietly opposite me, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
“If this is about that shit with Alyssa last week—”
“It’s not,” I cut him off, “but I still think that was f**ked up. I need to talk to you about the bar. ”
Brody straightens up and then leans back in his chair. “I’m listening. ”
“I’ve been offered some pretty lucrative endorsements if I agree to go back on the Tour next year. I’m considering it. Only problem is that they want me to jump back on this year’s tour. Sooner rather than later. ”
“Can you win this year?”
Shaking my head, I pull a paperclip out of its holder and start fiddling with it. “No, but they want me to go back on Tour now to get the practice and visibility. All in prep for next year. ”
Brody’s no dummy. I can see the wheels spinning in his head. “I don’t want a partnership. ”
“Not offering it again,” I tell him, although if I thought he’d take it, I’d gladly give it to him. But I’ve decided I’m not going to push past the limits of his pride.
“What do you need?”
“I need you to run Last Call and manage it for me. Take over all the duties I’m doing. I’ll hire a bartender to replace you. Keep it going until I return. ”
“And when might that be?” he asks, although he doesn’t really sound all that interested in the answer.
“I don’t know. Maybe after next year’s tour. Maybe I’ll stay on another year… two. Who knows?”
“And you’d need my commitment for that unspecified time period?”
“That’s the gist of it. Can I count on you?”
Brody’s gaze lowers to the floor. I wait for his answer, fully expecting his support. I’m stunned when he says, “I don’t know. I need to think about it. ”
Okay, I get that. I’m asking him to take on a lot of responsibility, but f**k… I gave up my career to come home and be there for him. I’d think the least he could do is f**king have my back. Still, it’s with a calm voice that I say, “Fine. But I need an answer soon. My agent says the deals will be pulled soon if I don’t commit. ”
“So it’s a definite?” Brody asks, looking back up at me. “You’re definitely doing it?”
“No, it’s not a definite. I’m still considering my options, but it would help if I knew you were on board. Help my decision making a bit easier. ”
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