“I’m fine, just really tired. It was a late night last night. With what happen with James and Keegan we didn’t get done until four am. I have to be back at the station at 3pm so it didn’t leave room for much sleep.”
“You sure it’s nothing else? I talked to James today. He doesn't mind that we are together. If that is what you are worried about. He won’t mind me sitting here.” She looks back over at her brother and then back at me with a sassy smile. I love when she gives me that smile. “He is a little busy right now anyways.”
I look over and notice Kannon sitting with James. From the looks of it they are hitting it off.
“Are they seeing each other?”
She laughs, shaking her head no. “She came over to say hi to him. It was really cute. I always liked her in high school. She was super nice to everyone. He needs a good woman in his life, someone who deserves him.”
“She was always friendly,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows up and down, trying to be playful with her. She gets the hint and slaps my arm playfully.
“That is so wrong Hunter.”
Barb brings Payton's lunch over. We start eating, talking in between bites. We get on the topic of the bachelor and bachelorette parties tomorrow night. I don't mind them going out and having fun. Payton needs it. I just hope she is careful. I can tell she is excited about it, the details women put into these things is crazy. The guys are just going to the bar down the street. The way Payton is making it sound the girls are going to have an all-out party. They are getting a limo and going out to eat before going to club Rue, which is in the next town over.
Don gets up and pays the bill before I can. I watch him walk to the counter and talk with Barb.
Payton looks over at them also. “You know Barb likes him, right?” She looks back at me with a huge smile. “She says that a man in uniform does something to her.” She shudders after she says it, laughing at the look I am not giving her.
“That put images in my head that I could live without ever seeing. The old man is bagging the ladies.” I say, pulling Payton against me. Her hand rests on my chest as she moves in closer. “I wish I could spend more time with you today. This weekend we probably won’t see each other either because of the wedding shit that is going on.”
She slaps my chest lightly teasing me “It’s not shit. It's romantic and I love it. Don’t worry, we will find time.” She leans in close to me, bringing her lips to mine barely touching them together. “Why don't you come over tomorrow night after the parties? We will be back after the bar closes.” I can feel her hot breath on my lips. Itching to pull her closer and devour her mouth like she is the last meal I will ever have.
She stops me from answering her, closing the distance and completing the kiss. I reach up and grab her face as lightly as I can and deepen the kiss. I pull away and smile down at her. “You don't need try and persuade me. I will come over after the bar.” I kiss her again, pulling her as close as she will go to me, forgetting everything and everyone around us. That is until I get nudged in the back and a deep laugh sounding from behind me.
I pull away from her. She looks up and her face turns red as she looks away. I turn and see James and Don standing there.
“Playboy we have to get going,” Don says slapping me on the back and walking away from the table.
I look at James, feeling guilty. He approves of us, but I can tell he is not comfortable with us kissing or making out in public. I scoot out of the booth and pat him on the shoulder. “Sorry, man I couldn't help it.”
He gives me a strained smile. “You are lucky you are in uniform. My fist is itching to mess up your pretty boy face again.”
“James.” Payton shrieks.
He laughs. “I was kidding. Hunter I will see you tomorrow night. You can buy me a beer. You can count it as payment for me allowing you to date my sister.” He gives me a cocky smile and looks at Payton. “Payton I will meet you in the car. Just don't take too long.”
He walks out, shaking his head a little. I can’t tell if he is laughing or what. All I know is he took that better than I thought he would. I turn and look at Payton and help her out of the booth and walk her to the door.
“I will see you tomorrow night.” I slip my fingers in her belt loops and pull her up against me. “Please be careful tomorrow night and keep an eye out for Keegan. If you need me call me, don't hesitate to call me. I am going to be to the DD tomorrow night so I will be around.” I kiss her lightly, nipping her lower lip. She arches her perfect body into me. As she does, I step away, meaning to just tease her.
“You are mean, you tease.” She gives me the puppy face, going in to kiss me again, but I step farther away from her.
“I will see you tomorrow night. We can pick up where we just left off.” I blow her a kiss and walk to my squad car with the biggest smile on my face. Tomorrow night cannot come fast enough.
Chapter 13
Payton
I can’t believe tonight is the bachelorette party. The time is really going fast. It feels like Em and Matt just told us they were engaged. Now the wedding is in a week and I can tell Em is starting to freak out over it. Even with all of the freaking out she has kept pretty calm. It’s a good thing we don't have a Bridezilla on our hands yet. We have everything ready to go, but Emily keeps insisting we go over it again. That is why she was over here three hours before we had to get ready for tonight. She wanted to double check things and make sure they are perfect. I can’t blame her, it’s her wedding night, the night she has been planning since we were little girls.
A few hours into wedding stuff I look at the clock and notice that it’s close to six pm. I put the folder I am holding down on the table. “It’s time to put wedding stuff away.” I grab the folder she is holding. She has it all organized and sorted out. Each thing had its own folder and they are color coordinated.
“Time to get ready and party.”
Emily jumps up off the couch, shaking her butt. The excitement of tonight is finally hitting her.
“Come on girl, we need to get ready. I want to get my groove on.”
She stops and pulls me off the couch. We go into my bedroom and get the outfits we picked out for tonight. I wanted to look sexy tonight. You know, just in case we run into the guys. I bought a deep purple dress that is so short it cuts off right under my butt. It has one strap that goes over my left shoulder leaving my right shoulder bare. I shimmy myself into the dress. It fits like a glove, showing off all my curves. I double check myself in the mirror making sure everything is in place.
“Damn, look at you hooch. You really do have an ass and boobs,” Emily says walking into my room, dressed to kill with a tight white dress the same length as mine but she has long sleeves and the back drapes dangerously low.
“Matt is going to have a heart attack if he sees you dressed like that.”
“Yes, he might, but it’s my last night out single. Plus I don't think I will fit in this dress in the next few months.”
We laugh and walk into the bathroom and do our hair. We both wear it simple, putting enough curls into it to make is wavy, yet sexy. I also go with minimal makeup. I have never been one to wear a lot of makeup and I wanted to keep my look sexy, but simple. Emily wears enough for the both of us.
We finish getting ready around the time the limo is supposed to arrive. We put on our heels and head down the stairs. When I open the door, there is a bouquet of roses sitting outside my door. I pick them up and look for a note but don’t find one.
“Oh, those are beautiful. I bet Hunter sent them for you.” Emily says, leaning in to smell them.
I smile and bring them up to my nose to smell the sweet scent of them. I will have to thank him later when he comes over. I place them on the side table by the door and we leave.
We walk out to the parking lot right as the limo pulled into the driveway. The driver pulls up in front of us and gets out, greeting us as he opens the door. He offers his hand to us and helps us into the back. I scoot in and not
ice the other girls are in the limo already. They all greet us and hand me a beer and Em a bottle of water.
“Sucks that you can’t drink tonight. Just think though, you will be the one waking up tomorrow feeling human”. Amanda says raising her drink in a salute and takes a drink.
We all do the same thing. I take a huge gulp of my beer letting it run down my throat.
We fall into a chatter, all excited about tonight and about the wedding. I swear, even though, the driver has the privacy glass up he could still probably hear the shrieks and giggles coming from the back of the limo. We didn’t quiet down until we arrived at the restaurant.
Dinner was the same way also. We decided to surprise Emily and take her out to her favorite place. It’s a hibachi restaurant and we all had a few shots of Saki. Well, everyone but Emily. She did shots of water with us. We were all having a blast and I am defiantly starting to feel the alcohol work its magic and loosening me up.
We leave the restaurant and instead of heading to the club we decide that the bar down the street would be fun to go to. It’s a country western bar that Amanda and Mandy said they have gone to a few times and it was a blast.
We walk into the bar and I am blasted with country music and want-to-be cowboys. When you walk in, the bar is to the left. It’s a huge bar with colored lights that light up the bar top. The place is decorated with cowboy hats and country western decorations that are hanging all over the walls. I really think the West threw up all over this place. We walk over to the bar and get our drinks. I grab my beer and sit off in the corner. I’m taking in the place, trying to get the feel of it. I have never been in a bar like this. I look towards the back of the building and notice a dance floor and a riding bull. I shriek and grab Emily’s hand.
“Let’s go dance!” I drag Em with me as the other girls follow behind us. We get to the dance floor and try to blend in. The people who are already on the dance floor are line dancing, something I have never done before. We probably look like a bunch of newbies, but it doesn’t stop us from trying.
A couple of guys come over to us dancing close to our group. After a few minutes, one of the guys comes over to me. He is very good looking. Maybe in his late twenty's, early thirty's, blonde hair, bright blue eyes. He could very well pass for a model.
“Hey, I am Mike, would you ladies mind if we came over and danced with you? We could help you out a little.”
I smile at him. “I am Payton, this is Emily. We are celebrating her upcoming wedding. Then there is Mandy, Julie, and Amanda.” I introduce the girls and then look back at him. “Do we suck that much that we need help?”
He gives me a shy smile turning red. “No, I um…” He sighs “Just wanted a reason to come over and dance with you.”
I drink the rest of the drink that is in my hand. “Okay cowboy, let’s dance.”
The rest of the guys come over and introduce themselves to the girls and dance.
Mike tries to get a little too touchy with me, but I redirect him a few times. I start to get a guilty feeling for dancing with him. Even though, Hunter and I did not come out and say that we are exclusive and dating, I still feel like we are. Hunter is something I don't want to mess up because I am drunk. I also don't want to send Mike any signals that are not there. I allow us to dance for a few more songs. Once the song ends, I tell Mike I am thirsty and walk off the dance floor and to the bar.
I grab another beer from the bar and sit down to take a break. I left Mike out on the floor to find a different partner to dance with. Emily comes over to me, looking beat already.
“Hey girl, are you tired already?”
She looks at her watch and shrugs. “It’s one in the morning already. We were here longer than I thought.” She places a hand on her stomach. “This baby is killing me. Making me feel old. I bet I could fall asleep right here.”
I smile at her. “Why don’t we go meet up with the guys? They should be down the road from here. You can make Matt take you home. Then I can drag Hunter back to my place and thank him properly for those pretty flowers.”
She nudges me.” You better thank him. Let’s go to where they are. I will run and tell the girls we will be down the road. They are having fun with the Hotties.”
I watch her leave and finish my beer quickly, taking out my phone to text Hunter.
Incoming. We are coming to crash your party. I need someone to dance and grind with.
I smile to myself for being sassy. I don't get a reply back right away so I put my phone back in my purse. When Em comes back, we head out to the other bar.
We walk down the block and go into the bar. We get carded at the door by the bouncer and then let in. Emily spots Matt right away. She sneaks up to him and places her hands over his eyes. She leans in and whispers something into his ear. From the smile on his face, I know it is something I don't want to know. He turns around and gives her a big hug, stumbling a little bit as he does. I walk up but don't see Hunter.
I look over at James and the other guys. Don is out with them and is sitting the closest to me. I lean over to him “Hey, where is Hunter?”
He looks over at me then at the ground. “He left about an hour ago. He said he wasn't feeling good.”
“Oh. I text him just before we left to come here. He didn’t respond, maybe I should go check up on him.”
He nods. “Do you need a ride?”
“Nope, stay. I can catch a cab.” I kiss him on the cheek and say goodbye to everyone else at their table. I give Emily a big hug, telling her and Matt to behave. I turn around and head back to the door and head outside.
Luck is on my side right now it seems. A cab is just pulling up so I get in and tell him Hunter’s address. I take out my phone to call him to make sure he is alright.
I click on the screen and see I have an unread text from him, so I open it. I looked at it for a few seconds, my world shattering. I can’t even describe the pain I felt at that moment. I can feel my heart shattering into a million pieces. I think Keegan's fist to my face or kick to my ribs would have felt better than what I saw on the screen.
It’s a picture of Kelly, straddling Hunter’s lap, kissing him in nothing but her bra and panties. From the angle of the phone, it looks like he took the picture. The text with the pictures says:
Already have a dance partner, maybe next time babe.
I turn the screen off, feeling defeated. I look out the window, not paying attention. Not caring what is going on around me. My thoughts going back to that picture. At least Keegan kept it in his pants. I feel a tear run down my cheek, but I wipe it away. They keep on falling. The cab driver must have heard me sniffle.
“Everything alright miss?” He asks, looking through his rear view mirror.
I look up at him and sniffle again. “Yes, can you drop me off at a different address? I had a change of plans.” He nods and I give him my address and shrink back into the cab seat.
The rest of the ride to my place is a blur. I don't remember getting home or the walk up to my apartment. Before I know it, I am inside my apartment, the roses and vase that were sent to me earlier today are now smashed against the wall on the other side of the living room. The roses scattered all over the shattered glass from the vase. I lean against my door, sliding down until I am sitting on the ground. My legs stretched out in front of me. I for some reason I can’t look away from the ruined roses. I breathe in deep, pulling my knees up to my chest and rest my head on my knees letting the tears run down my face. I feel betrayed and used. I should have listened to James and not gotten involved with Hunter. Now I am paying the price.
***
Hunter
Focus. That’s what I keep telling myself when I try to open my eyes again. I have been awake for about an hour but have not been able to get out of bed. I have been battling the urge to throw up from a splitting headache that is pounding behind my eyes. I open them again but slam them shut and moan from the pain.
Why the hell does my head hurt so much? I ask myself, brin
ging my hands up to my face and rub my eyes, trying to soothe the pain away. I just have to make it to the bathroom to get some aspirin. After a few minutes, I manage to drag myself out of bed. I get in the bathroom and take out the amount of aspirin I need and take them without water. I feel my stomach roll with the feeling of having the throw-up and brace myself, trying to force the feeling to go away.
I lean my head on the doorjamb of the bathroom, lost as to why I feel so hung over. I did not drink last night or at least I don’t think I did. No. I know I didn’t. I was DD. I wouldn’t have drank. I take a few more deep breaths and walk into my kitchen and grab some water. I twist it open and take a huge gulp of it, trying to make sense of last night. I don't remember much of it.
I go into the living room and sit on the couch, leaning my head back. I close my eyes, wanting to pass the fuck out again. I lose the battle of staying awake and sleep takes over again.
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