Wrecked by Her (Like a Hurricane Duet Book 1)

by Kristie Leigh

  Well, that was not what I expected. Hunter was a confident guy, and that message took me back to middle school when guys couldn’t get a word out when talking to girls.

  I opened up the text app.

  Hunter: I’m such an idiot. I feel like a teenager again. Sorry about that message. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I really just wanted to call and ask if you were available to hang out Friday night?

  Hunter: Shit! I’m sorry. I don’t mean to push you. You asked for a rain check, and I should be waiting, but honestly, it’s killing me, Jules. I haven’t seen you in eight years, and you’ve been thousands of miles away. Now, you’re literally blocks. Having you this close and not being able to see you has me losing my mind, clearly. I feel like you don’t want to see me, and it hurts. I just miss my best friend, that’s all.

  A tear slipped free. I missed him, too. I didn’t even think of his feelings in all this. I was being selfish. I rested my head in my hands. He was right, we were best friends long before we ever had a relationship, and this wasn’t fair to him. I clicked over to the phone app to call him but decided texting would be safer. I wasn’t ready to talk to him just yet.

  Me: Hey! Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I spent the afternoon outside with Calum and Taylor. Calum is finally down for the count, and Taylor has gone home. I promise I’m not avoiding you.

  His response came through almost instantly.

  Hunter: Hey, no, I’m sorry for leaving that ridiculous message and then both of those texts. You have a lot going on, and I’m sure I’m not a priority. When you’re ready, I’m here, right around the corner :)

  Me: LOL! Don’t be ridiculous. You’re always a priority. I’ve just been busy. I thought Sunday, but Friday sounds good, too. I’ll text Tay now and see if she can watch Calum. How about a movie or something?

  I quickly texted Taylor to see if she could watch Calum for me.

  Me: Don’t text and drive, but can you watch Calum for me Friday night so I can go to a movie?

  Bestie: I had to stop for gas. Sure, who you going to the movies with?

  Bestie: Oh! I have a booty call at ten. Could you go to the early show?

  Me: Ummm, with who? And I’m going with Hunter.

  Bestie: That’s awesome!

  Me: Still waiting…

  Bestie: Yeah, not going there. Sorry, bitch!

  Me: Whatever, early works for me. I’ll text you back with the deets ;)

  Honestly, early might work better, more casual that way. I flipped back over and saw he’d already sent another text.

  Hunter: Movies sounds great, and if I’m not pushing my luck, I’d love to hang out Sunday, too ;)

  Me: Sorry for the delay. I was making arrangements with Tay. Apparently, she has a booty call on Friday but can watch him for an early show. Our curfew would be around nine thirty :)

  I couldn’t believe I was going to agree to two days, but here goes.

  Me: Oh, and I’m also good for Sunday if you don’t mind a crazy, energetic toddler around.

  Hunter: Not at all. I can’t wait to finally meet him. What’s he into?

  Me: Everything! LOL! Umm…he loves trucks. He’s getting so big.

  Hunter: Typical boy.

  Hunter: How are you coping? How’s your mom?

  Me: I’m okay. Could be better. It’s nice to be home. I’m not sure how Mom is, they haven’t said much. I’m going to ask the doctor tomorrow when I’m there.

  Hunter: I’m really sorry you’re going through this. You know, I’m here for you. Anything you need. I can watch Calum, bring you food, or just be a shoulder for you to cry on. I’m here.

  He was so thoughtful. Always had been. I really did miss him.

  Me: Thank you. You’re too sweet. You may regret saying that one of these days! LOL! I miss you, too; you know? I’m really looking forward to seeing you Friday and Sunday :)

  The bubbles popped up, indicating he was responding, but then they disappeared. This happened a few more times.

  Me: Your phone broken? LOL

  Hunter: No, trying really hard not to say things that will scare you away again.

  Me: Again? Hunter, you know you didn’t scare me away. My leaving had nothing to do with me not loving you.

  Hunter: Sorry. See, I was trying to avoid saying things like that.

  Me: You’ve always been honest with me, so please don’t change now.

  Hunter: I think I will just leave some of my thoughts to myself until you’re ready.

  Me: OK?!?! I’m ready when you are.

  Hunter: We’ll see on Friday how ready you are :)

  I sat there for a minute, wondering if he was feeling the same way I was. Is it possible he still felt the same way about me, as I did him? I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

  Me: That works for me. You choose the movie, and let me know what time. On Sunday, you can come by anytime. Bring your suit. Calum loves the pool.

  Hunter: Okay. I’ll text you the movie details, and Sunday I’ll come by around ten with coffee. Still take it the same way?

  Me: That’s perfect, and yes, I do :)

  Hunter: I’ve gotta jump in the shower. I’ve been working outside all day, and I’m stank.

  Me: LOL! I just scrunched up my nose. I can imagine what that smells like.

  That was a lie. My first thought was Hunter shirtless and sweaty. Ugh. I needed help.

  Hunter: LOL! Have a great night, Jules. Talk soon?

  Me: For sure. Night <3

  I clutched my phone to my chest like a fourteen-year-old. I was in deep, and I had a feeling I was going to get my heart ripped out.

  11

  Hunter

  I fell back on the bed and blew out a breath. I was such a dork that I almost told her I loved her. “What the fuck, Hunter? Are you trying to make her run for the hills?” I really was losing my mind. I was talking to myself, again.

  I missed that girl like crazy. I tried to keep it cool when we talked and texted, but knowing she was only a few blocks away was killing me. I’d driven by the house a few times, but I was going to wait until Friday. I was actually really excited to meet Calum, too; he was a part of her, so Sunday was a bonus.

  I looked back through the texts and cringed at the first two messages. What am I, twelve? Those texts made me think of the first time we kissed.

  My palms were so sweaty, and I felt like I was going to be sick. She had been my best friend since forever, but today I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend. I wanted to be her first. I mean that ass Shane from fifth grade didn’t count. They didn't even kiss. She was coming over to watch a movie soon, and I was just going to ask her. How hard could it be, right?

  I had my speech all planned out in my head. She was going to sit on the center cushion on the couch, and I’d ask her if she wanted a soda and popcorn. She’d say yes, and I’d grab it from the coffee table. Then, I’d sit beside her and hand them to her. We would both settle in next to each other on the couch. As I was turning on the TV, I would just turn to her and ask “Will you go out with me?” Simple, right?

  Ugh, I needed to fix my hair. She was going to know something was up when she saw that I’d been pulling at it. I was running up the stairs just as the doorbell rang. SHIT! Too late, now. I tried to smooth it down, but it was no use. I used some new pomade, and it was now exactly where I put it while I tried to pull it out. Oh well.

  I opened the front door, and there she was. Julianne Davis. She looked like an angel. Well, not really. She was beautiful with her chestnut hair and bright blue eyes, but she was literally wearing clothes that made her look like a hobo. Her pants were five sizes too big, and so was her T-shirt, typical movie-night attire. But she was perfect, even in those clothes. Why? Because she was mine.

  She started to laugh and punched me in the shoulder. “Are you all right, Hunter? You’ve been staring at me for like five minutes with the weirdest look on your face. Have you been doing drugs? You know, I’m not cool with that.”

&nb
sp; Shit! I’d just totally zoned out looking at her. What was wrong with me? “Sorry, Jules, I’m just a little tired. Come in.”

  She smiled and muttered, “Weirdo,” as she walked by and nudged my shoulder.

  This was seriously not going well. I needed to get my shit together. I followed her into the den, and she plopped down on the beanbag chair. What the fuck? Could this get any worse? My plan was not going at all the way I expected. “Do you want some pop and sodacorn?”

  She looked at me with a scrunched nose and burst out laughing. “What the heck are pop and sodacorn?” She stood and placed her hand on my forehead and then on my cheek. “Are you feeling okay? Do you want me to go home? You’re acting crazy.”

  I raised my hand to hers to keep it there and cupped her face with my other one. We stared at each other in silence. Fuck it, I’m going in. I leaned in and kissed her, slow and sweet. She stiffened at first, but then opened her mouth. Yes! I didn’t want this to go too far and freak her out, so I gave her a small peck and pulled back with a massive smile on my face.

  “Jules, that’s why I’ve been acting crazy. I’ve been waiting all day to do that. No, scratch that. I’ve been waiting for years,” I blurted.

  “You have? Like, you’ve wanted to kiss me for years?” She touched her lips and grinned. “I’ve wanted you to kiss me too.” She blushed and looked down at her feet.

  Holy shit! I grabbed her around the waist and swung her around, knocking the popcorn bowl off the coffee table and making a mess. Jules was laughing, loud and crazy.

  I put her down and put both my hands on her face. “So, you’re mine, Jules? Like for real? You’ll be my girlfriend?”

  She smiled wide and nodded her head wildly.

  “Holy shit! I’ve been going insane all day. Nothing went as I expected, but it was all worth it.” I leaned in for another kiss. I just couldn’t help myself.

  I looked up at my ceiling and thought about how happy we were and how much simpler things used to be. I wished we could get back to a time when life was less complicated before our relationship ended. I missed her so much. I wanted to be in her life in any way she’d have me. I just hoped it would be romantically and forever.

  12

  Jules

  I woke up and rolled over to grab my phone and peeked at the time. Damn, it was only six thirty. I had the worst sleep ever. Hunter was all I dreamt of all night. Fuck! I was so screwed. I’d spent eight years tamping down my feelings for him, and now that I was back home, everything was coming back full force.

  Coffee was what I needed and lots of it. I tiptoed downstairs to make the biggest cup ever. Thank God for timers and best friends as it looked like Taylor had it set for six thirty, the machine just kicked in, and the aroma filled the room. I grabbed my phone to text her.

  Me: Remind me to open-mouth kiss you later. ;)

  Bestie: Umm, I don’t usually swing that way, but I’m willing to give it a shot. What did I do to deserve that?

  Me: I slept like shit, so I’m up before the ass crack of dawn and came down to the machine making coffee. <3

  Bestie: Ah! Yeah, I would want to kiss me, too. ;) Why didn’t you sleep well? What’s up?

  I sighed. Do I tell her? Fuck it, she’s my best friend.

  Me: Well, last night, as you know, I agreed to go out with Hunter. I didn’t tell you, but he left a super-cute voicemail. He was like a little boy, nervous to talk to a girl. Adorbs.

  Bestie: That’s because he IS nervous. I told you THAT BOY LOVES YOU TO DEATH!

  Me: I’m literally rolling my eyes at you right now. Anyway…

  Me: He then texted me twice, still stammering.

  Bestie: Send me a screenshot. I want to see.

  Me: No! He did mention that he misses me, and it’s killing him not to see me when he knows I’m so close. I also agreed to let him hang out with us on Sunday.

  Bestie: Yay, he’s going to meet Calum!!! And, well, duh! Of course he misses you, HE LOVES YOU!!! So, still waiting on why you didn’t sleep.

  Me: Oh right. Well, we texted back and forth last night, and then I fell asleep. I tossed and turned. I couldn’t shake Hunter from my dreams. Everything from hot and sexy dreams to growing old with grandkids. Ugh!

  Bestie: You love him, too!!!

  Me: Of course I do. I just don’t know, Tay. I’m not going to be here forever, and I can’t go through that again.

  Bestie: I know, babe. It’s a lot of shit to think about. But if you want my two cents, I think you should stay here. Hunter would do anything for you, and he would treat Calum like his own. Go for it, girl. You can’t hide your feelings forever.

  Me: I can try…

  Bestie: Good luck with that. I’ve gotta get ready for work. TTYL?

  Me: Yeah, have a great day. <3

  I sat there for a moment and thought about what she’d said. She was right about one thing; I didn’t have to go back to California. I could stay here. I was just not sure if that’s what’s best for me. I know Calum is young enough that it wouldn’t affect him. In fact, he would probably have a much better upbringing here. I loved my hometown. It’s small, the people were great, and the schools were fantastic. Taylor’s here, and so’s Hunter. Ugh, what was I thinking? We weren’t even together. This was silly. I was caffeine deprived. That’s what it was; I needed coffee.

  Making a mug, I cleared all thoughts of Hunter from my head. I took my coffee upstairs to have a shower and got ready so that when Calum woke up, we could head out to see Grandma. I was thinking the earlier, the better so we could be home for nap time.

  Calum woke just as I was done getting his breakfast ready. “Morning, buddy. You hungry?”

  He shook his head.

  “What’s new?” I laughed. “Well, let’s get you dressed and fed. Then we can go see Grams. How does that sound?”

  With Calum fed and my travel mug in hand, we were all set to hit the road. Thinking that a stroller for Calum was the best idea for today, I loaded him up, and we headed inside. We saw Susan first thing.

  “Good morning, Jules.” She leaned down to Calum. “And who might this handsome boy be?”

  Calum played shy and innocent, such an act.

  “This is Calum. Say hi, buddy.”

  He waved but didn’t say anything.

  “How’s my mom doing today, Miss Banyan?”

  She smiled. “Please, call me Susan. She’s having a great morning. She’s so excited to see her grandson. Hasn’t stopped talking about him.”

  “That’s great to hear.” I grinned.

  We walked into her room, and her face lit up once she saw Calum.

  “There’s my little cutie. What are you doing in that stroller?” She looked up at me. “Bring that handsome boy over here. He doesn’t need to be strapped into that thing.”

  Doing as I was told, I took Calum to her. I didn’t put him down right away, though. They talked via FaceTime, but Calum hadn’t seen her since he was a baby.

  “Say hi to Grams, Calum.” He reached out for her.

  “Come see me, baby boy.”

  He went right to her and sat beside her. I grabbed my phone to snap a few pics. It’d been so long since we’ve had any family photos.

  “Don’t you dare.” She glared at me.

  “I’m not missing an opportunity to take photos of my mother and my son, so suck it up, Mama.” I gave her a look, telling her I meant business.

  She continued to glare. “Can you at least fix my hair and take it at an angle, so I don’t look like complete shit?”

  “Shit shit,” Calum mimicked my mother.

  I looked at my mom. “Language. Calum copies everything.”

  He was smiling like he didn’t just curse. My kid was adorable, but I was in so much trouble. He was a handful now. I couldn’t imagine what he’d be like as he got older.

  She grimaced. “Sorry, Jules. Fix my hair so we can get this whole photo thing out of the way.”

  After taking some pictures, my mom tried to talk w
ith Calum. The conversation was almost completely one-sided. It took about five minutes before he’d had enough and wanted to get down to explore. I tried to get him back in the stroller with the iPad, but he threw a tantrum. Usually, I wouldn’t give in to a tantrum, but I didn’t want to disturb or upset the other patients with his screaming.

  “Calum, you can stay out, but you need to be a good boy, okay? And no touching.” He smiled up at me.

  “He’s such a good boy, Jules. You’ve done an amazing job.”