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Hunter
“YOU DIDN’T TELL HER you loved her, did you?” My brother’s voice came in and out of the phone like he was pulling it away from his ear while speaking to me.
“If I said no would that get you to stay at the house?”
I winced as I glanced at my pathetic appearance in Willa’s bathroom mirror. The old suit that hung loosely on my body as I stood in a room covered by wallpaper that my grandmother would love, I reminded myself of my father. Which should have made me smile but didn’t. My heart constrained in my chest as I missed him just as much as I did ten years ago. He would have dished out great advice to win back Willa. But he wasn’t here and I had relied on my brother. He warned me not to wear the suit. And now I looked and felt like a fool.
“No, I told you last night. It’s time for me to move on. Go live on my own like a big boy.”
I was going to miss my brother, but he promised to find a place nearby.
“If that’s the case then I did tell her I loved her. She responded by explaining that she had to help her mom in the kitchen.”
“I’m on my way. I can salvage this when I get there.”
“But how? You can’t drive.”
“Is it a requirement for all rock stars to be total morons? I am capable of calling someone to drive me. I still have use of my hands . . . My dick understands this all too well.”
I gagged into the phone.
Everything was going wrong. I told my brother yesterday that Willa’s mom invited me to dinner. His advice for me was to act elusive. Pretend I was over her and that would make me appear unattainable so then she’d become interested.
I explained to my brother that I didn’t play head games like that. But maybe he was right. The look of shock in her eyes worried me. When her skin turned green and I thought she might throw up it dawned on me that I made a mistake by telling her my feelings.
“Don’t come here. You’re not my mom.”
“No, but I am your brother and I told you I would do anything to help you get her back. I got that anything part right now.”
“Oh no. What did you do?”
Memories of my brother shoving me into a closet with my high school crush—as he pulled down my shorts right before he slammed the door and locked me in—were fighting their way to the surface. I thought they were hidden. Kept away in my pretend-it-never-happened part of my brain.
But that dreaded feeling was back.
“Don’t you worry. We’re pulling up right now. I see your white cock in the driveway looking extra shiny.”
I ended the call, shoved my phone into my pocket, and quickly washed my hands. Pushing open the door, it slammed back against the wall. Both women, who were still in the kitchen, popped their heads out.
“Is everything okay, Hunter?” Willa’s mom asked right as Willa said, “Did you fall in?”
I didn’t have time to respond because there was a knock at the door.
“Did you invite more guys I know, Mom? Perhaps the guy I lost my virginity to? Because I don’t think you’ve embarrassed me enough tonight.”
“Stop being a drama queen.” Her mom rolled her eyes as she dried her hands on the red apron she wore. “Plus, the night’s still young.”
My feet took off and I was standing beside Willa as she opened the front door.
Blinking, I was both surprised and relieved with who stood next to my brother. Instead of the stripper or clown or the stripper dressed as a clown I imagined he hired to accompany him because he’s weird like that, it was my agent, Jon.
“Hi. Did my mom invite you, too?”
“No, we’re party crashers.”
“What?” Jon asked, as surprised as Willa. “But you said if I came with you, I would get a chance to discuss the collaboration with Willa and Hunter.”
“What can I say?” He moved his hands around in the air as if conjuring up a spell. “I’m a master of deception.”
“You’re an idiot,” I remarked.
“That too. Now let us in, something smells delicious and my brother has starved me for far too long. I’m a shell of my former self.” He waved a hand over his toned and healthy torso.
“I apologize for the intrusion.” Jon stepped forward, blocking my brother. “I had no idea you were having dinner. I’m afraid Tucker told me a very different story than he told you.”
“Since he told me nothing, not even Hunter,” Willa side-eyed me, “I’d say you’re forgiven. But, since my mom went all out, there’s plenty for everyone.”
Willa pulled open the door and yelled, “Mom, we got two more for dinner.”
“Wonderful. The more the merrier I always say.”
Jon stepped inside while my brother didn’t move.
“Uh, need a little help.” Tucker pointed to the foot-high step that separated the outside from the inside.
With a grin, I said, “Here, I’ll help you.” Then I promptly slammed the door.
“Hunter! What did you do?” Willa gasped while taking Jon’s black wool coat.
“Let him in. He’s your brother,” Jon added.
I raised my arms. “Wait a minute, let me get this straight . . . He’s allowed to be an unfiltered asshole and no one bats an eye, but I do it once and I’m a jerk?”
Willa shoved me aside to open the door. “Yup,” she answered over her shoulder.
After Jon and I lifted my brother’s wheelchair into the house, we helped Willa set the table and sat for dinner. Despite Willa’s mom walking a bit slow and with a limp, she refused any of the help I offered in the kitchen. Not that I knew how to cook, but I’d be happy to get pots and pans for her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jon and Tucker. If I had known you both were coming, I would have made more,” Willa’s mom said as she began taking plates to scoop out the pie.
“I’m pretty sure there’s enough, Ma.”
“I want to make sure they have leftovers to take with them. Never leave a house empty-handed I always say.”
“That’s just for thieves,” Willa mumbled.
I chuckled. Her cheeks were pink and when her emerald eyes slid to the side to meet mine, my chest ached with happiness.
“Willa, have you thought any more about my proposal?” Jon asked as he buttered his roll.
“What proposal is this?” Willa’s mom finally took a seat after making sure everyone was served.
“Mrs. Jones, I offered to represent her. Your daughter is a talented singer. I’d like her to sing on Hunter’s new album.”
“What?” Willa’s mother gasped and cupped her cheeks. “Willa, you never mentioned that. I thought you were trying to get your reporter job back.”
Willa sunk down in her chair. “I was. The Libertyville Gazette took the interview I did with Hunter but never offered my job back.”
“Then this is perfect,” her mom said waving toward Jon. “I’m sure you’ll get enough money to cover the bills with this singing job, and then you can find something a little more long-term.”
“Uh, Mrs. Jones,” Jon cleared his throat, “if I was to sign your daughter, it would be long-term. I’ve already spoken with a few labels and based on what I recorded at the open mic night, they were discussing a two-record deal. She wouldn’t need to get another job. And I’d make sure she’d get more than enough money for whatever she wanted or needed.”
I crossed my fingers under the table, hopeful that Willa considered Jon’s offer. But the way she shook her head, I knew Jon hadn’t convinced her yet.
“You recorded me?”
“Once I heard your voice, I knew labels would be scrambling to sign you. The recording isn’t great with all the background noise and the acoustics in that place were terrible, but it was enough to convince a few. Depending on the single I want you to sing with Hunter.”
I had given Jon a few songs I wrote over the last two weeks. He loved them and thought one was perfect for a duet with Willa.
“I never agreed to any of this. You don’t understand . . . I can’t do what you want.” Willa stood.
“You’re an amazing singer. I’m going to be honest,” I grabbed her hand before she could leave, “you’re better than me. When people hear your voice, they’ll fall for you the same way I’ve fallen for you. It’s just one song. If, after you record it, you hate the entire experience, you don’t ever have to sing again.”
“Hunter,” Jon said and shifted forward but I glared at him until he sat back in his chair.
“I love you, Willa. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Her eyes watched me and that crease in her brow deepened. I loved her like that—thinking. She was mesmerizing when the world revolved around her, but the only thing she was concerned about were her loved ones.
Her head turned to her mom before she glanced at everyone at the table. “It’s not my voice I’m worried about . . . I’m afraid. Afraid I’ll get into that recording booth and nothing will come out. That I’ll disappoint you . . . You expected someone fearless, but unfortunately, you ended up with me.”
Was she talking about her singing or how she felt about me?
I got out of my chair and pulled her close. Lowering my head, I whispered in her ear, “I’ve seen you sing. I’ve seen you come. I’ve seen you smile. But I could be struck blind and deaf and I’d still love you with everything I’ve got.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered and turned her head so our mouths were barely an inch apart.
I wanted to lift her in my arms like something out of a cheesy romance movie where rain fell on our faces, but we wouldn’t care because we had each other. But it wasn’t raining, and we weren’t outside, and her mom was only a few feet from us.
My lips brushed hers and that electric spark I felt the first moment I ever touched her grew to the point where I couldn’t ignore it.
Who cared if everyone could see us? I loved her and was ready to show her just how much.
“Just kiss her already and get it over with so I can eat. I want to ingest my food, not throw it up,” my brother said with his usual poetic flare.
Willa smiled, and I settled for a quick peck on her lips before she pulled away. Her blush said it all—she was imagining the same as me, but my brother had to ruin the fantasy because he was good at it.
“How much would I be paid for the song?” Willa didn’t waste any time getting down to business.
Even Jon, who’s all business all the time, stuttered in surprise, “W-Well, uh . . . I think we can iron out the details later when—”
“My daughter is helping one of your singers out by lending her voice. If she wants to know the payment, we work it out here. Tonight.” Willa’s mom shocked everyone.
Now I knew where Willa got her feistiness from.
