In Between Seasons

Chapter 43

It took several hours for Mara to do our hair and makeup and I fidgeted the whole time, despite her constant nagging. I had a feeling she was dragging the process out on purpose, and it was driving me crazy. Even when she was finished, she just kept sitting contently with whatever reading material she found while I kept standing and sitting down, then pacing and coming back down to sit.

"Anxious much?" Mara asked, her eyes following me over the top of her magazine.

I narrowed my eyes at the date— 2012, Channing Tatum: Sexiest Man Alive. The guy looked eerily like an older version of Hunter. I shook my head before I kept pacing.

"It's really not that long of a wait," Mara said, drawing out that as she smirked at me.

I stopped and let the air out of my lungs, puffing my cheeks before I asked, "So when is it time to go down?"

"You haven't seen Hunter for four hours, and you're already having a panic attack?" Mara shot back as she blew a piece of her straightened hair out of her face, her eyes crossing before she widened them at me.

"It's a good thing you did this up-do hair style; otherwise, I'd already have yanked out all my hair," I replied, watching as she slowly rolled her eyes at me. "I just don't like surprises! They're never good."

Mara stood and took my hands in hers. "I promise you this is a good surprise."

"Fine...can we just go down now?"I begged.

I pulled out all the stops this time widening my eyes, fluttering my lashes and sticking my lower lip out.

"Actually," Mara began, and I went straight to the door. "Slow down, killer! You fell down these stairs without heels on!"

"Fine," I said as I slowed and took each step with care. I knew she was right, and I didn't want to spoil the surprise with me ending up on my face again.

Mara laughed as we reached the bottom of the stairs. "You're going to love this!"

"So you do know?" I asked, turning and facing her. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes.

"You said it—I'm a good liar!" She smirked as she reached past me and opened the door. I wanted to smack her and hug her all at the same time. My insides fluttered as I followed her in the door, and then entered the transformed common room.

"Holy," was the only thing I could manage to whisper.

The room was dimly lit by sapphire blue lights and white paper lanterns hung from the ceiling for ambiance. The room practically glowed, and although the room was crowded I found Hunter quickly. He was standing on a stage set up in front of the flat screen TV which was pulsing with soft blue lights. The gentle strobe only added to the dreamlike trance I felt I entered. After a moment I managed to speak,

"What's he doing?"

"You don't have to whisper, Kate," Mara replied as I grabbed her arm.

Hunter's eyes met mine, and he strummed the guitar once, a smile spreading across his face. I just about melted into a pool of drool on the floor.

"God," I stammered.

"You want your tongue back?" Mara teased, and all I could do was shake my head.

Hunter was wearing a black suit with a skinny navy tie and white dress shirt. It only served to enhance his broad shoulders and small waist.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked over my shoulder, not taking my eyes off of him as he began to sing my favorite song. The sea of people began to move to the music, but I was still standing in the same spot, gripping Mara's arm white.