Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
HUNTER
LUCKY
“You two seem awfully cozy tonight.” Theo has one arm draped along the back of our regular booth, the other picking at the label on his beer bottle.
Ollie snuggles closer into my side, and I press a kiss to the top of his head.
“What can we say? We’re enjoying each other’s company.”
I can hear the happiness in Ollie’s voice. Ever since we decided to make this a real thing, the two of us have been trying to spend as much time together as we can. I mean, not that we never did that before, but it seems like every spare second we’re spending together.
And I really fucking like it.
I’ve never had a relationship like this. I’ve been burned in the past with people not wanting to spend time with me even when we were dating, so between that and my cheating ex, it put me off relationships. Made me hate them, really.
With Ollie though? It’s easy. All of it is easy.
“Shouldn’t you be cozying up with your boyfriend?” I ask, taking one last sip of my beer.
“Trey’s busy tonight,” Theo says, annoyance lacing his tone.
“Are we ever going to get to meet him?” Griffin asks. “I find it odd we haven’t met him yet.”
“We’ve only been dating a few weeks.”
“Is he even real?” Griffin snickers.
“Fuck you.” Theo flips him the bird. “Of course he’s real. Why wouldn’t he be real?”
“He’s saying,” Charlie interjects before they get going, “we haven’t met him and want to. Your friends should approve of the guy you’re dating.”
“Yeah,” Griffin agrees. “We all approve that Hunter is dating Ollie.”
“Wait, you don’t approve of Ollie dating me?” I question.
“Ollie could do better,” Griffin jokes.
“Asshole,” I mutter.
“Anyone would be lucky to date Hunter,” Ollie says, kissing my cheek.
“Damn straight,” I say, looking down at him.
Fuck. I really like how things are going between the two of us right now. They’re fun and easy. How they should be when we’ve put a time limit on this thing.
Something I don’t like thinking about. Who would have thought the idea of not being in a relationship would be the worst thing? None of my friends would believe it.
“You can see why I wouldn’t want to bring Trey around,” Theo says, shaking his hand.
“Why not?” Brooks complains.
“Well, you can be a lot.”
“Hey!” we all rebut at the same time.
“We are not a lot at all,” Charlies says.
“I am absolutely chill all the time,” Brooks says.
“Sure you are,” Charlie tells him, kissing his cheek.
“I think I might be the most chill person here,” Ollie says.
“Are you, though?” Griffin’s voice carries through the bar.
“What?” Ollie snaps back. “I totally am, right, Hunter?”
“Umm, sure.”
His jaw drops and he’s too damn cute.
“See if I let you hang out with me during the blizzard.”
“You really wouldn’t let me come stay?” I tickle his side, knowing his weakness.
“Stop! That’s not fair.” He squirms away from me, but I don’t let him get far.
“I’d hate to be by myself during the snowstorm of the century.”
“They aren’t calling it that,” he says. “If it were, I’d really make you stay on your own.”
“Ouch. I see where I fall.”
“Ugh. You two are so cute together. And it’s not even real,” Theo whines, face concentrating on his drink.
“Right.”
Ollie settles back next to me, quiet now.
“At least you have a boyfriend,” Griffin says. “I’m not dating anyone.”
“Too bad we aren’t each other’s type,” Theo says.
Griffin recoils. “Eww. I do not want to date you.”
“Feeling is mutual, believe me,” Theo agrees. “Maybe Trey has a friend he can set you up with.”
Before Griffin can answer, Charlie hops up. “I’m doing last call. Anyone want anything else? I want to make sure we all get home before the storm.”
“I’m driving us, so I’m good,” I say.
“Me too,” Ollie confirms.
I shut the farm down early today. The roads won’t be great, so I don’t want anyone driving in the dark in these conditions if I can help it.
We were busy right up until close. I left everything for another day. I can get caught up later.
The thought of getting to stay curled up at Ollie’s house for the next few days? It’s the break I didn’t know I needed.
“I thought it’d be busier tonight with everyone having to be locked down at home,” Brooks comments.
“Everyone’s probably already home,” Theo says.
Looking around the bar, it’s almost dead. A few people are hanging out—locals who live within walking distance—but that’s it. Charlie comes back with two drinks in hand and heads back to the bar to start shutting down.
“Are you going over to Trey’s?” Ollie asks Theo.
“I think so. Still waiting to hear from him.”
“You can always come to my place if he’s not free,” Griffin tells him.
“No offering your place,” I whisper into Ollie’s ear.
His expression is confused when he looks up at me.
The plans I have for him? I don’t want anyone around. I want to spend the next few days doing nothing but burying myself deep inside this man.
Fuck. That taste of Ollie the other night after our pizza date? It was enough to whet my appetite. It’s what’s gotten me through these last few days of work. Considering I can’t skive off every day, we have to make the most of our time together.
That’s exactly what the two of us are going to do. I don’t care if the snow never melts.
Because it would mean I’m with Ollie.
And damn, if that isn’t the best thing in the world right now.