Chapter 29
Jade
D ressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, my leather jacket, and my favorite pair of Doc Martins, I head to meet Hunter in Camden on Friday evening. I need this tonight. This past week has been exhausting mentally and physically. Mum is back home and Henry is busying around her like a mother hen. We’re all worrying about what the future looks like but we have to take it a day at a time. And today I finally get to show Hunter the joys of Camden. He’s already messaged to say that he’s waiting and my stomach is doing somersaults.
Tonight feels like the start of something. We’ve been circling each other on the edge of something for so long. So when I catch sight of him leaning casually against a lamp post at the entrance to the station, my breath is literally snatched from my throat. I’ve seen this man in a suit, seen him half naked as a Gladiator, and gloriously naked but casual Hunter is my favorite. His t-shirt stretches across his impressive chest, and it's doing things to my insides.
He towers over me, engrossed in whoever he’s messaging, and doesn’t spot me straight away.
“I think I should always wear heels around you.” I laugh. He jumps slightly then looks down at me, the corners of his mouth tilting up into that killer smile.
“No way, Tink, I like that I can do this.” Pushing off the lamp post he tucks me under his arm, placing a soft kiss to the top of my head. And, yep I’m swooning. “You good?” He knows Mum hasn’t been well, but not the full extent. I’m still battling that war in my head. I’m opening up to him slowly but I’m not ready to show him every part of me. Not just yet.
“I’m good.” I nuzzle into his side as we walk towards the crowded streets of Camden. “Did you bring your appetite?”
“Yep.” The heat in his eyes tells me he has, but not necessarily for food.
As I take in all the smells I let out a content sigh and smile.
“There it is. That smile that I’ve been missing all week,” he says softly, looking down at me as he brushes the backs of his fingers across my cheek. Setting those damn butterflies in my stomach off again.
“What can I say, food makes me happy.’
“Why do you think I’ve been asking Jenny to bring you lunch all week?”
Jesus, if he keeps this up I’ll be a puddle.
“Thank you for that. You really didn’t need to.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Okay, so cheese.”
“Cheese?”
I grin up at him. “Yep, cheese. The best food group.”
“Cheese is part of a food group, Tink. It doesn’t have its own.”
“Oh, you poor sheltered man.”