CHAPTER 30
My Happy Ever After
Gabriela
Saturday afternoon, at exactly twelve on the dot, a knock echoed on my apartment door.
I placed the magazine I was reading on my coffee table and stood up from the living room sofa.
Luna’s head swivelled away from the TV and in my direction.
She eyed me judgingly as if she knew I was leaving her with Supernatural reruns and to be cat-sat by Anna.
Because I finally had my first official date with Hunter.
We returned from Club Azul at 2:00 a.m. and spent fifteen minutes making out in the hallway between our homes. Neither of us wanted to part ways for even a few hours. By the time we pulled away, our lips were kiss-swollen and our hearts had never been happier.
“I had a great time tonight,” he’d mumbled.
“Me too. I can’t wait to see you again.”
“Be ready by twelve.” He’d pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll come pick you up.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise.” He’d smiled cheekily at my pout. “But we’ll be out for most of the day.”
“Fine.” I’d nuzzled my nose against his. “Good night, Hunt.”
“Good night, Gabby.”
“Just so you know, I’ll be dreaming of you tonight.”
And all the things we’d done in the moonlit office.
Warm fuzziness had splashed over Hunter’s face at my admission. He was so cute. I couldn’t help but peck his mouth a final time when he’d whispered back with innocent wonderment, “I’ll be dreaming of you, too. Like I always do.”
I’d entered my home feeling like I was walking on cloud nine. A big smile stayed on my face as I took a shower and went about my night routine. Just like I predicted, once I’d fallen asleep, my dreams were filled with Hunter.
That was ten hours ago.
I was dying to see him again, the nail-biting anticipation surmounting.
“Do you want to come say hi to Hunter, Luna?” I cooed and she leapt down from the sofa, following my footsteps.
I walked into the mirrored hallway, taking a moment to appraise my reflection.
My hair was pin straight, not a single strand out of place, with my cat-eye-shaped sunnies resting on my head.
I wore a black blazer dress, black lace stockings, and black knee-high boots.
Pearls adorned my earlobes and I wore a matching Vivienne Westwood necklace around my throat.
The love bite Hunter sucked highlighted the side of my neck.
I couldn’t find it in me to cover the mark with makeup.
I liked how it looked and I didn’t care who saw.
My ensemble was complete when I grabbed my red vinyl coat and small red Lady Dior bag that Mamma had gifted me last Christmas.
When I swung open my door, Hunter stood at the threshold looking dapper and quintessentially prince-like.
Long black hair tied at the nape with a single ruckus strand escaping the fold and lingering near his temple.
Blue eyes shining with happiness. Smiling lips surrounded by trimmed stubble.
He was as handsome as ever. And because my pretty rich boy actually knew how to dress well, Hunter wore polished shoes, ironed black pants, a white dress shirt, and a crisp grey melange coat that was masculine and elegant.
His silver chain and watch glinted under my entrance light as he stepped inside, a bouquet of red roses in his hand. “Good afternoon, doll.”
I slinked straight into his arms. “Hi, long time no see.”
“I know, right? Feels like I haven’t seen you in ages,” he joked, kissing the apple of my cheek. “These are for you.”
“Oh, Hunter, I love them.” I grabbed the roses from him. Red was my favourite colour and roses were my favourite blooms. I liked that he paid attention to all these details. “Come in. I’ll put these in a vase and we can get going.”
I heard Hunter sweet-talking to Luna and her purring in response, while I filled an empty glass vase with water in the kitchen sink. Upon my return, I saw him sitting on the foyer bench with my cat in his lap.
He caressed a hand down her back. “I also brought you a gift, Luna.”
She rubbed her head against his bicep.
Arranging the flowers on my console table, I asked, “What is it?”
“Remember how you told me you’ve been meaning to get Luna a new collar?” Hunter smiled. “I hope you don’t mind, but I got one for her.”
He pulled out a small velvet box from his coat pocket and plucked off the lid to reveal a cat collar. It had a red strap encrusted with rhinestones and a gold heart-shaped pendant with Luna Bellafiore engraved at the front and my phone number at the back.
I watched Hunter, stunned.
A few weeks ago, during one of our commutes to school, I told him the kind of collar I intended to get Luna. He took notes and delivered exactly as I envisioned.
There weren’t enough words in any language to explain how amazing Hunter was. I clasped his face and planted a series of closed-mouth kisses on his lips. “Thank you.” Kiss. “Thank you.” Kiss. “Thank you.” Kiss. “It’s gorgeous.”
Pink tinged the tops of his cheeks in an endearing manner. I loved that I could easily make this strong man blush.
“You’re welcome.” He glanced at Luna, who kept pawing at his shoulder, telling him she wanted his attention too. “Want me to put it on, sweet girl?”
Luna meowed like she was saying yes.
We removed her old collar and once her new one was on, she eyed herself in the mirror and, dare I say, even preened a little. Just like her momma.
“You look so cute, girl,” I hyped her up, bending down to stamp a kiss on her grey pelt. She leaned into my affection with closed eyes. I loved her with my whole heart. “Anna will be here in less than ten minutes. Be good for her, okay?”
“Ready?” Hunter asked when I rose, standing up as well.
I grabbed my coat and purse again. “Ready.”
He perused me with keen interest. “You look beautiful, Gabriela.”
I did a small three-sixty spin to showcase my outfit. “You like?”
Grabbing my hand, he brought my knuckles to his lips for a kiss. “I love.”
My breath caught in my throat and I blinked quickly, feeling unbalanced by the four-letter word. He was showing his appreciation for my clothes as usual, yet a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder if there was another underlying meaning to the sentiment.
We bid Luna goodbye, locked my door, and headed downstairs to the underground garage.
Hunter absentmindedly drew half-moons on the back of my hand with his thumb. It was such a simple thing, but it made my heart race.
He helped me slide into the passenger side of his Jaguar. Once he sat in the driver’s seat and the car roared to life, Hunter’s hand crept back into mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Like we were two halves of one whole.
My fingers squeezed his, trying to convey my innermost thoughts, and he took that as his cue to bring my knuckles to his lips for another kiss, before shooting me a dopey smile that I reciprocated.
Hunter drove with one hand. We cruised down the highway and the sun shone bright, enhancing my mood. Though I suspected my lifted spirits mostly had to do with him. After a moment of companionable silence, he hedged, “What are you thinking?”
That if I allow myself to dream bigger, you’ll start to feel like my very own happily ever after.
“Nothing. Just how much I love being driven by you.”
“Yeah?”
There was something incredibly sexy about him behind the wheel, driving such a powerful car with smoothness and sheer confidence.
“Mhm. Who needs a license when you have a hot neighbour to drive you around?”
“Neighbour, huh?” he volleyed back playfully. “That all I am to you?”
No, you’re beginning to feel like everything to me.
“Yup.” I popped the P at the end, my tone teasing. “Why, do you want to be more?”
He shook his head with a smile, mouthing the word brat under his breath. My shoulders shook with a silent chuckle. We both knew how much he adored me.
My eyes veered towards his dashboard. He was driving a respectable hundred kilometres an hour. Unable to help myself, I blurted, “Does your sports car go any faster?”
“Of course it does.” He tsked. “But I’m not driving recklessly while you’re seated next to me, Gabby.”
I was pleased that my safety was always his concern. Still wanting to toy with him, I muttered a low, “Pussy.”
Hunter cut me a brief glance before a depraved smirk touched his lips. I watched as he floored the gas, hitting one-sixty within seconds. My breath whooshed out, my body plastering against the leather seat from the high speed. “I guess you are what you eat.”
I burst into a giggle.
The look in his eyes said he loved that sound.
Then he lowered the speed back to the highway limit.
In a quarter of an hour, we reached a cute brunch spot I’d been meaning to check out.
We were seated at a bistro-style table next to the window, overlooking a scenic sight.
A waitress came to take our orders and we decided to share a salad and try their popular Croque Madame sandwiches.
We washed everything down with a drink—iced mocha for me, black coffee for Hunter—and powdered sugar beignets, while chatting about the latest true-crime podcast we were listening to and narrowing down the list of horror movies we wanted to watch before the end of the month.
It was a delicious meal. I tried to grab the bill, but Hunter beat me to it. “What did I tell you, Gabby?”
I gave him a rueful expression. “That you never let a woman pay when she’s out with you.”
“Exactly.” He wiped the remnant sugar from my bottom lip and kissed me. “Now let’s go. We have another place to be.”
Hand in hand, we crossed the parking lot towards his car.
“Thank you for the meal, Hunt.”
“Thank you for the company and conversation, sweetheart.”
Hunter started driving again and I busied myself with gazing into my compact mirror, swiping another coat of red lipstick. Throughout the journey, Hunter gave me soft, possessive glances. My heart glowed warm.
Before I knew it, we arrived at our next stop.