New Year
“They are still out there,” Harmony says, peeking out the blinds of my house. “Don’t they have anything better to do?”
“Yeah, that’s a lot of press,” Falcon adds, looking out the window next to her.
Our small southern town has made world news because of my “mercilessly tragic yet beautiful” story. After a thorough investigation, Omar’s death was ruled as self-defense.
There were no court dates.
No lawyers.
No judges…Just our statements of all the events that occurred.
Our statements didn’t exactly reveal the truth of what transpired that night.
In our version, Max bursts through the barn door and saves the day.
He kills his father for the woman he loves.
It was originally Hunter’s idea that Max should take the blame.
Hunter assured us it would “look better” that way.
What a hero.
“This is the part where you guys help me blow my candles out,” I say, staring down at the sparkling flames of my massive blue and yellow birthday cake that’s perfectly lit with twenty-one candles.
“I have a surprise call for you,” Taylor says, holding her cell out towards me. “Ya’ll are on speaker.”
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Naya and Hero say simultaneously.
It’s all-too-soon when moisture hits my eyes. “Thank you.” Mr. Knight has them in an undisclosed location, keeping them far, far away from Grace. No one has seen her since our town’s “little secret” news broke and went international. Now Grace is world-famous for reason I’m sure she would rather not say. She didn’t have any involvement with Tyler’s murder or plotting our deaths. That’s what her well-paid lawyers said. I don’t know if she did or not.
Evil is evil.
A hand runs down the length of my hair, softly pressing into my back. I cock my head to see loving lavender gazing down at me. Max gives me a tender smile. “Make a wish, Pumpkin.” I glance around the table at all my friends’ joyous faces. I don’t know if it’s the soft flickering candlelight in my dim kitchen or the fact that it is New Years, but something about this moment seems magical and enchanted. An aching disappointment dampens my cheerful mood though.
One person would make me feel better.
Hunter.
If only he were here.
Smiling to the best of my ability, I close my eyes and lean forward. The heat from the flames is pleasant and warms my face.
I don’t wish for eternal happiness or anything silly like that; I wish for just enough, enough of love to get me through my darker days, enough support to keep me balance when I feel uprooted and shaky, enough patience and understanding when I feel vulnerable and lash out.
Just enough.
A quiet hush and a definite stillness falls over my small crowd like a thick shroud. Taking a deep inhale and expanding my lungs to the maximum limit, I blow out all my candles. Only when I breathe in the wisps of smoke, melted candle wax, and sweet buttercream frosting do I open my eyes. I love that smell. I want to experience more of that birthday aroma.
My brows furrow, everyone is staring in awe and amazement, and I’m not the center of their attention. My eyes follow the source of all the excitement. For a moment, I completely forget how to breathe. Max is on bended knee beside me. His face is the softest I’ve ever seen, and his eyes…they’re glistening with tears. My eyes slide to his outreached hand that holds a small red velvet box with the lid up. Tears make the sparkling octagon-shaped diamond blurry.
Max takes my hand in his free one, giving my fingers a tight squeeze. “Isabel Waters, what the hell can I say at this point?” He grins and everyone chuckles softly. “You lit a flame inside of me that changed my life forever. I want my forever with you. I promise to make sure you understand that you are loved and appreciated every day. I promise to make you feel secure and safe. I promise to make life worth living. I promise to be your foundation and the man that never lets you down. But before all that, I need you to make a promise of your own. Marry me, Pumpkin?”
I jump out my seat and slam myself into Max. He is not prepared for my reaction. The impact knocks us both to the floor. I land on top of him, laughing and frantically kissing all over his face.
“Is that a ‘yes’?” he laughs, gently stroking the line of my spine.
“Say yes, dummy!” That’s Harmony in the background.
“If you don’t, I will!” That’s Vic.
“Will you two show-stealing queens shut it already. Let Izzy have her moment.” That’s Falcon.
Staring into his shimmering eyes, a new discovery is found. I found what desire really is: Max Gabai. My Idol Husband. Everything I always wished for but never received. Here he is, living, breathing, and asking me to marry him.
How could a girl say no?
He wipes at my tears and I dab at his. “Yes, Maxi-pie. I’ll marry you.”
The room erupts into cheers and applauses as we seal it with a passionate kiss that makes my head heady. This will be a moment that I will hold on to and replay in my mind when misery wants to keep me in its grasp.
***
Two weeks later
I roll the platinum rings around inside my hand. I got them for Hunter. I haven’t seen him since the night of the fire. He never showed to tell me happy birthday or congratulations. I didn’t expect he would, but a large and hopeful part of me still had faith he would not miss something as important. Now I swing on my old tire swing under the shadowy canopy of the willow tree that brought so much bliss to me. The moon is bright and full tonight…
There’s that familiar tightening and burning of my muscles. Every part of me is hyperaware when he’s around. My feet drag in the dirt as the swing is pulled back from its swaying motion. “I thought you forgot about me,” I whisper to the moon.
“Never. How can I forget about you when I dream of you with my eyes wide open?”
I force myself to swallow. “Hunter,” I breathe. “Where were you?”
“Busy. You’ve missed me.” Not a question, just an obvious statement.
“Still arrogant I see.”
“Still blinded I see.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I push my way out the loop to look at him. His absurd beauty is hidden well within the pale light of the moon, and he’s dressed in usual hoodie and jeans, his hair is untamed and everywhere.
His eyes are solely focused on my face. “Can we dance for a bit?”
My cheeks lift as I smile. “Dance?”
He shrugs. “It only seems right.”
Then he opens his arms. It’s like I have no choice in the matter when I snuggle into him, getting as close as I possibly can. I’m instantly stunned by the deluge of scorching hot memoires. I have missed this…missed him. We sway in a slow and steady tempo of his heartbeat. “Humor me with a short game, okay?”
Clutching the rings in my palm, I nod.
“What if I told you that your lips were made only to be kissed by me?”
My heart rate quickens. “Hunter, what kind of game is this?”
He gives me a squeeze. “Just humor me, Isabel.”
“What if I told you that I’m happy now?”
“What if I told you that I’m too selfish to care?”
My breath catches in my throat. I can’t play this game anymore.
“What if I told you that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to have you to myself again?”
Leaning back, I tip my head up. “Even breaking my heart?”
He grins.
Smug brat!
“Even breaking your pretty little heart all over again.”
How can he actually say that with a straight face?
Are we still playing?
Hunter keeps it going. “What if I told you that you belong with me and I’m willing to sabotage your future with him just to have you in my bed at night?”
The blood drains my face. “Hunter, stop. I don’t want to play anymore.”
He studies me with solemn intensity that only Hunter Knight is capable of performing in such a way I feel like my core is splitting and cracking under the pressure of his stare. He holds me at arm’s length, smirking conceitedly.
“I have a Christmas gift for you,” I whisper, looking down at my balled up fist.
He releases me. “Really? I feel bad. I didn’t get you anything.”
“Don’t worry about it. Here…” I lift my trembling fingers and dump the thin bands of platinum in his hands.
“Rings?” He sounds confused.
I glance up at him and smile. “They’re for your thumb. Read them.”
His eyes squints at each elegant engrave in each ring as he places all three bands around his left thumb. “Three little angels.” Hunter’s expression is suddenly indecipherable. He takes a step back.
“For the babies,” I whisper, feeling unshed tears burn my eyes.
“Isabel,” Max calls. I look around Hunter and see Max’s silhouette leaning against the frame of the front doorway of my house with Birthday tucked in his arm. “Our dehydrated marshmallows are getting cold.”
Oh.
Right.
Lucky Charms and movies tonight.
I take in a deep breath and nod. My eyes revert to Hunter. He stares at the glinting rings on his thumb. “You don’t have to be happy, Hunter. Just be enough.” Without another word, I sidestep him and run up to Max, to my future, to my enough.
END OF BOOK ONE