“Hang on a sec.” Sawyer yanked off his headset. “You all right?”
He had to smile. His friend was doing a great job of keeping tabs on him. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m fine. Just a little distracted, but it’s all good.” Somewhat, anyway.
Sawyer narrowed his gaze, as if he were weighing Hunter’s words. Then he gestured to the TV. “Want to join us?”
Shaking his head, he held up the can. “Gonna finish this and hit the hay.”
“Okay, old man.” Sawyer slipped on the headset and spoke into the mike. “All right, punk, game on!”
Hunter entered his room and shut the door. The apartment had two bathrooms, and as the “old man,” he’d gotten the larger room with the attached bath. He stripped down and showered, trying to get Britt out of his system. But all he could think about was how he wanted to hold her. Kiss her. Comfort her. She brought out his protective side. Up until he met her, he didn’t know he had one.
He shut off the water and toweled dry, then put on boxer shorts and climbed into bed. Popping the top off the Coke, he took a gulp, then set the can down on his side table and put his arm behind his head. Now that he had some distance between them, he could see he’d been a jerk rushing off the way he did. He picked up his phone and found her number.
Should he apologize? Or just let it go and see her next Monday like he said? They hadn’t talked in between their lessons, but not because he didn’t want to.
Hunter stared at her name. They weren’t dating, and he doubted they ever would. She wouldn’t want to get involved with an ex-con, he knew that for sure. But he couldn’t help but compare her to the women he had dated—a term he used loosely. Going out was something he did regularly in between going to jail and before he became sober. He wasn’t proud of his behaviorwith them either. Women had been playthings, and he’d gravitated toward the ones who were eager to participate. Still, he knew he’d hurt some of them, and he told himself he didn’t care. It was their fault they got involved. He’d always been up front that he was only interested in one thing. And he made sure he was drunk or high every time it happened.
He squeezed his eyes shut, almost drowning in the intense mortification flooding over him. He deserved this feeling, this excruciating remorse. During his last stint in jail, he’d been visited by a chaplain, who had talked to him about Jesus and had explained how the Son of God had sacrificed himself for mankind’s sins. Hunter had confessed to him and asked Jesus for forgiveness. He’d gone to church several times since on the few Sundays he’d had off, and he believed Jesus had forgiven him.
But he hadn’t forgiven himself.
He kept staring at his phone. Being sober had cleared out the cobwebs, and he no longer wanted to be that playboy who was only out to satisfy himself. Until Britt, he hadn’t met a woman who made him yearn to be a better man, not just clean up his act so he wouldn’t land in jail again. It was all so strange. If she hadn’t popped up randomly in his YouTube feed, he would have never known she existed.
His finger hovered over her name, and he finally tapped it.
Hey. Sorry about leaving so fast. I forgot I had a
He couldn’t say date. It was a lie, and he didn’t want her to think he was taken.
an appointment. With Sawyer. We play video games on Monday nights.
He winced and sent her the lame apology and even lamer excuse. Not exactly a fib since he and Sawyer often did play video games. They just didn’t have a set date.
His eyes remained glued to the phone, waiting for a response. He sat up in bed, his back leaning against the cool wall. Then he face-palmed. He’d just told her he’d rather play video games with Sawyer than hang out with her.Idiot.
Hunter slid down and tossed his phone on the bed. Well, that was that. She probably wouldn’t respond to him. He’d see her on Monday, though. Unless she cancelled the lesson. He shoveled his hands through his damp hair. She wouldn’t do that... Would she?
He grabbed his phone. No response. Maybe he should go play a game with Sawyer and his friend. That would get his mind off his idiotic mistake—
The phone vibrated in his hand. A message notification popped up. He tapped on it, holding his breath.
No problem. I hope you have fun. See you Monday.
Hunter beamed, relief expelling from him. He almost typedI can’t wait, but he caught himself.
See you then.
Another buzz.
Thanks again for tonight. I had a good time.
He stared at the phone, grinning like a fool. “Me too.”
***
The theater lights went up, and Daniel gathered his empty popcorn bucket and drink. He stood as the credits rolled for the latest superhero movie. He could barely comprehend the plot for this one, although he suspected it was the special effects, not the story, that enticed the theatergoers.
On a lark, he’d decided to take in a show at the Mango Movieplex. He was usually on call during the evenings, but Arthur had given him the night off. He decided to catch the seven o’clock showing, and the theater was only half-full, as expected on a Monday night. When he reached the ginormous trash can near the back of the theater, he stuffed his trash in it and walked down the hall to the exit.
