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Marcus leers at me, obviously taking Lucas’s words way too far. I can practically see him undressing me and all I want to do is turn around and will him away. “Oooh!” Marcus laughs. “I see.”
I narrow my eyes. Ugh. Just go away already.
“Well, you know where I’m at,” says Marcus while turning around, tossing an arm around the blonde’s shoulder. “Just come around when you feel like it.”
“Ok, will do.”
I watch the group leave, feeling irritated that in just a matter of minutes I had been reduced from a woman to a “chick,” but I don’t have all that much time to feel offended when I see Seth and Hunter stride through the door. I brighten, rising from the couch, clutching my hot cocoa to my chest and happy to see my boys.
“That was fast,” says Lucas while coming to stand next to me.
Seth shrugs while throwing off his gloves on a nearby table and taking off his hat. His gravity defying hair tufts up and he cracks his neck with a groan. “We decided not to go down the slope.”
I frown. “Why not? Did something happen?”
I notice Seth glancing at Hunter, who has left our group to return the skis and the sticks. “Nothing happened.”
My frown deepens. It’s his shoulder. It has to be. I stride towards Hunter, but he’s already leaving to the restroom and I feel that worry gnawing at the back of my head again. I follow him anyway, finding him leaning against the wall while shaking a bottle of pills into his hand, throwing them into his mouth and swallowing without any water.
“Hey,” I say softly, watching him still.
He shoves the bottle into his coat without bothering to look at me. “Hey,” he murmurs.
“Are you doing ok?” I ask while walking towards him, stopping when I’m directly in front of him.
“I’m fine,” Hunter says harshly, yet he doesn’t seem fine at all.
He has his hair tied up into a man bun. Loose strands fall against his pallid face. He still seems so small, too thin compared to when I last saw him before the holidays. “Has something happened?” I ask, choosing my words carefully.
Hunter shakes his head. “I’m fine, Rachel. Really.” He smiles at me, yet I can tell it’s forced. There’s no glimmer in his eyes and shadows seem to haunt his face. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
I take his hand, lacing his fingers with mine. He inhales deeply while I press my head against his good shoulder, hoping just by my warmth and my presence I can offer him a bit of my strength. “I’m always here for you, Hunter.”
I feel him nod. “I know.”
“You can talk to me.”
He doesn’t say anything and I decide to let it go. I can’t force the man to do anything he doesn’t want to do. If he doesn’t want to talk, then he doesn’t want to talk.
I follow him out of the hall, watching him straighten his back and paste on a big smile. “So, what’s the plan?” He asks, his jovial booming voice obviously fake.
Lucas groans. “Marcus invited us to a party.”
“Marcus?” Asks Seth with a face. “Who the hell is that?”
“No one of importance.” Lucas shakes his head. “I’m totally fine not going, by the way. The guy is a fucking asshole.”
Seth chuckles. “I’m a fucking asshole and you love me.”
“No. This guy is really a fucking asshole. Cares about looks and money. That’s it.”
Seth crosses his arms. “You care about looks and money, too, Lucas.”
Lucas tilts his head up, looking at the ceiling while sliding a hand over his face. “Whatever. You guys want to go or not?”
“I’m confused,” I say, plopping myself in the middle of the group on a couch. “I thought we were going for steak.”
“Oh, we most definitely still are,” says Seth, jumping into the couch next to me.
