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The door flew open, and Hunter filled the doorway. Dang, he was big.
“Hey, beautiful,” Hunter said as a smile brightened his face.
His eyes flickered with light as he—wait—his left eye was puffy and—almost black!“Hunter!” I clutched my throat. “What…happened?”
The eye was so swollen I wasn’t even sure how he was smiling. It had to be putting pressure on the injury.
He waved me off. “Just another day at the job.”
“You got this at work? Last night?”
Holding the door open wide, he stepped back. “Come in. And yes, work last night.”
I stood there, staring at him. Images of my cut, bloody, swollen face flashed in my mind. I’d seen pictures once I’d recovered from the attack, and they had been vicious. Both of my eyes had swollen shut, leaving me almost unrecognizable. Almost dead.
All to get back at my father.
A pounding started in my temples. Blood was rushing through my ears in a tempo that matched my rapid pulse as more images flashed through my mind on fast forward.
“Hey. Oh. Wait. It’s okay.” Hunter stepped toward me hand outstretched.
I backed away. “Just…need a sec.”Blow Me (One Last Kiss), Funhouse, True love.“Are you…okay?”
“Sure am. Really. What happened there?” He stepped out a little further and closed the door almost all the way behind him. “You went about six shades paler than you already are.”
I gulped as Hunter’s strong, concerned voice chased the images from my mind. “Nothing…the thought of you getting hurt.” I cleared my throat. By not telling him about my experiences with black eyes and…well, lots of things, I wasn’t lying, was I? It was early in our friendship to be spilling all my guts, right?
He touched the purple skin beneath his eye, and I flinched. Didn’t that hurt? “It happens once in a while on the job. Drunk guy got a little frisky.”
“Is that why you cancelled on me?”
“Sorry about that. I—well—shit, I was in the hospital.”
“What?” The cider slid right through my slick hands.
He lurched forward and gripped the glass bottle a foot before it would have crashed to the floor. Talk about quick reflexes. “Whoa, calm down, Lina. It’s okay.”
“But…hospital.” I took in a deep breath to slow myself down. “For a black eye?”
“The bastard cut me, too. Had to get stitched up. I lost enough blood that they kept me overnight.” He held up the cider. “This for dinner?”
I nodded, unable to make a sound or utter a word. He’d spoken about a night in the hospital like it’d been a trip to the marketplace or something.
“Sorry I look like this. For Halloween tomorrow, I’ll go as a boxer.” He laughed. “It’ll be pretty authentic, won’t it?”
It’d been my goal to participate in tomorrow’s Kiddy Halloween, and I’d had three more successful trips around the lobby without Hunter with me, or Lizzie and Jenna on the phone. Even some of the masks and costumes that Jenna had me working through didn’t affect me as much anymore.
I hadn’t made it outside again since that night with Hunter but roaming around the lobby was a monumental feat. I’d been excited to tell Hunter last night.
“Are you still up for going?”
“Of course. But first thing first,” he said, stepping back into his apartment. “I’m hungry. You ready to come in? Mom’s got everything ready.” He held up the bottle of cider I’d almost dropped. “And you don’t have anything breakable in your hands anymore, so we’re good, right?”
I couldn’t help but smile. I inspected the silver threshold I’d have to step over, and it reminded me of the elevator line I’d conquered three times today.No problem.
“So, you had to get stabbed and beat up to get out of our movie date, huh?” I said, stepping forward.
He grunted. “She’s a comedian.” He backed away, giving me ample room.
