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She showered and cried under the water at the overwhelm of emotions coursing through her. Once she was done, she found her most comfortable clothes and slipped out to join the guys.
“Anyone have a game of Twister?” Eric suggested, pushing the coffee table aside and laying his pillow on the ground to take up the space.
“Yeah, I keep board games in my pocket,” Carter said. He’d opened up quite a bit and talked around the guys more than Snow had ever heard him. He’d been open during their stroll in the gardens but not outspoken like this.
“We could check with the front desk,” Snow said, tiptoeing through where Eric laid and where Marcos settled himself with his back against the couch. He was staring at his phone but lowered it as she passed.
Judd moved to stand, but Snow waved him down. “Sit, please. I’m just settling myself in here.”
“Settle away,” Judd said, swiping one of the decorative pillows before she sat on it. He slammed the pillow playfully against her.
“I fight back, you know,” she said, taking a pillow of her own and bopping it across Judd’s face.
“That’s it.” Eric lifted his pillow and dove toward Snow for a hit.
She shrieked and retaliated and soon an all-out pillow fight transpired. Everyone but Hunter joined in. He lingered near the door, sat on a stool near the bar, paced to answer when pizza was delivered, and then hovered on the outskirts as they all lunged for a slice.
Hector hung to the sidelines as well, capturing footage and stopping for a bite of his own. Snow wondered about the videographer’s family. Were they missing him? He didn’t usually stay this late, but she supposed he couldn’t pass up footage like this, or he’d lose his job.
Snow didn’t fail to notice the intensity of Hunter’s attention on her every time their eyes met across the room. And each time their eyes connected, she felt it all the way in her gut.
Carter, who’d finished his pizza surprisingly fast, camped in his spot in the armchair. The others gathered too.
The party turned solemn, the mood pensive. Snow roosted on the couch, cocooned between Marcos and Judd again.
“How are you, darlin’?” Judd asked. “We haven’t really talked about the attack, but if you need to, we’re here.”
Snow pressed her lips together and rested her hands on her knees. “I’m…not really sure. I’m okay. It’s just…I never expected anything like that, you know?”
“If I’d been there, I would have knocked those masked men to the tile,” Eric said. “I’m inclined to do that now.”
“They will find who did this,” Marcos added in an assuring kind of way. “Don’t worry.”
“Thank you.” She cast her gaze to each of them in turn. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re all here. That you all care.”
“Course we do,” Judd said. “Can’t help carin’ about a woman like you, Miss Snow.”
She looked into Judd’s green eyes, remembering his kindness during their date and the kiss they’d shared. She’d been ready to let him go before, but for some reason, tonight was different. Perhaps she was misfiring connection and gratitude that they were taking care of her, but still, how could she do this?
“I wish I didn’t have to choose,” she said, blushing under their stares and feeling Hunter’s more than anyone else’s. “I know that sounds completely messed up because there’s no way it would be fair to any of you for me to dangle you along. But you’re all amazing. You’ve come to mean so much to me, and picking only one of you just might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Silence followed. Snow stared at her hands, feeling the weight of her predicament. Then Eric turned on some music. The music filled their thoughtful, pensive mood for only moments. Tears threatened at Snow’s eyes again. She’d come to care for each of them so much. Saying goodbye was going to be more painful than she’d anticipated.
A pair of socked feet approached hers, and a hand appeared in her periphery. “Time to lighten this load,” Eric said. “Snow, would you like to dance?”
She smoothed a hand across her cheek and smiled at him. “I’d love to.” She took his hand and stood, moving into the space Carter cleared as he pushed the coffee table aside. The others slid the couch and chair farther back, making room.
“I just wanted an excuse to put my arms around you,” Eric said, giving her a devastating grin.
She laughed and placed her head against his chest. “I’m glad. I need it.”
Eric led her in a small circle, and then Marcos cleared his throat. “My turn?”
Snow met Eric’s glance as the song ended. Eric dipped his chin in her direction. “Guess that’s my time to bow out.”
“For now.” Snow turned to take Marcos’s offered hand. A faster song picked up, and rather than settling both of his hands on her waist as Eric had done, Marcos slid a practiced hand to the small of her back, secured her free hand in his other and guided her with knowing steps in a rapid salsa.
“You dance?”
