Page 48 of Now and Then

She lets out one yelp and punches my backside, screaming, “Hunter James Michaels, let me down now!”

“Not until you agree to help me out of this damn mask.”

“Serves you right,” Navy says. “You guys are a bunch of jerks.” She turns on her heel and disappears inside.

“Hunter. Put. Me. Down.” Sutton punctuates each word with another punch to my back.

“Only if you promise to help me.”

She goes limp. “Fine.”

My hands slide up her legs, catch the edge of her—my—sweatshirt, and grip her hips. I slowly lower her to the ground. We’re chest to chest, her hands now resting atop my shoulders. It’s hard to miss her sharp intake of breath when I pull her more firmly into my body.

“A deal’s a deal, babe.”

She grins and reaches up and over my shoulders to the back of the mask, but her arms aren’t quite long enough to reach.

“Kneel down,” she says.

I let her go and take a knee. More dew from the grass seeps through my already wet coveralls. I tilt my head down, then Sutton squeezes her fingers under the edge of the mask and peels it off. When the fresh air meets my overheated skin, I breathe a sigh of relief. I throw my head back and look up at Sutton. “Side note,” I say, “I am not a latex mask kind of guy.”

“Well, that’s disappointing,” she deadpans as she spins around to go back inside.

I lurch toward her, catch her at the waist, and pull her to me. “Not so fast.”

“Let me go, Hunter.”

I stand slowly, sliding my hands around her stomach, and pull her against my chest.

Leaning down, I whisper in her ear, “Never.”

Her jaw unclenches, and the stiff muscles in her back relax.

“Well,” Navy says from the doorway, “since you boys ruined girls’ night, you might as well come inside for dessert.”

“Hell yeah!” Luke says and immediately grabs Greer and drags her inside.

“You two coming in?” Navy asks.

Sutton nods.

Navy looks at me, eyes narrowed. “You know,” she says, “payback’s a real bitch.” She heads back into the house.

“She’s going to kill you guys. You know that, right?” Sutton turns in my arms and wraps hers around my waist. Color fills her cheeks, but her smile looks a little sad.

“Hey.” I tuck a red lock behind her ear. “What’s wrong?”

She gives me a half-smile. “Nothing’s wrong.”

It’s hilarious she thinks she can hide from me. I cup her face in my palms, thumbs gently caressing the apples of her cheeks. “Your eyes are red and swollen. Want to try that answer again?”

Her eyelids close, and she releases a breath. “I told the girls.”

My thumbs still, and her eyes snap open, meeting mine. I don’t have to ask what she’s talking about. For a brief moment, I’m at a loss for words. I knew this day would come, but she hasn’t given me any sign that she was ready to talk about losing the baby. Yet here we are.

“And how do you feel?” I ask.

She gives me a sad smile and lays her head on my chest. Her arms lock around me.