Page 84 of Now and Then

“What the hell?” Luke steps forward and grabs the hat, his face a mixture of anger and annoyance. “This is not fair.” He shoves the hat into Hunter’s chest.

“What’s not fair, big bro?” I step forward, pushing past him into the foyer. He has no choice but to step back.

“Luke, who’s here?” Greer calls from the kitchen.

When I turn the corner, she loses it. “Sutton? Is that you?”

Hunter swish swishes his way behind me. Everyone stops what they’re doing. I can’t see Hunter’s face, but I know he’s grinning like a fool.

“This is not fair,” Luke says again from behind Hunter.

“What’s wrong, Luke?” I ask. “You afraid of a little competition for best costume?”

Hunter jostles into me as Luke pushes past us both.

“Not at all,” Luke says. “Nothing beats hobbit feet.”

The rest of the party guests turn their attention elsewhere, and I let out a quiet sigh of relief. I know everyone’s accustomed to seeing Hunter and me together, but I can’t deny the nerves twisting inside me. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around how much has changed between Hunter and me.

“Don’t forget our bet, baby girl,” Hunter smiles and squishes past me, his dino suit rubbing suggestively against mine.

As if I could forget.

I step into the kitchen, meeting Greer’s bright smile. “What?”

She snickers and grabs a bowl of popcorn. “Nothing.”

“The costumes were Hunter’s idea,” I say. “My pick was fairies, but he crushed that idea pretty quickly.”

Greer doubles over, nearly spilling the popcorn. “That might have been better than this.” She motions up and down the length of my body with her head. “We haven’t talked all week. I take it your date was successful?”

I manage a glance over my shoulder. Hunter is talking with a few friends. “It was.”

“That’s all?” She flicks a piece of popcorn at me. “C’mon, Sutton, I need details.”

I huff a laugh. “If you must know, we went to the costume shop, then the diner for dinner before dancing at Big Joe’s.”

She stops eating her popcorn mid-bite and looks straight at me. “That doesn’t really sound like a first date. That’s what you guys always do—well, except the costume shop.”

I suppress my grin even though she can only barely see my face through the mesh opening. “I’m pretty sure making out in the middle of the dance floor is something we’ve never done.”

Her mouth drops open. “Um, yeah, I’d say that’s definitely date-like shenanigans.”

Hunter’s boisterous laugh catches my attention. When I look at him, he’s focused solely on me. I know if I could see his face, he’d be giving me that smirk of his, but instead he dips his head down in recognition. I wiggle my butt in response.

Greer tosses another piece of popcorn in my direction. “Did you just—”

“Shut up,” I say. I’m sure my cheeks are ten shades of pink.

“I think I like this version of Sutton.”

“What version is that?”

She steps into my space and wraps her arms around my dinosaur waist. “The head-over-heels-in-love-and-happy one.”

“No one’s talking about love.” Once again, my tone takes on a defensive nature.

“Woman,” she steps back, holding me at arm’s length. “It’s clear as day you are in love with that man over there. And in case you’re too blind to see it, he looks at you like you’re his entire universe.”