You're The One (Very Irresistible Bachelors #1) - Layla Hagen Page 0,11

seeing a whole new side of Hunter. He was right, of course. I did need to blow off some steam. I was working my butt off at the law firm because I was hoping to be promoted to partner by the end of next year. And now with this additional stress, I was not myself.

I went climbing later that afternoon, and it was glorious. When I arrived home, I picked up my phone, intending to scroll through Instagram, and discovered a message from Hunter. He was inescapable. He’d always been this way, only now, after the kiss, it all felt different. My stomach flipped each time he called or texted.

Hunter: Are you free tomorrow in the evening?

Josie: Yes. Why?

Hunter: I was thinking we should pick a ring.

Josie: Already?

Hunter: Amelia’s birthday party is on Saturday, remember? It would be good to have it by then.

Oh... he was right, of course.

Josie: Sure.

Hunter: I’ll be at your place at six o’clock.

I had one night to process it all. One night. Oh heavens. I was a little nervous... but why was I smiling from ear to ear?

***

Hunter

When I told Josie I’d be at her place, she assumed I was picking her up and we were going to Tiffany. I wanted to make things go as smoothly as possible for her, which was why I had someone from Tiffany come to her place.

On the way, I called Mom. I checked in with her once a week to make sure everything was alright.

“Hi, Mom,” I greeted.

“Hey!”

“Do you have time? I have some news I want to share.”

“Of course.”

“You remember Josie, right?”

“She’s your best friend, Hunter. Of course, I remember her.”

“We’re getting married.”

A short pause followed, and then my eardrums exploded.

“Oh my God! What? When? You didn’t tell me anything. Is she pregnant? Since when have you two been dating? You’ve been lying every time I asked you when you’re planning to settle?”

I chuckled. “Mom, slow down. Breathe.”

“Okay. I’ll breathe. You talk.”

“We’ve known each other forever...”

I went on, telling her a version of what Josie and I had agreed on. Mom would have to travel all the way from London for the wedding.

“Three weeks? This is a shotgun wedding, isn’t it? You don’t have to pretend. I want grandkids anyway.”

Guilt twisted my insides. I was getting her hopes up, and three years down the road, I’d disappoint her.

“It’s not a shotgun wedding, Mom. I promise.”

“Have you told Amelia already?”

“No, you’re the first person I’ve told. We’ll tell everyone on Saturday.”

“Can’t wait to gossip with Amelia about it. Sometimes I think she forgets you’re not her son.”

I laughed, because Mom was spot-on. And Amelia’s second husband, Mick, was the closest I had to a father.

“I’m so happy for you, Hunter. So happy.”

“Thanks, Mom. Are you okay? Need anything?”

“I’m good. I’m about to get into a subway station though, don’t think I’ll have reception anymore. Talk to you later?”

“Sure.”

I’d been taking care of Mom for years. While in college, I worked odd jobs on the side, and fresh out of college, made big bucks working in management consultancy. After a few years, I’d had enough capital to start my own business, and attract further investors.

I sometimes wondered what would have happened if I’d moved back to England. But I hadn’t wanted to leave the States. I’d been at a good school and had managed to secure a scholarship, because I had good grades. My fellow classmates hadn’t let me forget about my new status. They’d also claimed I’d gotten it because Mom and the principal were friends. They’d nicknamed me “the stray.”

I’d learned to ignore them. I just wanted to graduate, get a scholarship to Columbia University, then buckle down to work. By the time Amelia started teaching at the school, the raucous comments were just background noise.

When Josie arrived three years later, they directed the comments at her, and I hadn’t wanted her to go through the same. I’d only meant to protect her at first, but somehow, she ended up being my friend.

Then again, Josie could be friends with anyone. She’d quickly become close with my cousins. Before I knew it, she was a regular at Amelia’s place.

The realization of it all was hitting me hard; I had some big problems. That I was about to break the law, for one. That I had to lie to everyone I cared about, for the other.

But right now, my biggest problem was that I couldn’t stop wanting Josie. I’d always noticed she was gorgeous, always been attracted to her.