20 Questions

Chapter 18

It's three o'clock when I get back to my room. The small boutique I went to was exquisite and I found a beautiful dress for tonight. It comes just above my knees and the sleeves are three quarters length. It is cream in color with a sheer fabric. There are pink and teal flowers embroidered in it and it fits me perfectly, hugging every one of my curves that I have grown to love since Hunter came into my life. The neckline is a little lower than I am used to wearing, but I have to say it is rather flattering with the exposed cleavage. It set my stuff down on the bed and a piece of white paper on the floor catches my eye. I guess I must have walked right over it when I came in. I bend down to pick it up and it reads:

Hello, beautiful. I missed you today and I can't wait to see you tonight. I will meet you at the bar in the lobby at six.

-xoxo Hunter.

I hold the note to my chest and my heart flutters. Three hours seems like forever until I get to see him again. I missed him today and I love that he feels the same. I have no intention of rewashing my hair, but I would love to soak in the big Jacuzzi tub for a while.

I start filling the tub with warm water while I pin my hair into a bun and grab myself a glass of wine from the bottle I bought while I was out today. I set my glass and phone next to the tub and turn on some music. I pull up "Journey essential playlist" on my phone and start to run a razor over my legs. Journey has always been one of my favorite bands. It brings me back to my childhood when my mother and I would dance around the kitchen to songs like Oh Sherrie and Separate Ways while we were cleaning.

Speaking of my mother, I missed her call while I was at the spa. I better call her back before she sends out a search party. I know I am already about to give her a panic attack being this far away. I dial her number and she picks up on the first ring.

"Hey, Mom. Sorry I missed your call. I was getting a massage at a spa around here. Did you need something?"

"A spa? That sounds very fancy. Did they teach you to be a lady while you were there?"

"It was a spa, not etiquette school. Sorry to get your hopes up."

"I didn't really need anything, I just wanted to see how your trip is going so far. Your aunt Mitzy is already running her mouth about you not being there for Christmas Eve. I swear that woman needs a hobby and a man."

I laugh at my mom as she gossips about the latest happenings in our small town. I don't have the heart to tell her that I've only been gone a couple days so not too much could have happened. I withhold telling her anything about my relationship with Hunter right now. That's a conversation I will have with her at a later time. I'm interested in sipping on my wine in the bathtub, not the Spanish Inquisition.

An hour has passed and my bath water is starting to cool down so I decide that is a good time for my exit. I dry myself off and apply some vanilla lotion and deodorant. I plug in my curling iron and start touching up my makeup. I want everything to be perfect tonight. I curl my hair into loose waves and pull half of it back with a few strands loose around my face. I put some dangly silver earrings in and slip into my new dress. I complete the outfit with a pair of strappy cream shoes. I walk over to the mirror and turn to check out every angle of the dress. It's perfect and it fits snuggly to the curves of my body. This dress may be my new favorite and I feel like Hunter will love it, too. I still have a little bit of time before I meet him, so I sit down on the bed and read my book, being careful not to wrinkle my dress or mess up my hair.

I am deeply involved in my romance novel so by the time I look at the clock, it is time to leave. I stand up and run my hands down my dress to smooth it before grabbing my things to head out the door. When I walk into the lobby, I don't see the group of guys that normally reside there in front of the TV.