20 Questions

Chapter 55

Hunter

It is the middle of December and I am still without my girl. The guys and I came back from our interesting camping trip and immediately got to work searching for Jenna. The only good thing that came from the trip was the relationship that formed between Bryson and the picnic table dancer. Molly is her name, I think. We've only been around her a couple times, so I don't know that much about her. They are in the honeymoon phase of the relationship and don't leave his bedroom too often. The other guys give him a lot of shit, but not me. I understand exactly how he feels. My week with Jenna was the exact same way. We couldn't get enough of each other.

I would do anything to feel that way again. Although I miss the intimacy, I would never be unfaithful to her. Even though we weren't exactly together, I could never hook up with another girl. I have had no desire to. I've gone an entire year without sex. It hasn't been easy, but I've held myself over by jerking off, picturing her beautifully full tits in my face. I'd give my left kidney to be inside her right now.

I was at the store one day buying groceries – beer, frozen dinners, and chicken wings – and thought I saw her. I panicked, stumbling over my feet to get to her. Long golden waves fell down her back. That curvy little ass that I love so much swaying with her cart. The smell of vanilla in the air. I ran up and grabbed her hips to turn her around. Unfortunately, it wasn't her. Also unfortunately, I am not allowed back at that particular Kroger.

We revisited all our previous methods of finding her, but always came up short. As morbid as it sounds, I even checked past obituaries, searching for her cousin that passed just to see if there was another relative that I could find and ask. I didn't know if he had a different last name than she does, but it was worth a shot. All I know is it didn't do any good. I was still in the same lonely place that I was.

The guys are coming over tonight to watch the game and to brainstorm. Well, all the guys except Bryson. He is probably balls deep in Molly. Good for him. I'm jealous though. I would love to bury myself in Jenna right about now. I stop by a local chicken joint and pick up some takeout for tonight. The guys arrive to my house about twenty minutes after I get home. We turn on the game and polish off the wings with all the grace of four farm animals.

"I don't care what any of you numbnuts say, Jenna was right," Patrick yells. "Peyton Manning really is the greatest quarterback of all time. Man, that was a fun night at that karaoke bar. I can't wait to go back."

I jolt upright and mentally kick myself in the ass for never thinking of it before.

"That's it!" I announce. "She's going to be there! She's going back to Aspen. We had agreed to go back this year. I mean, I know we were supposed to go back as a married or engaged couple, but we made a pact to go back. How did I not think of this before?"

I am really just talking to myself, but the guys stand up, the wheels spinning in their inept brains. She has to be there. If she still loves me, she will go back. I've explored every other way to locate her and this may be my only chance. I have to take this leap of faith and pray she comes.

I run into my office and grab my laptop. I nearly fall on my face when I trip on the cord still attached to the computer. This is the best lead I've had so far. This may be the key to finding my happiness again. I sit on the couch as the guys crowd around me. I pull up the website for the lodge and pray to all things holy that they still have a room available. With the greatest relief I have felt in a long time, I see that there are still unreserved rooms. I grab my debit card from my wallet and start entering the numbers.

"Hunt, how many rooms are left?" Justin asks, crowding me because maintaining personal space isn't in his wheelhouse.

I scroll through the vacancies. "There are six rooms still available. Why?"