The Hunter's Angel

Drinking Buddies

I was talking to Matt at work a couple of weeks later, after spending far too many hours typing up reports, when he sprung a question that made me pause. 

"What are you doing tonight?" 

I visibly halted, not expecting those words to leave his lips in the slightest. "Uh-" 

Matt chuckled at my reaction, holding a hand up in mock defense. "Relax, Layla, I didn't mean whatever you're thinking. I just wanted to know if you're free to go out for some drinks after a shitty day of work." 

Oh. I wasn't sure what to say. 

I hadn't gone out once since ending things with Hunter, and I hadn't exactly been in the mood to, either. I'd spent time with Kat and Liam, but whenever we hung out, I could feel their pity and concern for me rolling off in waves. And while I was eternally grateful for how much they cared, it was also getting a little hard being coddled 24/7. 

While a part of me wanted to brush off Matt and spend yet another day inside my apartment, another part of me didn't mind the idea of having some company. 

Seeing that I was mulling it over, Matt sent me a reassuring smile. "Just as friends," he clarified. "I wouldn't want to upset Hunter or anything." 

I swallowed the bitter sorrow crawling up my throat at the sound of his name. 

Little did Matt know, Hunter was no longer in the picture. 

Clearing my throat, I murmured, "You don't have to worry about that." 

Matt lifted a brow in suspicion. "Judging by the way he reacted last time, I think I do." 

I plastered on a tight smile. "We're actually not together anymore." 

God, I hated saying that. It was like the words burned my tongue every time they left my lips. 

"Oh—" Matt tried to rein his shock, but there was no hiding the slight raise in his eyebrows and the way his lips parted with surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't - "

I waved a hand, dismissing his apology with a soft smile. "Don't even worry about it. You couldn't have known." 

Matt blew out a terse breath as he processed the information. "Well, I totally get it if you're not in a going out mood, then." 

Chewing the corner of my lip, I didn't give myself a second to think about what I was saying before I blurted, "I wouldn't mind." 

 I hadn't been sure about how I felt about going out, but I guess there was no turning back now. 

After all, what was the harm in just spending some time with a friend outside of work? 

Matt's face lit up with surprise. "Okay, great." 

I couldn't help but notice something akin to excitement painting his features, and I suddenly wondered if telling him I was single was a bad idea. 

I mean, don't get me wrong, Matt was a pretty handsome guy. The whole brown hair, hazel eyes, and tan skin thing was really working—I just wasn't even remotely ready to consider starting something with someone else. 

Then again, Hunter had probably been indulging in his fair share of women ever since he ended things with me. 

God. I couldn't even bear that thought. The idea of Hunter with another woman...it was a kind of hurt that cut me so deeply I couldn't help but wince.

The possibility of him sharing what we had with someone else, baring his words, his body, his heart, to another woman—I didn't want to think about it in the slightest.