Hunter's Chance

t e n

"You left without saying goodbye." His words echo in my empty head. 

Glancing over my shoulder, confirmation speaks as he stands there looking perfect. He's here. He's bouncing from his heels to his toes and his hands are in his front pockets. I suddenly lack courage as he stands staring blankly at me. Into my soul even. On my front porch, in my territory and I'm the one ultimately at a loss of words.

His stupid hair is stupidly framing his stupid face. And I mean doesn't he know that I'm a mess? That I sing along to cheesy show tunes and bite my fingernails and then there was even the time that I had to wear headgear.

Maybe he's delusional. Crazy even. 

"I told you, you don't want to waste your time with a girl like me." I say staring out at the road, disregarding every intention that I had moments ago to get in my car and head straight for his place.

"You think that's going to stop me?" He says with a confident laugh.

Oh.

"It's my birthday today." I say furrowing my brows together at the sound. There's a hint of timid fringing my voice and I don't like the effect that he has on me.

I thought he'd be like the others. He'd go on with his day, just as I did mine. He'd go for a morning jog. Does he jog? My eyes skim his body. Yes, he definitely works out.

Then he'd stop and grab himself a drink at Charlie's on the way to work. He beams hero so my guess is that he's a firefighter, or one of those guys that set's up fundraisers for unfortunate kids or something.

"I know." He says as he takes the steps to meet me at the top of the front porch.

"What?"

"Yeah, this was taped to my front door." He says lifting a note with recognizable handwriting taking over the page.

I spent an hour and a half searching for you so here's to hoping I caught the right guy. The old lady in #803 that reeks of smoke and booze and has fifty five cats (no joke, I counted) said that she heard Rae sneaking out of your apartment last night so I'm willing to bet it's you. Though if it's not, I sincerely apologize.

And if you're a twenty something sex machine, well... you'll do.

Anyways stranger, I need a favor from you.

It's Rae's birthday today.

And let me preface that by saying that she HATES her birthday, though I'm willing to bet you could change her mind.

Take her out.

Buy her a puppy.

I DON'T CARE.

But make it memorable.

Oh and whatever you do, don't screw it up.

I shake my head as I read the words Cass wrote. I guess the birthday present didn't end at the dress I'm currently wearing, nor did it start there. I look up at the man before me. He's smiling down on me and I can't help but chuckle to myself.

"I figured if she found me once, she could find me again. I didn't want to take that risk, so here I am." He says shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey!" I say nudging into him as he wraps his arms around my shoulders.

Leaning into him I take in the masculine scent of cologne. Closing my eyes, my head so casually presses against his chest. The level of comfort throws me off but I don't care enough to do something about it. Though James has a different idea. He softly grabs my arms and pulls me away from his body as he reaches into his back pocket.