Adventures in an alternate dimension Book 2

Chapter 39 - The Road to a Happy Ever After

Hunter's POV

As the Forks rain lashed against the window panes, a familiar counterpoint to the nervous knot twisting in my gut. Tonight was the night. I, Hunter Cullen, planned to talk to mom about proposing to Hope. We'd been together for almost 2 years, and every stolen glance, every shared laugh, solidified my desire to spend forever with her.

The problem? My mom, Bella Cullen, wasn't exactly known for conventional relationship advice. Sure, she found her happily ever after with dad, but theirs was a whirlwind of vampires and werewolves, hardly the blueprint for a normal proposal.

Taking a fortifying breath, I padded down the hallway, the scent of cinnamon and freshly baked bread wafting from the kitchen. Mom was a whiz in the kitchen, even if most of her meals these days were catered towards dad's vegetarian diet.

Pushing open the creaky oak door, I found mom humming along to some oldies radio station, flour dusting her cheeks as she kneaded dough on the counter. Her smile, as bright as the spring sunshine that seemed perpetually absent in Forks, faltered slightly when she saw me.

"Hey, mom," I said, running my hands through my hair trying to ease my nerves.

"Hunter, honey," she said, wiping her hands on her apron. "Something on your mind?"

I hesitated, the knot in my stomach tightening further. "Uh, yeah, actually. It's about Hope."

Mom's smile returned, wider this time. "Hope! How is that amazing girl?"

"She's great, mom. Amazing. The thing is..." I trailed off, unable to meet her eyes.

"The thing is?" she prompted gently, her brow furrowing slightly.

"I, uh, I was thinking about proposing," I blurted out, the words tumbling over each other.

Silence descended upon the kitchen, thick enough to cut with a knife. The only sound was the rhythmic tick-tock of the wall clock and the drumming of my own frantic heartbeat.

Finally, Mom spoke, her voice hesitant. "Proposing? That's... wonderful, Hunter. But..."

"But what?"

"Well, you know, proposing is a big step. Marriage is a big step."

"I know, mom. That's why I want to do it right," I pleaded. "But I need some advice."

Mom sighed, a small furrow appearing between her brows. "Honey, I'm so happy for you, I truly am. But maybe... maybe your Aunt Ashlynn would be a better person to talk to about this."

I sighed, "Okay mom I'm going over to Aunt Ash's I'll be back hopefully before dinner." She kissed my forehead and waved goodbye as I hopped into my car and pulled out of the driveway.

The scent of pine needles and damp earth filled the car as I gripped the steering wheel, navigating the ever-familiar winding roads out of Forks. My headlights sliced through the gathering dusk, illuminating the towering fir trees that pressed in on either side. The weathered wooden sign marking the turnoff to the forestry area came into view. I slowed, the headlights illuminating the familiar path leading to Aunt Ashlynn's sprawling cabin.

Parking in the gravel driveway of Aunt Ashlynn's place deep in the forestry of Forks, Washington, despite the constant threat of rain, always held a certain charm, a moss-draped beauty that felt both ancient and untamed. I sat in the front seat of my car for a few minutes, my stomach churned, a nervous knot tightening with every minute that passed. I wasn't just going to Aunt Ashlynn's for her famous apple pie; I had a question, a big one, and I wasn't sure how to approach it.

Hope. The name itself brought a smile to my lips, warm and genuine. We'd been together for almost two years, navigating the trials of high school sweethearts with surprising maturity. We fit, like two pieces of a puzzle carved by fate. And lately, the urge to solidify that bond, to make it permanent, had been gnawing at me. Proposing. The very word sent a tremor of excitement and terror through me.