Over the Moon

Red Velvet - Chapter Four

They shot the pilot of the show without a hitch, just in case, with Hunter making his guest appearance. Humphrey still had not proposed his idea to Wolf, as it would only work if Hunter could get Granny's Cakes to agree. They broke early for lunch.

"So, you have a thing for little Red?" Elias asked quite bluntly, causing Hunter to choke on his swig of coffee. After the coughing fit had ebbed, Hunter shrugged. He did not see how this line of questioning could go anywhere but bad.

"Can't say that I blame you, she is one tempting morsel," Elias said smoothly.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"What?"

"Talk about Red like she's a piece of food, waiting to be eaten?"

"If you get lucky enough to kiss her lips maybe you'll find out?" Wolf said, "But I wouldn't hold my breath."

Hunter wished he could get Humphrey to break the contract with Wolf without the need for the competition. This guy just gets under your skin. It perplexed him immensely what Red ever saw in him to be tempted enough to date him.

When his phone had flashed with Red's number, Hunter couldn't resist needling Elias just a bit. Showing him the number he said, "Well blow me down. I guess I can exhale now."

Elias looked downright hostile, which only made Hunter chuckle. Good, he deserves to be knocked down a peg or two.

He stood up to walk out of the bakery wanting to talk to Red in private. He had left a message on her phone after his discussion with Humphrey. He mentioned wanting to talk to her about the bakery. He had not expected such an immediate response.

"Hello, Hunter here."

"Uh-huh, and would you mind explaining dear Hunter, how it is you came upon my number?" Red had a sneaky suspicion she already knew but couldn't be mad as she really wanted to speak with him.

"A gift from a friend." Hunter laughed and the sound made Red melt like butter.

"I see." Red glared at Goldie who quickly took leave to the basement under the guise of needing more flour.

"Well, Granny always told me I really shouldn't talk to strangers." Red's playful nature just had to tease.

"Smart woman, but we aren't really strangers."

"We aren't?"

"No, we've met before. Remember? You gave me a carrot cake muffin, two cookies and I specifically remember you asking me to give you a call."

"Oh, so this isn't a social call. You're in need of my professional judgment?" Curious, about what he would ask Red thought it in her best interest to play along.

He could hear the smile in her voice and couldn't help but smile in return. "In a manner of speaking, you see I hit my head pretty hard trying to save some poor, innocent girl when she fell and now I'm uncertain as to whether or not it's safe to eat certain foods."

Okay, now Red felt at a complete loss. "Certain foods?"

"Mmm-hmm, I've had this immense craving for something with a Spanish flair and well... not sure if I should."

Red caught his double meaning and thought only a second before replying with, "Well, if you think you shouldn't then you most likely can't handle it, and should probably steer clear in my professional opinion."

Hunter took the phone away from his ear and tried to stifle the chuckle that threatened to erupt. Damn, she was good. She was really good.

Returning back to the phone he said, "I see, well if I were reckless and chose to chance it, do you do house calls?"

"I do, but I can't see how I would be of much help. You would, after all, be deliberately ignoring sound medical advice."

"If you bring two more of those cookies, I think I'll pull through."

"You wouldn't shamelessly use this head wound of yours as a not so clever ploy to finagle a dinner date would you?"

"And if I were?"

"Then I'd have to say...pick me up at six. Granny and I live above the bakery. So, I know you know my address, and thanks to a sneaky blonde, you now have my number. I'd say you're all set."

"Six it is." Excited over this small triumph, Hunter beamed from ear to ear.

"Good-bye, Hunter."

"Until we meet again, Red Velvet."

Red always disliked her name but when Hunter says it, somehow it sounds...sexy. She couldn't believe she was meeting him for dinner but this would give her the chance to talk to him about reviewing the bakery.

Goldie came up with the bag of flour in hand.

"Slipped him my number did you?"

Goldie smiled sheepishly. "Soooo, how did it go?"

"Got a date at six," Red told her.

"Woohoo!" Goldie responded only she forgot she had a five-pound bag of flour in her hands which hit the floor, the moment she cheered, in a white cloud explosion.

Somewhere in the fog, you could hear Granny yelling, "Goldie!"

It took some time to clean up the mess. The three of them sat down to a much-deserved break.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Granny had her concerns.

"It's the perfect opportunity to get to talk to him about the bakery," Red reasoned.

"You sure that's all it is?" She stared at Red with a very scrutinizing gaze, she loved her granddaughter immensely but Red can be far too trusting for her own good.

Red squirmed just a little, under that stare.

"Oh, come on, Granny. He's a total hottie. Of course, she's interested in more than just business. You saw him. Can you blame her?" Goldie filled in, though her information wasn't very helpful.

Red nervously laughed and then slapped Goldie's hand away when she made a reach for one of the oatmeal cookies. "Those are too hot. Here, these have cooled down but are still warm. Just the way you like them."

Goldie took a bite, "Mmmm, just right."

Red could tell from Granny's face that she still didn't like the idea.

"It's just dinner, Gran. We aren't shacking up or anything? I just think before we give up entirely we should try and fight back."

Granny shook her head. "Stick to the path, Red. Even if Wolf gains popularity and fame, it won't last forever."

Red knew her grandmother was right but how long did she have to wait? She worried about Granny's health. Did they have that long to recover?