The Unexpected Angel (Sequel to Be My Mistake)

Creeper much?

As I attempt to cook Lynette’s famous Jambalaya at the stove, I was happy to find that Alana was sleeping in her bassinet soundly. In all honesty, she was a very boisterous baby. Either she was figuring out how to make some new noise with her mouth, or she was screaming her head off. I had yet to figure out how Hunter kept her so calm, but I didn’t have any time left. Tomorrow evening, after we visited Caroline, he would be leaving for almost a week for the rest of his tour, leaving me with the baby in Nashville. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Alana to bits, but I didn’t want to have to be home alone with her.

“Yes! Finally!” I hear Hunter cheer from the living room, causing Alana to start crying again.

I shoot him a deathly glare, as if saying, idiot, you knew she was sleeping!

A nervous smile spreads across his face. “Sorry, babe,” he apologizes, quickly kneeling down next to her bassinet. “I’ve got her.”

I smile while stirring the Jambalaya, watching as he cradles her in his arms. I realized that he was cheering about the sound system that he recently installed, and soon, music began to play softly that he sang along to her.

He smirks, seeing that he had now put the fussy, almost impossible child to sleep with his hypnotizing voice. “I’m a pro.” He whispers, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

“Go ahead, Hayes, rub it in my face.” I joke, removing the hot jambalaya from the stove and onto the counter, sitting atop of a hot pad.

He lays her back down into the bassinet, and then trots over to me gracefully. “Awe, Z, I’m sorry. Come ‘ere.” He says, running into my side with a bone crushing hug.

“Hi,” I laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck to hug him back.

I hear more music playing through the sound system as he presses a million kisses to my forehead. An acoustic guitar was being used in the song, and before I knew it, Hunter was dragging me to the living room floor.

“Dance with me, Z.” He says.

I look back at the food that sat on the counter, shrugging my shoulders. It’s not going anywhere.

As he moved us to the spot he found appropriate, his arms wrap around my waist and pull me close to him. My arms drape around his neck as we sway back and forth to the song, Marry Me, by Train. His eyes stare down into mine, and I feel butterflies in my stomach, still. Even through all the things we’ve gone through, all the memories we’ve shared, and all those years of friendship that went without even a thought of adoration for the other, my best friend gave me butterflies.

I realized that the song was half over when his hand reaches up and brushes stray hairs behind my ear.

“Together can never be close enough for me
To feel like I am close enough to you
You wear white and I'll wear out the words "I love you"
And you're beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful,” he says, copying the song.

“So are you,” I joked, but somehow managed to keep a straight face.

“Thank you,” He jokes back.

As we move to the beat of the song, I hear him gently singing along with it. His hands were gently pressed against my lower back, like he was making sure I couldn’t run away. I feel my heart beating against my chest like a drum, but I had no idea why. He just had an effect on me like no one else, and I knew that I’d never understand it.

“I love you, you know that, right?” He asks me.

I felt confused, but answered anyway. “Of course I know that, Hunter.” I whisper as I wrap my arms arm him even tighter. “I love you too.”