Mine *don't read: being rewritten*

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Riley's POV

"Happy birthday, my beautiful Riley Ann!" I can barely hear Hunter say it. "Wake up, babe." I feel his hand on my shoulder, shaking me lightly.

"No," I groan into my pillow.

"Well, I know you're awake now. Happy birthday!" I can practically hear his smile.

"What time is it?"

"Two in the morning on January the thirteenth."

"Why so early?"

"Because I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday. You're twenty now! You can almost drink legally."

"Shut up," I grumble.

"Love you, too." Hunter laughs.

I open my eyes slowly, and am thankful when there's only a lamp on. I press the home button on my phone to see I got a text from Hannah at 12:01.

Happy birthday, Riley! Your little Hunter probably has something planned, so we'll do something tomorrow. Love you!

I laugh quietly. "Hey, Hunter."

"Yeah?"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but you weren't the first one to tell me happy birthday." He pouts and swipes my phone from my hand.

"Damn you, Hannah." Hunter sticks his tongue out at my phone before tossing it back to me. "But she is right. 'Your little Hunter' does have something planned." He grins.

"What is it?" I wonder, pulling the cover over my shoulders.

"I'll tell you one thing: you can go back to sleep, as long as you're ready by six o'clock."

"Why so early? You know I'm not a morning person."

"Just go with it. Now go back to sleep, darling."

"Haven't we been over this? It's creepy when you call me that." I roll back over in bed, pulling the comforter over me once again.

"Whatever." Hunter chuckles and lies down next to me. "I'll wake you back up at five, yeah?"

"I'd prefer you to not, but okay."

~

Hunter rushed me through my shower, and gave me hardly any time to dry my hair. I told him that I'd be cold, but he just threw a pair of jeans and a t-shirt at me and said, "Just get dressed, Rye, you'll be fine." Now, we're in his car at six in the morning, I'm cold, and would much rather be asleep.

"Can we at least get some coffee before we go wherever we're going?"

"I guess that'd be okay." Hunter sighs dramatically, but there is obviously laughter behind it.

Once I get a warm cup of coffee, I'm in a slightly better mood. I keep pestering him about where we're going, but he won't tell me. He just keeps saying that we'll be there in about two hours. I'm trying to think of places that are two hours away, but I can't. And the things that I do think of don't seem realistic.

Hunter turns the radio up until it's almost unbearably loud. "I realized," he shouts over the music, "that I haven't sang to you yet. But I figured that I can wait for dinner."

I roll my eyes. "You love me." He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Says who?"

"You." He reaches over and nudges my shoulder.

I lean my head back on the head rest. "Can I sleep?"

"That would ruin the fun!" he shouts. "Stay up for me?" Hunter pouts his lower lip, and I just really want to kiss him. But he's driving and I don't want to die today.