I took a step then halted and turned back to him. “You’re willing to wait?”
His grin remained firmly in place. “Not nice isn’t the same as mean. Give me a little credit here.”
“Aren’t you concerned I’m just going to go inside and end up ditching you?” The question rode a thin line between teasing and serious. I didn’t know which way he’d interpret it maybe because I didn’t know which way I meant it, myself.
“We have a deal remember? You seem like someone who respects that. I trust you.”
“Maybe you’re a little too trusting.”
I went back inside the bar, leaving Hunter out back. I seriously thought about ditching him. What was I doing agreeing to go on a walk with him anyway? I wanted a normal life again. I wanted peace. I wanted to feel like a regular person again. I had to keep telling myself that going on one walk with Hunter wasn’t going to ruin any of those things. I had to convince myself that the feelings I felt while being around him weren’t real, that it was a fluke the numbness I constantly felt somehow magically disappeared for a moment when I was near him or thought about him. It was hormones. A “biological quirk” as my therapist liked to refer to disorders. Just a result of being without a boyfriend for over a year. If I allowed myself to fall for Hunter, I could really get hurt. Guys like him had women literally fainting to be with him. Hadn’t I been hurt enough already?
I spotted Daniela, Cody, and Justin across the bar still at the same moosehead booth where I’d left them. For a moment, I considered making up a good excuse to tell them in person but decided that I didn’t owe Justin anything. I pulled out my phone and texted Daniela.
There’s a mixed martial arts thing going on out back. Gonna hang out with one of the fighters instead of Justin :P.
A moment later she replied. Can’t blame ya :). You gonna be okay by yourself?
Yeah, don’t worry about me. I’ll catch a ride back. Tell Justin and Cody I got sick and had to leave.
Leaving out the back door, I saw Hunter leaning against the side of the bar, alone. His warm breath made billows of fog in the cold air. I’d half-expected him to be surrounded by women when I returned, but the only thing around him was his gray hoodie. People were still gathered beneath the large tent, chatting excitedly about Hunter’s fight. I couldn’t help but wonder what some of those fan girls would do if they got the chance to be in my position.
“Congratulations, I just lost my friends,” I said. It was Hunter’s fault that I’d ditched my group so I figured I might as well give him a hard time.
He smiled. “If that was all it took to lose your friends, then they weren’t good ones to begin with. Besides, you just made a new one.”
I cocked a brow at him. “You?”
“See anyone else around?”
I looked around for Gary but didn’t see him anywhere in sight. “I guess I don’t see Gary here. . . Speaking of which, why did you lie to him about the lake incident?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want you to look bad. Friends look out for one another.”
I took a deep breath of the crisp air and cleared my throat. “Just because we’re walking together, doesn’t make us friends. This is just a deal. Let’s just get this over with okay?”
“After you, Lorrie.” He grinned wickedly.
We walked away from the clamor of the bar along a dirt path leading into the dark forest surrounding the bar. For a popular venue, it was kind of in the middle of nowhere. I was concerned about going into the darkness of the forest but strangely felt safe around Hunter. However, neither of us said anything. The silence was awkward.
Once we entered the forest, I broke the silence. “So . . . you go on cooldown walks after you fight?”
“Yeah, it’s a good time to reflect and clear your head, ya know. That’s why I usually go alone.”
“You don’t go with any of your female fans?” I asked, nonchalantly. “Why walk with me then?”
“Most of the time I like just hanging out by myself or with Gary—I don’t get along with most people . . . You’re different though. I don’t know what it is exactly but I feel like we can relate, you seem cool.” He looked at me and grinned.
“Thanks, I guess. Always nice to be thought of as ‘cool’.” I didn’t know what he meant but it sounded like a compliment and my face flustered anyway. “So, I’ve been wondering, why did you think my name was Dorothy?”
He stopped to pick up a large branch on the ground. “‘Cause you remind me of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz except you almost got swept away by an icy lake instead of a tornado. Then you ran off from my place because you were in a hurry to go home.”
I stooped to pick up my own branch but it was smaller than Hunter’s because my hands were smaller. “What can I say? There’s no place like ‘Floyd Hall’.”
He chuckled as he idly tapped the leaves and bushes with his branch as we walked. “I suppose that makes me the cowardly lion?”
I smiled despite myself. “From what I saw tonight, you definitely found your courage.”
He chuckled again.
“So what’s it like being a fighter?” I asked.
“Not bad. I like the competition.”
“Aren’t you scared of getting hurt?”
He paused. “Nobody likes to get hurt. That’s where training and preparation come in. You keep your head on straight, and the worst you come out with are some cuts and bruises most of the time.”
“I think ‘Mr. Hyde’ would have to disagree with you—you forgot concussions.”
“Sometimes it happens. It’s not like I intended to give him a concussion. Besides, Mr. Hyde’s a big boy. He would’ve done the same to me if he had the chance.”
“Not nice, but not mean right?”
“However you want to put it.” He smirked. Suddenly, he swatted at my face. I was frightened for a moment but quickly realized he had saved me from a nose-diving mosquito. Damn thing must’ve been resistant to the cold. “So Lorrie, how about you? I know you’re not a good swimmer; I know you don’t like my apartment; now I know your name. What else can you tell me? Or do I have to figure it out?”
“By the way, I am a decent swimmer,” I corrected him. “It’s just different when you’re trying to swim in heavy clothes and freezing cold water. But other than that, there’s not much to know. Nothing of importance anyway. I’m just your average college girl.”