She made a face. “Yeah, but…” She looked up at him and sighed impatiently.
His smile told her he understood what she wasn’t saying. “Yeah,” he said quietly, stroking her cheek, “but there’s always tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at the usual time.”
Mal pouted. “Okay.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Call me later?” he whispered.
She nodded, unable to keep from playing with his shirt, taking note of the taut skin and muscle she could feel beneath.
He gave her a wink and headed for the door, grabbing his leather jacket from the bench. “Caroline,” he said politely as he passed her, “have a good night.”
“You too, Hunter,” she replied, never once looking away from Mal, arms folded over her chest. The minute the door closed, Caroline came over to her. “You have thirty seconds to tell me what that was,” she said quickly, eyes dancing.
Mal’s throat and mouth worked opposite of each other as she scrambled. “Um, would you believe me if I said nothing?”
Caroline snorted once. “Nope. I saw the two of you just now, sister, and that ain’t nothing.”
Mal rubbed her hands over her face. “I have no idea what it is,” she admitted. “It just sort of happened, and it hasn’t stopped, and… I like it?”
Caroline grinned slowly. “Oh, girl,” she said, heavily accenting her Southern drawl. “That boy has worked you over like nobody’s business.”
Mal made another face. “Am I pathetic?”
“Heck no,” Caroline laughed, shaking Mal’s arm. “If I didn’t have Ryan, I’d be all over that myself. You guys got plans?”
Mal smiled, unable to resist the contagious excitement Caroline was giving off. “We do sunrise photo shoots every morning, and tomorrow, he’s taking me to jazz night down at the pavilion.”
Caroline suddenly seized both arms. “Mal. You have got to let me do your hair and makeup for that. And I have a dress for you.”
“No,” Mal said at once, shaking her head. “I’m going as me, and nothing you have will fit me.”
Caroline glowered at her so darkly that Mal was actually a little nervous. “Who said I was going to make you anyone else? You have to sleep at the Hen House anyway tomorrow night, and I do so happen to have a dress that will fit you. I pulled some aside for you on Designer Day, since you wouldn’t touch a thing. I promise, it is totally you, and it will drive Hunter absolutely crazy—in a good way.”
Now that sounded like an idea Mal could get behind. She chewed her lip in indecision.
“Come on,” Caroline begged. “Don’t you trust me?”
Mal met her eyes for a long moment, then sighed. “Yeah, I trust you. Okay, you’re hired.”
Caroline squealed and hugged her quickly. “This week just got that much better!”
Mal hesitated a long moment, then winced. “Caroline, do you know anything about… Hunter’s past?”
Caroline pulled back with a sharp look. “His past? What, like, his record?”
Mal shook her head quickly. “No, no, I mean…”
“Ohh,” her cousin said knowingly, nodding now. “Girls. Gotcha. Not much at all, only that it’s been a bit for him. Someone said he got his heart broken, but I don’t know how much I believe that. He doesn’t seem broken to me. But then, I’m not that close with him, so who the heck knows?” She frowned at Mal. “Why?”
“I just… I don’t know.” Mal wrinkled up her nose and knitted her fingers. “I don’t know why he’s… with me. I don’t match, you know? I’m not his type.”
Caroline gave her a look. “I saw him looking at you, sweetie. He thinks you’re his type, and I’m pretty sure he would know.”
A knock at the door effectively ended the conversation.
“That will be Jenna,” Caroline said with a sad smile. “The girls were on a roll today, and she’s had enough. I’m gonna go make popcorn.”
Mal went to the door and opened it, stepping back automatically to wave Jenna in. She was wearing absolutely no makeup, looked downcast, but still was gorgeous.