“Really?” she asked in a small voice.
“Please,” Mal said with a laugh, waving her in again. “I think we could use a Disney night. What do you think?”
Jenna smiled and instantly pulled Mal in for a tight hug. “Oh, thank you for being you.”
“You’re welcome?” Mal replied, returning the hug as best as she could for not being a hugging person.
Jenna stepped back and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. “I just can’t take those girls tonight. I hated that I had to have so many bridesmaids, and I know they’re mostly tacky girls with no taste and less morals, but friends are hard to come by in my world, you know?”
Mal had no idea, but she nodded sympathetically all the same.
“And they’re not all bad,” Jenna said as she sat down on the couch. “Not all the time, anyway. Maybe this is just too long. But it’s my week and my wedding, so they can just shove it.”
“Hear, hear!” Caroline bellowed from the kitchen.
Mal laughed and shook her head. “Caroline, I think there’s Fresca in the fridge. We’ll need that too!”
“Heck yeah, we will!”
Jenna grinned up at Mal. “You are the best, you know that?”
Mal had to smile in return. It was impossible not to. “So are you, sweetie. So, what are we watching tonight?”
“You have to ask?” Caroline called out.
“Little Mermaid,” they all said in unison, the sisters with glee, Mal with a smile.
Of course.
“No singing this time,” Jenna scolded loudly, turning her head to yell at her sister.
“You are the one who has to sing the daughters of Triton song,” Caroline shot back as she appeared. “Just because you can remember all the names.”
Mal laughed and took a bowl of popcorn from her. “You can’t?”
Caroline sniffed and sat down as Mal rummaged for the DVD amid the house’s massive collection. “Of course I can, now. Aquata, Andrina, Arista…”
Mal rubbed her eyes and glanced over at the couch, the light from the TV casting warped, blue shadows over everything. Jenna was sprawled across the couch, while Caroline was on the floor below her. Both had several pillows and blankets around and under them, and both were fast asleep.
Mal had dozed off in the middle of their second movie, and it appeared they had, as well. She reached for the remotes and turned everything off, grabbed her phone, and stumbled into the bedroom, crawling into her bed. She looked down at the phone screen, checking the time, and then decided that she could call Hunter, like he asked. If he didn’t pick up, that was his own fault.
Besides, she wanted to hear his voice again.
He picked up after two rings. “Hi,” he murmured sleepily, his voice rough but she could hear the smile.
She smiled back. “Hi.”
There was silence for a few seconds, and then she heard rustling from Hunter’s side. “So…” he drawled suggestively, “what are you wearing?”
Mal burst out laughing and pulled her covers up under her chin. “Flannel pants and a high school T-shirt,” she answered, trying to match his tone.
His low laugh rumbled in her ears. “That is so sexy.”
She snickered and then sighed. “I’m sorry. I really wanted to spend tonight with you.”
“Oh, yeah?” Hunter replied, his tone pointed and amused.
“Not like that!” she protested, drawing another low laugh from him. “You know what I mean.”