One Night Only (Season 1: Deni's Story)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The first two things I notice when I wake up the morning after Adam's party are how rested I am and how over the moon I feel.

The clock in my bedroom informs me I've slept for more than an hour longer than usual. I know I slept deeply, because I don't recall waking up even once and I didn't have a single dream or nightmare that I can remember.

As for the over-the-moon feeling? It hasn't left me since I kissed Hunter at the boat launch, and I hope it never does.

I'll have to get out of bed at some point, but I give myself time to shut my eyes again and play back everything about last night, just like I did before I fell asleep. My goal is to etch the memory into my mind so it becomes impossible to forget even the tiniest detail. I want the loop of Hunter and me to overpower any other recent memory I have.

I lie there for about ten minutes before deciding to finally rise and shine. And shine I will, because I feel nothing short of radiant. Once I'm up, I find Mom in the living room with a book in her hands for once, instead of her laptop or phone. She's finally settled into vacation life, and I approve. Alfie is nearby on the floor and working at getting his treats out of a toy that holds them.

"Good morning," I call over to her as I make my way to the kitchen. I've woken up with an actual appetite today, so I bypass the coffee pot and go straight for the toaster.

"Good morning," Mom says. "Sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a while. I must have been asleep when you got home."

I'll confess that I one-hundred-percent dodged her last night. Mom spent the evening next door with Hunter's parents and some of their friends, and I got back before she did. I was still awake when I heard her come in, but I dove under the blankets on my bed and pretended to be sleeping when she tapped on my door, even though I wasn't.

"You look happy," she tells me. "Glowing, almost. Did you have fun at the party?"

The first reply that comes to mind is "it was the best night of my life," but I stop myself before saying this. Bursting at the seams with joy is sure to open the floodgate for Mom's questions, and I'd like to savor the serenity and peace I'm experiencing for a little while longer.

"I really did," I say instead, and busy myself with putting toast on a plate and bringing it to the table. With any luck, she'll leave it at this.

"You know, I was still with Melanie and Rob at their cottage last night when Hunter came in and mentioned he'd just brought you home." She pauses for a moment, and I pretend not to notice her examining me while I devour my breakfast. "That boy wears his heart on his sleeve."

"Oh?" I ask between bites. Mom should have been a private investigator. Now I'm certain what happened between Hunter and me is on her radar.

"He was absolutely beaming about something when he walked in and said hello." Mom fiddles with a bookmark before putting her book down. "Actually, his mood was a lot like yours is right now."

I try to keep a straight face at her mention of Hunter and how happy he seemed, but the amused expression on Mom's face tells me it's no use. She knows.

"It was a good night." This might be the understatement of the summer.

"Any plans for the day?" She's on a fishing expedition now.

"I'm not sure yet," I reply. "Is there anything you want to do today?"

As much as I love Mom and enjoy spending time with her under normal circumstances, I pray her answer is no. It might be torture if I have to postpone seeing Hunter until tonight or even tomorrow. I just need to say hello, hug him, and maybe kiss him again. Okay—make that definitely kiss him again.