Life Goes On (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 2 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Five

❝fireworks (pronounced ˈfʌɪəwəːk or fahyuh r-wurks), noun
1. a combustible or explosive device for producing a striking display of light or a loud noise, used for signaling or as part of a celebration.
2. an extraordinary feeling.❞

"Ellie, darl, I need to go to Walmart to grab some food. Wanna come?"

Elle sighed. It was now two days after the day they had last seen Ryan, and Hunter had been making sure that Elle kept him up to date on how she was doing. "Not really. Do I have to come?"

A clap of thunder went off outside, and Cole whimpered, running into a room. "Maybe you should stay and look after Cole," said Hunter. "Are you sure you can be alone?"

"Yeah."

"You know my phone number, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll leave it on the fridge, just in case," he said, scribbling it down in large block letters, spread out, so that she could read it easily. "If anything happens, call me, okay?"

"Okay."

He grabbed his keys. "I'll only be five minutes."

"Okay. Bye."

He was driving to Walmart quickly, when he noticed a woman walking along the footpath. It was a dark and stormy night, and the poor woman was probably trying to get home. Turning on his headlights, Hunter saw who it was.

"Ryan?" he called out to her, slowing down and rolling down his window. "Do you need a lift?"

"Mr Hayes," she said, smiling slightly through chattering teeth, and maybe blushing a little bit. "It's fine, thank you."

"I insist," persisted Hunter. "Can't have you getting sick now, can we?"

She shook her head. "I couldn't, Mr Hayes, I'd be an inconvenience to you-"

"I've told you, there's no need to call me Mr Hayes. And come on in. I don't like the idea of you walking home alone in the dark."

She was about to protest, but there was a large clap of thunder, and she decided not to argue.

Scrambling into the car, she sighed as the hot air from Hunter's heater hit her. His car smelled like him- like coffee, and pine, and warm thoughts. He smiled at her, and she felt dizzy. Stop it, Ryan. You can't have thoughts like that.

Hunter turned up the heater for her. "How much further is it?"

"A few miles."

"How many?"

She was quiet. "Seven."

"You were about to walk seven miles to get home? Do you have any money to get on the bus or anything?"

"No."

Hunter was about to ask another question, but he refrained, looking back at the road. Ryan felt odd, knowing that she was falling for someone much older than herself, but did that really matter? They were adults, after all. If he was eighteen, and she twelve, then maybe it would be odd. But he was thirty, and she was twenty-four. That was different. Right?

As if he knew what she was thinking, Hunter said, "If you don't mind me asking, are you twenty-four? Elle says you are, but you know kids."

"She's right, Mr Hayes."

"Again with the Mr Hayes. Please, just call me Hunter. I'm not really, you know, one of those people who takes well to being called 'sir' or 'mister'."

She sighed. "Okay... Hunter." His name rolled off her tongue sweetly, and Hunter felt a rush of warmth go through him. He'd love to hear that voice say his name all day, every day. He shook his head slightly.