The Road Ahead (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 4 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Five

❝surprise (pronounced səˈprʌɪz or seh-prahyze), noun
an unexpected event.❞

The man turned around, holding his phone and a single rose. Her eyes widened, and he chuckled slightly. "I, uh, underestimated how much it would cost to get you a bunch of roses here, so I got you just one. Is that okay?"

"You... you..."

He smiled slightly, looking at her. Her makeup had worn off enough to show off her freckles. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and she was wearing her uniform for the cafe, which showed off her curves in the most incredible way. She was wearing her big glasses, the ones that magnified her eyes. And God, her eyes. He had forgotten how mesmerising the colour of them were. He had forgotten how incredible the colour of her eyes could be. "I missed you," he breathed. "You look stunning."

She shook her head, still in shock. "But I... I'm not even dressed properly, and I haven't done my hair, and, oh, goodness, I don't think I even showered yet. This isn't a good time, you should've told me you were com-"

He pulled her closer, and for the first time in nearly three years, he kissed her.

It wasn't like the rare times they had gotten to see each other in the past few years, where the only kisses they could manage were soft little pecks on the lips. This was like that very first time, where every line was crossed, and every single neuron in her brain fired up, making her heart race and her body tingle. His taste, sweet and heavenly, made her groan, and he pulled her closer, relishing her. His arms were wrapped around her in such a way that she could feel all of the taut muscle beneath his skin- God, that was amazing. Her arms snaked up, around his waist and up, touching the soft hair on the back of his head.

Eventually, he pulled away, both of them breathing heavily. "You didn't let me finish," mumbled Ryan.

"Shut up," he muttered, before kissing her again. He couldn't help himself. She was so amazing. He needed her, and he had only realised that now, once she was in his arms like this. When she was kissing him the same way he was kissing her, with reckless abandon, when he could feel her body against his. She was so perfect. She was so beautiful.

He pulled away, and she looked dazed. "That's... not fair," she muttered. "You're not allowed to make me dizzy to make me stop talking.

He laughed slightly. "I nearly forgot how sexy you are when you get all flustered like that."

"You're... you're here... you're really here!" She hugged him tightly, and he laughed softly, kissing her hair.

"That's right, my dove," he said softly. "I'm here."

She looked behind him. "Where are the kids?"

"In the taxi. They're asleep." He chuckled slightly. "They're exhausted. I kinda... this was a very sudden decision, after all. But we're not staying long."

She looked down, but then they heard a call. "Mama?"

"Spence- Spence is awake," she said, still sounding dreamy. "Come on! He'll be so excited to see you!" She looked behind him again. "Where are your bags?"

"Again, in the taxi. There's only a few, we're only staying until the twenty-seventh. Elle has exams on the twenty-eighth."

She looked sad for a moment, but brightened up. "We'll make the most of those four nights, then," she said, and he smiled. He walked to the taxi, paid the driver and got his bags out, carrying them to Ryan's door. She smiled, helping him carry them inside. Spencer wandered into the hallway, and gasped. "Papa!" he yelled, toddling up to Hunter. He laughed, lifting him up and throwing him into the air. "Papa, Papa!"