Where We Left Off (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 2 of the HunTia Trilogy)

Chapter One

TIA'S POV:

"And then, we can have silver, blue and purple balloons. Purple to match your eyes, blue to match Hunter's, and silver because I think it's pretty." Peyton writes all this down on a small notepad.
"Pey, calm down. You got engaged first, therefore your wedding is first," I say, grinning.
It's been a week since I met my real family, and since then, Hunter and I moved back to Nashville, to our little cottage. Plans for both mine and Peyton's weddings were underway. We were Skyping each other, so that we could discuss the weddings. I was at home alone, while Hunter was recording some new singles, doing a few interviews, the same old thing all the time. He was coming back tonight, and we were going to invite both my parents and his parents over to our little cottage, and have dinner with them. My parents approved wholly of Hunter, mostly because he was a good boy who wouldn't be irresponsible, get tattoos, piercings, get drunk and so on.
"Pey?" I hear a male voice call. Trey, Peyton's fiancé, slides into view. His chocolate brown hair is in a curly mess all over his head.
"Oh, I didn't know you two were Skyping. Do you want me to-"
"No, it's fine honey, stay," says Peyton, dragging him back to sit down.
"So, are you coming to have dinner tonight as well, or..." I trail off. He nods in reply.
"Your parents want me to meet my future family-in-law. That, and I couldn't just leave my baby alone for a night," he says, tickling Peyton. She laughs. They really are an adorable couple.
I hear the door open and close, and Hunter's footsteps coming in to the music room. We put the computer in there. I guess you could call it a study, because we do everything that counts as work in there.
"Hey, babe," he says, coming and hugging me from behind. He rests his chin on my head.
"Hi, Hunter," smiles Peyton. "We were just gonna go, Mom and Dad want us to start getting ready to come."
"Oh, yeah, sure," I say, waving. "Bye!!"
The Skype call is ended, and Hunter comes around to give me a quick peck on the lips.
"How was your day?"
"The usual. I cleaned a bit, the kitchen was looking a bit messy. We need to start cooking, they'll be here in a few hours."
"What's for dinner?"
This stops me short. I hadn't even thought about dinner.
"Umm...."
"You didn't even think about dinner, did you?" he asks, his blue eyes looking accusing, but I knew he was joking.
I give a weak giggle. "How did you know?"
"You're like an open book. Easy to read."
I smile. Of course. He gives me a questioning look. "Seriously though, what are we having for dinner?"
"Pumpkin pie," I announce. "Off to the kitchen we go!"
"And dessert?" he asks, cocking one eyebrow.
I think for a moment. "Lamingtons."
"What?"
"Chocolate covered sponge, covered in shaved coconut. Australian delicacy. Let's go!!"
He laughs, and I drag him into the kitchen.
I start by cooking the pie. I give Hunter a pumpkin to slice up, and I get started on the pastry. I start kneading the dough, before putting it in the fridge to rest.
"I've chopped the pumpkin, now what?"
"Well, you can season them with a bit of oil, salt and pepper," I say, grabbing a bottle of olive oil, salt and pepper, but I trip over my own feet, and end up splashing all the oil over Hunter's shirt.
I gasp, before starting to apologise.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am so sorry!!" I say, desperately dabbing at his chest with some napkins.
"It's alright, Tee, calm down. It's just oil, it'll go in the wash," he replies, grinning. He walks out of the kitchen, and I can hear him rummaging around in the bedroom for a shirt. But when he comes back, he isn't wearing a new shirt. He isn't wearing a shirt at all.
"Couldn't find a shirt," he says, answering my unasked question. "You don't mind?"
"Not at all," I say, biting my bottom lip.
He smiles. "Anything else I can do, fair lady?"
"Well, good sir, you can knead the dough," I say, trying not to stare at his well defined abs and his biceps. "I'll get it for you."
As he works the dough, I watch his back. Every time he moves his shoulders forward, the muscles in his back ripple. He turns around, and I try to act like I'd been seasoning the pumpkin instead of staring at him. He sees the unopened salt and pepper, and smiles, realising what had been bothering me.
"Yes?"
"Nothing," I say, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Oh, really?" he asks, approaching me slowly. Before I can react, he kisses me gently.
Fireworks erupt in my head as I run my hands down his bare chest. He shudders, pulling me closer. He puts a hand over my wound, and I gasp, electric sparks running through my body. He moans softly, before deepening the kiss.
This is wrong, whispers a voice in my head. You can't let him do this.
I pull away. "Hunter, we can't do this now."
"Can't we?" he asks roughly.
"No, because, for one, my parents are coming over in a matter of hours. For another, the pastry is melting. But I promise, when we get married. Okay? Just... not today."
He sighs. "I wish you weren't so reasonable."
"So do I," I sigh. "Here, I'll cool the pastry again, and you can season the pumpkin. Then we'll start on the lamingtons."
Every bone in my body wishes that I wouldn't, but I pull away from his grasp.

HUNTER'S POV:

Once Tia and I finish cooking everything, I take a wash before putting on my best shirt with a pair of grey skinny jeans. Tia dresses into the purple knit top the boys got her for her birthday, and a pair of blue jeans, and we wait for my family and Tia's family to come.
A knock at the door makes Tia jump, and I laugh at her. She pulls a face at me, before going to open the door.
"Hey, honey!!" cries Ma, hugging Tia immediately. I hug Dad, and when Ma is finished asking us how we've been, she and Dad sit in the living room, just as we hear another knock on the door.
Evette and Michael stand behind Peyton and Trey. They all look relaxed and glad to be here. Michael is smiling while shaking my hand, and Tia immediately hugs her mother.
After the greetings, Tia rushes into the kitchen to get some crisps and other finger foods, while I make small talk with everyone else. Michael gets along well with Dad, while Ma talks earnestly to Evette about how schooling from an early age makes kids smarter.
Dinner comes around, and we're both complimented on our cooking. I eat the lamingtons that Tia made, and I wonder what else in Australia tastes this good.
I see that Peyton's holding a huge binder in one hand, and drags Tia off to look at it. I see one of the pictures inside. Wedding dresses.
I look at Trey, and he grins at me.
"Top Gear?" I ask, holding up the TV remote.
"Is it still on?"
"Think so."
He finds the channel, and even though it's halfway through, we watch the rest in silence. I get us both a Coke to drink while watching. After it's finished, I notice Trey looking at something over my shoulder. I look back to see Tia and Peyton sitting on the dining room table, with a whole lot of paper spread in front of them. They look like they're in deep discussion.
"Well, they seem happy enough," says Trey. "You think we'll be able to stay the night? I don't think Pey has any intention of going home soon."
I laugh. "I don't think Tia would let her go, to be honest."
He's still watching them when he continues. "You know, I was jealous of you for a while."
I raise my eyebrows. "Me?"
"Pey always liked your music. She didn't like you the way she likes me, but I didn't know that. I was jealous, because I thought she loved you, not me. Now I realise how stupid I was for being jealous of a short little geek like you," he says, playfully punching me on the shoulder.
"Gee, thanks," I say, sarcastically. He laughs at my tone of voice.
"I'm kidding," he laughs, making sure there are no hard feelings. We watch the two girls for a while longer, and I watch Tia's beauty, her perfection.
"You really love her, don't you?" Trey asks me softly. I nod fervently.
"I know you love Peyton," I say.
"I didn't think it was possible for anyone to love each other as much as we do, but I think I've found an exception." He looks at me with a smile. "She's beautiful, I can't deny that."
"Yeah, she is."
He's quiet again.
"You know, Pey wants three kids. One boy, one girl, one for good measure," he says carefully. I don't know where he's going with this, so I just nod, while taking a swig of Coke. "What about Tia?"
I choke on my drink. It takes me a while to get back to normal.
"K-kids?"
"Well, you can't say you haven't thought about it."
I stare at Tia. She looks so happy, sitting with Peyton.
"I don't think.... well, she told me once that if it came to it, she'd have one boy, one girl. But that was almost six months ago."
"Oh."
Peyton stands up the second we finish talking. "We're done," she says announces. "Mom, Dad, let's go. I got all my organising done with Tia."
Soon, everyone leaves. Ma seems to have made a best friend in Evette, while Dad is talking to Michael happily enough.
I hug Tia. "They're friends now, at least."
"Yeah," she agrees, before trying to stifle a yawn. I notice immediately.
"Bedtime!"
"But I'm not sleepy!"
I look at her skeptically. She tries not to yawn again, but gives up.
"All right, fine. Bedtime it is," she sighs. I laugh, and let her get changed. I change as well, and she climbs into bed after me. She falls asleep in my arms, but I can't sleep for hours.
Peyton wants three. What about Tia?