Dancing With A Stranger (Londyn Carter Book 1)

by A. L. Martin

  “I didn’t know what you would like, so I brought a variety of sandwiches, fruits, and veggies,” Hunter said, opening the basket.

  I took a peek in the basket to find three different kinds of sandwiches, strawberries, watermelon, grapes, honeydew melon, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber slices. “This is perfect,” I said leaning over the basket to kiss him.

  “I’m glad you like it. I was scared you would laugh at me for bringing you here with a blanket and basket.”

  “This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. You aren’t like most guys, and that is what I like about you.”

  We sat there eating sandwiches, veggies, and fruit, while we talked about stories of the dumb things we had done when we were little. Once we got all the food put back in the basket, Hunter leaned back against the tree, pulling me closer to him. He wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder. “What are you thinking about?” he whispered in my ear.

  “I was just thinking I wish this moment could last forever.” I leaned my head to the side, so I could smile at him. I wanted to stay here in Hunter’s arms and not have to deal with my father. My father was not a man that gave up on anything easily, and would fight until he got his way. The thought of going home Sunday made my stomach flip-flop in a million different directions.

  “Are you worried about going back to your dad’s house Sunday?” Hunter said, pulling me closer to him.

  I sat there frozen in his arms, unable to move or speak. All I could think of was how he knew I was worried about going home Sunday. Then, I figured out Gavin must have said something to him when I was out of the room last night.

  “Did Gavin say something to you about it?” I asked, looking straight ahead at the grass outlining the edge of the blanket, blowing in the light wind.

  “I made the comment that you seem stressed out, and you were doing a bad job of hiding it. Sorry.”

  I let out a huge sigh, sinking back into his chest. “I just know my dad and what he will try to do. And that is break us up. He will stop at nothing to do it too.”

  “Well, I’m not going anywhere. Besides, you are going to college in a few months, and he won’t have much of a say in who you date.”

  Little did he know that wouldn’t even stop Dad from controlling my life. I pressed Hunter’s arms against me, to tighten his hug. I stayed there in his arms looking toward the late, watching the ripples in the water.

  ****

  I could see Mom’s car was gone when Hunter got closer to the house, which meant she and Jules went out to get something to eat. Hunter pulled in behind my car, so he wouldn’t get blocked in when they got home. I had him bring the basket of food in the house, so I could put the food in the fridge for Hunter until he was ready to go home. I had my head in the refrigerator, when I started to yell at Hunter to ask him if he wanted to watch a movie. I backed away, closing the door, and yelled it again.

  “I heard you the first time.” He smirked.

  I spun around and was inches away from his mouth. I raised my head, gazing into his stunning grey eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were in here.” I smiled.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he whispered, lowering his head down, his breath warm on the side of my neck. “You smell so good, Londyn.” He moved his head up slowly, staring down at me. He leaned down even closer to me, our lips brushing against one another.

  “Londyn! Are you here?” Mom yelled from the entry way.

  I sighed rolling my eyes. “Yes. We’re in the kitchen putting the rest of the food away.” I mouthed sorry to Hunter as he backed up away from me slowly.

  He caressed my cheek and smiled, letting me know it was okay.

  “Are you two hungry? We have a pizza,” Mom said, carrying a large pizza box into the kitchen. She sat it down on the counter, then walked over to the cabinet to get the plates down.

  “I could eat a couple slices of pizza if you have enough,” Hunter said, moving closer to me.

  “There is definitely plenty, Jules and I won’t eat that much. Londyn, are you hungry?”

  “No. Hunter packed us a basket of food for the park.”

  Mom turned around and smiled, raising her hand up to her chest, not saying a word.

  Saturday morning came way too fast. Normally, I wanted Saturday to get here, for the simple fact I got to sleep in, but not today. I wanted it to stay Friday for as long as possible. I laid there looking out my window, the sun peeking through the crack of my curtains. I wanted to spend the day with Mom and Jules, but I also wanted to spend time with Hunter before I had to go back to my Dad’s house tomorrow afternoon. I rolled over toward the nightstand, when my phone started to vibrate on it. I reached over, knocking my phone down onto my rug. I leaned over the side of my bed to reach down to get my phone, and saw I had a message from Hunter.

  Good morning, beautiful. I had such a great time with you yesterday. I hope I can see you sometime today.

  I knew it was too soon to feel this way, but I couldn’t help it. I was falling for him fast, and I knew if I tried to distance myself, I wouldn’t be able to stay away from him. Everything about him pulled me closer to him. I never felt this way about Lucas, and it frightened me.

  “Londyn, breakfast,” Mom yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

  I flipped the comforter off me, sliding my feet onto my soft rug. I sent Hunter a quick text back, telling him how much fun I had yesterday and that I would try to see him today.

  I grabbed a pair of fuzzy socks out of my drawer before heading down to breakfast.

  “What do you girls want to do today before you go back to your Dad’s tomorrow?” Mom asked placing our plates down on the table. She had made blueberry pancakes and sausage links, Jules favorite.

  “It doesn’t matter to me. Thanks, Mom,” Jules said, smiling down at her breakfast.

  “What do you want to do, Mom?” I asked, opening the cabinet to get glasses. “You always let us choose. Why don’t you choose today?”

  “What haven’t we don’t in a while?” she said, sitting down at the table next to Jules.

  “Would you girls like to go get manis and pedis today, then you can each invite Hunter and Asher to go out to eat with us?” She smiled.

  “Yes!” Jules bellowed, grabbing her phone.

  I looked at Mom and started laughing. “I guess we are doing that.”

  “I guess so.” She looked over at Jules in amusement.

  We sat there eating and talking about where we wanted to get our nails and toes done then where we would all go out to eat. Once we decided on everything, I sent Hunter a quick text to make sure he was going to be free later. Within a few seconds, he replied back with a smiley emoji and heart. I let Jules go up and get her shower, while I helped Mom clean up the kitchen from breakfast. We talked about everything that had happened the past week with Lucas and Hunter.

  “He’s been coming around a lot, and I just realized I don’t know his last name,” Mom said, handing me a plate to put in the dishwasher.

  “I didn’t tell you?” I tilted my head.

  “No.”

  “His last name is Brooks.”

  Mom dropped a mug into the sink, then fumbled it around, trying to pick it up.

  “Mom, are you okay?” I asked, reaching down and grabbing the mug for her.”

  “Huh? Yeah. Sorry. Guess, my hands were slippery from the slippery from the water. Thank you.”

  We went to Mom’s favorite spa, Allure. One of my mom’s best friends from high school owned it and gave us discounts on our nails and toes. Mom asked the new young girl sitting at the desk if Angela was there today. The girl’s eyes got wide, looking up from her phone. “She’s in the back,” she stammered.

  “Could you get her, please?” Mom asked, smiling. She loved messing with Angela’s new girls because they usually thought she was there to complain about them or something.

  The girl stumbled off the stool, and started walking toward the back of the spa, look
ing over her shoulder on and off back at my Mom.

  Angela Edwards stepped out of the back room with her back to us. She turned around to see us standing at the desk, then told the girl it was okay. Angela was what I would call an elegant woman, if there was a word to describe her appearance. She had long wavy dark hair, and flawless makeup that made her hazel eyes bright. She had on jeans with a peach off-the-shoulder, bell sleeves shirt. Her heels clicked across the tile floor, as she made her way to the front.

  “Liz, you have called to let me know you were coming,” Angela said, giving Mom a hug.

  “It was last minute decision. Do you have any openings for us today?”

  “You know I always have openings for the three of you.” She took a step back, then gave me and Jules a hug as well. “Wow, you girls are getting more beautiful each time I see you. Londyn, you have a glow about you today. I take it things are going great with you and Lucas.”

  “Actually, Lucas and I broke up a few days ago.”

  “Oh, Londyn. I’m sorry. Are you doing okay?”

  “I’m doing better than okay. I broke up with him. I finally saw him for the person that everyone had been trying to warn me about. I’m kinda seeing a new guy, and he’s the best.” I smiled.

  “A new guy? What is this new guy’s name?”

  “His name is Hunter Brooks.”

  Angela’s mouth dropped open, then quickly glanced over at Mom before slowly closing her mouth. “I hope you bring him by here soon, so I can meet him.”

  Mom and Angela exchanged glances for a few minutes, while we all stood there and talked a little longer.

  “Oh my gosh, I’m horrible,” Angela said, walking around the desk, looking at the book.

  “I think I’m going to have you guys see Trina and Megan today. Let me go let them know, and I will be right back.” Angela turned and went back to two girls sitting next to one another, finishing up with their clients.

  “They will be with you three in a few minutes. What do you have planned for the rest of the day?” Angela asked.

  “Spending time with the girls and their boyfriends later.” Mom smiled over at me.

  “Jules, you have a boyfriend?” Angela asked, with a surprised look on her face.

  “Yes. His name is Asher Banks.”

  “Well, I want to meet him soon too.” She winked at Mom. She knew Asher wouldn’t be around long enough for her to meet him.

  We were there at Angela’s place for almost two hours, getting our nails and toes done. She had us to the adjoining room to the right to get our toes done first. On each side of the room were six peach high-back chairs on marble platforms. In front of the chairs attached to the platforms were peach basins. Between the nail tech’s matching peach stool and basin was a black foot pedestal for the client to put their feet. We were each given a pair of flip flops to wear while we got our nails done back in the main part of the spa.

  I did feel bad that she bumped some customers out of their time slot for a later time, so we could get in. She did offer them a discount for the inconvenience of having to move their appointment to a later time.

  We went to our favorite coffee shop for some iced lattes before heading home to get ready to go out to eat with Hunter and Asher. As always Jules took forever in deciding on what kind of latte she wanted, while Mom and I took maybe two minutes to decide.

  I took my iced caramel mocha latte upstairs with me, while I went through all my clothes to pick out the right outfit. I wanted to look pretty without overdoing it. I knew I was going to wear jeans and heels, but I didn’t know what kind of top I wanted to wear. Then, peeking out from the back of my closet, was a shirt that still had the price tag on it. It was a fitted, off-shoulder neck, short-sleeved floral print. I hung the shirt up with a pair of jeans on the closet door to make sure that is what I wanted to wear out to dinner. Now, I just had decide what to do with my hair. I backed up to my bed, sitting down, not taking my eyes off the outfit hanging on the door.

  “Londyn, can I come in?” Jules asked through my closed bedroom door.

  “Yeah.”

  “What are you doing?” she asked, opening the door.

  “Trying to pick out my clothes for tonight,” I said, motioning over to my closet door.

  Jules closed the door behind her, then looked over at the top and jeans hanging on my closet door. “You are finally wearing the new top. It’s about time you wear that.” She looked back over at me, raising an eyebrow.

  I peeked up at her for a few seconds, then quickly looked back at my clothes. Jules bought that top for me at Christmas. I had been waiting for it to get warmer, but it got pushed to the back of the closet and accidentally forgotten. I wasn’t about to tell Jules that I forgot about it.

  “Can I borrow a top to wear tonight?” Jules asked, walking over to my closet.

  I couldn’t say no from the sheer guilt of forgetting about my top in the closet. “Sure.”

  “Thanks,” she said, moving clothes around in my closet, trying to pick out a top she wanted to wear. “I don’t know what to wear tonight. What do you think, Londyn?”

  “Well, you know Mom’s not going to let you wear anything too low.”

  “I know. So, what should I wear that will look great and Mom won’t have a fit about how it looks.”

  I sat my drink back down on my nightstand and walked over beside Jules, scanning my clothes in an attempt to find her something that would pass Mom’s approval. I moved a couple of tops that I knew were an absolute no to the back of the closet to keep her from trying to pick those. I told her she had her choice of ten tops that I was positive were Mom approved without a fight. After five minutes of going back and forth between the shirts, she finally picked out a royal blue, flowy, spaghetti strap tank top. She held it up to her, looking in the mirror, then turned around and asked what I thought of her choice.

  I told her I would take a cardigan with us tonight because of how chilly it can get in restaurants. I took my own advice, pulling out a cardigan for myself in case I got cold.

  I was finishing up my makeup when the doorbell echoed throughout the house. I yelled that I would be down in a few minutes in case it was Hunter. I looked in the vanity mirror one last time for the final decision of wearing my hair up or down. I threw my hair up in a mock bun, to see if it would look better up with my big gold hoop earrings. I turned my head side to side and let out a huge sigh, letting my hair fall down past my shoulders. I quickly grabbed my curling iron and plugged it in. Within a minute, it was warmed up, and I proceeded to put loose curls at the ends of my hair.

  “Londyn, Hunter is downstairs and it’s about time to leave to go pick up Asher,” Mom said, cracking the door open. “Oh, you look beautiful.” She smiled.

  “Thanks, Mom. I just finished up. I was trying to decide to wear my hair down or up.”

  “You made the right decision with your hair.”

  I grabbed my cardigan sweater that I placed on my bed earlier, and my purse that was beside it.

  I could see Hunter in the living room sitting on the loveseat, looking down at his phone. He dressed in jeans and a light blue, buttoned-down shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his forearms. I stopped in the middle of the dining room, staring at him. After a few moments of standing there watching him, he glanced up from his phone. He got up from the loveseat, walking over toward me.

  “You look beautiful, Londyn.” He smiled, taking my hand, not taking his eyes off me.

  “Sorry. It took me a little longer than I planned getting ready.”

  “No apologies needed.” He leaned down, kissing me gently.

  “Okay, we need to go pick up Asher,” Mom said, walking up the stairs to get Jules.

  A few minutes later, Mom descended from Jules room, telling her she better hurry up because we had reservations and still had to pick up Asher. She was getting annoyed with Jules because she threw in there that she didn’t have to pick up Asher at all so we wouldn’t be late to the restaurant. Jules was out of h
er room and on the middle stair by the time Mom was at the bottom of the staircase. She grabbed her purse, and the rest of us went outside to wait for her by the SUV.

  We arrived at Asher’s house fifteen minutes later, and panic began to set in when I realized how close he lived to Dad’s. I knew what the next week had in store for me, and I wasn’t looking forward to it one bit. Asher climbed in the backseat with me and Hunter, while Jules stayed in the front with Mom. I looked off in the distance at the top of my Dad’s house, praying he was home and not in his car headed our way. I knew I was going to have to face him over not seeing Lucas anymore, but today wasn’t the day.

  Mom drove a little faster than normal so we wouldn’t be late for our reservation and lose our table. We were blessed with a miracle and pulled into the parking lot ten minutes early. Once Mom saw we were a few minutes early, her mood lightened up a lot, and she started talking and laughing with all of us. Mom walking up to the hostess to let her know she had a reservation for six. The girl, who was probably around my age, asked for her name, then looked down at the book and crossed off her name. She turned around, grabbing six menus, and asked that we follow her around the corner.

  “Mom, who’s the sixth person?” I whispered, leaning forward.

  “I invited Angela to dinner tonight. I haven’t talked to her for a while and thought it would be nice for her to join us.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  We sat down at a big round table with six chairs placed around it. I left a chair open between me and Mom for Angela. Hunter sat to my left, then Asher and Jules on the other side of Mom. Angela showed up ten minutes later, apologizing for being late. She sat down and started telling us about a screaming client that had one of the new girls in tears over something that wasn’t her fault. She summed up the story by saying she banned the client from coming in her business again.