Unmaking Hunter Kennedy (24 page)

“I’ll go. I need to see if I can get my legs working. Nothing extreme. Please.” Dustin hauled his tall, lanky frame forward and stared at his feet as though he couldn’t move another inch.

“Hold up.” Aunt Nan stepped in front of Dustin. “I have something for you. From your mom.” She handed him a letter. Dustin took it and glanced up at his aunt, his eyebrow raised in question.

“It’s a letter.”

“That’s obvious, Aunt Nan. From who?” Dustin blinked.

“Your mom.”

Dustin quickly handed it back. “Keep it. I’m not going to be all manipulated from afar. Not interested. Can you send it back?”

Everyone seemed to be unable to take their eyes off the envelope in Nan’s hands.

Her dad coughed, wandering to the window, pretending to admire the view.

“I’ll put it in your desk. Okay? I promised to make sure you had it right when you got here, but I forgot. Delivery completed. Officially, and in front of witnesses.” Nan sighed when Dustin seemed to take too long to meet her gaze. “Okay?”

“Whatever. Fine. If you speak to her, tell her I’m not opening it.” Dustin glanced at his aunt then looked away but not before Vere noticed a flash of unguarded pain in his eyes.

Her dad coughed again.

Charlie appeared to have gone back to sleep, but he hadn’t fooled Vere. Her brother avoided all awkwardness by feigning sleep.

Vere had to say something before her dad coughed again.

“Hiking. Let’s go, then. But you chose the route, Dustin. Don’t want to hurt you this time.”

Dustin stretched one leg forward and cringed, causing Vere to laugh. “Two days later, and it’s still funny,” she teased him but he didn’t respond. His eyes were trained on Nan as she headed back into the main part of the cabin.

Charlie stood and stretched. “I’m coming with you, Dad. This is as much quality, family time I can take. Vere, Dustin, it’s been—weird.” He winked, but Vere could tell he was still uncomfortable with her hanging out alone with Dustin. “Weird but fun,” Charlie added. “Dad, give me a sec to grab my stuff.”

Dustin grabbed one of the bags Mr. Roth had piled onto the porch and headed toward the car to help him load. “Mr. Roth, I already told your wife this, but...thanks for everything this weekend. The place, the food, the retainer. All of your help was great.”

“That reminds me, son. Stop by later tonight and we’ll get the thing fitted properly. I’ll pick it up at the office on the way home.”

Vere followed along with their cooler, smiling the whole way at Dustin’s back.

The guy is really so darn nice. And helpful.

Dark side. I’m, so sure.

He’d worn the polyester green trucker cap backwards today. As though he knew she was staring, he turned back and shot her a smug grin. His eyes caught in the sun, a wild flash of blue light streaked her direction.

When will those things stop yanking the air out of my lungs?

She shook her head, watching him walk toward her. She’d have to remind him not to wear his hat that way because it showed way too much of his perfectly rectangular forehead.

And, of course, yet
another
reminder to keep the glasses on. If she brought it up now, he’d accuse her of ‘admiring him’ again so instead she said, “How can you not be dying of heat in those long sleeves? You are so stubborn.”

“Stubborn like you, maybe?” He grimaced. “Would you please stop busting on my awesome shirts? I love these things.”

She frowned at the obvious line of sweat that had formed on his forehead. “I will never understand you.”

“You shouldn’t try.” He shot her a look while her dad piled the bags into the trunk, filling it to the brim.

Vere scowled and dragged the cooler around to the side of the car.

Her dad was doing the ‘man-to-man’ voice. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, son. I hope you come back next weekend for the close-up.” Her dad nodded to Vere. “Don’t be too long. Make sure the place is locked up if Mom and Nan are gone when you get back from your hike.”

“Okay.” Vere shoved the cooler into the back seat. “I’ll take Dustin around the lake trail. We can head out now.” She pulled her head out of the car and shut the door. “What do you say,
BGF
?”

Dustin looked around. “Without supplies? Don’t we need water bottles or sunscreen? A pack full of food? How about some giant guns in case we run into wildlife?” He looked more than a little nervous. His nature phobia thing was so cute.

Dustin and her dad circled back and picked up the last bags. She pulled her gaze away as he approached again.

Is it cheating on Curtis because I really like the way Dustin McHugh’s back flexes when he picks up heavy things?

“What? Something wrong?”

Her entire face flooded with tingles as he drew nearer.

“No. It’s just I think after all this awesome progress, I’m having a total relapse. I’m kind of shy to go hiking with you alone.”

“Back to the snide witty comments! You can do this. You took me to town yesterday
alone
, and we had a full on argument.”

She followed behind him as he piled the last bags next to the car. “Yeah, well arguing is easy, and today, I’m hardly hating on you at all.”

“I can fix that by pissing you off. Would that help?” He laughed.

She nodded, staring at his chin. Up close, it had this cute blond stubble on it. Total opposite of Curtis’s dark coloring yet equally appealing. And something they’d have to watch. Guys with blond stubble did not have dark hair. Lucky his eyebrows and lashes were freakishly dark. Nature’s way of making his eyes explode off his face so every other guy’s eyes seemed boring, of course.

She swallowed.

What were we talking about....

Her mind had just been wiped clean with guy stubble plus back muscles plus thinking about dark lashes?

Vere Roth, curing the anxiety jitters. Day three: F-

And just LOOK at him. Whatever. Let the blush fire full force.

It can’t be helped. I’m not dead, right?

She hoped he wouldn’t notice, but how could he not? She was at scalp tingle level already. Ears burning bright.

She must look like an idiot.

Dustin tapped his cheeks as though to tease her a little.

Ugh. He noticed.

He gave her an odd look then and shook his head and smiled. “Check back in, little gnome girl. What about our hiking supplies? Mr. Roth, do you have any sunscreen on you?”

Vere’s dad chuckled, not noticing Vere’s blush attack. “You won’t need any if you are only hiking the lake trail. It’s shady, and short.”

Annoyed with herself and with him for calling her a gnome again, she grabbed Dustin’s arm and tugged him into step next to her. “Bye Dad! Come on. The lake trail starts just over there.”

“So close?”

“Had you gone swimming
once
, city-chicken, you would know this. It is only one mile around the entire lake loop and as flat as a pancake.”

He had to duck low under the branches. “I hope the entire trail isn’t like this. I’m not a
Hobbit
like you.”

“Ha. Ha. It widens at the lake. We’re almost there.”

“Whatever.”

“Hey. Are we fighting again?” She stopped and he turned around to face her.

“I thought you wanted me to make you argue.” He pulled of his cap and ran his hand through his thick hair. “I’m coming across wrong. I feel totally off. Stressed all over again. I think I don’t want to go back to Aunt Nan’s house. It makes the idea of school, this disguise, seem all too real.”

Vere shot a look at his face. “Or, maybe you don’t want to face the letter?”

He sighed. “That thing is so like my mom. Dealing with our relationship—or lack thereof—with some disconnected words. I know what to expect in that envelope. I have no intention of reading it. I’m sure it’s lines and lines of her guilt-dipped, sob-story crap. I’m way more afraid of going to your homogenized high school tomorrow than that letter.”

“It’s your school, too. We won’t abandon you when the bell rings.”

“I hope not.”

He was trying to play it off but she knew he must be flipping out. After yesterday’s trip to town, she wouldn’t want to trade places with him.

They made it through the trees and turned toward a wooden dock. The surface of the small lake glittered jet-smooth in the morning light. It reflected the bright yellow aspen trees, mountains, clouds and tall pines in the distance.

“Wow. This place is a living postcard.”

“The flat rock by the dock is my favorite spot to nap.”

“Where?”

“Well, it’s kind of behind that huge bush. You can see the edge of it.” Vere pointed to a the tip of a granite boulder, very well hidden way off to the side of the dock. “The dock is where we dive in.”

“Oh no. Not ‘we’. Not ever.”

She frowned. “A good deep spot is on the left side. Next time we come up you
will
swim.”

“See? Stubborn. Dustin McHugh does not swim.”

“Focused and determined.” Vere grinned, taunting him. “
My
Dustin McHugh does swim.”

He shook his head. “Annoying and single focused.”

“Charlie always tells me my inability to lose focus is what gets me all freaked out, especially where Curtis Wishford is concerned.”

“Why?”

“He says I’ve got Curtis on some kind of pedestal, that he’s just a guy, like any other. I try to see him like that, but I can’t. He’s just too built up for me in my own mind. What do you think?”

Dustin stared at the sky and thought for a long moment. “I haven’t seen you with this slice of manly perfection, nor have I met him, but your brother might be onto something about the source of your behavior.”

They’d made it to the dock and Dustin stepped up onto it with a groan. He bent and rubbed his calf. “Do you mind if we just sit and put our feet in the water instead of hike?”

“I’d love to. Wish I had my suit.” Vere sat and kicked off her shoes and socks. Dustin did the same.

She put her feet right into the water but Dustin held his just above the surface. He glanced at her and wrinkled his brow.

“Uh. What are you doing?” she asked, feeling her heart bubble with laughter.

“If one fish nibbles my toes I’m going to lose all testosterone and scream like a little girl right in front of you. They won’t, will they?”

“No!” She grinned.

He held his feet even higher. “And you swear, there are no snapping turtles in here. Not one frog? I’m terrified of all amphibians.”

Vere laughed openly, leaned forward and pushed down on one of his knees and then the other until his feet were in the water. “Come on, relax. I’ll keep you safe. I’m an expert fish wrangler, you know?”

“Why do I feel as though I can’t do anything in Colorado without your help?” He looked right into her eyes, and Vere felt the cheeks tingle full force.

“Uh. Because you can’t?” She shrugged. “I could move to Los Angeles and pretend to be a rock star with way fewer freak outs than you’re having here just pretending to be
normal
.”

“So you think. I’d have you in tears at your first sushi bar. I wrangle
raw
fish and wasabi. You wouldn’t last one day as a rock star. I’d like to see you make your way through a nightclub. Handle Ibiza, or ditch crowds in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, for that matter.”

“Okay. You win. I don’t even know what kind of food Ibiza is.”

He grinned. “It’s an island. Off the coast of Spain where people party, and party, and then party some more. Our band has gone there to play the past two summers. In Spain, the restaurants don’t open till 9 P.M. And the nightclubs don’t fill up until after midnight. Way past your bedtime.”

Vere stared at her toes wiggling in the water. “Still makes you seem helpless to me.”

He’d relaxed and leaned back on his arms. Vere’s eyes riveted to where his shirt had tightened over his upper body.

Holy mother of ripped-gorgeous.

Get over the assets. Get over the assets.

It’s an award-winning six pack. SO WHAT? Get over it.

He’s just your friend. Your Dustin McHugh.

Think about Curtis.

“Water’s warmer than I thought it would be. Not bad,” he said testing his feet. Making small waves.

When she didn’t answer, he glanced at her and she realized she was still staring—at his abs, at his arms. At his everything.

Think about Curtis. Curtis...Curtis...

“Having a hard time again? Come on Vere, it’s just me.”

She nodded. “Right. I know. You just suddenly look different. Like...more rested and Mom’s food must have done you some good. And you aren’t wearing the disguise. With only the green hat and the plaid shirt, well, you look completely—”

“Easy there, girl. Save it for Curtis, would you? I’ve heard it before. I know I’m pretty. Remember? You already told me.”

She glowered, annoyed that it felt again like he could read her mind. “Please. I was going to say you look normal, that’s all.”

He laughed, the sun catching how the smile lit his eyes brighter. “Normal, huh. Whatever that means.”

Curtis...Curtis...Curtis...

She went on, “Of course. And you know that I could care less about your
pretty
,” she lied, tearing her gaze away from the pulse beating in the base of his neck.

He grimaced. “You’ve made that clear enough. So tell me, then. If
looks
are the last thing you notice in a guy, then what is the first?”

Vere leaned back on her arms as well, pretending to study the water. She let her feet splash out in front of her, forcing her voice to remain steady. “I notice nice. Niceness.”

“God. Yuck.” He shuddered. “So, this Curtis Wishford guy... is he some kind of extraordinarily sweet, door-opening, snow shoveling, goodie-goodie,
nice
person?”

She smiled, thinking of Curtis had made her tummy flutter. “I’m not sure if he’s nice—not on that level. He’s always been nice to me, though. I think he’s nice, and I want him to be nice. Full of niceness. Does that count?”