Last Friday Night (ManxMan)

Chapter 15

With promises to return to Melodie in just a few minutes, River stepped out of the house with Hunter. The taller man wondered if this was just River's version of a goodbye but the expectant look on the older man's face explained everything. River wanted them to talk. At that moment, Hunter realized how much of a buffer Melodie had been between them for the last few hours. It was easy for them to talk and laugh when she was the center of their interactions. But without her there, the two of them were forced to remember why they were here in the first place. River had never planned for Hunter to meet his daughter today and Hunter had never planned for things to get this far when he dropped him off.

Hunter stuffed his hands into his pockets, awkwardly shuffling from one foot to the other. He was the one who insisted that they had to talk about this. But now, he didn't know what to say.

Crossing his arms across his chest, River stared at his closed front door.

"I'm sorry for acting stupid," he apologized, eyes stubbornly focused on the glass of his home's peephole. His right hand began to shake so River clenched it into a fist, hiding it in the crook of his elbow. "I never bring people back here because I don't need Melodie seeing that. So, thank you for stopping me last night."

"You're welcome."

River quickly glanced at Hunter's face, face snapping back to the door when their eyes met and Hunter realized that River's cheeks had been progressively turning red. Blotches of color now covered his cheeks and neck. The sign of vulnerability made Hunter relax, his shoulders lowering along with his guard.

Their silence was broken when River snorted, holding his hand over his face with wide eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh I just-"

River snorted again and even Hunter laughed a little from the weirdness of it all.

"I still can't believe you thought she was my girlfriend."

Hunter pushed his hands deeper into his pockets as River continued to laugh. Maybe he was overreacting, but Hunter no longer found it funny.

"You never talk to me though," Hunter argued, seeing some of that playfulness leave River in seconds. "All I've ever tried to do is get to know you and you won't let me."

The confrontation was well overdue but Hunter still wanted to crawl out of his skin after saying it. He focused on the roar of cars driving by the house, trying to lose himself in the noise. It gave him something to do other than to try to understand the array of emotions that passed over River's face.

"I'm sorry. It's just, uh, a bad habit?"

River laughed again, but the sound was void of any humor. When his bottom lip wobbled, a shot of panic ran through Hunter. He tried to touch River and comfort him in some way but the older man waved him off, laughing wetly as he pushed Hunter's hands away.

"I have a kid, Hunter," he sniffed, shamefully rubbing at his eyes. "It's hard to let people in when I don't know if I can trust them with her."

"She is incredible. I see why you want to protect her."

That produced another wet laugh from River who finally looked at Hunter again. Even with his eyes wet with tears, Hunter ached to close the distance between them one more time.

"I like you, Hunter," he admitted softly, a shy little smile on pale pink lips. "I don't know if I can do anything serious right now but I know you're a good guy. Can't we just-"

River completed his sentence with a shrug, looking at Hunter expectantly. When Hunter still looked confused, River shrugged again, making the taller man burst out laughing.