26 Happy Birthday, Boots (2)

Hunter and Ash rode quietly in the back of a rented silver SUV. A hired driver came with the rental and he was paid to drive Hunter around for the day. It struck Ash that the driver didn't look much older than they were. He had curly brown hair and looked like he was in his early 20s. She stared at the silver earring on his earlobe as he drove on.

"You like guys with earrings?" Hunter asked. He reached across the seat for Ash's hand and held it, twining his fingers with hers.

Ash turned to look at him, but his face was turned toward the window, staring outside at a vast rush of nothing.

[He's jealous,] Ash thought.

It was an easy enough guess to make, but Ash didn't guess it as much as she felt it through his grip on her. He squeezed her hand just enough for her to notice, but not hard enough for it to hurt. It was the kind of grip that said, "Don't forget, I'm here."

Ash inched closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. She rubbed her cheek quietly on the soft fabric of his dark brown jacket. The color of his jacket was nearly the same shade of dark brown as her skirt and his black shirt matched with her black tights. It almost looked like they had color-coordinated their outfits.

Hunter rested his chin on top of Ash's head. He looked into the rear view mirror at the driver and narrowed his eyes. The young driver pretended not to notice and kept his eyes on the road.

Ash tugged on Hunter's sleeve to distract him. She could sense the tension in his body and she didn't want to get the poor driver in trouble.

"I was just thinking about getting my ears pierced," she said.

"Oh. They're not pierced?"

"I think they are, the little holes are there. But I haven't had earrings in years so I'm wondering if maybe the piercings have healed over."

Hunter tugged lightly at her earlobe. He saw that Ash's ears were indeed pierced but that she didn't have any earrings on. He was going to remember to buy her some. Perhaps in silver. And then he suddenly remembered something.

"I have a present for you," he said to Ash.

He handed her a plain brown gift box tied closed with a ribbon of twine. Inside the box was a braided leather bracelet with a silver clasp. She pulled the bracelet from its cushion inside the box and a small silver wolf charm dangled from the bracelet. Ash was speechless.

"Do you like it?" Hunter asked, looking a little worried.

"It's perfect. Thank you!"

Hunter helped Ash put on the bracelet. As he closed the clasp around her left wrist, Ash kissed him lightly on his cheek.

"You will come home with me, yes?" he asked earnestly as he looked into her eyes.

Ash nodded. Hunter felt a sudden joy explode in his heart.

Even as Hunter was overjoyed, a look of worry came over Ash's face.

"I haven't told them yet. I'll have to tell them I'm going with you, but I don't know how to say it," she said. Ash chewed nervously on her bottom lip.

"It's all right, Boots. We'll figure it out. You'll find the right moment and you'll know what to say."

The car slowed to a stop in front of an upscale restaurant. They were having steaks for lunch, Isabelle's treat.

"We're here, Sir," the driver announced, looking into the backseat via the rearview mirror.

"Thank you. I'll call you when we're done."

The driver nodded. Inside, he was relieved that the young man seemed to have forgotten his earlier fit of jealousy. The driver had been afraid that the rich kid would try to be macho and cause a scene in front of his girlfriend. Thankfully, nothing crazy had happened on the drive.

Hunter stepped out of the car and held Ash's hand as she got out. Celia and Isabelle had already entered the restaurant, and Isabelle was waving to them through the glass door.

Ash squeezed Hunter's hand---the same hand that still hadn't let hers go after she had stepped out of the car. She walked ahead of him and led him by the hand inside the restaurant.

[Here we go,] she thought, as the server opened the door to let them in.