Manaconda 2: The Second Coming(30)

“I do.” When he kept his gaze locked on mine, obviously searching for something, I pulled his hand down to cup my cheek. “I know. I love you, Hunter. Not the Manaconda.” He rolled his eyes. “Okay, so I love that part too, but it’s the man I love. Not the magazine cover. The one inside grinning over his guitars. I love the guy who geeks out over a vintage album and gives his time to abandoned animals.”

He lowered his head to mine, bumping our noses briefly. He opened his mouth just as Bats came up beside us. Hunter stiffened.

Bats looked over his shoulder, then back to us.

I moved beside Hunter, our fingers laced together.

“I need you to trust me, H.”

Hunter’s shoulders relaxed. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I do trust you, Bats. It’s Vic I don’t trust.”

“I got it handled.” Reed’s eyes were stark and pleading.

“If you say you’ve got it, then you’ve got it.”

Reed nodded, then his face transformed. The sharp angles of his jawline were emphasized as he tilted his head forward and a white slash of teeth glowed from his dark beard. “Motherfuckin’ Fallon.”

Hunter grinned back at him. “Fuck yeah.”

I stepped back as he let my hand go to clasp his brother’s. He glanced down at me. “Gotta work.”

“I’ll be over here watching.”

I’d figured watching them practice would bore me to tears, but they were actually quite fascinating. Broken, coded language and hand signals reminded me of sign language. The guitars seemed a bit loud, but I had to figure that was because of the empty room.

And I was right. The room filled, and I sat through the rehearsal monologue, groaning at a few bombs. When the show started taping, there was an odd hush to it all.

The thrum of excitement swelled as Fallon did his official monologue and we laughed along at the right spots. He held everyone’s attention as he chatted up the celebrity there to pimp her movie. Finally, when it was time for the band to play, you could actually see the host’s excitement for the music.

Hunter even gave him a good-natured grin when Fallon mentioned the magazine cover as he introduced them.

The lights went down and my song started its build. Hunter stepped to the microphone, head down. He curled his fingers around the stand, his other hand draped over the stationary mic. “For Kenny,” he said in a low voice then met my gaze unerringly.

For television. My name. I was never going to give him shit for calling me Kenny again.

Oh, this man was never going to be boring.

He prowled the stage with every molecule of lead singer in place.

My lead singer.

My guy.

My Hunter.





Epilogue





Hunter




I jumped up and down near the stairs to the stage.

“Would you stop? It’s going to be great.” Keys was crouched in front of a Toy Poodle. “Such a good girl.” She scratched her ears, offered her a treat, then tied the little card in front of her neck.

“Do we have them lined up right?”

“Yes, Nervous Nellie.”

I dipped my hand into my pocket for the box. “I think I’m entitled to be nervous.”

“You’re certifiable, but this is definitely going into the grand gesture history books.”

“Yeah?”

Keys laughed. “Yes. Definitely. Now, let me get these guys lined up. C’mon Snickers, you’re up first.” The sleek brown Dachshund trotted behind her.

“Thank you so much for coming out for the Love & Paws Dog Show.” Kenny’s clear voice came from the stage. “It doesn’t matter how young or old a dog is, with the right love and attention they can be trained to be a perfect addition to your home. Love & Paws will help you every step of the way. We want these guys—Oh, look, here they come now—we want them to find a perfect fur-ever home with you.”

She introduced each dog as I herded them up the stairs, checking that their cards were in the right order.

“You ready, Cujo?”

The Morkie leaped off the stairs into my arms. “I’m trusting you with this.” I dug out the box in my pocket. “This is very expensive. You cannot eat it.”

Cujo snapped at my fingers.

I threaded the red ribbon through the sparkling diamond and tied a double bow at the back of his neck. “Now I expect you to do all of the tricks. And I mean all of them.” Cujo tilted his head, then yipped. His tongue lolled out the side of his mouth where two teeth had to be pulled.

The exact reason why I’d signed the adoption papers that morning. We’d fallen in love with him this morning.

My stomach jittered and my heart was beating so loud I couldn’t hear Kenny talking anymore.