Trying Not to Love You
Page 3When my brothers and Hunter came home for Thanksgiving weekend, they met Dominic since I had invited him for dinner. Dominic stood up to my brothers when they threatened him about dating me. Dominic never backed down from their threats though, as most guys would have.
Hunter hated Dominic. Anytime he saw us together, he would glare at Dominic and leave the room. When Dominic was not around, Hunter would flirt like crazy with me. I loved those times, but all Hunter would give me was just flirting. That is why I chose to stay with Dominic.
1
Summer was ending, and I would be heading off to college next weekend. This weekend, my best friend Hailey, Hunter's sister Jaylinn, and I were throwing a surprise 21st birthday party for my twin brothers. We were only a few days away from the party, and they knew we were up to something. My brothers were extremely protective of me since I was the baby of the family, and of course, the only girl. Dad instilled it in their heads at a young age that they were always to protect me. That made trying to plan something without them knowing near impossible, since they did not let me go anywhere without one of them or Hunter.
"Kenzie!" Mason yelled.
I jumped, dropped the shirt I was holding and my right hand flew to my heart. "Jesus, Mase you scared the shit out of me." I bent down and picked up the shirt I was trying to fold.
"What are you up to this weekend?" Mason leaned his shoulder against the laundry room door.
"Hailey, Jaylinn and I are all going out on dates together this weekend." I replied but did not look in his direction because I knew a fight was about to start. My brothers hated when I went out on dates. Hell, they hated when any of us went on a date, for that matter.
"No, he already has plans to come this weekend since he doesn't have football practice. I'm not cancelling on him." Dominic had left a few weeks ago for college at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he received a full football scholarship to play for them. Hailey and I would be joining him and Hunter there this fall. Yes, I know what you are thinking. I chose to go there because of Hunter, and yes, it was probably a mistake, but I did not care.
"Yeah, you can. Tell those ass**les you have plans." With that, he turned away before I could respond. I had been dealing with this all week when Mason or Cooper would ask what my plans were. I had always tried to avoid them and to be as vague as possible.
A few minutes after Mason walked away, my phone beeped. I reach into my back pocket, grab my phone out and read the text.
Hailey – 12:22pm: Got a text from Mase telling me 2 cancel my date this weekend
Me – 12:23pm: LOL. They have no idea
Hailey – 12:23pm: I know it's going 2 be gr8
The twins had to work for the next few days with my uncle, so it was easy avoiding them. We were able to run to the store to grab things for the party without them knowing. Hunter was going to cover for us Friday night. He told my brothers that he wanted to take me to see a chic flick to repay me for when I helped him a few weeks ago. Dominic had football practice Friday, so he was not going to be here until some point on Saturday. I couldn't use Dominic as an excuse to be out of the house without one of my brothers tagging along.
My parents were out of town on a weekend getaway. The shore house was a lot bigger than our regular house. It was three stories with five bedrooms, two bathrooms and a full finished basement. The house also had a massive deck and the beach backed up to the yard. We had a lot more room here to accommodate everyone than we did at home. Hailey had come down earlier in the day to let the housekeeper in so they could give the house a good cleaning before everyone would arrive tomorrow.
Hunter and I walked into the house. I called out, "Hey Hails! We're here."
"Hey guys," she came over and kissed Hunter and then me on the cheek.
"I just started putting a few decorations around the house. Did you get the food and the rest of the stuff from your house?"
"Yeah we got it. It's all in my truck." Hunter yelled over his shoulder, on his way out to the truck to grab the food.
"I'm going to get started on the food. Hails, can you get Hunter to help you move the furniture around in the living room, so we have more space? Mom also said to lock all the bedroom doors so nobody can get into them. You know where the keys are, right?"
"Yes, on top of the fridge in the money jar." Hailey said, and then left to go help Hunter.
"All done, CC. Anything else you need help with?" God, when he called me that, I just wanted to kiss him to death and punch him, all at the same time. Hunter was the only one that got away with calling me CC, short for Chubby Cheeks. There was a picture of me as baby dressed up in an Easter dress that my parents kept on the mantle at home. I looked like a Cabbage Patch doll. Mom had put this bonnet on me that made my cheeks look super chubby and ever since Hunter saw it, he started teasing me by calling me CC.
"Nope, I think that everything is done for tonight. You ready to get out of here Hails?"
Looking as if she would drop any moment, she answered, "Yes, I'm exhausted. We should get up early to come back down here, so we better get going."
We left Hailey's car at the shore house, since it was late and she didn't want to drive the forty-five minute ride home by herself. Fifteen minutes into the ride, I looked back at Hailey, and she had passed out. I looked over at Hunter, and started picturing all the things I wanted to do with him. I knew it was wrong, because I had Dominic, but it was just something I couldn't help.
"See something you like, CC?" He had the biggest smirk on his face.
Damn, he caught me looking at him. I turned away from Hunter, and looked out the window, hoping to hide the blush creeping up my neck to my face. "You know I do." I mumbled, hoping he would not catch what I said.
"And what would Dominic think about that?" Hunter reached over and ran his fingers down my arm, causing me to shiver. Over the last year, Hunter had seriously kicked up the flirting game with me. I am sure it was because of Dominic.