Melodie was fast asleep when River came back home. It was 2 am so she’d been in bed for hours. Even Hunter struggled to stay awake on the couch—the silence of the home was a lullaby within itself. But he stayed awake so he could see River walk through the front door.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d be here,” River softly sighed. It took River a lot of effort to stay quiet after being startled. “I said that you could leave after she went to bed.”
Hunter came over to River’s side, watching the man empty his pockets out onto the kitchen island. The sound of keys hitting granite echoed between them but River just watched Hunter calmly. If not for the soft smile on River’s lips, Hunter might have thought he’d made a mistake by staying.
“I felt weird leaving her by herself in the house,” he explained, shrugging casually. “And . . . I wanted to see you.”
The soft smile turned wry and River pushed against Hunter’s chest with a laugh. The push was incredibly light, reminding Hunter of how late it was for both of them.
“Thank you for watching Melodie. I’m sure she’ll tell me all about it tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah, we had a lot of fun,” Hunter agreed. He couldn’t help the sentimental smile that emerged on his face remembering it all.
Like last time, she’d gone through her drawing collection and had them draw a million things together. Instead of watching a show together, she had a playlist of movies cued up and ready to go. There were moments, like when she helped him peel potatoes for dinner, that it felt like he wasn’t just babysitting Melodie. For a second, he could imagine that she was his child. The thought left a funny feeling in his stomach that Hunter tried not to dwell on.
The point is: Hunter had just as much fun, if not more, than the kid he watched. But he didn’t know how to explain that to River. So he instead said,
“If you ever need help again, feel free to call.”
“I will.”
The sleepy smile on River’s face was really attractive, and Hunter itched to reach out and grab his hand. Or his face. Anything that he could reach, really. Hunter had trouble holding onto one clear thought and was suddenly shifting to balance his weight. It was really late.
“Hey, are you busy Saturday night?” River’s brows furrowed cutely. It made him look like a puppy. Maybe a cat. Hunter needed some sleep. Right, the question.
“More babysitting so soon?”
River laughed and Hunter was proud he could think of a witty joke so far past his bedtime.
“No. I wanted to ask you to dinner. As a thank you for being good with Melodie,” River explained. “I’ll pay so you can keep all of your CEO money.”
Hunter should have smiled at the little joke but his mind stayed glued to the idea of dinner. Dinner as repayment, specifically. River, the guy who ran from commitment like the plague, wanted to take Hunter out for a meal. The younger man could only see this as a burden and his smile dropped.
“River, you really don’t have to force yourself,” he told him.
River raised a brow at that. Crossing his arms over his chest, the shorter man stepped forward, letting his crossed arms press against Hunter’s chest.
“What, you don’t want to have dinner with me?” River asked, his narrowed eyes gleaming in the low light. Hunter’s eyes slipped down to River lips, slightly chapped, and far too close for comfort. He cleared his throat.
“Well . . . if I have to,” he joked, earning him a short laugh from River. “I’d love to. And hopefully I can spend some CEO money on you as well.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Hunter was supposed to be laughing. This was a funny moment. But River was so close and looking up at him with those dark eyes of his. And Hunter would bet anything that the thoughts behind those eyes were far from innocent.
His hand touched River’s hip. River gasped sharply. Hunter woke up.
“Alright, I better get going,” he said, shoving those wandering hands of his into his jean’s pockets. River nodded along. Whatever look his eyes carried was already gone.
“Yeah, okay- I’ll text you the details.”
River’s last words hit Hunter’s back as the taller man was already reaching for the doorknob. But he couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. Hunter looked over his shoulder. The sight of River, leaning against his kitchen island, looking so handsome and tired and real struck a chord. Hunter walked back up to the older man and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It was short and sweet, basically a peck. But as he pulled away, their lips seemed to hold on. Hunter found himself gazing into River’s eyes as their lips finally disconnected.
Whispering a small “bye,” Hunter left. River was left grazing his fingers against his mouth. He was too tired to be giddy–it was almost 3 am for Christ’s sake. But he was smiling as he tiredly slipped into bed.
—————
Hunter’s knife was on the floor. When he’d grabbed his wrapped utensils, he’d snagged the edge of the napkin and his fork, spoon, and knife fell out with a loud clatter. He managed to save the fork and spoon but his knife now layed on the floor, picking up more germs than the five second rule could handle.
Hunter looked back up at River, finding the man covering his mouth to hold in an awkward laugh. That’s how much of this date has been. Awkward. Their dynamic was being flipped and turned in all sorts of ways and they didn’t know what to make of it.
For one, River picked Hunter up from his condo. Stepping into the spacious vehicle, Hunter was hit with the fear that he was underdressed. He wore jeans, River brought khakis. Did anything else need to be said?
Then, River brought them to the restaurant. It wasn’t terribly fancy and Hunter’s jeans fit right in. But it did feel romantic; lowlights and seating meant for two. They were surrounded by couples. And after the fifth awkward glance River had shot his way, Hunter knew that his date noticed it too.
He and River had always been casual. But this date felt like anything but. Hunter worried that the commitment averse River was regretting asking him out for dinner.
“I’m sure they could bring you another knife,” River suggested kindly, a mirthful smile coating his words. He didn’t speak loudly but he never had to with the way they were seated. The small booth was intimate, Hunter’s knees threatened to knock into River’s with every shift. Hunter heard each word loud and clear.
“It’s fine. At the rate I’m going, I’ll probably drop the next one too,” he joked breathily, trying to ignore the gleam of metal flashing at him from the floor.
“Why?” River asked, chin resting heavily on his palm. “Are you nervous?”
“Terribly.”
The honesty seemed to surprise River whose eyes grew a little wider. It surprised Hunter too. Wasn’t this the opposite of what you’re supposed to do on a date? But then, that smile of River’s returned, just a little more bashful than before.
“Me too.”
River eyed Hunter’s hand on the table for a moment. Hunter watched, transfixed, until River reached out and took it. River’s hand was shaking slightly as he did so, making Hunter hold on tighter, but they were doing it. They were holding hands. Out of nowhere, a laugh bubbled up Hunter’s throat and soon they were both laughing.
At themselves. At this date. At everything they tried to make it out to be. The curtain fell and it became glaringly obvious that neither one of them was an expert at this. Laying it out on the table took the pressure off. Hunter felt lighter than ever when the waitress eventually came, asking for their orders.
Half an hour later, River was attempting to chew a bite of his pasta when Hunter laughed. The younger man shook his head, eyes soft as he watched his date. Hunter noted the narrowing of River’s eyes so he lifted his hands, palms forward.
“Sorry, I wasn’t laughing at you I just . . . ”
River’s face was getting darker by the second so Hunter had to find his words. Fast.
“My parents have been wanting me to date seriously for years,” he explained, seeing a spark of understanding in the older man’s eyes. “If they saw us right now . . . “
Hunter’s smile dropped, clarity reaching him a moment too late. Talking about parents was serious, right? Way too serious for River. If he was worried about making the date awkward, this had just sealed his fate.
“And that doesn’t bother you?” River asked casually. “Them being so invested in your dating life?”
“No,” he answered, dazed. He was so sure talk of family and pasts would scare him away, yet the older man was unfazed. River’s eyes caught Hunter and he realized that he was still staring stupidly ahead.
“No. I mean, they’re a little nosy but they just want me to be happy, you know?” Hunter shrugged. “I think they’re trying their best.”
River was trying so hard to listen, but against his will his face soured. Hunter didn’t take offense. Even he could see it had nothing to do with him.
“I take it you don’t feel the same way about your parents. You mentioned they were strict, right?”
“Strict doesn’t come close to describing those two,” River corrected. He laughed in a way that seemed far from funny. “I could barely breathe without them asking why the sound was so loud. I couldn’t wait to get out of that house.”
“That sounds . . . horrible.”
“It was,” River agreed, eyes clouded by memories of the past. “But that’s why I wanted to make a good environment for my daughter. To give her better than what I got.”
In the ensuing silence, Hunter felt calm. And confident. The question rolling around in his head for weeks was dying to get out. He looked across the booth at River, sharp jaw tucked against the surface of his knuckles, smiling as he looked back at Hunter. The younger man couldn’t wait a moment longer.
“If you don’t mind me asking, who’s her mom?”
River was frank when he said.
“My ex wife.”
It was such a casual way for River to admit that he’d been married, Hunter almost missed it. But River had never brought up a wife before. The image of a beautiful black woman tucked lovingly into River’s side made Hunter’s stomach clench. But he focused on the moment and the fact that he definitely shouldn’t have asked that question.
“It’s okay, that was a long time ago,” River told him, as if he could hear Hunter’s mental panic. “What matters is that I have Melodie and I have to make her happy.”
Hunter chuckled automatically, making his date’s bushy brows furrow in confusion.
“Don’t worry, she’s definitely happy.”
As they finished dinner and dessert was charted in, River shared story after story about Melodie’s escapades. Hunter surprisingly had a lot to contribute. After being around her for just two days, she’d already given him enough stories for a lifetime. She made a much lighter conversation topic than toxic parents and ex-wives. Plus, Hunter just loved seeing this parental side of River. It was possibly the most important one.
—————
Hunter was disappointed to be in River’s car again so soon. At some point, he’d forgotten they were on a date and just started enjoying being around River. It made the night ending feel so much more final. Because this was a date. Melodie was off at a sleepover and River had used an evening where he could have relaxed at home to be with Hunter instead.
The least he could have done was pay for dinner but River paid for everything. He picked Hunter off and was now dropping him off. He was getting the perfect treatment and he wasn’t even sure how he felt about it. The roads grew more and more familiar and soon the car was rolling to a stop. The click of Hunter undoing his seatbelt filled the silence as he reached for the door.
“You know she really adores you.”
River stared straight ahead, wearing a strange smile and clenched jaw that spoke to the turmoil in his mind.
“She can’t stop talking about how great you were to her and-“
He caught Hunter’s eyes.
“I can never thank you enough.”
His thanks was too sincere. Too honest. Hunter could hardly stand having all that gratitude pointed his way and hoped his smile in response was enough. Because River was everything. Light streamed into the car, illuminating the older man’s sharp jaw and wide frame. Hunter wanted to kiss him. Even if that didn’t make sense for what they were.
His mind strayed far enough from his desires to allow a single thought in.
“I can watch her again, you know.”
River’s eyes widened in surprise before he shook his head.
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“I’m serious. You’re a hardworking, single father. There are so many people who couldn’t handle a quarter of the responsibility you deal with everyday.”
Hunter had leaned forward and was talking without realizing that his hand slipped down to River’s knee. “Honestly, I love hanging out with her and it works out that I can help you too.”
“Melodie can sure make an impression, huh?” River laughed, his smile growing wider by the second. “Okay, I’ll hold you to it. But don’t complain if you become a regular sitter.”
“Never, I love Melodie too much for that.”
He just narrowly avoided saying you.
“See you Monday?” River asked.
“Yeah Monday.”
Hunter closed the distance without a thought and placed a brief kiss on River’s lips. If he noticed River chasing his mouth as he pulled back, he was sure not to mention it.
Hunter jogged to get into the building and out of the cold, unaware of the pair of dark eyes watching him go. Even when Hunter was out of sight, River stayed there for a moment, squeezing the steering wheel with troubled eyes.
—————
The all encompassing silence is familiar to Hunter. That’s what he always hears in the hours before bed. He pulls off his flannel on his way to the bathroom but pauses. Why can he hear a second set of footsteps? He turns to his bedroom door and there stands River. A vision in an unbuttoned shirt and an unbuckled belt. Hunter has to tear his eyes away from the peak of forbidden white fabric to find River’s smoldering brown eyes.
“W-what are you doing here?”
River steps into the room and closes the door behind him.
———————————
So . . . that was an experience.
There’s a lot to unpack so feel free to share your thoughts about the date in the comments
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