Chapter 17: A Mother's Advice
Carter was able to bring Hannah and Kylie back home and both girls were thrilled to see their brothers and mother again. However, things were changing and relationships were growing. Hunter was on the sidelines while watching Blake and Tori start to date. Kimberly noticed that her eldest son was down in the dumps a lot. She decided to see what was going on with him.
Hunter was practicing some karate moves with Dustin when he got distracted. Dustin did a sweep kick, knocking Hunter onto his back. "Dude, are you okay?" Dustin asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Hunter replied.
Hunter stood up. "I'm calling it quits, dude, I'll catch ya on later," Hunter stated as he left Ninja Ops.
"Okay, later," Dustin answered.
Hunter drove to the track. He pulled on his gear and walked his bike to the track. Once he was on his bike, he took off down the track.
Kimberly saw Hunter taking off down the track. She pulled her bike out of her truck. She pulled on her pink motocross gear and her helmet. She pulled on her gloves and boots. She got onto her bike once she got on the track and took off after her son.
Once she reached the finished line, she swerved and flung dirt at Hunter. "MOM!" Hunter shouted. Kimberly laughed and she pulled her helmet off. "Baby, what's going on with you?" She asked. Hunter pulled off his own helmet.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
Kimberly sighed and got off her bike. She walked over to Hunter. "Hunter, come on. Walk with me, talk with me," she told him in a teasing sing song voice. Hunter chuckled as he walked up the hill with Kimberly. "Now tell me, why have you been so down lately?" She asked. Hunter sighed.
"Tori," he replied.
Kimberly stopped. "Tori as in Blue Water Ranger Tori? Blake's girlfriend Tori?" She asked. Hunter sighed again.
"That'd be the one," he replied.
Kimberly got their bikes back into her truck. She took off her gear and pulled on her shoes again. She jumped up onto the hood of her truck and looked at him.
"When did all this start, babe?" She asked.
Hunter sat on the fence. "The moment I met her. When she first stood in front of me, the first word that came out of her mouth, and the first smile she gave at us. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven," he replied.
"So…you like Tori too?" She asked.
Hunter shook his head. "No…mom, I don't like Tori. I think I'm in love with her," he replied. Kimberly sat back on her hands.
"Hun. You know as well as I do that love is a difficult subject," she pointed out.
Hunter nodded. "Yeah, I know," he agreed. Kimberly let out a sigh.
"If Tori wasn't involved with somebody I would tell you to hold onto her and never let go. She is involved with someone, baby. This is your brother's girlfriend, Hunter. You're walking a fine line," she pointed out.
Hunter placed his head in his hands before looking up. "What do I do, mom?" He asked. Kimberly got off the truck, walked over, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There are plenty of other girls out there that would just kill to have a date with you. Look some of those girls up," she advised.
Kimberly kissed his cheek. "That's all I can tell you," she added.
"Thanks mom," he answered.
Kimberly then walked over to the truck. "Now, I have to go pick up your sisters from gymnastics," she informed.
"Okay, see ya later, mom," he answered.
Kimberly winked at her son. "Catch ya on the flip side," she told him. She got into the truck and drove off. Hunter sighed and shook his head.
"Other girls out there that would just kill to date me. That would be great, if one of those girls was Tori," he mumbled.
Hunter was about to get off the fence when it suddenly broke. Hunter fell back with a thump and he sighed. "Great," he mumbled.
"Are you okay?" A feminine voice asked.
Hunter shook his head and sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. The girl giggled and helped him stand up.
"You took a nasty fall there," she commented.
"Yeah, well, what do you expect when a fence breaks," he answered.
The girl laughed again. Hunter grinned.
The girl had shoulder-length sandy-blonde hair, green eyes, she was wearing sneakers, blue jeans shorts, and a baby-blue tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid.
The girl rubbed the back of her neck and laughed nervously. Hunter held out his hand. "Hunter Hart," he informed. The girl shook his hand.
"Rose Dulcina," she informed.
Hunter nodded with a smile. "So new to the track?" He asked.
"Yeah, my cousin rides," she replied.
"Really? That's cool."
Rose nodded with a smile. "Well, I should probably get going," she commented. Hunter nodded. He then thought about what Kimberly said to him.
"Hey, Rose," he called.
Rose turned around. "Yeah?" She asked. Hunter took a deep breath.
"Would you like to and if you don't it's cool, but I um…I was wondering if you would like to join me for lunch tomorrow?" He asked.
Rose smiled. "Sure, I would like that," she answered.
"Yeah? I'll pick you up at noon. What's your address?" He asked.
Rose pulled out a pen she kept in her pocket and a small notebook in her other pocket. She wrote her address down and gave it to him. "See you tomorrow," she told him.
"Yeah, see ya," he answered.
Hunter looked down at the notebook paper with a sigh. "What am I doing?" He asked.
"Hey bro," a voice greeted.
Hunter looked over at Blake and Tori as they walked over. His eyes were drawn to Tori. "So, who was that?" Blake asked.
"Umm, that was Rose Dulcina. We're having lunch tomorrow," he replied.
"Like a date?" Tori asked.
"Yeah you can say that," Hunter replied.
Hunter looked at Tori and then back to where Rose left. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I have to get going," he commented. He then walked off towards his own car.
"See ya," Blake called out.
Hunter waved as he got into his car. He rubbed his forehead. He might be having that date with Rose the next day, but he was trying to swallow the pain in his heart. He was in love with Tori Hanson and nothing could change that…nothing.