Free Unchained Melody by S.K. Munt Page B

interrupted Jed, sure he had heard wrong. ‘Ryan? As in, my Ryan?’
    Jed looked at him and snorted. ‘You mean, your life-partner Ryan, right?’
    Alannah giggled. ‘Yep that totally sounded gay.’
    Hunter scowled at Jed to cover his embarrassment. ‘Whatever. What’s happening at Ry’s?’
    Jed pulled Alannah up against his side. ‘Reece is over there tonight. Apparently Callie and Ryan are going to jam for them and then have a pool-party.’
    Hunter wouldn’t have been more confused if Jed had said: ‘Callie and Ryan are in a Burlesque act tonight but we need to be wearing ruby slippers to get in.’ A strange feeling munched away at his stomach lining as he realized how much he hated the names: ‘Callie and Ryan’ being spoken without ‘and Hunter’ tacked onto the end like how it was supposed to be. They were a trio; an exclusive trio, who avoided the populace. Callie and Ryan did not host B. B. Q’s without him, and he certainly wasn’t the kind of friend who ditched them to make out at the park with his girlfriend! He felt a pang of guilt in his chest, and then a needle of jealousy. Even if he had been a bit ignorant, where did they get off throwing a party and not inviting him?
    Hunter turned to Meredith. ‘Look I’m sorry. I know you guys like to hang out here but if Callie and Ryan are having a jam session, they’re going to want me there.’ He let go of her hand and retrieved his keys from inside his pocket. ‘I’ve missed a million practices lately, so if I don’t show up, they’re going to be pissed.’
    Meredith glared at him, crossing her arms. ‘So you were invited?’
    Hunter paused, feeling his cheeks go hot. Damn it! Meredith could be so cool most of the time but sometimes she’d get in these nasty little digs- always in front of people too, like she was trying to humiliate him. He kept his expression serene as he twirled his keys on his index finger. ‘I don’t need an invite. Hanging together is implied with us Mer. That’s just how we are.’
    ‘Then can I come along?’
    Hunter wanted to say yes but things were already weird enough between Callie, Ryan and himself. If he showed up for the first time at Ryan’s place in a week dragging her along he’d be mocked if not told to beat it. ‘Another time, okay?’ Before she could pout, he winked and added: ‘I don’t want you to see our act until we’ve got our shit together- that way, you’ll be all impressed and stuff.’
    Meredith rolled her eyes, but the ferocity had left them. ‘Fine.’ She motioned to his car. ‘Hurry up. Maybe we can meet up after?’
    Hunter was afraid to exhale lest he made his exasperation obvious. He just ducked his head and said. ‘Yeah okay I’ll track you down…’ and then took off for the parking lot before she could force him to change his mind.
    As much as he had enjoyed feeling her up, there was one thing that felt better under his fingers than anything else in the world: his guitar strings.

5.
    When Callie’s eyes opened, she was shocked to find herself in almost complete darkness and not in her own bed, which was the only place she was used to waking up in. She blinked up at the ceiling which was glowing several shades of grey, and listened to light rain fall outside, her lips tugging down reflexively. She hated rain! She hated anything that wasn’t bright and still. The Queensland weather was so ideal one moment, and then threatening to rip the state apart the next; blow it over, submerge it, uproot trees and wipe out power lines… whatever mood took its fancy. Eight years she’d been in Australia, and she was no more used to it than she had been when they’d first arrived.
    But the rain was light at least, and she hoped it would abate at the earlier humidity of the day. She was only just beginning to breathe in a deep calming; This-is-October-not-cyclone-season-yet breath, when she became aware of something long and warm stretched out beside her. She turned her head, and