Baby Be Mine (Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1) (12 page)

“Oh, Dad, calm down. Look, I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to just up and leave her like that. I did tell her I
had some business to attend to.”

“That’s the same thing as ditching the
girl.”

“I said I’m sorry,” Hunter whined like a
little kid.

“Yes, you should be,” Clinton said. “I had
to ring Caroline’s father and apologize on your behalf. Do you know
it could cause a strain between our companies?”

“It’s that serious?” Hunter asked.

“Damn right, it’s serious, Hunter.”

“Sorry you had to apologize on my behalf. I
hope I didn’t cause a rift between you two.”

Saying sorry doesn’t pay for what’s
already been done,
Clinton thought. His son would still be a
playboy, ditched on the side of the road, where no one in high
society would acknowledge him. Why couldn’t he be like Anton?
Reserved, intelligent, and a good team leader. Clinton had to think
of a way to reform his son. And that must include Caroline.

Then an idea struck him.

“Look, all is forgiven, but you must pay me
back,” Clinton said to his son.

“Pay you back?” Hunter asked, his face a
mask of confusion. “Dad, I live off your money. You’re basically
saying you’re using your own money to pay yourself.”

“No, I don’t mean payment in monetary terms.
I mean in the form of action and consequences,” Clinton said,
smiling, as the plan formed inside his head. He couldn’t wait to
see his son all grown up and responsible.

Hunter didn’t like where this conversation
was heading. He recognized the smirk on his father’s face, the one
he’d inherited and often pasted on his own face when an evil idea
popped in his head. He even dreaded asking, “How?”

“Go to Queenstown next week.”

“Choice!” Hunter slammed his palm on the
table in happiness. And here he thought his father was going to
come up with some ridiculous idea, like another matchmaking
scheme.

Queenstown meant skiing, and he loved
skiing. Plus, there was also an abundance of other dangerous sports
the South Island had to offer—jet skiing, sky diving, abseiling.
How crazy! He just couldn’t wait any longer.

“With Caroline,” his father finally
added.

Hunter’s excitement died down like a flat
battery. He knew it. And here he thought he could have another fun
holiday. What a way to take the candy from a child.

“What? Why?” Hunter whined in
disappointment.

“You are going to escort Caroline to
Queenstown. She’s never been to that part of the country before, so
I think you could be the perfect candidate for it.”

“I’m not perfect, Dad. Why don’t you ask
Anton? I’m sure he would be happy to escort such a lovely lady like
Caroline,” he suggested.

“No, Anton has to work. He’s too busy
organizing the Dental Hygiene Conference over there. So you’re the
only one left. Unless you want to help organize the conference and
leave Anton free to entertain Caroline.” Clinton pretended to ask
his son, offering the choice of whether to have another holiday or
work. In the end, the choice was his son’s alone. And whichever he
chose, his son would fall into his trap.

“No, I’ll entertain her,” Hunter interjected
before his dad could come to a decision for him. Escorting Caroline
around Queenstown would definitely be boring, but not to the extent
of death, which was sure to be the result of organizing the
conference. That was definitely not his cup of tea.

“Just as I thought,” Clinton said.
Right
into the trap.
“So we’re settled, then?”

“Yes,” Hunter grumpily agreed.

“Now, get out of my sight before I have a
heart attack for real,” his father shouted.

“Yes, Dad,” Hunter grumbled under his breath
as he closed the door of his father’s office.

Hunter hated being told what to do. And
right now, he hated being forced to go to Queenstown with Caroline.
And his mood just got worse when he saw Winton, his father’s
secretary, out near the elevator.

“Master Hunter. How are you today?” Winton
spoke, rubbing his hands together.

“Foul!” Hunter said in gloomy monosyllable,
putting on his D&B shades, even inside the hotel lobby because
it just made him look cool, while he continued heading to his car.
Winton’s little feet trailed after him like a little servant’s.

Hunter didn’t like Winton. The man always
had this sneaky look about him, as if he were hiding some secret or
something. But because Hunter hardly came into the company, he
didn’t know what the man was up to. Maybe he should be more
careful. Come into the company more often—if not to work, at least
to get the free chocolate bar that was out for the guests’
indulgence.

“Foul mood? Can I do anything to help
alleviate it?” Winton asked, hoping to please Hunter, but it only
had the opposite effect.

“Yes,” Hunter said, turning to face Winton.
And with a loud voice, he ordered, “Get out of my sight.”

“Oh, Master Hunter, I would very much like
to get out of your sight, but Master Anton would like a word with
you,” Winton pointed out as the reason he had been following
him.

“Don’t speak like you’re my teacher,
Winton,” he said, then stalked off, leaving Winton to stare at his
retreating back.

“I wonder what’s wrong with Master Hunter,”
Winton said, scratching his head in confusion, then made his way
back to his desk.

“What do you want?” Hunter chimed in the
middle of the meeting being held between Anton and his associates,
regarding the upcoming Dental Hygiene Conference in Queenstown.

Anton looked at his cousin, poised in
mid-speech, when Hunter burst into the meeting room. Shaking his
head in resignation at his cousin’s usual behavior, entering the
meeting room like a five-year-old in the middle of a tantrum, he
gestured for Hunter to seat himself near the corner, where there
were a handful of toys and books.

What does he think I am, a kid?
Hunter thought, fuming as he slouched himself down on the plush
black couch. Now he really felt like a little kid who’d been
grounded. Why was everyone treating him like a child these days?
First his dad ordering him around and now Anton gesturing for him
to sit in the corner like a disobedient little boy.

Blast this!
He stood from the couch
and slammed the door so loud it almost vibrated off the hinges,
then stalked off to his car, leaving Anton apologizing to his
associates for the racket he had created on his way out.

After driving for a full ten minutes,
Hunter’s mood still did not improve. In fact, it only deepened his
already foul temperament because there were traffic jams every
three seconds. The one time he got stuck in traffic for only
fifteen minutes, he ended up cursing the lights and nearly went
insane until the cars began to move again at their snail’s
pace.

What the hell is wrong with Auckland
today?
he cursed.
It’s only goddamn two o’clock in the
afternoon.
Rush hour wasn’t until five, when most everyone
headed home from work.

After successfully moving away from the main
highway, Hunter found himself in a part of town that wasn’t quite
the area he would normally populate. There, many houses were too
small for his liking. How could people live in such cramped
spaces?

Because Hunter was born with a silver spoon
in his mouth, he didn’t understand. Even his apartment in Central
Auckland boasted more than the usual three bedrooms, and the square
footage was beyond ample.

In this area, the houses were too small, the
footpaths too small, and the road was also goddamned small. It only
fit one car. As for the scenery, there was hardly anything to look
at, just some random bushes here and there. It wasn’t worth a
second glance.

Where was he, anyway? In a dump?

And then he miraculously saw her, the
avocado woman, aimlessly walking down that narrow road, ambling
towards town like she had amnesia.

What was she doing? Did she want to kill
herself? What if a car came zooming past? She would surely die. If
not, then she would at least suffer some internal injury that would
require weeks in the hospital.

Wait! Why was he even concerned about the
welfare of this avocado anyway? Shouldn’t he be teasing—

Ahhh.
Hunter gave an evil smirk when
a brilliant idea emerged in his head. Just the perfect person on
which to vent his anger and frustration. Then with a blast of his
horn to its full capacity that was sure to awake even the dead, he
alerted her attention to his presence, announcing to her that the
Greek god had finally arrived.

CHAPTER 10

Clarice, who was the targeted person at
hand, almost had a heart attack when she heard the horn blast. It
shrilled in her ears, awakening her from her zombie-like state.

She stared in the direction where the blast
had came from, when the driver suddenly made his appearance,
striding towards her like he was modeling for Calvin Klein clothing
on a catwalk, wearing D&B shaded glasses. His long legs
swallowed up the distance between them, and in an instant he stood
facing her, his shades still covering his roguish eyes.

Who is this man?
Clarice thought,
slightly alarmed, as her heart began to race. He sure looked
familiar. Then the man took off his shades, and she almost bit her
own tongue.

“My, my, my, if it isn’t Madam Avocado.”
Hunter smirked. “Are you so desperate to die that you choose to end
your life on the road?”

“You Casanova!” Clarice seethed under her
breath. She couldn’t believe that at the time when her life was at
its lowest point, she had to keep running into this man. And it
wasn’t just once or twice; it had to be three times. Way too many
times for her liking.

“Yes, Hunter’s the name, remember?” Hunter
said slyly. “But if you prefer to call me Casanova, I don’t mind
either way. Right, Madam Avocado?”

“Stop calling me Avocado! My name is
Clarice.”

“I think it suits you. Madam because you’re
old, and Avocado…” Hunter pretended to rub his nose like he was in
the process of thinking. “Because you’re old,” he finally said,
teasing at her.

“Arrrgghhh…” Clarice gritted her teeth. “I
should just bite my tongue right now.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. There’s no
hospital near here,” Hunter said, then started following her when
she walked away from him.

“What are you doing blasting your horn like
that? You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“I did? Wow, I would love to see it in
action. The hot and handsome Hunter causing you to have a heart
attack because I’m just so damn good-looking.”

“Good-looking?” Clarice scoffed. “More like
a showoff. What do you want anyway? Why are you here? Go away. Stop
following me.”

“Even if you pay me, Avocado, I wouldn’t be
seen following you, but since I ran across you here, I might as
well just get it off my chest,” Hunter said.

“What is it?” Clarice asked, stopping in
mid-stride to face him, annoyed at his presence.

“I came to ask for compensation,” Hunter
stated, thinking on the spot as to the reason he was following the
avocado like a loyal puppy.

“For what?” Clarice asked. “What
compensation?”

“For ruining my shirt when you spit on it at
the night club.”

“That baby-blue shirt?”

“Yes, the one that cost me $500.”

“$500? You’re kidding, right?” Clarice’s
eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. How could a shirt cost
$500? Was he playing a joke on her?

“Not kidding. It’s branded,” Hunter said.
“Now, how are you going to pay for it? I don’t take cheques or bank
deposit. I prefer money on hand.”

“I don’t have that much cash on me right
now,” Clarice said, clutching her wallet.

“It’s fine, then. Give me your business
card,” Hunter said with his palm held out.

“Why?” Clarice eyed him suspiciously.

“So I can phone to remind you to pay me
back,” he said. “Surely you don’t want me to add in the interest as
well, do you?”

“For business purposes only, right?” Clarice
said, rummaging through her bag to find her business card. “Not to
annoy me, okay?”

“Fine, fine,” Hunter said, brushing her
question aside, palm still extended for Clarice to deposit her
business card once she found it.

“Clarice Chantee Mason,” he said. Then with
a quirk of an eyebrow, he asked, “Are you half Asian?”

“Yes,” Clarice said proudly. “I’m half
Cambodian.”

“I’ve been to Cambodia. It’s a lovely
country,” Hunter said.

The truth was Hunter had much involvement
with the Khmer people. Every year his father would hand out large
amounts of funding for different charities. One particular year,
when he turned twenty, he had a very strong desire to go to
Cambodia. He didn’t know why, but he had to go. His dad and Anton
went with him. When they set foot on the land, they immediately
loved it.

Cambodia was breathtakingly beautiful, with
rice fields covering hectares and hectares of countryside that
looked like blades of grass from the distance, grass that reached
up to touch the sky like the ocean here in New Zealand, spanning
from one horizon to the next, as far as the eyes can see.

Wherever there was beauty, there was also
destruction. And that was what happened to the people of Cambodia.
Due to the lack of resources and outside support, the Khmer people
suffered much loss after the destruction of the Khmer Rogue War
from 1975 to 1979. There were many orphans as a result of this, and
the healthcare system was in shambles.

At the conclusion of their visit, his dad
had said he would build a foundation there in Cambodia for the
underprivileged. Upon setting up a charity, further support was
also provided by way of education for small children, building
schools, orphanages, and housing for the families who needed extra
care.