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I look over my shoulder to make sure Adley is still asleep. “How did you know that?”
“I have eyes everywhere in this town.”
“Are you Buzz Wheel?”
She laughs and hits the steering wheel with her hand. “Hell no…let’s just say there was a chatty chef texting me last night.”
Jeez, Linus. I thought I could trust him.
She pats my knee and squeezes. “Your secret is safe with me. But why are you being secretive about it? I mean, the two of you have a daughter.” She looks in the rearview mirror.
“I don’t know. I’m kind of confused.”
“What?” She stops the car in the middle of the road and stares at me, lowering her voice. “You slept with him without knowing if you had feelings? I hate to break it to you, but bad decision. You two have such a great thing going, and that kinda thing is gonna blow it up.”
“I never said I didn’t have feelings. I just have to make sure this is going to work before we tell Adley.”
She puts her hand over her heart. “Thank God, because that man loves you something fierce, and if you break his heart just because you’re scared?—”
“Why does everyone think I’m scared or I’m gonna run? It’s starting to piss me off.” In truth, it’s only been her and Hudson, but they’re two of the people who know me the best.
“Everyone knows you harbor some things because of your parents’ past.”
I roll my eyes. “I handled that. Sure, it messed with me when I was younger, but you know I don’t like baggage, which is why I let mine go a long time ago.”
She sighs and moves the car forward again. She’s holding something back.
“What, Harp? Just say it.”
“Nothing. I’m happy for you two, and I won’t tell anyone. You know me, you, and Linus keep our secrets between us.”
I nod, but her reaction to my words triggers me to find out exactly what she means.
“Please tell me,” I say as she pulls into my driveway.
She turns off the ignition and faces me. “I hate to break it to you, but everyone has baggage. Your issue with your parents is your baggage, and Hudson might have more baggage than you know.” I open my mouth, and she raises her hand. “Everyone comes with baggage, Palm. Even you. That’s life.”
I open my door and place one foot on the driveway. “I have to go write. Hudson is going to be here shortly to get Adley. Do you mind staying just a little longer?”
She gives me her expression like what the hell is wrong with you, we’re in the middle of a conversation. Then her shoulders sink, and she nods. “Of course. All I have to do today is get with Maven about a bride’s flowers that are on backorder.”
“Thank you. I owe you big.”
“A dedication would be nice.” She smiles.
I hope she understands I heard her, but if I think too hard about what she’s saying, I might freak out and run, and I can’t do that to Hudson. I don’t want to do it to Hudson.
“Done.” I lean forward and kiss her cheek.
I hate leaving Adley after an entire night away from her, but if I don’t finish this book, I can’t feed my little girl. I go inside and change quickly before grabbing my bag and heading to the cabin.
A sense of peace envelops me when I enter the cabin, though my mind is on Hudson. I get myself situated, open my laptop, and read the chapter I wrote about Bea and Pete and the morning after.
The morning after they slept together, Pete went into the kitchen and made pancakes. He didn’t know how Bea was going to react, and he worried that he’d be looking for a new best friend and a new apartment.
He was just finishing the first batch when she walked in, her hair a mess but her cochlear implants in place. He smiled to himself. Last night was one of the best of his life, even if it was a little fuzzy. They had slept together, and it was just as he imagined it would be. Combustive. Explosive.
“Good morning,” he said.
