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“Yep.” I’ll go out with Tiffani. I gotta do it for Ev. She’s been living for me and my son for the last four years. It’s time she had her life back.
“That’s good, Hud,” she says, her relieved smile blanketing me in guilt. “Just have fun for a while. Don’t overthink it.”
I salute her. “Will do.”
It’s that moment that Dolly strolls through the front door, looking a tiny bit startled when her eyes land on mine. Taking her in, I almost want to laugh.
Not at how she looks because, Christ on a cracker, she looks way too good for a man my age to be making a comment. She strolls across the living space, tiny jeans so tight that I wonder if she poured herself into them. A baby t-shirt covers her top half, leaving just an inch of exposed belly for my eyes to roam over. Her feet are bare, and her honey hair is wavy today, lips painted cherry red. She smells like jam and perfume, and the tiny smudge of paint on her elbow makes my chest tight.
What had me nearly laughing is thinking that she made her bank card PIN my birthday…on purpose.And that Dahlia Ellington, who probably has every single man in town in a puddle at her feet when she rolls through, punctured the tire of a woman I went to breakfast with becauseshe likes me.
You are fucking delusion, Hudson,I think as I watch her plop down on my kitchen floor alongside my sister, trying on a pair of heels Ev is thinking about wearing with her rehearsal dinner dress. Dolly has the same size foot, so Evlikes her to try them on and walk around to get an idea of how she’d look.
Seems like a lot but then again, I own three pairs of shoes and have only ever owned three pairs of shoes my whole life. And when I got married? I wore one of those pairs. Women are cut from a different cloth.
“Now imagine a long gown covering the top,” Ev says to Dolly as she turns, studying the profile of the strappy glittery thing in the floor-to-ceiling mirror by the door. Everly snaps her fingers. “You know what, I have the rehearsal gown. It’ll be too big on you because you’re tiny, but wanna pop it on? Give the full effect?”
Dolly laughs. “If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.” She smiles, her eyes veering to me. “Hey, Hudson,” she says, acknowledging me formally for the first time since being in my house. Had Tiffani waited so long to say hello I would have been irked. But I like that Dolly is comfortable in my home and comfortable with me.
“Hey, Dol. I hear you’re sleeping over this weekend?” I muse, knowing the plans inside and out but unsure what else to say. My recent unsavory thoughts about Dolly have me feeling awkward. Heat flares up my neck at the memory of me calling Deuce to get his thoughts.
At that moment, he strolls through the door, a stack of pizza boxes in his hand. He hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “I intercepted,” he says, handing the boxes to Ev who rushes over to take them.
Dolly appears in the hallway, wearing Ev’s rehearsal gown. I guess I assumed she’d put it on over her clothes, but nope. In both hands she delicately holds extra fabric,keeping the hem from sweeping the floor as she walks toward us.
I know it’s not a wedding dress.
It’s a rehearsal something or other.
But it’s white.
It’s silk.
And her tiny little curves are on full display.
And I tell myself it’s just that petite frame with those sweet hips and full breasts that has my breath gaining speed, my chest feeling tight, and sweat beading on my upper lip. I bring my hands together, my fingers circling the empty place where my wedding ring used to be.
Dropping my hands to my sides right away when I realize what I’m doing as I watch Dolly and Ev discuss things. Deuce knocks open the box of pizza, plating up a slice for Bear, who runs out when he smells pepperoni. With him eating and the women now back in the bathroom together, Deuce casts knowing eyes on me.
“Don’t say it,” I grumble, tucking into a slice of pizza as I tug another Coke from the fridge. If I’m going to Las Vegas with Deuce and a bunch of younger guys from his tattoo chains, I’m gonna need caffeine. Old dads aren’t used to Vegas life. I’m not sure I’ll enjoy it, but I’ll do it for Deuce.
He smirks, tipping Bear’s stone bucket up. “Gonna skip stones after pizza?” he asks my son.
“Yup,” Bear says around a mouthful.
Deuce looks at me, still smirking. “And how about you? Think she’ll let you go skip stones or is she too obsessed to let you out of her sight?” He catches his explosive grin in a closed fist, chuckling.
“Iamsorry I called you,” I admit, shaking myhead as my pulse rockets. I peer around the corner to the hallway, noticing a swish of denim. Dolly is getting dressed in my house. Dolly is in my house with her pants off.
Stop it, Hudson.
“And don’t… say anything. Just… forget I brought it up,” I breathe.
“Whatcha talking ’bout?” Bear asks, reaching for another slice.
“Your dad thinks a very, very pretty lady likes him,” Deuce says, harassing me so passively that I’m one comment away from bailing on this trip.
“Deuce,” I start, but Everly and Dolly come into the kitchen, sitting on stools opposite Bear.
