“Sure. We keep stock of it all here for emergencies. It’ll be good to stick a needle in you.”
Shit. I didn’t think that through. “Needle?” I fucking hate needles too.
“Yeah. How else do you think the venom goes into your body?” Hudson chuckles. He’s such an asshole. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
“On a scale from one to ten, how bad does it look?”
Hudson looks down at me, the grin on his face telling me it’s bad. My lips feel fat and full, my throat scratchy and my eyes watery.
Without answering, he pulls out his phone. “Say cheese…”
“Asshole,” I grumble.
“Well, you still have an allergy to bees. You look like you've had too much lip filler, cheek filler, and no sleep for over a month.”
“Fuck. When does it wear off?”
“Should calm down in an hour or so. Here.” Hudson passes me an ice pack that I press to my face. I look at the clock on the wall, seeing it’s midafternoon. For the first time in weeks, I’m not going to make it to the diner. I can’t go there looking like this.
“So, you want to tell me the real reason you're doing this?”
I eyeball my best friend. He’s caught me in a vulnerable state.
Taking a deep breath, I relent. “Fine. You know Nikki from the diner?”
“Fuck, is this over a girl?”
“Listen, mister, I won't take no for an answer and send my girl hundreds of gifts, including live butterflies. She has a thing for bees. They are important to her.”
Hudson fell fast and hard for Lacy. Something I’m starting to understand more and more.
“So what? You’re going through all this to be a beekeeper for her or something?” He looks at me like I’m crazy.
“Maybe.” I shrug, kind of liking the idea of making my own honey. Maybe I can sell jars of it on that noticeboard Nikki mentioned.
Trying to figure me out, his eyes search my face. “Aren’t you going to go back to LA?”
“Maybe I’ll stick around. It worked out okay for you here.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “I have family here. I grew up here. It’s good for Harvey to be here.”
“I have family here too. I have two new nephews to get to know.”
“Whispers is not Hollywood, Sutton.” He sounds like my brother. I’m not sure why they both think I’m so tied to LA. I mean, sure, I’ve lived there for most of my life and have loved the lifestyle. But the older I get, the less of it I want.
“Maybe that’s what I want.”
“Is it?” he asks me, more seriously now.
I think about his question, wondering if I could really leave my career and LA behind. I’ve built my brand there, have networks and contacts there. But maybe those aren’t even necessary anymore.
“Maybe.”
“It’s a big move. Especially for a woman.”
My eyes flick back to him, but I remain silent. There are many things in Whispers that keep me connected. Friends, family, peace, and privacy. But Nikki is new, and I shouldn’t be making big decisions based on a woman I’ve just met, only kissed once, and who I don’t even truly know who she is.
“Yeah. But I feel like it’s the right one.” I feel it in my soul. He looks surprised but nods. He knows. He practically did the same thing with his girl Lacy.
