“Why are you staring at Hudson like a creep?”
I blink back into focus, Hadley staring at me with a semi-disgusted look on her face.
“I wasn’t,” I snap. “I was just… daydreaming.”
“Yeah, that’s bullshit, babe. You’ve been watching me closer than whoever is stalking me.” Hud chuckles and shoves a handful of Skittles in his mouth.
“Don’t compare me to that fucking psychopath.” My voice is measured, trying hard to not lose it on him.
“It was just a joke, babe.” Hudson rubs my back, his smile lopsided. “It’s better to laugh about it than to cry.”
“Yeah. Hilarious,” I grumble.
Hud rolls his eyes and goes back to whatever he was talking to Hadley about.
I can’t help but bore my eyes into the side of his head. Like if I stare hard enough I can see what is going on inside his brain.
Hud sighs and turns back to face me. His jaw is tense, his eyes hard. “What?”
“Nothing.” My attention goes to the TV that no one has been watching, but I can’t help it as my gaze slowly shifts back to Hud.
“You’re being super weird, Cullen,” Hadley accuses. “He’s not going to vanish right in front of you.”
Easy for her to say since he did almost vanish right in front of me. I literally watched as his heart stopped beating.
“Mind your business, Hadley,” I snarl.
I’m being hauled up by my elbow and dragged to the kitchen before I can even blink.
Hud is in front of me, eyes locked on mine. “What the hell is going on? Hadley is right, you’ve been acting weird all day.”
I don’t want Hud to know that I’m freaking out abouthislack of freaking out, so I deflect. “Can’t I look at my boyfriend? You’re pretty hot, you know.”
Hudson doesn’t smile at my flirting. “Wanna try that again without lying to my face?”
The fight drains out of me. I pull out a kitchen chair and plop down, my head in my hands.
He sits next to me and pulls my hands away, his eyes concerned.
“What’s going on?”
Hud waits patiently as I gather myself.
“Are you okay?” I finally ask. “I mean, after everything with Ella?”
His smile is gentle, his thumb coming up to caress my cheek. “I’m doing better than I thought I’d be doing.”
“You sure you’re not—I mean…” I sigh, not sure how I want to word my question.
“Just say it plainly, Cull.”
Fuck. He can always see right through me.
“I’m just… worried, I guess.”
Hud cocks his head. “Worried about what?”
“If you’re really facing it. If you’re dealing with Ella’s death?”
