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He unlocked the truck and waited, but instead of climbing inside, she walked to his window, and he was afraid she was going to bail.
“You getting in?” he asked, quietly.
“No.” Rebecca motioned to her car. “I’ll follow you.”
She didn’t give him a chance to respond, so Hudson waited until she was in her car, and when she was ready, they headed out along River Road. He was following her—she knew the way—and eventually, the darkness swallowed them whole.
Chapter 18
Rebecca was crazy. Obviously. She concentrated on the road as it curved, palms sweaty, her headlights cutting a swath of illumination across the quiet country road. On the left, thick trees stood tall and silent, lining the road like silent soldiers, while the lake glistened to her right, the stars reflecting off the top like diamonds. She’d cracked her window a bit, grateful for the crisp air. She needed it to clear her head and maybe find some kind of sanity again.
Because really…heading back to Hudson’s? Had she lost her ever-lovin’ mind?
She glanced in the rear-view mirror. What the hell was she thinking? The sad truth was that any semblance of common sense she possessed had fled the second he’d stepped foot back in Crystal Lake. But she couldn’t seem to help herself. His orbit was too damn strong, and every time she was near him, he sucked her right back in.
To make matters worse, it didn’t matter if she was pissed, because she’d had one hell of an anger on tonight, and in the end, it did nothing to prop her up. Never had she had such dark thoughts about her sister-in-law. She loved Lily. Trusted her implicitly.
Apparently not when Hudson was around.
“Jesus, Becca. Get your shit together.”
The Blackwells’ stone entrance came into sight, and she turned into the driveway. It wove through spruce and pine, and then their house came into view. It was impressive—always had been—stone and brick and windows. And nestled on an incline that gave an impressive view of the lake, one that was hard to find anywhere else.
As she cut the engine, Rebecca’s stomach took a dive and she broke out into a cold sweat. She hadn’t been here in years, but really, if she closed her eyes, it felt like only yesterday. She glanced up at the house, aware that Hudson had pulled up beside her. His headlights went out, and only the muted pot lights that accented the main entrance shone down on them.
Potted mums in rust, yellow, and deep burgundy lined the path that led to the wide entrance, and on either side of the double glass doors stood tall slate-gray pots filled with greens and berries. A soft smile crossed her face. Darlene.
Rebecca sat there for a good long while, wrestling with the thought that she should just fire up the engine, turn around, and head home. But that orbit… It was hard to ignore, and with a small sigh, she got out of her car.
Hudson was leaning against his truck, watching her. Shadows fell over him, and she couldn’t see his face, but she felt the intensity of his gaze and shivered in the damp, cold air. An owl hooted in the distance, and she turned toward the lake. She’d forgotten how much she loved it here. The forest. The water. Surrounded by the kind of pristine nature that was hard to find in town. Only the rich lived out here. Other than Mackenzie making a name for himself in New York City, the Drapers had never had deep pockets.
The owl hooted once more and flew overhead, its wings cutting through the stillness and quiet with great big swoops. Melancholy stole Rebecca’s breath, and with a start, she took a few steps toward the house, but then paused, eyes on the boathouse. Water lapped against the dock, shimmery as silk. The sound was gentle, and something about it soothed her—made the jitteriness melt away.
She headed for the steps that led to the dock and was halfway down when she heard Hudson’s boots behind her. She kept moving and hopped onto the dock, walking to the edge so that nothing obscured her view of the water.
Her breath vaporized on the breeze, and she knew when Hudson stopped—she felt him inches from her back. Right then, a need so strong rolled through her that Rebecca almost leaned back, wanting the feel of his arms around her. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, listening to the gentle waves, letting the sound wash over her.
After a while, she was able to breathe easier.
“Do you remember the first time I brought you here?” His voice was low, husky, and intimate. It rolled over Rebecca like warm spiced whiskey. And along with it, so many memories.
She nodded and whispered, “Yes.” A smile touched her face. “I was terrified.”
“Terrified?” Hudson moved to the side. She felt his eyes on her. “Why?”
She glanced up at him. “You were Hudson Blackwell, and I was just…” Her gaze fell away. “I was Rebecca Draper. You lived here on the lake, and I lived in a little house off Burwick Street, filled with a bunch of kids, a mother who acted like a Stepford wife most of the time, and a drunk father who was mean as hell.”
“I’m sorry. I never knew how bad it was. Not until a few years ago when I was home and heard Ben had beaten your mother so badly, she was in the hospital for over a week.” His voice caught. “If I’d known…”
“If you’d known?” She cut him off sharply and took another step toward the edge of the dock.
“I would have done something about it.”
Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “There was nothing anyone could do. Kind of hard when your mom is in denial and your dad looks like freaking Brad Pitt. He was the most charming man in Crystal Lake. Hell, probably the entire state of Michigan. No one stood a chance when he leveled those eyes of his on them. And the line of bull he came up with to explain shit? He should have been a writer. He was that creative.”
Silence fell between them again, but it wasn’t a comfortable sort of thing. Rebecca felt the tension like a band of steel coiled around her midsection. She shook out her arms, and they fell loosely to her sides. A splash sounded on her right, and she wondered what animal had decided to venture into the cold water.
“You took me out on Glory.”
