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My eyes bugged wide at the picture he made as his lips curved into a smile.
“Surprise,” he said.
I had to be hallucinating. First, there was no way Hudson would ever think of showing up at my parents’ house, and second, I’d spoken to him this morning. He was still in the Hamptons with his family, where he’d been all Christmas break.
Right?
Snow flurries swept around his dark hair, melting instantly. “I came back a couple days early,” he said, answering the question in my eyes. But when I couldn’t seem to pick my jaw up off the ground, his smile faltered. “Is that okay?”
“Yes,” I said quickly. “Sorry, I’m just kind of in shock right now.”
“Oh yeah?” That smile came back, and damn, I’d missed it. It was boyish and a little shy. “So…a good surprise?”
“A fucking great surprise.” I stepped down onto the landing, hardly noticing the freezing crunch of snow under my bare feet. Curling my fingers around the opening of his jacket, I drew him toward me.
“Gonna invite me in?” he said, his voice low.
“I was thinking about it.” But before I could kiss him the way I wanted to, Hudson’s eyes went over my shoulder and he hesitated.
“Um, hi.” He pulled back from me as he addressed my parents, who had decided to finally make their appearance.
Great timing. Really.
“I didn’t invite him all this way to get pneumonia on our stoop,” Mom said. “Come on in, Hudson, it’s freezing out. And Drew, where are your shoes?”
I let go of Hudson’s jacket and stepped aside so he could head inside.
“Thank you for the invite,” he said.
“Well, we’ve heard so much about you, it seemed only right to have you over.” Mom swatted my arm. “Drew. Shoes. Now.”
I groaned at the reprimand and walked in, shoving my feet into a pair of slippers by the door. Honestly, parents were so embarrassing. There was a reason you didn’t let them meet the people you dated until it was absolutely necessary.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a flutter in my stomach that Hudson was here. That he’d cut short his visit with his family to come see me.
Maybe he had it just as bad for me as I did for him.
The thought gave me a cheesy grin, and my dad caught my eye and winked.
Busted. Heat crept into my cheeks as Hudson handed my mom the flowers, and I scrubbed a hand over my face like that would erase the blush.
“Hudson, these flowers are beautiful, thank you,” Mom said.
My dad shook Hudson’s hand and looked him over with an appraising eye. “I hear you’re the best in your class. Maybe some of that work ethic could rub off on Drew with all the time you’re spending together.”
“Gee, thanks. You say that like I don’t juggle extra classes with frat duties,” I said.
“Frat parties aren’t going to help you run a company.”
My mom touched his arm. “Honey, not tonight.” She glanced my way and must’ve seen how red I was—both from embarrassment and my rising annoyance—because she cleared her throat and inclined her head at Dad. “Why don’t you help me find a vase for these?”
Dad nodded at Hudson before following her lead, and they headed off to the kitchen.
Hudson turned toward me. “What was that about?”
“Just the usual stop-fucking-around-and-be-a-boss-man crap. No biggie.”
“You sure?”
