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“Maybe if the format’s changed?”
“Nah, he’s just melting down over an ex. He seems to have gotten through the crying phase and into raging, though, so give him a few weeks and he’ll be fine.”
I made the turn for ferry parking and searched for a spot, finding one around the corner. “He always was the serial dater of you three. Look up ‘hopeless romantic,’ and I bet his picture’s there.”
“That’s the truth. I think Sawyer’s wanted the picket fence family since we were kids playing with Ken dolls. He’d load up a Barbie van with a soccer team’s worth of babies and pretend to take them to school.”
“Aww, that’s kinda endearing, no?”
Hudson shrugged as he popped open his door. “It’ll definitely take the pressure off giving my parents grandkids.”
Shit.
Kids. Babies. Starting a family.
As we grabbed our bags and headed onto the ferry, I realized I’d never really thought that far into the future. I’d been so focused on the one person I never thought I’d have again that the rest of it didn’t ping my radar. It sounded so foreign to me, like something other people did.
Was that something Hudson wanted? When we were together before, we talked about our future in terms of us, him and me, but we were so young then, and things were different.
I followed Hudson to the top deck, where he found us a spot along the rail. It was a shockingly nice day out—the sun was bright, the temperature mild—but the waves were still a little choppy. It made for a nice view, though, and I moved in beside Hudson so that our arms touched.
“H… Have you ever thought about it?”
“Thought about what?”
“You know…starting a family.”
He pushed his sunglasses up and looked at me with curious eyes. “Why do you ask?”
“It occurred to me I’ve never asked. Seems kinda important to be on the same page.”
“Huh. I’ve never really thought about it in a serious way, to be honest.”
I let out a deep breath. “Thank God. If you’d said you wanted a rock band of kids, I might’ve pitched myself overboard.”
He grinned. “I would’ve had to jump in after you, so maybe keep yourself on this side of the rail.”
“No need. I’m firmly planted now.”
“I take that to mean youdon’twant kids?”
“I’m in the same boat as you.” I looked around and rolled my eyes. “I mean, yeah, literally too, but I just never thought about it. Maybe one day. Or maybe not. They seem like a lot of work.”
Hudson busted out laughing, and I took a minute to enjoy the picture he made—happy and grinning, hair whipping in the breeze. I’d watched him on the dance floor at the gala, wishing I could make him smile the way he had that night, and here he was now, doing just that. AndI’dbeen the one to put that smile there.
It was even better than getting a hundred reactions from him for the abundance of witty insults over the years.
“Glad we’re on the same page,” he said, resting his elbows on the rail as the ferry began to move.
I reached over, running my hand along the back of his just to touch him.
“What about the rest of your family—how are they? Rome? Your parents?”
“Rome’s good, just busy. I feel like I see him every three months for a couple of days, and then he’s off to the next shoot.”
“How tragic, a movie star brother.”
“His fans probably know more about what he’s got going on than I do.” Hudson shrugged as he ran his fingers alongside mine. “Parents are both doing well, about to celebrate their thirty-fifth anniversary in a few months.”
