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The relief on Kayleigh’s face was immense. “I really appreciate that. I’m not asking for special consideration for him, just that he not be judged before all the evidence has been brought forward.”
“It’s the only way to handle this.”
Kayleigh frowned. “But there are people involved in this who wouldn’t have a problem naming Wilder and talking about the accusations. Then, even when his name is cleared, people will always assume it was because of his connection to me.”
Hudson knew she was right, but he wasn’t sure how to prevent that from happening.
“The fact that Liz didn’t come directly to me with this isn’t sitting well with me, either. I’d always considered us friends as well as co-workers. I would have thought that as soon as this person came to her that she’d have come to me. Instead, I heard about it from Stephanie.”
“She followed the correct procedure in contacting HR first,” Hudson said. “But I do agree that it’s a bit odd that she wouldn’t mention it to you, given your friendship. And I’m assuming she also knows Wilder.”
“She does,” Kayleigh said. “But it feels like she doesn’t even care about the impact this would have on us. I would have thought she’d call once Stephanie had spoken to me.”
The more she talked, the more Hudson’s suspicions grew. He made a mental note to look into Liz. Kayleigh wasn’t seeing a more malicious motive in what was happening, but Hudson wasn’t looking at things through the eyes of friendship.
Kayleigh was a great manager because she interacted so well with the employees and guests, and she also tended to see the best in people. That was a great quality, unless someoneneededto be able to see nefarious reasons behind people’s actions. She wouldn’t be as likely to even look for them.
Hudson, however, had learned from Alexander. It was a rare thing that he gave someone the immediate benefit of the doubt. That he looked for the good in a person before being suspicious of them.
Even in this case with Wilder, he was able to believe in Wilder’s innocence because of his interactions with the man. If what was happening with Wilder was the first time he dealt with Wilder and Kayleigh, he probably wouldn’t be as likely to accept Kayleigh’s insistence that Wilder was innocent.
He decided not to challenge Kayleigh about her view of Liz just yet. Her focus needed to be on Wilder, and he understood and supported that for her own sake and for her brother’s.
The attendant came by to bring him his meal, setting it down in front of him. Hudson thanked her, then turned his attention back to his phone, which was propped up against his empty coffee mug on the table in front of his seat.
Kayleigh smiled and said, “Are you going to show me your food?”
Hudson laughed as he picked up his phone and angled it to show her his plate. The food he got on these flights spoiled him for the ones he got when he flew commercial. The plate was large, and the substantial portion size would more than satisfy the hunger he had since he hadn’t eaten much for lunch.
“That looks delicious,” Kayleigh said.
“It smells delicious too.” Hudson inhaled deeply, then picked up his silverware.
Eating together virtually should have felt a little weird, but it didn’t. He just enjoyed being able to spend this time with her after having not seen her for a few days.
As they ate, they continued to talk. First, they discussed topics related to work, and he shared what had transpired at the hotel in Baton Rouge. Kayleigh seemed to be interested in what had happened, asking him many questions.
Soon, however, their conversation veered away from business to personal. Kayleigh told him that she’d decided not to go to the pizza night at her sisters’ house, even before she’d heard about the accusations against Wilder.
“I wouldn’t have been able to be around them and not say anything,” Kayleigh said. “So it was good that I’d already told them that I wasn’t going to make it.”
“You don’t go every week?” Hudson asked as he set his silverware on his empty plate and slid it away from him.
She shook her head. “No. I love my siblings, but after a busy week at work, sometimes I just want some peace and quiet. So I’d told them I wasn’t going to be there tonight.”
“Is there a game this weekend?”
“Yes, but it’s an away game, so Jay is traveling with the team.”
“Do you go to the away games?”
“Not anymore. Will normally goes with him. He’s Jay’s best friend, and he’s a basketball fan, so he doesn’t mind going to all the games, even the out-of-town ones. Janessa has been going with him, too, now that they’re dating.”
Like Hudson had been at that age, Xander was into basketball and had made the team at his private school. Hudson had never been to his games, however, since it would have looked strange for him, a company employee, to attend.
Xander would always send Hudson videos that Candace had taken of his games, so he’d been able to see him play. Going to the game at the high school in Serenity had made Hudson think that maybe he should try to at least make it to one of Xander’s games. As long as Alexander didn’t object.
Kayleigh began to eat her dessert, and soon Hudson had a piece of cheesecake in front of him.
