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When the buzzer sounded from the scoreboard, the ref blew his whistle to get the teams back onto the court. With them having moved to make room for her parents, Kayleigh’s arm was pressed against Hudson’s, and she was close enough to get a whiff of his cologne.
She enjoyed his nearness, but she knew she shouldn’t focus on it. Shouldn’t allow the thoughts and feelings that being close to him evoked to take root in her heart.
Unfortunately, her best intentions weren’t good enough, and her attention was divided between the game and Hudson. He was surprisingly caught up in the game, cheering as loudly as everyone else. His excitement just added another layer of attraction to what she already felt.
When the game ended and the home team had won by four points, Hudson was on his feet, clapping and cheering along with the rest. Though having him there wasn’t doing her emotional state any favors, it seemed that this outing might have been something that Hudson had really needed.
“I’m glad that they won,” Hudson said once the noise had settled a bit. “Even though I don’t know anyone on the team.”
“I don’t really either, now that Cole’s graduated,” Kayleigh told him. “But since Jay is coaching, I’m always invested in a win for the team.”
“He seems like a great coach.” Hudson said as they followed the others down the steps. “He has a pretty cool head.”
“He does,” Kayleigh agreed. “I think that comes from having played the sport for as long as he has. He’s been on both sides of the bench.”
“Why doesn’t he coach as his job?”
“The school already has a coach who has been here forever.”
“And there’s no chance that Jay would take the job?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest. He’s really only interested in basketball and not the other sports that the school offers. Certainly not football. But if he decided to coach full time, the family would support him, though I’m sure he’d be missed at the clinic.”
“They wouldn’t try to convince him to stay at the clinic?” Hudson asked as they stepped out of the gym into the wide hallway that led to the front doors of the school. “Or tell him he needed to use his education and not waste it by becoming a coach?”
“No.” Kayleigh could say that with absolute certainty. “For starters, we’re adults, so my parents let us make our own decisions. Not that they don’t give advice. But they also want us to follow the path God leads us on, and sometimes, that doesn’t necessarily make sense to others.”
Hudson didn’t say anything in response to that, and Kayleigh wondered if he somehow felt trapped in the career he had. She was grateful that where she felt God wanted her, lined up with her desire to work at the hotel.
“It was nice to meet you, Hudson,” her dad said as they gathered on the sidewalk in front of the school. “I hope we get to spend more time with you.”
Hudson shook his hand. “If I’m here for any length of time, I’m sure you’ll see me around.”
Some of them were heading off to get some ice cream, and Kayleigh knew that she and Hudson would have been welcome to go with them, but she didn’t even suggest it.
After saying goodbye to the others, Kayleigh drove them back to Charli’s so Hudson could get his car.
“Thanks so much for including me in this evening,” Hudson said as they stood next to her car in front of Charli’s house. “It was a lot of fun.”
“And a nice break from work,” she added.
He smiled at her. “Definitely that.”
“I hope you don’t work too much over the weekend.”
“Can’t make too many promises about that,” Hudson said. “But even if I do, at least I can tell my assistant that I did something that wasn’t work related tonight.”
“Does she get after you about the hours you work?”
“He. And yes, Caleb keeps reminding me there’s more to life than work.”
“Well, for me, that life outside of work usually involves all the housework I didn’t get done during the week. And honestly, sometimes I think I’d rather be at work.”
Hudson chuckled. “I can understand that.”
A gust of wind swept by them, and Kayleigh shivered as she ran her hands up and down her arms. She wasn’t dressed for standing around out in the winter night air.
If this had been a date, she could have stepped into the warmth of Hudson’s arms, but it wasn’t. And she needed to not even let her mind go down that path.
