AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That was the last time I saw or spoke to Adam. Grace was by my side the minute I called her from that bed later that night. She read me the riot act for not calling her sooner, but then she climbed into bed with me, and we cried together for losing my baby.
The next day, she moved into my tiny house for a week while I recovered. She took time off of work and instead worked at my shop for me as I stayed home and grieved.
Together, we collected everything that was Adam’s and she brought it to his house and collected all of my belongings and brought them back to me. I never had to see or speak to him again, and that was fine with me.
Something snapped in me that day. The only time I cried was when I thought about my baby. Never over the loss of Adam or ‘our plans’.
That was the last time I was with anyone. I haven’t dated or put myself out there since. I’ve been too scared. Too damaged. And it’s been five years.
Sometimes I think back and wonder who my baby would be; a boy or a girl; funny or studious. That’s when I mourn a little for my loss, but then I’m thankful that I never have to see Adam again. There’s no reason to. Besides, I hear he’s got everything he wanted, sort of. He and his family moved to New York, and he works in corporate law at some firm. He’s been married and divorced and is now a part-time father. I only know this because of the alumni newsletter from college and they did a blurb on him once.
Now, here I sit outside Hudson’s home, shaking a little, but excited to see him. It feels like I’m about to turn a page in my life. Like I’m ready to move on; that I’ve healed enough that it’s okay to put myself out there again. And Hudson is the right person to do that with.
A sense of relief fills me, and suddenly my nerves are fine. I’m not shaking or having heart palpitations. I turn off my SUV and see Pepper come running out the opened front door to me as I climb out. “Hi Pepperoni.” I scratch her head as I drink in the tall glass of water leaning on the doorframe, waiting for me with a warm smile. He’s in a pair of old, torn jeans, a black, tight T-shirt and no shoes. What is it about a guy at home in no shoes?
As Grace would say, ‘Yummy.’
CHAPTER 22
HUDSON
Kate sits in her SUV for a few minutes and as I watch her, I half expect her to back out of the driveway and leave. She seems skittish over dating. That’s something I’ll need to flush out of her because, as I’ve discovered today, I cannot get her out of my head. I’ve fallen for her hook, line, and sinker.
To hurry her along, I let Pepper out the front door to greet Kate as I wait by the front door. She smiles at me as she talks to Pepper. I don’t know what she said, but Pepper’s tail is wagging and standing almost straight up. Difficult for an English Mastiff.
“Hi there.” Kate calls out to me as she steps up the two steps to my wrap-around porch. “You have a fantastic place here. Very secluded. Do you have any neighbors?”
“Thank you. Yes, but my closest neighbor isn’t for half a mile in any direction.” I pull her into my arms, and she immediately melts into my embrace.
“Wow. So, no one can hear you scream.” She laughs.
“Do you plan on screaming tonight?” I pull back, but don’t let her out of my arms.
She looks to the ceiling as if she’s pondering something. “The jury is still out on that.” She gives me a suspicious smirk and I’m suddenly turned on. I wasn’t planning on anything activity-wise tonight since she seems to want to take things slow, but I won’t turn her down if she starts something. I lean down and kiss her soft, plump lips. She tastes like honey and smells like orange blossoms.
I guide her into my home before I get too carried away with kissing her, because I could do that all night long. She tastes so sweet. “Welcome. Make yourself at home.”
She walks in and looks around at my craftsman style home with its wood and metal tones with the cream-colored walls. “This is breathtaking, Hudson.” Kate puts her purse down on a barstool and hands me a bottle of red wine.
I take the wine and put it on the counter and then take her hand. “Let me give you the tour.” I wave my hand over the space. “Obviously, this is the great room, dining room, kitchen, and entryway.” Then I lead her down the main hallway. “Over here are three bedrooms.” I point to each room. “Here’s the guest bathroom. And down here is the master bedroom and bathroom.”
Kate walks into my bedroom and the little boy inside of me is giddy with having a girl in my room. “Hudson, you have a beautiful home,” she says as she looks around.
“Thank you. Want some wine?” I offer as I have to get her out of my room before I become very inappropriate with her.
She looks at me but doesn’t move. “I want to tell you something, but it might seem very odd.”
“Odd?”
She laughs and nods. “Yeah. Odd.”
“Okay. I like odd. Go for it.”
Kate’s eyes start roaming around the room, looking at everything but me and fidgeting with the belt loops on her jeans. “Okay. Here it goes. I’m ready.”
“You’re ready.”
“Yes. I’m ready.”
