Page 27 of Promise Me

She doesn’t answer right away, but she, too, crosses her arms.

“Your warm welcome only reassures me that this is exactly where I need to be.”

I think over my words carefully. I’m pretty sure assuming she hit her head much harder than we all imagined isn’t right. But how else do we explain that she thinks coming to my place is where she needs to be?

I should call Linc.

“By all means, please take your time to decide.”

She leans against my doorframe, and my gaze slowly drinks her in.

Her hair is pulled into a messy bun on her head. She isn’t wearing any makeup. Her loose T-shirt and cotton shorts hit her midthigh, and her green slip-on sneakers cover her feet. She doesn't have a purse or anything else in her hands.

And she’s scowling.

“Come on, Hudson, let me in.”

Rejection is on the tip of my tongue, but I promised her brother I wouldn’t fight with her, so instead of telling her no, I step back to give her space.

Her shoulders drop.

“Thank you,” she says and walks past me, a flowery scent floating trailing behind her. I breathe deep, my heart pounding inside my chest.

What the fuck is that?

I shut the door, watching her move to the couch. Slowly, so as not to draw attention to the rabid animal in my apartment, I move toward my kitchen, where my phone sits.

“Let me guess, you’re going to text my brother.”

I freeze.

He did tell me to, but that’s not why I’m doing it.

“We both know he’ll freak out the moment he notices you aren’t in your house.”

“How do you know he didn’t tell me to leave?”

I let out a huff of laughter. “Yeah, okay. Linc Collins told his little sister, who hates me, to go to my apartment. That makes total sense.”

She rolls her eyes at me and then lies down on my couch, pulling the white fleece blanket my sister got me for my birthday last year off the back of the sofa and over her body, curling up like she plans to stay.

“I don’t care what you say to him, but …”

I hold my phone in my hands, my thumb hovering over what I should text him as I wait for her to finish her sentence.

“I need space, and I came here because you’re the one person I know isn’t going to baby me or try to remind me of anything.”

I swallow, the pain in her voice hitting my chest harder than I anticipated.

I’ll never forget the questions after my injury. It was like everyone expected me to have a plan from the moment I was released from the hospital. Are you staying in Washington? Are you going to find a way to stay with the team? Do you think you’ll get a new job?

I didn’t have a single answer; I only wanted some space to figure it out.

I type out a quick message.

Hudson

Sadie just showed up at my door. I know you’re going to be pissed, but she’s fine. She’s resting on the couch. Just let her stay here for a bit.

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