Page 118 of Georgia-Blue & Hudson

I stare up at the doctor like he has all the answers. “When can we see him?”

“Give him a little while to come out of recovery, then immediate family only.” He eyes the waiting room, mostly covered with all our family members and shakes his head. “With the exception of one or two.”

“Thank you, Doc.” Huck shakes his hand. “Appreciate it.”

The longest few hours of my life awaits.

Hudson is going to be okay. That’s all that matters. And when he wakes up, I’m going to tell him how much I love him until he’s sick of hearing it.

I’ll never hold back my feelings ever again, even if it means I’m open and vulnerable. We’ve made it this far, and Hudson survived this awful accident.

Beau’s right. It’s my time. No, it’sourtime. And I’m gonna make damn sure that he knows it.

??

When Hudson’s eyes open, I fall to his side and bury my head into his neck. “Hudson!”

Huck stands on the other side of the bed. We were allowed in, but nobody else until Hudson wakes up properly and is ready for visitors. Seeing him all banged up like this not only reminds me how precious life is, but how precarious it can be. I, of all people, know this. After all, I’m always the one telling other people to just go for it and not care about what anyone else thinks. Here I’ve been hiding away like we’re ashamed of ourselves.

“Blue Belle?” he croaks.

“Hudson, I’m here. Your dad’s here too.”

“Where am I?”

“The hospital,” I whisper. “You had an accident. Gray found you on the trail.”

He coughs. “I’m not dead?”

Huck chuckles. “No chance you’re leavin’ me with that big ol’ bull now, Son. You’re gonna be fine. You split your knee again and cracked some ribs, but nothin’ that won’t heal.”

“Gray?” He coughs. “I saw Gray.”

“He found you,” I whisper. “He’s so sorry, Hudson. He didn’t mean?—”

“He didn’t do nothin’. If I had a sister, I’d be the same. We never should’ve hidden it.”

“That doesn’t matter now.”

He coughs and a nurse hovers close by. “He’s going to need to rest,” she tells us. “A few more minutes.”

Huck lays his hand over mine and squeezes his son's shoulder at the same time. “Love you, Son. I’ll be right outside.”

Hudson smiles, his eyes closing. “Love you, Dad.”

I turn to Huck. “You don't have to go.”

He smiles. “I’ve seen all I need to see.” He nips my chin. “Welcome to the family.”

Tears form in my eyes at the gesture as he walks out to the hallway.

I glance down at the man I love. “I’m sorry we didn’t do this sooner,” I whisper.

His eyes flutter open. “Don’t be sorry. It was worth waitin’ for.”

“You don’t regret it?”

“Never.”

---