Page 90 of Georgia-Blue & Hudson

She laughs. “Well, he does have those loose hips all the women in town love when he swaggers around. So are his bull riding days over?” She gives me a wink.

My face drops and I look down at my hands.

“Shit, Georgia.”

I glance up at her, unable to keep up the merriment.

“You’ve already fallen for him, haven’t you?”

“It’s pretty hard not to fall. He was so different this weekend.” Of course I haven’t told her about the nightmare and the other private things we discussed about his mom. “And a big part was the sex, but it wasn’tjustthat. We really connected.”

“Are you going to keep seeing each other?”

I shake my head. “We decided to keep it quiet and basically pretend it never happened. I mean, we can’t keep it going now that we’re home. He’s paranoid as it is about Gray finding out.”

“You’re a grown woman,” she huffs. “And are you really going to be able to pretend it never happened?”

“My head is saying one thing, my heart is saying another, and my body is all over the place.”

“I bet it is.”

“I guess he doesn’t feel the same. I mean, Gray aside, it would be kind of weird for everyone, especially since he’s been around for as long as I can remember. They’d freak out.”

Celeste narrows her eyes. “Who cares what everyone else thinks? You have to think about yourself and whatyouwant. Screw everyone else. You were there so much for me when I needed it the most last year. And I’ll never forget what you did for me after my blow up wedding disaster.” She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “If it weren’t for you, I may have never taken the plunge to be with Callan again.”

Celeste was left at the altar by her ex after he swindled her for his green card. It was a mess.

“That’s what friends are for, and you’re so perfect together.”

“And as a friend, I’m just saying; I don’t think you two have really thought this through. And how do you know he doesn’t feel the same way? Did you ask him?”

My eyes are wide when I say, “No! And if he did, he would’ve said something. It’s clear he doesn’t and I need to accept it.”

“Babe…”

“He’s Gray’s best friend, he’s thirteen years older than me, the list goes on…”

I never wanted a pity party.

I button my lip as our food and coffee are served but I can’t mistake the sadness overshadowing me. I miss him already, and that’s dangerous.

This is going to be impossible.

24

Hudson

When I arrive home, I sling my bag in the doorway, immediately heading over to my dad’s place. I need to catch up with him and get Moses since he’s been looking after him while I’ve been away.

Dad smiles when he sees me. “Son.” He gives me a big pound hug, thumping me on the back. He was never much of a hugger growing up but he’s softened in his old age.

“Hey Dad, how’s things?”

“Nothin’ much new in the five days you’ve been gone.”

I chuckle as Moses saunters out from his post by the window in the sun. He sidles up to me and I reach down to pick him up, snuggling him in close. “You been behaving, little guy?”

Dad laughs. “You know Moses, he’s on his own clock. And he’s been sleeping on my bed.”

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