Page 47 of Engaging with Her Enemy

Cameron shrugged and started his warm-up on the rowing machine. “You could always get one. Addie wanted to go get one next week when her brother, Trevor, came into town to visit.”

“Becky told me a little bit about Addie.” He started to stretch while he waited for Cameron to finish his warm up. He couldn't load the weights on the squat rack with one hand. “You'd never know that she was a computer genius. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't seem dumb, but I wouldn't expect someone like her to live in Statem.” The woman looked like a model. Quiet. Reserved. Becky's exact words were “computer hacker genius,” but he didn't want to offend Cameron by suggesting she did something illegal.

“She is, and I'm lucky because she can do her computer security job anywhere. What about you? Are you thinking of moving back with the way things are going with you and Becky?”

Hudson got into a wall squat for his warm-up, giving himself a few minutes to think about Cameron's question. He couldn't approach Becky directly about it.

But he wanted to ask.

He stood up from the wall and stretched out his legs again. “I'm in love with Becky. Have been since I turned fifteen, and I love her even more now.”

“Have you told her that?” Cameron took a sip of water. “I've figured out that women like to hear it.”

“I have. Twice.”

He grimaced. “I'm guessing it didn't go over well.”

“I wouldn't know. She didn't really acknowledge either time. I know her well enough to know that doesn't mean she does or doesn't love me. She just can't figure it out for herself.” He shrugged. “I'm trying to give her time.” And having to sit back, give her space, was a hard test to endure. He’d finally gotten his hands on her, and he’d do anything to get her to stay with him. The “where” didn’t matter to him.

“But your project is almost complete, right?”

“Yup.” Only a week left. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t come back and visit. He worked for the state and didn’t have any plans on changing.

Cameron shook his head. “Does that mean you go back to Atlanta?”

“Yes. But only because that's where my condo is. I can live anywhere in the state. Perk of being a lead engineer. I work from home mostly and then on the job site. I'd be away from home every other month probably, but I don't see that being an issue.” Especially if he had Becky in Statem. He’d come back as often as possible.

Cameron started loading weights on the bar. “I think Becky would be okay. She's always liked being on her own a little. Plus, she's planning on buying the diner from Ms. Iris. Ms. Iris and Uncle Hugh get married soon, and Ms. Iris wants to retire.”

“Becky told me that much.” He spotted Cameron as he lifted before taking a turn. Would Becky go for it? The commitment? She made it impossible to know where he stood with her. She protected herself. Her heart. And he understood the reasons, but, at some point, she'd have to trust that the people around her that loved her wouldn't judge her disability.

And she needed to trust that he would protect her heart if she gave it to him. He’d die for the girl. Did she know that?

Hudson switched the topic. “What kind of tattoo does Addie want?”

Cameron loaded weight on the bar. “She wants the same design as mine but smaller.”

“On her ribcage like that.”

“Yup.” Cameron toweled off before getting positioned. He straightened under the rack, his voice becoming strained. “I think it will look really good. Thinner lines and tighter design. You could come with us and get one for your time in the military.”

Hudson held his hands under the bar, ready to take it from Cameron's shoulders if needed. “I have enough scarring from the explosion to remind me of what I went through.”

Cameron stopped working out, a mixture of concern and embarrassment lining his face. “Sorry. I didn't think about that.”

“It's no problem. Really. I don't need something else to remind me of what happened. I'll talk to Becky about tagging along with y’all. Might be nice to go somewhere outside of Statem for a change.” Making plans. It made the future seem so easy and so incredibly impossible at the same time.

16

His new morning routine made Hudson enjoy the start of a new workweek. Hard to hate Mondays when they started with Becky in his arms. He'd reached for her an hour before his alarm was due to go off, only to find her semi-awake and wanting the same thing he did.

She'd helped him with his leg, although he didn't need it any longer, and laid back down with a sleepy little smile. No complaints about being up early.

By the time he dressed and started the coffee, she stumbled into the kitchen to grab a cup and circle back around to the bathroom for a shower.

He sat and ate a Danish she'd made that weekend in her new oven at the diner. He scanned through the news on his phone until she bounced into the kitchen, the caffeine and shower having done their part, and lingered over a kiss with him that had him thankful for the simple openings of robes.

Overall, Mondays were fantastic.

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