Page 30 of Engaging with Her Enemy

“Why don't you be a sweetheart and drive me home yourself? Then stay awhile.” With his eyes locked with Hudson's, he sneered. “The way you used to.”

Hudson's fists balled tight before he flattened them on his thighs to keep from springing at the man. Becky was about the only thing that would cause him to lose his cool. How had she dated such a lowlife?

“I'm not going home with you. Ever. We broke up.”

“Naw,” he said, leaning against the doorjamb. “You just had your monthly thing.”

Hudson decided right then that he'd never witnessed Becky steaming mad other than the night at Prom. Her face began to turn a shade of red. Her mouth opened and closed twice before she squeezed her fists into tight balls and stomped her foot.

“Listen here you piece—”

“Tommy?” Rhonda called, stepping in and linking her arm through his. “There you are. Thought you'd skipped out on your tab.” Through gritted teeth, she added, “again. I'd hate to have to call the Sheriff.”

Becky pulled out her phone. “I'll call him for you.”

Tommy let Rhonda pull him out the door, his eyes locked on Becky in a way that made the hair on the back of Hudson's neck rise.

The shutters swung back and forth a moment before settling.

He rose, pulling Becky to his chest. Feeling her safe against him, even if it was as a friend, helped cool his own temper with the asshole.

“Dumbass,” she mumbled against his chest.

“I hope you're referring to your ex-boyfriend and not me.” He kissed the top of her head and felt her stiffen slightly. A different reaction than the one at her house last time. He let her go, not wanting to push the point.

Her laugh sounded forced. “Yes, my ex.” Hudson opened his mouth, but she held up a hand. “Don't. He didn't act like this when we were together.”

“He didn't get drunk?”

“Not like that. He wasn't ever mean or anything, just a mile-wide chauvinist streak that he revealed as he proposed to me.” She shook her head. “Even if he hadn't given me the ultimatum, I wouldn't have married him. I wasn't in love with him.”

“Then why did you date him for so long?”

She sat back down, pulling her book to the spot in front of her. “Lonely, I guess. Everyone had either moved on or had someone. Juliana left to finish college, and Cameron started dating Addie. Nash was with Lexi, opening the store and fixing up his house. And here I was, left behind. Tommy gave me someone to talk to. Someone to do things with.”

He understood, but it didn't make it any less unsettling to picture the two of them together. She didn't owe him any explanation. He didn't have any claim on her other than a friend looking out for a friend.

“I want to study.” She threw her hands up. “Great.”

Barry slowly opened one side of the shutter. His eyes were glazed and bloodshot like he hadn't slept in a week. He opened his mouth to speak.

“Don't,” Hudson said. “We don't have anything to say to one another.”

“I have plenty to say to you.” He sniffed and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. Hudson thought Becky shuddered beside him. “I lost my job because of you.” His eyes focused on Becky. “You think you're too good for a guy like me?”

Hudson stood, glad that Barry had to look up a couple inches to meet his eyes. “Leave before this gets worse for you.”

“You better watch out, city-boy. You think you're something else, don't you, sleepin' with a hick like this one?”

Becky's hand shot out, catching Hudson's forearm as he took his first step. He didn't pull against her. She didn't stand a chance holding him back, but her light touch stopped him cold. The entire situation would get worse if he lashed out at Barry. No matter how good it might feel.

“Oh, good gracious.” Rhonda stepped in behind Barry, but her eyes were on Hudson. “The two of you attract the most peculiar customers, I swear.” She patted Barry on the shoulder. “C'mon. I'll pour you into a cab, too. Although, judging by how much you shorted your bar tab, I'm guessin' you're flat out of money.”

“I'll cover it.” Hudson waited until they left before sitting back down. Becky's chair seemed closer to his. He took a deep breath, letting it go slowly and trying to release the pent-up aggression.

“I'm not sure a public place is the right place for us to study.”

He half-laughed at the casual statement. “Probably not.”

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