Page 46 of Engaging with Her Enemy

She took out her phone and took a picture and texted it to him. Sex had complicated things. Or it would, once he left. When they moved back into the friend-zone. Long-distance acquaintances. She'd die listening to him talk about other women. What about when he finally got married? God, and when he had kids!

“What put that look on your face?”

Becky sent the text, keeping her eyes averted. “Nothing.”

He texted back right away. Becky laughed. “Hudson said Cameron has requested free cupcakes for life for all the favors I've called in lately.”

“Cameron already gets free coffee for life.” Ms. Iris's smile fell. “I was a little worried, you know, about you and Hudson getting serious. Afraid that he'd swoop you up and take you to Atlanta.” Ms. Iris set her arm around Becky's shoulders. A floral perfume mixed with the usual smell of the diner clung to her dress. “Thought he'd be the push you needed to finally leave this town. Just like Juliana.”

“Juliana will be back. They've already decided to make Statem their home aside from Grayson being on set for a movie or his show. He's already purchased a large chunk of land in the south part of the county to give them privacy. Besides, I don't want to move to Atlanta. Statem is my home.”

“But Hudson—”

“Hasn't said anything about what we'll do after the next week and a half is up. We'll always be friends. Best friends.” No matter how hard that proved to be. “It doesn't mean this thing between us is a forever type of thing.”

Ms. Iris threw her hands in the air. “Do you hear yourself? You're willing to let someone that you admit is one of your best friends walk out of your life because...” She waited for a beat, crossing her arms. “Exactly. You don't have a reason. Ask him to stay.” She faced Becky, setting her hands on her shoulders. “I've waited over forty years to reunite with my best friend. Hugh Campbell had a wonderful marriage to a wonderful woman until she passed. I never held it against him, and he's never held my late husband against me. But, coming together now, after all these years, is magical. It must be the same for you and Hudson. Like time stood still for the two of you.”

Becky started to speak, but Ms. Iris shook Becky’s shoulders. “Don't overthink things. Hudson is a great guy.” She winked. “And easy on the eyes. In another fifteen years, if you meet up again, it will feel the same way it does now, and you'll wonder why you wasted so much time.”

Becky sighed and ran a hand over her hair. “I'm in love with him.”

“Does he love you?”

“Yes. He's told me twice.” And she'd responded with silence both times. It was amazing. He still seemed to care for her. If she'd told a guy twice and they'd changed the subject, she’d back away from the risk. Her ego wouldn't survive. But just like everything else, Hudson seemed to have endless patience with her.

“Then it's settled.”

“What is?”

Ms. Iris clapped her hands. “You'll stay in Statem, drag Hudson back home, and run the diner. Perfect solution to all your problems.”

“I'm not sure it will be as neat and tidy as you make it seem.” Although Hudson might love her, that didn't mean he'd pick up his life and move back to this small town. It didn’t mean she was worth it.

She set her hand on her hip. “Rebecca Gallagher, if there's any woman in this town that can convince a man to stay, it's you.”

Becky's lips twisted to the side, considering her available options to make it happen.Ifshe even wanted it to happen. Asking him to come back to Statem meant permanence. Commitment. If she was honest with herself, she'd never thought she would settle down. Not without letting someone in deep. But Hudson was already there. He knew her issues. Saw her struggle and stood beside her to help her succeed.

Ms. Iris nodded. “I see the wheels turning. Now, I think we need to fire up your new oven and taste something marvelous. Bake Hudson something he'll never forget. What’s his favorite dessert?”

“He eats anything I cook or bake.” Becky walked to the oven, opening it up and imagining the creations already baking inside. What could she bake when she asked Hudson to stay?

* * *

Hudson metCameron at the door to the high school weight room. “How are you feeling? How's the arm?”

He rolled it in a circle, sore but not painful. “Shoulder is fine. The wound is still healing. The doctor says for me not to do any bicep exercises. I was going to get you to spot me under the squat bar. Figured I'd work on the lower body. Abs.”

“Sure thing. I wanted to let you know that I pulled Tommy over on his way through town the other night.” Cameron unlocked the door and flipped on the light. “He got a ticket for having an open container, although he wasn't drunk. He knows I'm friends with Becky, so he thinks I targeted him. He's pretty pissed about it.”

Hudson tossed his towel down on the bench and set his water bottle on the ground. “You did target him. I called you once he left her house.”

Cameron grinned, and even though he was running for Sheriff in a couple weeks, he still looked like a kid. He pulled off his shirt. Lean and lanky but strong.

“I'd forgotten about that tattoo.” He pointed at Cameron's ribcage. “I begged my parents for one when you got yours at sixteen. They asked me what Indian tribe I belonged to.”

Cameron laughed. “Yeah. It helped my argument with my mom when I did a tribal design based on my grandfather's tattoo. Do you have any?”

“No.”

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