Page 48 of Engaging with Her Enemy

Except he only had one more Monday until his version of Heaven disappeared.

“Are we studying tonight?” He took a bite of the Danish, waiting for her to glance up from her phone.

“I could probably use it. I have good news. Juliana emailed that she’s coming home tomorrow night. She asked if she and Grayson could stay here. Addie’s brother, Trevor, is coming back with them, but he’ll stay out with Cameron, I’m guessing.”

Hudson wished Juliana and Grayson would stay somewhere else as well. He wanted Becky and their last week of perfect mornings together all to himself. But Juliana and Becky were best friends. He wouldn’t get in between them for his own, selfish reasons.

“I told her that I had a live-in houseguest using the guest room.” She sipped her coffee.

“I want you all to myself, don’t get me wrong, but you don’t have to lie about us.” Did she not want Juliana to know they were sleeping together? Hell, she’d be the only one in town that hadn’t figured that out yet.

“What are you talking about? Your luggage is in the guest room. I don’t have room for them.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Because ofmyluggage? Try your laundry.”

She paused before setting down her coffee cup. “What does that mean?”

“I've never seen someone stockpile clean laundry the way you do.”

“I've never seen someone fold every piece of laundry as it leaves the dryer.”

He rolled his eyes. “Most people fold laundry and put it away.”

“You're so narrow-minded.”

Hudson leaned across the table and kissed her. “Yes, and you like me, anyway. It's good timing for Juliana to come home and bring Grayson. Do you think we could get him to come out and see the crew at our end of project dinner tomorrow night? I know they'd get a kick out of meeting a movie star.”

She crossed her fingers. “Grayson and I are like this, so I’m sure he won’t mind.”

Liar, but he didn’t call her on it. “I won't say anything until you run it past him.” He wiped off his hands. “But right now, I gotta run. We have another inspector coming down today.”

“Oh.” Her small pout made him feel good. “The house always feels lonely once you leave.”

“You've lived by yourself for years.”

She lifted a shoulder, her robe parting a little. He blew out a breath, stepping away from the temptation and toward the door.

“I know, but still...” She sipped her coffee, avoiding his scrutiny by holding her phone up.

If only she'd finish her sentence and let him know what she thought about their future. “Your test is Thursday, right? No class tonight?”

“Right. I took off from the diner tomorrow night to study. That will be the last chance I have since I'm working Thursday before the test. Eliza couldn’t cover me.”

He walked back around the table, leaned down, and gave her a goodbye kiss. “We can study tonight, tomorrow, and you can call me on your drive to your class Thursday, and we'll go over a few things. You'll do great.” He glanced at his watch. “I gotta run. Have a good day.” With another quick kiss, he walked to the door and grabbed his keys off the hook.

He'd practically moved into her life. But she hadn't complained.

“Bye,” she said as he left. Her face had an odd expression on it. Maybe she'd come to the same conclusion that they lived together well.

He hoped she had.

Instead of driving to his office, he drove out to the farthest point of the highway expansion. The inspector, Patrick Ross, showed up at the same time, a to-go cup from the Crossroads Coffee Shop in his hand. A few of Hudson’s crew were already on the site.

“Made it there for breakfast?” Hudson asked as he shook hands with Patrick. The movement pulled and burned in his arm, but he'd dealt with worse.

“Delicious. I wish I knew the secret to those cinnamon rolls.”

“Mashed potatoes.”

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