Page 54 of One Night With You

And I was beyond crushing on the man. I had learned who he truly was.

I didn’t want to rely on that, I told myself again, so I got out of bed, and told myself I would go through my day, and I would talk to him later. It was girls’ night, something I didn’t get to do often, but we were trying to be more social even during our busy season, and then afterward, I would talk with Kingston. Because he was mine. If only for a little while.

I took a quick shower and got ready for my day, going through my list on my phone and everything else that I had to work through.

I didn’t have any events today, as I only had planning meetings and phone calls galore. And I was grateful for that. Meaning I didn’t need to wear an outfit to fit another event. I could wear leggings and a cute top, and that would work for the girls’ night as well. I quickly put on my makeup, and then sent myself a voice text to make sure that I had everything set up when I got to my office.

I headed to my office, still surprised that I even had one. When I had first started my business, I had worked out of my home. It had just made sense and was better for cost saving. And then I had started to need to meetclients face to face, rather than at a coffee shop, or at the venue.

Now I felt like I was a grown-up, with a real place of business, and things working out.

Of course, I knew if I said that out loud, things would probably blow up in my face, so it was best to keep things in my mind.

I was excited to start working on the Montgomery event. I knew that it was usually a well-oiled machine because they had so many years of practice, but with the new venue, and the late notice of some things, Kingston’s mom was in a panic. But I was working with her and would do my best to help. The fact that I had had a cancellation at all irked me and made me feel horrible for the couple, but maybe it was a good omen. Because I got to work with the Montgomerys. And they always did a fantastic party. While part of me wondered if this was just a pity thing, the other part of me knew that everyone else had full-time jobs, and they wanted to be able to relax.

So I would help them have the best party ever. Because while I wasn’t a Montgomery, I was one of their friends, so that meant I had been trapped in the spiderweb long ago.

By the time I finished working on that with Holland, and a couple of Kingston’s aunts and uncles, I was hyped up for the event, and ate lunch while working ona retirement party set for a couple of months from now. We were just in the initial steps, but this one was going to have at least three hundred people there. It touched me that the woman retiring had so many people connected to her who wanted to celebrate the life she had led and the people that she had helped. So I would do my best to showcase her career. And make sure she knew that this wasn’t the end. But a new beginning.

I smiled at that and wiggled in my seat as I continued to work. I loved my job. I loved events that just made sense and clicked. I loved the dogs’ birthdays and the weddings and small birthday parties for two. Because yes, sometimes I planned those, so it was a surprise and intimate for the other person involved.

I loved what I did. And it did make me feel like I had another feather in my cap because I was working on a Montgomery party.

I just didn’t want to think too hard about that.

By the time I was done, I had been working for far too long, since I had been up since four o’clock. But I had more on my list to do before my girls’ night. So I packed things up, and continued calls in the car before I went to the grocery store to pick up my order. Thankfully, the shopper there seemed to understand what a ripe fruit and not moldy vegetable was, so everything looked good in the bags, and I headed over to my brother’s house.

My brother lived in a small two-bedroom home on the other side of the suburb from me, and it was still a work in progress. Hudson had spent most of their savings on his wife’s cancer treatments, and it broke me to think even with insurance, it hadn’t been enough. And so now Hudson was starting over, not just in life, but with savings and a new job, and figuring out how to be a single dad.

I was so damn proud of him, and even though he was the older brother, I did all I could to take care of him.

Case in point, me showing up with groceries. He answered the door, a scowl on his face, as I looked around for the kids.

“Are they with Mom and Dad?”

“Yes, they’re having grandparent day. It’s so good to see you. Hello. Why are you here with groceries, little sister?”

I smiled brightly and danced on my toes. “I’m here because I love you.”

“I’m supposed to be the one who takes care of you,” my big brother said with a scowl before he kissed the top of my head and took the bags from me.

“You do take care of me. All the time. But I know you worked a double, so I wanted to pick up groceries.”

Hudson exhaled and took the bags from me, letting me inside the house. “I know how much you make ayear, Claire. You can’t afford to take care of my groceries and your own. The Montgomerys pay me well. And I make a very respectable living doing what I do. It’s not always an option for someone to be a full-time tattoo artist and take care of their kids. But I’m working on it. Having childcare taken care of is a huge help.”

“Most of the Montgomerys have kids now, at least the ones that work with you. So it makes sense they’d have it taken care of.”

Hudson shrugged, putting everything away with the ease of a man who knew his home and was finally comfortable in it. “And apparently their parents did the same thing. So I’m using it, because it came with the job, and that way I don’t feel guilt.”

I shook my head, studying my brother’s face. “Like you feel guilt for me bringing groceries? But didn’t you bring me groceries two weeks ago?”

“Of course I did. Because you’re my baby sister.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead so of course I blew a raspberry at him.

“And you’re my big brother. So get over it. I love you. Jerk.”

“We’re all so cute making sure that we keep the pet names going. Speaking of pet names…does Kingston call you by something? Or is it something that I’m going to have to kick his ass for?”

“That is the least subtle I’ve ever heard you in my life.”

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