Page 207 of Beautiful Collide

A laugh bubbles up. They have chickens. Of course, they do.

How did I peg him so wrong?

Everything I thought I knew about Hudson is the opposite of the truth.

I always assumed he was raised in an affluent family from a city. Which couldn’t be further from the reality.

Wow. I was off.

Another giggle breaks loose when I see a feisty-looking hen flap her wings and glare at me. “They seem . . . territorial.”

“They’re harmless.” He reaches down to pick one up. “Mostly.”

I take a cautious step back as he cradles the hen in his arms like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Wanna hold her?” He holds the hen out to me.

“Absolutely not.” I cross my arms.

He laughs, setting the hen back down. “City girl,” he teases.

“And damn proud of it,” I shoot back.

The last stop on the tour is the pasture, where a couple of horses graze lazily.

“Do you ride?” Hudson asks as we approach the fence.

“No.”

“Never?”

“Once when I was a kid,” I admit. “But that was at a party, and it wasn’t even riding. It was more like being led around in a circle.”

“Well”—he leans on the fence—“maybe we’ll change that while you’re here.”

I glance at him, half expecting him to be joking, but his expression is sincere.

“I don’t know,” I say, hesitant.

“You’ll love it,” he says, his voice soft. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world. Don’t worry, it won’t be for a few days. Relax.”

I stare at the horses, their movements calm and unhurried, and for a moment, I let myself imagine it—riding through the fields, the wind in my hair, the world quiet and peaceful.

“Maybe,” I say finally.

Hudson grins, and I feel something in my chest loosen.

By the time we head back to the house, the sun is high in the sky.

I’m tired, my legs ache from walking, and I have dirt smudged on my jeans, but I feel . . . lighter.

“This place,” I say as we climb the porch steps. “It’s special.”

“Yeah.” Hudson holds the door open for me. “It is.”

And as I step inside, I realize something I hadn’t before.

For the first time in years, I feel like I belong.

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