Page 230 of Beautiful Collide

I shift slightly, resting my chin on his chest as I search his face. “You make me feel safe, Hudson. And that’s not something I’ve ever had before.”

His expression softens, his eyes glinting with an emotion I can’t name.

81

Hudson

This should be fun.

Molly is on the couch, sandwiched between Anna and a leaning tower of board games, begging to fall.

She looks relaxed, or she’s trying to, but I can see the slight tension in her shoulders, the way she’s scanning the room like she’s still figuring out the rules.

Something tells me she’s never had a game night, and my heart breaks for her.

I look around the room, and a smile lines my face.

Dad is by the fireplace, poking at the logs.

I’m not sure why he’s making a fire in the middle of the summer, but I guess once you hit a certain age—apparently my parents’ age—you’re always cold.

Mom, on the other hand, is making a ruckus in the kitchen, and I wonder what kind of trouble she’s concocting right now.

A second later, I get my answer as she comes bustling in with a tray of mismatched mugs and cookies.

I’m about to ask Mom if she needs help when Anna slaps the Monopoly board onto the coffee table. “Monopoly first,” she declares. “Winner gets bragging rights; loser does dishes for a week.”

I smirk, all thoughts of helping Mom long gone. “Convenient that you’re terrible at dishes.” I lean against the back of the couch.

Anna glares. Grabbing the nearest pillow, she hurls it at me.

I dodge easily.

She’s terrible at throwing.

Molly takes a mug from Mom before turning her attention back to the conversation. “What’s the catch?”

“The catch”—I plop down next to her, making the cushions dip—“is that Anna cheats.”

“I do not cheat,” Anna fires back, looking genuinely offended, which is weird because it’s the truth. Anna has never, in her eighteen years of life, not cheated when playing a board game.

“She literally hid the free parking cash under the board last time,” I say, turning to Molly.

Molly laughs, and when she does, it feels like everything is right in the world.

“Noted.” Her gaze flicks toward Anna.

“All right.” I crack my knuckles as Anna starts handing out money. “Let’s get this over with.”

“You sound so confident,” Molly teases, neatly stacking her colorful bills into precise piles.

“He’s always confident before I crush him.” Anna’s voice is sugary sweet, but I know better. She doesn’t have a sweet bone in her body when she’s playing.

She continues to pass out game pieces as I lean toward Molly, dropping my voice so only she can hear. “Just a heads-up, Anna’s strategy is to distract you with her ‘charm’ so you don’t notice her skimming from the bank.”

“I do not skim,” Anna yells, throwing her hands in the air.So much for being quiet.“It’s called playing smart.”

I grin back. “Let’s see if you’re still this cocky when I own every property on the board.”

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