Page 80 of Baking With A Rockstar

After giving my body a minute to relax again, trying to keep my heart from tripping all over itself while also calming down my breathing, I go over to him and grasp his face with both hands, staring intently into his beautiful eyes. “You just gave me a mini heart attack. Next time, just tell me, okay?” I let out another big breath after he nods. “I’d love to stay the night with you, even though I’m slightly mortified about what Hannah must be thinking.”

He only shrugs his shoulders. “It’s my grandma we’re talking about here. She’d probably be the first one suggesting and advocating it anyway.”

Well, he’s got me there. “You’re right. Oh gosh. I just love her. She really is the best.”

“Yup. Grandma has some weird tendencies sometimes, but she’s awesome. I wouldn’t change her for the world.”

“Can’t blame you.”

We fall silent again until Hudson takes my hands in his. “You’re really good with staying overnight? We really don’t have to. It’s more than okay if you’d rather head back home tonight.”

I nod without having to think about it again. “Yes.”

His smile is addictive, making my own butterflies appear immediately. Anticipation of what’s to come ripples through my whole body, increasing my inner temperature by several degrees—or at least that’s what it feels like.

“Awesome. Do you want me to call Grandma, or do you want to?”

I cringe before I laugh. “Oh no, that’s all on you. This is too embarrassing to talk about with her.”

He chuckles and takes his phone out of his pocket. “All right, I’ll do it then.”

Putting my hand on his arm, I swallow past a small lump in my throat. “Would you do me a favor though, and ask her if Mira’s okay, please? Maybe she can send some pictures? Or a video? And tell her to call if she needs anything. She knows where all of Mira’s things are, but if she can’t find something in her room, it’s probably in mine. Also—”

His hand goes under my chin to tilt it back far enough for me to look up at him. “Hey! Take a deep breath, okay? Mira is going to be fine. And I know Grandma would call the second she needs us.” He frowns down at me before shaking his head. “Let’s just forget about it and go home. I don’t want to stress you out. It’s not worth it.”

“No!” I half yell at him, my emotions a mess. “Just give me a moment, so I can get used to this idea. This will be my first night away from Mira, and it’s a strange feeling to know I won’t be there when she wakes up.”

I take a deep breath because I truly want this, all of it. I want to relax and enjoy this extraordinary night with Hudson. There really is no one better than Hannah to trust with Mirabelle, and we have our phones on in case we’re needed.

I make a shooing motion with my hand before I point down to where he’s still clutching the phone. “Go call her, I’ll be fine. I’m gonna go over to the couch and sit down.”

“You’re absolutely sure?”

“Yes.” I nod for emphasis before starting to walk backward, making a calling motion with my hand by my ear.

He still doesn’t look fully convinced but nods, pressing around on the screen of his phone.

I walk over to the couch while he puts the phone up to his ear and grabs our bags from where we left them to set them on the kitchenette.

The coffee table in front of me distracts me, and I bend down to look at the few random magazines and something that looks like a photo album. Curiosity wins and I grab it, opening it on my lap.

What I find inside warms my heart—family pictures, lots and lots of them.

There are camping trips, treehouse adventures, all sorts of sports activities, and some fun candid pictures. All four siblings with their parents, looking like they’re having the time of their lives. A few pages in, one picture in particular catches my eye, and I have to laugh. It’s Hudson in just a pair of underwear with a cape around his neck and a guitar swung around his bare shoulder. He’s smiling at the camera, proudly showing off a missing front tooth.

“Ahh. You foundthatpicture, huh?” He sits down next to me, handing me a glass of wine. “Here.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

After taking a sip, I put the glass on the table. “Everything okay back at the house?”

Chuckling, he puts his glass next to mine before pulling his phone out of his back pocket. “Oh yeah. Grandma said they’re having a blast. Mira just took a bath, and she’s getting her ready for bed now.”

He turns the phone my way to show me a picture of Mira wrapped up in a towel like a cocoon.

“Aww. So cute.”

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