Page 6 of Pieces

Chapter four

Daphne

“Thatwaseverything,”Isay on a sigh, turning to Liv and pulling her into a hug.

“I loved it.” She releases me and looks over my shoulder to where I assume Hudson’s still standing. “I’m Liv, the best friend.”

“Hudson, the guy who stole your best friend for the night, sorry,” he says, and I turn to him. His dark blonde hair catches the overhead lights, and I see so much more of him now. The color of his eyes, swirling green and brown, are shining at me in a way that makes my heart race. Honestly, between seeing Gracie for the first time and having him behind me most of the night, my heart has barely had a chance to settle.

“Hey, listen. So long as you’re not an axe murderer you can borrow her,” Liv says before pausing. “You’re not an axe murderer are you, Hudson?” She holds his stare with a mocking glare that makes me want to laugh but I hold it in.

“Liv,” I hiss, my demeanor cracking slightly, but Hudson just chuckles. That low, lazy sound somehow makes my knees weak.

“I promise, I’m not an axe murderer,” he says, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Scout’s honor.”

Liv snorts. “Please. You look like you skipped Boy Scouts and went straight to bench pressing bears for fun.”

Hudson grins like he’s completely unbothered and that’s also a plus in my book. Anyone who can cope with Liv is a green flag. “I’m a good guy, I promise. She’s in good hands. No axes, no bears.”

Liv narrows her eyes in that big-sister kind of way. “If you screw this up, BFG, I’ll hunt you down and murder you with my axe.”

Oh dear god, Olivia.

“Noted,” Hudson replies with a laugh, tucking his hands back into his pockets. “Daphne’s friend is scary as shit.”

“Ignore her,” I say as she pulls me into a hug, whispering into my ear, “Turn on your location and share it with me. I’ll be in our room eating chips and judging people on TikTok.”

“No, you can come with us. I don’t want to leave you.”

“Girl, please, I want to try to see that hot lead singer from the band anyway. Merch stand, right?”

I nod. “Yeah, but I’m coming with you. I don’t want you getting murdered by some weirdo with an axe either.”

Liv waves me off, already trying to escape through the crowd. “Don’t worry about me, Daph. I’m a professional axe-dodger, remember? My location is on too. Have fun.”

And just like that, she disappears into the sea of people, leaving me standing next to Hudson.

Is there some kind of protocol for when you’ve spent most of the evening with a stranger in the semi dark, not really looking at each other or talking, just bonding with the love of the music? I don’t know that it is, but it feels intimate. I feel close to him, like we’ve shared something. Yet I hardly know him.

But I do want to stay with Hudson, at least until I have to go back to my hotel room with Liv.

“Do you want to maybe—”

“Yes,” he interrupts, and I laugh.

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“If it’s more time with you, then I want it.”

Damn this guy. He’s making me want to throw way too much caution to that brisk wind.

“Should we follow your friend first, though? I hate the idea of her being alone, even if she can dodge an axe.”

Is this guy for real? He can’t possibly be this perfect.

I glance in the direction where Liv disappeared, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “You’re right,” I say finally. “Let’s follow her. She might be fine, but I’d feel better if I knew for sure.”

“Good call,” he says, not hesitating for a second. The set of determination on his face to make sure my friend, who’s a stranger to him, is okay, is throwing me big time. Whoever raised him did an incredible job. Seriously, take a bow.

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