Page 114 of Loving You

“Because … you and Quinn seem to be getting closer these days, and I just want to know where your head is at.”

I uncross my arms and move toward my toolbox to get back to it.

“After all these weeks, you’re just now asking me this?”

“Well, yeah. Before you two were faking it, and now that you’re not, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Who says that we’re not still faking it?” I ask.

He points at me.

“You. Everything about you says it’s not fake anymore. You forget your family knows you, Miles.”

The worry etched in wrinkles on his forehead starts to smooth as he waits for me to say more.

“I’m fine. Happy.”

Hudson blows out a breath and leans back to rest against the car behind him.

“So, what does this mean? Sadie mentioned a breakup. Don’teven get me started on my thoughts on that. Is Quinn staying here, or is she still planning to leave when summer is over?”

“She’s still planning to leave.”

“And you’re going to let her?”

“Let her? Come on, Hudson, her life is traveling. I can’t ask her to change it because we spend one summer together.”

“Yes, you can. Trust me, one summer is enough time to know you want to change your entire life for someone.”

“That was you. It's not me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do know that, because I went into this thing with her knowing she’d be leaving.”

“So you’re fine with it?”

“Yes.”

I don’t have a choice. Being okay with it is the only option I have.

“And if she decided to stay, then what? You’d still call it off because you two only planned to spend the summer together?”

I glare at him. Of course I wouldn’t call it off.

“Don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be, Hudson.”

“I don’t have to.” Hudson pushes off the car and holds his hands up. “I think you’re doing a fine job of making it complicated on your own.”

I nod.

“We know how it ends,” I repeat, as if that should answer all his questions and give him peace of mind.

He shrugs. “Yeah, well, it’s not over yet.”

Just then the door to the office opens, and Quinn steps out with a giant smile on her face, Shadow following her as fast as his little legs will let him.

He’s become addicted to Quinn after just one day, and I don’t blame him.

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