Page 35 of Secret Hudson

“No, you were being an asshole. Is that something we should start to expect from you on the regular now?” It’s the first thing Ava has said since Blaise appeared as her back up.

“I don’t know, Ava. As you so astutely observed, Hudson slept on the couch last night. I’m sure it’s not too hard to conclude the rather obvious reason being that being we had a fight. So, yeah, I think I’m entitled to a little asshole time. You guys have certainly made use of it plenty over the years.”

I’m really drudging up old shit now and for no other reason than to distract everyone from the mess I’m making of my life. Not that it’s working.

“Can’t argue with you there. You’ve definitely seen me at my worst. But considering how you enjoyed looking down on me from your self-righteous high horse back then, I’m surprised to see you so willing to stoop down to my lowly ways.” That motherfucker is still grinning.

“No shit.” Ava on the other hand seems to be getting increasingly pissed. “I’m glad you both brought that up, becausethat’s what blows my fucking mind about all of this the most. You were there. You saw what that did to me. How the hell can you turn around and do it to someone else now?”

I turn away from her and start throwing any loose items I have around the room into my bag. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The fuck you don’t. I talked to him last night. He told me what you said.” She rounds on me and gets back in my face. “You told him I made you lie to keep up appearances. You said that I arranged for Francis to be your date. And he accused me of hiring him as your little piece of ass for the road to keep you happy!”

I literally feel all the blood draining from my body as each of her words pelts me like bullets from a fucking BB gun. I feel lightheaded and the nausea hits me all at once.

“What did you tell him?” I force the words out through clenched teeth.

Ava’s face morphs from furious to shattered in a split second. “What do you think? I covered for you.”

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I never had to do it for you. Doesn’t feel so hot though, does it?” I know I'm being a total dick, but I can’t stop. The hurt of the last twenty-four hours is still too fresh, and anger is more manageable than letting the searing pain run through me at full force.

Meanwhile, Ava seems to be temporarily speechless, which to outsiders might sound like a welcome change of pace, or even some sort of accomplishment worthy of praise, but I know better. Ava not talking is not good.

“Alright, well, now that you’ve got that out of your system, I guess you and Ava are square.” Blaise turns halfway in thedoorway like he's getting ready to leave and for a moment, I think this bit of the torture session has come to an end. I'm wrong. “But I still owe you. Come on. Grab a jacket and a hat or something. We got somewhere to go.” He gestures for the exit and starts walking.

Ava just stares at me and, for the first time, I realize her eyes are bloodshot. Because it wasn't enough to devastate the man I love, I had to crush my best friend to do it.

It's purely on autopilot that I follow Blaise’s orders, reach for my stuff and go after him. I don't even ask where we’re going. I don’t care.

We ride the elevator in complete silence and don’t say much other than the bare necessities when we get into the car downstairs either.

Twenty minutes later and we’re being dropped off in front of some hole in the wall restaurant that makes me wish I’d gotten a tetanus booster at some point in the last ten years.

“What the fuck is this place?”

Blaise smirks. “Not sure. But I asked the driver to take me to the rattiest little shithole he knew.”

This does nothing to ease the puking sensation still messing with my gag reflexes.

“I’m just fucking with you. I asked him where we could get the best breakfast around here. Apparently, it’s mandatory for these places to look semi-condemned. You know, kinda like that diner you like so much back home?”

So that’s what this is about. That talk we had the night he thought he lost Ava for good.

“I don’t suppose they serve a decent biscuits and gravy here?” I grumble as I walk in after him.

“No. I tried. Guy told me to order a fry up. Said it was a breakfast worth dying for. Then he said it would have to be since the fat content could easily kill you.” He chuckles. It's weird. Not just because laughing seems physically impossible to me at this time, but because the total role reversal between us is fucking with my head big time. I'm the one who keeps his cool, he's the one who's prone to overreacting and being an all-out emotional fucktard. That isn’t exactly a trait I ever hoped to acquire from him.

As it turns out, the guy wasn't kidding. The fry up is fucking phenomenal. And, yeah, it definitely isn’t going to pop up on any heart healthy menu anytime soon.

Isn’t until I devour half of the spread on my platter that I realize how fucking hungry I’ve been. Lying, betraying and breaking up burned though more calories than I expected.

I put down my fork and swallow my last bite of black pudding.

Blaise watches me like he’s been waiting for this moment.

“So, shitballs,” he muses.

And he finally gets me. “Shitballs.” I grin back at him. “I take it you’re about to impart some words of wisdom on me? Tell me all about how I’m not losing Hudson?”

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