Page 16 of Must Have Been Love

Hudson Fitzgerald. His jaw tight, his eyes dark, and his hair still perfectly styled. What wouldn’t I give to mess it up and piss him off?

My heart slams against my ribcage.

“Jesus, you gave me a heart attack,” I tell him, my eyes wide. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to know how much you love Tom Petty,” he says, deadpan.

I run my tongue along my bottom lip. “I was trying out the jukebox.” Not that I owe him any explanation. Truth is, despite the fact that I’m a free spirit this man is a little intimidating.

Okay, a lot intimidating. It’s not just his broad stature, or the way he always looks like he’s about to go for a quick shoot with GQ magazine. It’s his dark brows and stormy blue eyes.

“Did you leave something here?” I ask him, pretending to look around. “Like your manners?”

The corner of his lip twitches. “I just came back to speak to you.”

“About what? Want to take me to the cop shop for child abduction?” I put my hands on my hips, and his gaze follows the movement. Then it dips to my legs.

“No.” He lets out a breath. “I’ve come to apologize for my response earlier. Thank you for taking care of Ayda.”

I blink. Well I wasn’t expecting that. I wait for him to start laughing but he doesn’t.

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure I heard you,” I say.

“You heard me perfectly well.”

“Tom’s very loud,” I point out. “And I’m pretty sure I didn’t. Say it again.”

His lips twitch harder. He opens his mouth but no words come out.

“Oh come on,” I say. “Apologies should be like proposals.”

“In what way?” he asks. “They’re nothing alike.”

“You should mean them for one,” I tell him. “And the person you’re saying them to should actually get to hear them.”

“And apart from that? What are the similarities?”

I shrug. “I mean if you want to give me an expensive diamond ring…” Of course I’m joking.

This time the corner of his mouth actually curls. Could this man actually be smiling? I wasn’t sure it was physically possible.

“I’m very sorry for accusing you of not being trustworthy,” he says, his eyes locked on mine. “And I’m very thankful that you took such good care of my daughter. Is that okay?” He doesn’t sound like he cares if it’s okay or not.

“I would have preferred the on one knee thing, but sure.” I shrug. Tom finishes singing, and the silence echoes in the room.

“My sister would very much like to be friends with you,” he suddenly says, his voice a decibel too loud.

“You want to arrange a play date for us?” I arch a brow.

“Of course I don’t want to arrange a playdate. Autumn is my sister, and she’s a little lonely here on the island. For some reason she likes you.”

I can’t help it, I laugh. “Why does that feel like criticism and not a compliment?” I ask him, though secretly I’m thrilled. I liked Autumn too. It would be nice to have somebody to talk to other than Lee, who as lovely as she is, can be a little too inquisitive.

“It wasn’t supposed to be either. Just a statement of fact.” His gaze flickers over my tattoo, exposed right above the waistline of my shorts.

“And how do you feel about that?” I ask him. “Are you worried I’ll lead her astray?”

“She’s an adult.”

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