Page 47 of Crash and Burn

She mouthedokay.

Lex stood and announced she was going to clean up. With that, Amelia, Darla, and Bianca stood up to help. The guys offered to help but the girls told us to sit. All of this was starting to feel very domesticated. I sat back and watched Amelia moving around the kitchen and helping the girls. It felt so good just to see her there. It was a Thanksgiving I’ll never forget, no matter what happens.

We spent the rest of our time just talking and catching up with everyone. I glanced over to Amelia and threw my eyes to the door, letting her know I was ready to go. Sensory overload was taking over, and I started to feel anxious. It had been great, but it was the longest time, even longer than the cookout, that I had spent with everyone. To have Amelia there was an added level of feelings that I hadn’t really banked on.

I turned to the crew and said, “Hey everybody, I think we’re gonna head out.” Groans rang out. “Yeah, yeah, I’m the party pooper, I know. It’s getting late though.”

Carter walked up to us as we were putting our coats on. “Listen, it was good to have you both here with us. Amelia, did you have a good time?”

“Oh yeah, this was great. Thanks for having me. You guys are amazing. I don’t have family that lives close, so this was nice, to be with yours for the holiday.”

Carter gave me a hug. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Hud. I’ll hit you up this week.”

I told him to do the same and thanked him again for having us over. When Amelia and I got to the car, I opened her door for her, then got in on my side and exhaled a deep breath. I turned and looked at Amelia. “Not so bad, right?” I asked her.

“Hudson, they’re really great people. That was fun and honestly, just the right amount of time there.”

“Yeah, I agree. I was starting to get sensory overload. That’s the longest I’ve spent with them in a long time. They’re my world but ya know, it’s loud as hell.”

She laughed and I said, “I’ll take you home?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” She paused like she was going to say something else. “Hudson, seriously. Tonight was beautiful, and you were very sweet. Thank you.”

I didn’t really know what to say to her, so I leaned over and kissed her. I thought I’d better do it while I had my shit together because I felt like it could all come crashing down at any second. With that, I turned and drove her home.

Chapter 17

Amelia

A week later.

“You’re worthless, you know that Amy? Seriously.”

“You know, I’m getting really tired of you talkin’ to me like that, Kevin. I don’t deserve this shit and I’m not putting up with it.”

“Oh, no? You don’t think so? What do you think you’re going to do about it? Leave? And go where? And do what? I basically take care of you for free. No one is going to want someone like you. You have no one so how about a little bit of appreciation? Is that too much to ask?”

I woke up drenched in sweat, wondering what time it was. The clock read 4 am.Awesome.The day was going to be a long one, especially since I had to work a double. I pulled myself out of bed, and noticed it was still dark outside, then lumbered into the kitchen to make coffee. I hadn’t dreamt of Kevin in a long time.Ugh.Why couldn’t I dream about that great Thanksgiving dinner from a couple weeks ago?

As I stirred my coffee, I thought back to how wonderful that entire Thanksgiving Day had been. After that, Hudson and I had been constantly texting each other back and forth. It was sweet. Over the last few months, he had become the one constant in my life. I, of course, had everyone at the diner who looked after me, and my mom called to check on me from time to time, but Hudson and I had grown really close. I wasn’t sure how to define us at that stage. I mean, he kissed me whenever we said hello and goodbye. He texted me to make sure I made it home from work, and most nights he came and picked me up, but there have been a few nights where I had taken the bus home. He still came into the diner to eat and work on his stuff. He seemed happy and I was happy. I didn’t want to put a label on us because I didn’t want things to change. Deep down, I thought, the second I tried to put a label on us, things would change, and it would burn up in flames.

After I finished making my coffee, I grabbed a book to read. I had been on a romance kick and now that I was awake and had so much time to spare, I thought I might as well read one of the books Hudson bought me,Stanton Adore by T.L. Swan.

I was about halfway through when I needed a break. I put my bookmark in place, because only psychos dog-ear pages, but I won’t lie, I’m a recovering dog-ear bookmarker. I set it on the side table, deciding to come back to it later and get some shit done around the house— dishes, laundry, the usual house chores. Time had flown by, and it was almost 11 am. I had a noon shift, so then I was rushing to get ready. I thought,only I could wake up early and still need to rush around to make it to work on time.

*

I got to work at noon, and it was almost three pm. The rush hadn’t slowed at all, which was kind of insane for a Thursday. The place was packed to the back wall, and we didn’t have an open booth anywhere. With plates balanced on my arm as I moved from table to table, I heard the little bells at the top of the door announce a visitor. It was Hudson. I smiled instantly. He hadn’t seen me yet, but he looked amazing. He had a backwards hat on, grey sweats, and a hoodie.

A part of me was thinking,grey sweats…ok, settle down, Amelia.. The other part was trying to figure out why he thought he could just walk around in lingerie like that.

I headed right for him when he looked over and smiled at me. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, his smile is intoxicating.

“Hey, you!” I said, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach that had me wanting to attack his face with my lips. I gave him a look and said, “You look great.”

He started blushing. “Hey yourself. You look good too. This place is packed. Got anywhere for me to sit?”

“Oh man. It’s crazy. It’s been like this since I got here at noon. Isn’t it nuts? There’s some counter space if you want to take one of the counter seats by Harvey. I know it isn’t ideal.” I shrugged my shoulders. I knew he liked his space to work.

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