Page 77 of Celebrities Don't Date Bookworms

“Somebody’s going to see you,” I said. “You’re going to get mobbed.”

“Guess you better come down fast, then.”

I shook my head in disbelief and grinned but headed for the stairs. “I’ll be there in a second. Don’t let my mom see you, or she’ll make you sign an autograph.”

“I wouldn’t mind signing an autograph for her,” Hudson said with amusement in his voice.

“Oh, I’m sure you would,” I said. I grinned a little as I remembered the way I’d thought of him when he first started at school—as some celebrity obsessed with his own fame, who probably wished everyone would ask him for autographs and photos all day, every day. Now, I could see that even though he was happy to do it, he was honestly still surprised every time somebody asked him for one.

I threw the front door open and hung up once I made eye contact with Hudson. Then I ran towardshim and jumped, giggling in happiness as he caught me. We kissed deeply before I dropped my feet back to the ground. Hudson looked a little dazed.

“Well, that was enthusiastic,” he said.

“You said you wanted to kiss me,” I replied cheekily.

“I did,” he agreed. Then he opened the car door for me. “Come on.”

“I told you I could only stay for a second,” I said, but I couldn’t stop my feet from shifting towards the open door.

“We’ll just sit for a minute,” Hudson bargained. “We won’t even drive anywhere.”

“You’re a bad influence.”

“Funny, I was going to say the same about you.” He closed the door behind me after I sat down, then got in on his side as well.

“So, where do the boys think you are right now?” I asked. I glanced at my phone, but there weren’t any new messages from Hudson in the group chat warning them that he wouldn’t be home for some reason.

“Just out for a drive,” he said.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Mom

Where are you?

I guess it was only a matter of time before she realized I was gone, but I was hoping we would get a little longer. She normally didn’t care much if I went out, but she was adamant that we had family dinners every Saturday and Sunday nights since theywere the only days everyone could consistently be home. She probably came to get me and noticed I wasn’t in my room like she’d thought.

Megan

Just went for a walk around the block

Be back in a minute

“I have to go,” I said. “My mom noticed I’m missing.”

“What if you stayed anyway?” Hudson asked.

I kissed him quickly, then patted his cheek.

“I can’t,” I said. “But I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?”

He sighed deeply. “Fine. I guess I can wait until then.”

“Get working on that shrine,” I said with a wink before climbing out of his car and walking to the house. I stopped by the front door to watch him drive off. Who knew that there would ever be a day that a boy would be upset at not being able to see me for twelve hours? Let alone that boy being an internationally known pop star?

Even as it was happening now, I could barely believe it.

eighteen

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