Page 126 of Marry Me, Maybe?
Hudson turned in my arms, looking at me square. His eyes weren’t judgmental, but steady, knowing. “I get it. I do. But the longer you put it off, the harder it’ll get. Take it from me.”
Something in his voice, low and brittle, told me he’d experienced the same. “Your folks?”
He nodded, eyes shifting out over the pasture. “My mother’s been calling more lately. Wants me to visit. Wantsto meet Ivy.” His smile was humorless. “But too much bad blood’s been spilled between us. I wouldn’t even know where to begin or how to get over what they did when they turned their backs on me. It’s not even so much that I went to jail for my actions, but what they did afterward in suing me when they knew I couldn’t afford it. That was a huge blow that’s held me back from the kind of life I always dreamed of for myself, but I’m not going to pretend cutting them off has been easy. It hurts like hell. It’s bitter and sad and disappointing. I wouldn’t wish that on you, Matty. Not with your mom. Don’t wait until it’s too late like me.”
I swallowed hard. My mother’s face flickered in my mind, all painted lips and sharp words. Deep down, I knew he was right. My mother was a complicated person, and our relationship wasn’t close, but she’d always done right by me except in Hudson’s situation. But I also hated what she’d done. Hated that part of me wished things were different and that I felt more connected to her.
“I’ll think about it,” I murmured.
He nodded, brushing his thumb across my knuckles, and we let it drop.
We walked for a bit, following the fence line. The sun was tilting toward the horizon, shadows stretching long. Junebug let out a soft snort, her ears pricked. I followed her gaze and spotted movement by the far edge of the pasture.
“Shit.”
A calf was wedged between a low creek bed and a fallen branch, legs stuck awkwardly, sides heaving as it tried to kick free.
“Let’s go.” Hudson tugged at my arm, and we slid down the bank, boots sinking into mud slick with water.
The calf bawled, high and panicked, scrambling harder the closer we got. Hudson crouched right in the muck,murmuring nonsense words to soothe it. Water splashed up his arms as the calf jerked its head.
I waded in beside him, jeans soaking through in seconds, and braced both hands on the slick branch pinning its leg. “Hold his head.”
Hudson obeyed, mud streaking his shirt as he cradled the calf’s head, keeping it from thrashing. Together, grunting, slipping, cussing, we wrestled the branch free. Water sprayed across my chest when the calf kicked loose.
It sprang up, shaky but alive, then bounded a few paces up the bank before turning to bawl at us like it was cussing us out.
Hudson pushed wet hair off his forehead, laughing breathlessly. “Ungrateful little shit.”
I stood there dripping, shirt plastered to my skin, and still managed a grin. “Still enjoying ranch life, princess?”
He flipped me off with a hand streaked in muck, still laughing, and damn if my chest didn’t ache with how much I loved him in that moment.
30
HUDSON
Itugged the denim jacket over Ivy’s shoulders, smoothing the sleeves down her arms as she bounced on the edge of my bed. With all her excitement, the scrunchie I’d used to secure her hair into a ponytail earlier had slipped, leaving it messy.
“You ready for movie night, Bug?” I crouched to zip her jacket.
“Yes, Daddy!” She clapped her hands, eyes shining. “Big, big screen outside. Popcorn. Can we get popcorn?”
I grinned. “We’ll get popcorn. Promise.”
“Yay! I love popcorn, Daddy!”
“I know you do. Why don’t you ask Matt to braid your hair like he does Junebug’s tail? It’s gone all messy again.”
“Okay, Daddee!”
She wriggled off the bed and darted down the hall before I could even grab her sneakers. By the time I followed, sneakers dangling from one hand and brush in the other, she’d already scrambled into his lap like she belonged there.
“Matt, hair all messy.” She yanked out the scrunchie. “Make it pretty, p’ease?”
My chest gave that familiar squeeze, the one I got a dozen times a day now. Watching her lean into him, trusting him with something as small as her hair.
“Always, sweetheart.”
