Page 36 of Waiting for Forever
Then he tilted his head…confused about somethingelsethe judge had said.
The judge knew what he was thinking without him asking the question. “We were perfectly aware that Ronnie McCarty was your partner in crime, but without you stating as much, we didn’t have the evidence to punish him as well. Which is a shame, because I think Ronnie could have benefited from it.”
Hudson considered where his former buddy was now, and he decided the judge was right. Ronnie couldn’t hold down a job because he still had a hardcore resentment toward authority figures, and he seemed forever stuck in what he considered their high school “glory days.” Hudson suspected if he’d been down for it, Ronnie would have gladly relived some of their “awesome pranks” the other night after drinking at Cruisers.
That was how Ronnie had referred to their vandalism and arson. They’d destroyed other people’s property, but Ronnie—a grown-assed man—still considered it harmless fun.
“Maybe he would have,” Hudson conceded, although he wasn’t sure. Ronnie had never been the brightest bulb. Making amends for his actions would probably be too subtle for him to understand. “Looking back, I think you may have been as responsible for my chosen career path as Granddad.”
The judge gave him what mightpossiblybe the hint of a smile. “Bob Potter and I both serve on city council together these days. We were impressed with your bid and your plans. If this job is successful… Well, let’s just say his barn is still falling down.”
Hudson chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Then something else dawned on him. TJ had been all abuzz about Ryan Construction winning this bid over Beck Reed’s company. He’d kept the patrons of the restaurant entertained for days, likening Hudson’s defeat of Beck to David and Goliath.
According to TJ, the mayor had been determined to go with Reed Construction…but there were two city council members in Hudson’s corner. And in the end, they’d managed to sway the other voting members to go for Ryan Construction’s bid.
“It was you and Mr. Potter,” he mused aloud. “You were the ones who convinced the council to select my bid.”
The judge didn’t reply, but Hudson knew he was right. He doubted the man would confess even if itwashim.
Silence fell between them again, which was okay with Hudson.
“Well,” he said at last. “I should get back to wor?—”
“What are your intentions with my daughter, Mr. Ryan?”
Shit. Maybe Mrs. Sparks had changed her mind and filled in her husband after all.
But what if she hadn’t? What if the judge was merely fishing? “I…uh…”
“While I don’t participate in the local gossip, I have ears, and I can hear. Not to mention, my brother is TJ, and there’s very little he doesn’t feel compelled to share with me.”
“I always forget he’s your brother.” Hudson suspected everyone in town did, because there was zero similarity between TJ and the judge.
“I insisted for most of my childhood that there had been a mix-up at the hospital when TJ was born, and that my parents brought home the wrong baby.”
Hudson really didn’t realize the judge was capable of humor, yet here he was, making yet another joke. This conversation was enlightening, to say the least.
Hudson laughed. “That seems like the most reasonable explanation, to be honest.”
“TJ reported seeing you and Paige kissing outside the restaurant. Because he’shim, TJ took it upon himself to investigate further.”
“By investigate, I assume you mean he questioned my granddad,” Hudson said, certain that was exactly who TJ have turned to for answers.
Judge Sparks offered only one dip of his head to confirm.
This interrogation must have been a recent development, because his grandfather hadn’t mentioned it. Of course, Hudson hadn’t been home in the past three nights, unable to pull himself away from Paige for even a minute.
Suddenly, he was sorry he hadn’t encouraged Paige to drop this bomb on her dad, since he wasn’t sure how she would want it handled. Because of the newness of their relationship, they hadn’t ventured into talk of the future. Instead, they’d been taking it one amazing, spectacular day at a time.
“My daughter,” Judge Sparks repeated, unwilling to be distracted from his question.
Hudson drew in a deep breath—and said words he hadn’t even spoken to Paige.
“I’m in love with her.”
The judge might as well have been made of stone. Hudson’s declaration was met with a hard look and more silence.
He returned the stare, refusing to be intimidated.
