Page 42 of Worth the Risk

Last night after staying a little longer out on the dock, we went upstairs. He was very pleased with my choice of a cotton-and-lace black nightie. It was one of my simple designs, but the material feels like heaven on your skin, and it easily falls off too. Rolling around in bed with Hudson was a wonderful way to spend a Friday night, even if I’m slightly sore today.

We slept in—well, to us, nine is sleeping in—got dressed and headed into town to beat the crowds.

I reach into the paper bag and take out a cinnamon roll from the bakery next door and bite into the sticky dough. “Yum! Wow, this is… what? I mean, is this magic?”

It’s a damn good cinnamon roll, which people forget is not an easy thing to make. Any sign of dry dough and it’s game over.

“Probably. Sometimes they have orange rolls and those things… Christ, I’m gone.”

Hudson offers me his arm, and I accept without thought. Well, not entirely true, but I throw caution to the wind.

“We can hit up the farmers’ market and pick out some stuff for dinner, then maybe go for a walk up in the state park,” he suggests.

“Sounds perfect.”

I look around and see that nobody is taking much notice of us. The occasional passerby saysgood morning, but people seem to do that for everyone here.

“I kind of hate myself for living in the city and not trying to live in a small town. But my friends and grandmother are there, and I’m not sure delivery logistics would be as good as same-day delivery in the city.”

“Surely, I’m not that old and need to explain that modern advancement means they don’t rely on a horse-drawn carriage to deliver mail here, right?”

I swat his arm with my hand. “Funny.”

“I need to enjoy this peace before my schedule gets crazy,” he mentions. “Coaching staff have meetings all next week since summer training starts in two weeks.”

“And then you have to travel for football season,” I add on. The thought has crossed my mind that the luxury of our time and place has a running clock.

“Give me your phone later and I’ll add the security system app for my house so I don’t need to be home when you visit,” Hudson states as if it’s nothing, and we continue to stroll down the sidewalk.

“What do you mean?” I feel my chest tightening.

“You can come and go as you please. My house is your house, right? That’s the saying.”

I stop and tug him back when he tries to continue to walk. “That’s kind of… for you not crazy, but for me…”

His eyes squint and lines form on his forehead. “It isn’t a big deal.”

“It’s…” I can’t get the words out, but I want to tell him. “A step.”

“It’s practical,” he counters and touches my arm like I’m being ridiculous.

I nod quickly. “You’re right. I’m being silly.” I begin to walk, but this time it’s Hudson who reels me back in like a yo-yo.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”

I glance away then back to him. I feel my leg twitch because I’m debating telling him something I’ve barely told anyone, but damn, honesty with Hudson comes so easily.

“Remember how I said that I lived with an ex?”

“Yeah.”

“It was only for two months, and it just isn’t a great memory.”

Maybe he hears sadness in my voice, but concern spreads across Hudson’s face and his eyes scan the scene. The coffee that is only half-empty in his hand is quickly thrown into the nearby trash can so fast that I can’t comprehend time, but all I know is Hudson’s hands are on my face, with the pads of his thumbs rubbing my cheeks, every circle filled with care.

“What happened?”

“It’s not a big deal. I mean, it’s not tiny either. Let’s just say that one day when I decided to explore other types of nightwear, Vince wasn’t thrilled. As in he ripped up my entire book of sketches not thrilled.”

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