23. Sofia
CHAPTER 23
Sofia
“After you,” Hudson said, opening the door for me with a devilish smile.
He looked incredible. His deep navy suit hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, the fabric smooth and luxurious to the touch. And as he moved, the suit caught the light, creating an aura of elegance that took my breath away. The crisp white shirt beneath contrasted beautifully with his dark hair and tanned skin, and the whole picture had me stumbling slightly as I moved toward the door.
But then I recovered with an exaggerated flip of my dark hair, thanking him with a demure nod and making him laugh.
I entered the bright, bustling space inside City Hall for the annual Gingerbread Ball, and the sweet notes of live music floated around me. Hudson came in behind me, his hand resting on my lower back to guide me deeper into the crowded room.
My black, backless dress allowed his thumb to graze over my skin, and a shiver of delight raced through me, igniting every nerve ending.
But… that wasn’t exactly a surprise.
Lately, it was as if every brush of his skin had the power to send ripples of electricity through me. Every lingering touch or soft, knowing smile could instantly heighten my awareness of him—of us. Of the connection we shared.
I turned to meet his gaze, hoping it would always be like this between us. And maybe it was because it was Christmas Eve and I was feeling sentimental, but when he winked and pressed a quick kiss to my temple, I had a feeling this moment would linger in my memory for a long time to come.
As we waited for the bottleneck at the entrance to clear so we could find our friends, I bumped his shoulder with mine. “You know, this suit is nice, but I really wanted to see you in your dress blues.”
He grinned down at me, his hazel eyes sparking with amusement. “You’ll get plenty of chances to see them now that I’m on recruiting duty. Lots of events, lots of different uniforms. Plus, the Marine Corps has a birthday ball every year.”
“They do? Is it like this?”
He craned his neck and scanned the space. “There’s a lot less kids, but the Marines tend to act like kids during the birthday ball, so…”
I chuckled as he let the sentence hang. “Well, good. I’m down for any excuse to be on your arm in those blues. Ida showed me pictures from your boot camp graduation, and whew .”
“Seriously?” he teased. “I was barely eighteen in those photos. Gross .”
This had me laughing once again, and I fought the urge to shove him.
“You’ll like me better in my uniform now.”
“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”
He flexed his arm with a cheesy grin. “I’ve gained a lot of muscle since then.”
I sighed heavily, narrowing my eyes at him. “Okay, let’s stop before you get a bigger head.”
He gave a low chuckle, leaning in just enough to keep his words for me alone. “Only if we can switch to talking about how you look tonight. You’re stunning, Sofia. That dress… I don’t even have the words.”
I felt my cheeks warm as I glanced down at myself. The dress was black—my favorite, fitted through the bodice with a gauzy skirt that swished when I moved. There were the tiniest black sparkles strategically placed within the folds that made it so when I’d put it on, it had instantly made me feel like a dark, edgy queen.
And the way Hudson’s eyes hadn’t left me since we arrived confirmed that I’d made the right choice.
“Don’t have the words, huh?” I asked. “Maybe you can write it in a letter?”
“Maybe I will.”
The crowd finally parted, revealing the rest of the hall. The local teens had outdone themselves with their handcrafted decorations and the set for the traditional Nutcracker performance. I loved that all of this was put together under the watchful eyes of Holly and Nick, too. I could picture them someday taking on the roles of Santa and Mrs. Claus, handing out gifts to the kids.
Everywhere I looked, I spotted something else that made me smile, and the lighting was fantastic. Twinkling lights had been draped around the ceiling with sheer fabric in deep tones of green and red, and I was a sucker for those lights and the ambiance they created. My gaze landed on a massive Christmas tree in one corner of the room, its branches heavy with handcrafted ornaments created by the townsfolk.
“So beautiful,” I said, looking around.
“Very,” Hudson agreed, but when I glanced up at him, his eyes were on me. “The decorations aren’t bad either.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t fight the blush or my answering smile. “Come on,” I said, tugging his arm. “Let’s go mingle.”
The room was alive with movement and chatter, and I felt a surprising wave of contentment as I took it all in. These people—this town —felt like home in a way I hadn’t quite felt when I’d visited last year. Sure, I’d started to warm up to all things Snow Hill at the beginning, but by the time Christmas came around, the snowstorm of the century and my disastrous love life put an end to the warm-and-fuzzies real quick.
But now, I truly felt like I was home.
On the far wall, Ida and Joan stood near the punch bowl with their heads bent together. Whatever they were whispering about had Joan gesturing wildly and Ida nodding sagely, the perfect image of two women absolutely loving the fact that they knew something no one else did.
The warmth of Hudson’s hand on my back drew me from my thoughts. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low.
“Yeah. Just… Happy. Taking it all in.”
“Good. That’s all I want for you.”
I smiled shyly as he took my hand, leading me through the crowd. Laughter and conversation filled the room, and it seemed like everywhere I turned, there was a familiar face or a moment that made me smile.
I caught sight of Robin in the corner, deep in conversation with the mayor and Derrick—the Snow Hill Sleigh Ride drinker. He leaned casually against the wall, and Robin laughed at something he said. I’d seen Derrick at The Hearthstone a few times since that first night. Looked like he’d decided to stick around for a while after all.
Turning toward the dance floor, we spotted Jamie. He was spinning the receptionist from the hair salon in a move that would’ve been impressive even in a ballroom competition. She clung to his arm, laughing as her bright red heels became a blur against the polished floor.
“Think he missed his calling?” I asked Hudson with a laugh.
But then Holly and Nick swayed into my line of sight, their kids tucked into their arms as they moved as one. Nick held their daughter, Noelle, who was happily sucking on the end of a candy cane, while Holly carried their younger son, Chris. His chubby little hand smacked her cheek as she danced, and I shook my head, marveling at how the four of them looked like a Christmas card brought to life.
“Ah, there’s Grace and Tommy,” I said, tugging on Hudson’s hand. “We should grab some food before they eat it all.”
My brother and sister-in-law stood near the refreshments table with Jack, playfully arguing over something. Grace had a glass of cider in one hand and an oversized cookie in the other, clearly making the most of the miles of free food brought in by Holly’s catering connections.
We passed a group of kids darting toward the stage, where Santa and Mrs. Claus had set up shop. The line to see them stretched halfway across the room, and I couldn’t help but smile at the little ones clutching brightly wrapped presents. Presents that I’d helped my friends wrap, thank you very much.
When we finally reached the refreshments table, Tommy handed me a cup of cider before I could even ask for one.
“Mind reader,” I said, raising the glass in a mock toast.
Grace sidled up to me, her cookie already half-eaten. “You look like you’re having fun.”
“I am,” I admitted. “Tonight is perfect.”
She smiled knowingly, her gaze flicking to Hudson. “Yeah, it looks that way.”
Hudson wandered over to join Tommy and Jack’s conversation, and Grace turned her attention back to me, her giant cookie now just a pile of crumbs on her napkin.
Grace and I chatted about the food for a moment, but Hudson’s low laugh quickly snagged my attention. His hands were tucked casually in his pockets, and I could tell he was comfortable, his smile easy and genuine.
I smiled, too, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the cider in my hand. Hudson was everything I hadn’t known I needed—and so different from Dane’s chaos that I’d made rash moves to escape.
Dane. The thought made my smile falter, just for a second. As much as I tried not to think about him, I couldn’t ignore the way his shadow still lingered. We’d never figured out who was behind the break-in or the notes, and his alibi had seemed solid enough. But what if if really had been him all along? Were we supposed to accept that it was purely coincidence that everything stopped happening right after Hudson and Tommy had chased Dane out of town?
No. I shook those thoughts away, determined not to let them ruin the night.
Dane was gone, and if this peace we’d found meant never knowing whether or not he was the one who’d been messing with me, I could live with that.
Life didn’t have to be a cozy mystery, after all. I got enough satisfaction from solving those cases between the pages of a book.
“So,” I asked, leaning toward Grace as my train of thought brought me right to her, “how’s the latest book coming along?”
Her eyes widened a little, but then she relaxed, brushing some stray crumbs off her hands. “It’s going well, actually. Better than I thought it would. I finally hit publish last week.”
“You did?” I grabbed her arm, my excitement for her bubbling over. “Grace, that’s amazing! Why didn’t you say anything? This is the third one in the series, right?”
She shrugged, looking pleased but trying to play it off. “It is, and I don’t know. I kept waiting until I had a clear picture of how the series was doing. You know, feel things out before making a big deal out of it.” Her grin widened, and she glanced around to make sure no one else was listening. “But it’s going really well. The sales and the reviews are both really good. I’m still kind of in shock that this worked out so well.”
“That’s huge. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks.” She looked down at her hands, a little shy but clearly pleased. “And self-publishing suits me, I think. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to handle all of the moving pieces, but after running my blogging business for so long, I like being in control of everything.”
“I can see that,” I said. “It’s kind of perfect for you.”
Movement caught my eye, and I looked up to see Hudson watching me. Our gazes locked, and his expression softened, the corners of his mouth tipping up just slightly. He didn’t wave or call out—he didn’t need to. Just the weight of his gaze was enough to steady me, to remind me that whatever shadows might linger, I wasn’t facing them alone.
Grace followed my line of sight and smirked. “You two are disgusting, you know that?”
“Disgustingly adorable?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Maybe.” She laughed, bumping her shoulder against mine. She popped another cookie into her mouth, brushing a crumb off her dark red gown. “So, what’s the plan? You and Hudson seem pretty settled here, but I heard his recruiting gig in Harrisburg is only for three years.”
I froze for half a second before picking up my cider. “Yeah, three years,” I said slowly, swirling the liquid in my cup. “Why?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Well, you know what happens after that, right? Orders. Somewhere else. Probably not here.”
The way she said it—matter-of-fact, but not unkind—sent a ripple of unease through me. But it didn’t linger as long as I would’ve thought. “I know,” I said, surprising myself with how steady my voice was. “And honestly? I don’t think I care.”
Grace blinked. “Really?”
I smiled, realizing it was true even as I said it. “Yeah. I mean, I love it here. Snow Hill feels like home in a way I didn’t think a place ever could. But if Hudson has to go somewhere else, I’m okay with that. If we have to rent out the house for a few years and come back later, so be it. I’m not tied to one place anymore. I think I’m tied to him.”
She made an exaggerated noise, like something you’d do if you saw the cutest puppy on the planet.
“Hush,” I said, jumping as Ida appeared out of nowhere. She had a way of sneaking up on people—something about her light steps and the fact that she always seemed to know exactly when to jump into a juicy conversation.
“Well, well,” she said, folding her arms and tilting her head at me. “I see you’ve got that ‘future military spouse’ glow about you tonight.”
I choked on my sip of cider, coughing as Grace patted my back, not even trying to hide her grin. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Ida said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “If you plan on following Hudson from base to base after his three years in Harrisburg, you know what that means, right? You’ll have to get married. That’s how it works. No marriage license, no guaranteed spot on his orders, nowhere to live even if you followed him anyway. You’d be stuck here, pining away while he’s off who-knows-where.”
Grace snorted, clearly enjoying this way too much. “Those are a lot of good points, Ida.”
I crossed my arms, giving them a noncommittal shrug. “Well, if Hudson asks, I’ll say yes. Problem solved.”
Ida’s grin widened, and for a second, I could’ve sworn her eyes softened. “Good answer, sweetheart. That’s what I like to hear. And you should be thanking me, by the way. If it weren’t for me and Joan, you two lovebirds wouldn’t even be here together tonight.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Thank you for meddling. Seriously, though… thank you.”
Ida’s expression softened further, and she placed a hand on my arm. “You’re welcome. Seeing you two together, knowing he found someone like you… it makes me happy. He deserves this. You both do.”
Her sincerity caught me off guard after so many teasing barbs, and I blinked back an unexpected sting of emotion. “Well, you raised an amazing man. You should be very proud.”
“Oh, I am,” she said, her smile both warm and a little smug. “But don’t tell him I said that. He’s still my nephew, and I’ll still tell him when he’s being an idiot.”
We all laughed at that, and Grace leaned in conspiratorially. “She’s not kidding. She told Tommy he was being an idiot just last week.”
“It’s my job,” Ida said with a wink. Then she turned back to me, her voice quieter but no less firm. “Hudson’s lucky to have you, Sofia. Don’t let him forget it.”
“Trust me,” I said, smiling as I glanced across the room to where Hudson was standing. “I won’t. In fact… I think I’ll go steal him for a dance.”
“Oh, don’t let us stop you,” Ida said with a wave.
I turned, finding that Hudson had wandered to the stage area to chat with Nick. My heels clicked against the tile as I crossed the room, and his gaze found mine before I even reached him. The way his face lit up like I was the only thing in the world worth looking at made my heart stutter.
“Hey, there,” I said, slipping my hand into his. “Dance with me?”
“Always.”
He led me to the dance floor, his strong hand resting on my lower back as he pulled me close. The music slowed, and we swayed to the rhythm.
“You know,” I said, tilting my head to look up at him, “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.”
He smiled, his hazel eyes soft as they searched mine. “That makes two of us.”
I leaned up, brushing my lips against his, and the tender way he kissed me back was enough to make me forget anyone else existed.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you, too. So much.”
As the song continued, all of the people and the chaos of the ball blurred into the background. But then, out of nowhere, a kid—one of Holly and Nick’s, I realized—tripped over his untied shoelace and stumbled right into me. He’d been holding a cup of punch, and now, unfortunately, the contents of the cup soaked my dress in a sticky mess.
Chris’s face crumpled, clearly terrified he was in trouble. But I laughed to show him he wasn’t, crouching down to his level. “Hey, it’s okay. Accidents happen. And look, I’m wearing black. You can’t even see it.”
He nodded, his lip wobbling, and Hudson reached out to ruffle the boy’s hair. “Go find your mom, bud.”
Chris scurried off, and I stood, inspecting the damage. “Well, now I’m super glamorous.”
Hudson chuckled. “You still look beautiful.”
“Charmer,” I teased, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “But I feel very sticky. I’ll be right back. I gotta see if I can do something about this.”
He nodded and let me go, his fingers trailing down my arm as I went. “Hurry back.”
I smiled over my shoulder as I made my way toward the hallway that housed the bathrooms at the far end of the hall. The sound of the party faded with each step, replaced by the quieter hum of the building. A woman stepped out of the bathroom just as I reached the door, and we exchanged polite nods as I passed her.
Pushing the door open, I was already trying to figure out how to get the stickiness off my dress without soaking myself in soap and water. But before I could take another step, a hand clamped over my mouth, and a sickly sweet smell filled my nose.
Panic surged, and I struggled against the powerful grip on my face. And then suddenly, my limbs felt heavy, and my thoughts turned sluggish.
The world tilted, spinning and blurring around me, and then… everything faded to black.