Hudson
I awoke in my favorite way—with a naked Lucy draped around me like a liquid vine, her intoxicating scent and soft skin a balm I hadn’t known I needed and now couldn’t live without.
It had been three incredible weeks since the break-in, and Lucy and I had fallen into a natural rhythm living together.
Bernard now hung proudly in the sitting room, and the kittens, Scout and Jem—named after Lucy’s favorite book—created an incredible amount of chaos for such small beasts.
I’d never had cats, but I had to admit the little buggers had grown on me. Poor, patient Ranger, who they’d immediately adopted as their parent, couldn’t yet say the same.
It had become a nearly daily routine to explore the property. Lucy’s eyes never failed to light up at the wide-open spaces, and I could see her beautiful mind working through all the possibilities I’d yet to take advantage of, given my touring schedule in years past.
If it were possible, I think she loved the house and property more than I did.
One of my favorite sounds had become the piano music filtering through the house when she found a quiet moment to play, the kittens inevitably toying with her shoelaces.
In short, it had been perfect—if not for the other shoe I couldn’t help but feel would drop. We’d changed her number as agreed, and there had been nothing from her parents or ex since.
Then there was the idea of having to leave her.
Having my muse beside me had resulted in a nearly finished album I’d never been prouder of.
With the pressure from my label to wrap it up and release it, the prospect of a supporting tour loomed on the horizon.
While part of me wanted to share my music with the world, the other couldn’t fathom being parted from my girl.
She shifted in my arms, coming awake slowly as she often did. She slept hard, I’d learned, and took time to fully come to her senses in the morning.
“Morning, baby.” I nuzzled her neck, and she arched into me. “Sleep okay?”
“Mm-hmm.” She snuggled closer. “Did Griff drop the dogs off already?”
After some convincing from my woman, Griffin had taken to dropping his dogs off with us whenever he had long shifts.
“She’s naked in my arms, and her first thought is about dogs,” I muttered without ire. One thing was for sure, my girl was an animal lover through and through. “No, baby, not yet.” I kissed her temple just as my phone rang on the bedside table.
A quick glance at the screen revealed Davis’s name, and I grimaced.
“You should answer, honey. You can’t avoid him forever.”
I had been avoiding him. I knew what he wanted—I just wasn’t sure how to give it to him.
“I’ll answer him.” I rolled on top of her, settling between her legs with a teasing smile. “Later.”
Later that morning, Lucy poured us both coffee while I worked on our omelets. Griffin’s dogs suddenly raced past the window, tongues lolling. Ranger immediately whined to join them, and I let him out, smiling as he bounded after the shepherds.
Griffin often dropped the dogs off without coming into the house.
He only had so much patience for chit-chat, even with me.
It had taken me nearly my whole life to fully understand that, while Lucy accepted my brother’s personality immediately.
She gave Griffin his space and sparred with Riley as though she’d been doing it all her life.
She fit in perfectly with my family. I couldn’t wait for her to meet Haley and my nephew, whom I didn’t see nearly enough.
“Your day?” I asked as I slid her plate in front of her.
“I have a meeting with my publisher.” She looked gorgeous sitting across from me with hardly any makeup on, her incredible eyes bright with enthusiasm.
“This last book was so impressive. I want to make sure it’s on her radar.
Then I told Goodie I’d swing by the restaurant to help her with a few interviews. ”
“You lined up some solid prospects.” I nodded proudly. My girl was so talented—her business acumen, her ability to identify literary talent, and her musicality made her uniquely multifaceted. She still didn’t understand just how special she was, but I was determined to show her every day.
“Hopefully.” She gave a small shrug. “If we can hire at least two of them, I think, all in all, the restaurant will be in good shape.”
“Thanks to you.”
She let out a self-deprecating snort. “Hardly. I just made some suggestions. Goodie’s been kicking ass all on her own. But it’s been fun.” She shrugged, taking a bite of toast. “Your day?”
“I’ll hit the gym first. Then I want to get out to where we saw that water gathering by the utility shed and see if I can unclog it. I suppose I also need to call Davis back before he has a coronary.”
Her expression turned wary as she regarded me. “The album is incredible—of course he’s excited about it. Why are you dodging him, babe?”
She might not have started as a country fan, but Lucy had thrown herself into exploring my music. There was no better feeling than seeing her gorgeous eyes light up with appreciation as she shared her latest favorite track.
“Because an album release means a tour.” I reached for her hand. We hadn’t talked about it—not in so many words—but to me, the reason was obvious.
“And?” She raised a brow.
“Touring would mean leaving, and I can’t imagine being away from you. You moved here not that long ago—you already uprooted your life once. You won’t want to do that again.”
Her brows shot up, disbelief flashing across her face. “Says who? You? Because you certainly haven’t asked me.”
I hadn’t seen Lucy angry very often, so the fury blazing in her eyes sent a jolt of unease through me. She slid off her stool and dumped her plate into the sink so roughly that I was surprised it didn’t break.
“You still don’t get it, Hudson.” Her eyes flashed with anger.
“You’re making all these assumptions—running through every scenario, and not once have you asked me what I might want.
Not once have you tried to talk this out with me.
Do you think I’m not capable? Do you think I’m fragile?
What the hell?” She threw up her hands in frustration.
“You’re not protecting me by boxing me out. That hurts me, Hudson.”
The plea in her voice nearly broke my fucking heart.
“I thought we were building a life together—not one where you made decisions on your own and then tell me what’s happening. This is such bullshit.”
“Baby—”
“No.” She held up a hand, her cheeks flushed with agitation.
“I left DC because everyone in my life made decisions for me. I was in a cage of their making until I broke free. And when you do shit like this, all I see are bars—even if you have the best intentions. I’m not living my life like that. Not ever again.”
She grabbed her keys and purse and headed for the door.
“Lucy, wait a goddamned second,” I growled. “We agreed you wouldn’t run away.”
“Yeah, well, we also agreed you’d talk things through with me. I guess we both lied.” She strode through the door, slamming it behind her.
In the silence that followed, as I debated chasing her versus letting her cool off, I felt like I’d been through a tornado and spit back out.
One thing was clear: I needed reinforcements. I could only think of one person who could truly help me.
“Ooh-hoo, you stepped in it, didn’t you, honey?” Goodie slid a cup of coffee across the counter after I’d shared the details of my argument with Lucy.
I’d caught her in a rare moment at home before she headed to the restaurant, where Lucy would be meeting her later.
“Obviously.” I wrapped my hands around the mug. “The thing is, I really heard her the first time we discussed this. I don’t want to keep anything from her, and the last thing I want is for her to think I don’t have confidence in her. It’s the absolute opposite. I think she can do anything.”
Goodie lifted a brow. “How long have you known you might have to tour?”
“It’s the reality of finishing an album.” I stared into my coffee.
She snorted softly. “Yeah, reality for you. That’s not a reality she’s used to. And if you’d talked to her about it, she could’ve been part of that journey with you.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way.
Her gaze softened. “You know what I think? I think you love my niece, and I doubt you’ve told her that.
” She shot me a pointed look. “I think the part of you that’s a small-town boy—who struggled with fame—wants to keep her tucked away here, close to the Green River local you’ve always been.
And it’s not because you’re not proud of her—I know you are. Who wouldn’t be?”
She smiled fondly. “It’s because you want to protect her from the lessons you’ve learned about fame. You want to shield her from the bigger world when, honey, what you don’t realize is that protection can be a different flavor of control.”
Her statement hit like a bomb detonating in the space between us.
“You’re trying to shield her from what you already had the chance to learn, when maybe there are new adventures to be had, a new point of view if she was part of it. You’re not letting her learn her own lessons, not letting her be truly part of your world, just a portion of it.”
“Shit.” I hung my head as her words rung true. “I swear I wasn’t doing that intentionally. I want everything with her.”
“I believe that.” Goodie nodded solemnly and leaned across the counter to take my hand.
“I don’t need to tell you that girl hasn’t had the life she deserves.
Most of the time, I can’t believe my brother and I even share the same blood.
They never loved her the way she deserved.
Josh just continued the pattern. I’m proud as hell she’s breaking the mold.
You just have to ask yourself if you’re here to help her build it up or tear it down. ”
“To build it, of course.”
“Not me you have to convince.” She shrugged, squeezing my hand once before letting me go.
“How do I start?” Clearly, I had some serious making up to do.
“You’re a songwriter, an artist. You live in your head. Start sharing some of those thoughts out loud.” She tapped my temple. “And don’t make decisions without her, dummy.”
“Noted. Thanks, Goodie.”
She winked. “You can thank me by giving my girl the life she deserves. Just let her grasp it on her own terms.”
“I will. I promise.” Before I could say more, my phone chimed with a text.
Riley: Get your ass to Goodie’s. That asshole is here.