Hard Count (The San Diego Storm #1)

1. Hudson Gatlin

Chapter 1

Hudson Gatlin

The sun’s rays warmed my face as I sat in my office at the Capital. Staring mindlessly out my window, I took a deep breath to settle the unease I’d been living with for so long.

I closed my eyes and tried to envision a time when I would feel like my old self again. When I could laugh and return to the man I’d been a few years ago.

Day in and day out, my life was in survival mode. A rinse and repeat of sorts. Get up, hand my teenagers over to my parents, and go to work, only to resume the role of parent after five o’clock. And at the end of the day, I was lonely for someone to talk to that didn’t feel sorry for the widower with two kids.

I quickly found out that being a single parent came with a hefty load of guilt and feelings of inadequacy I’d never known. It humbled me, but also made me appreciate the support system around us.

Yet here I was in earlier than usual, preparing for my weekly breakfast meeting with my cabinet later this morning.

I rubbed my eyes as the exhaustion had finally caught up to me. I hadn’t been sleeping well for some time. And for a forty-four-year-old man with the magnitude of responsibility on my shoulders, I wondered if I’d made the right decisions in my life.

When I chose to pursue a career in politics, I knew it would be grueling mentally and physically. Endless campaigning and eyes on me eighteen hours a day were expected. Carrie and I were solid, with no skeletons in either of our closets and enough energy in our late twenties to fuel us through.

I rose from assistant district attorney to running for state Congress. And when I felt I was ready and experienced enough, I took a shot at the governor’s office when I was thirty-six.

I loved my life of service to the people of California and thrived on it really. Carrie stood by my side through it all and was the quintessential partner.

A lawyer herself, she was intelligent, a good wife, and a wonderful mother to our kids. Our life was essentially perfect to everyone looking in when I won my first bid to become governor.

Everything about our life was right on track until she got the diagnosis we didn’t see coming. When she died two years into my second term, I became a widower and a single father of two preteens. If my parents hadn’t stepped in to help, I don’t know that I would have survived. Now Jack was a full-blown teenager and hell-bent on pushing me away at every turn. But Erin was the one who looked at me like I hung the moon. Now I felt guilty as hell for leaving them when I had to be here.

The knock on my door brought me out of my bout of self-doubt.

“Come in,” I said, straightening in my chair.

The door swung open and in strode my close friend of twenty years, carrying my favorite coffee.

Adley Harrison, my firecracker of a personal assistant and forever sister-in-law, came in wearing her usual smile. The five-foot-two dynamo/cheerleader/motivational speaker was by my side for everything from morning staff meetings to black-tie events. She told me like it was, and I appreciated her frankness and honesty. All Adley needed was one quick assessment of my demeanor to know how to proceed with my current mood.

“Good morning, Governor.” She loved to use her British accent first thing in the morning because she knew it would make me smile. The thing was, she wasn’t British. She was from Escondido.

“Morning, Adley. What’s on the agenda for today? I’m sure you have it memorized.”

“First, you need to tell me why you look that way.”

She handed me my coffee and took a seat in the wingback chair across from my desk. Crossing her legs, she leaned forward and narrowed her eyes at me. When her index finger tapped her lips, I knew I should be worried.

I frowned. “What way would that be?”

“You’re stressing about tonight, aren’t you? I know the guest list is quite impressive.”

I scoffed. “No. Not at all.”

Maybe a little.

I took a sip of my coffee, but that proved to be a big mistake.

“I can find you a date if that’s what you’re worried about. I know it’s been a while since you’ve…”

She wiggled her eyebrows and waved her hand in the air as I unceremoniously spit my coffee all over my dress shirt.

“Fucking hell, Adley. I don’t need you to get me a date. I’ll be busy greeting all the award winners. I’m fine attending alone.”

I brushed at the coffee as she laughed and went to the closet where I kept extra clothes for such emergencies. Selecting another boring white shirt, she closed the door and strode back to me on her Jimmy Choo heels.

Holding it out, I took it and scowled at her in faux indignation.

“You do, Hudson. You really do. It’s not healthy for a handsome man of your age to be so pent-up and serious all the time. You need something to put the sparkle back in your eyes.”

God, she sounded just like her sister.

“Who put you in charge of my personal life? I don’t think that’s in your contract, Ms. Harrison. And I’m completely content and busy as hell with my kids. You know that.”

I stalked to the bathroom and changed. I didn’t have the time or the desire to date. In fact, I refused to consider it.

When I’d redressed and looked exactly like before, I walked out and handed her the coffee-stained shirt. She smiled at me, making me roll my eyes.

I sighed and sat back down. Holding up a finger to stop her from talking, I leaned forward and took a sip of my coffee.

Again, she just continued to smile. Sometimes she irritated the fuck out of me.

“If you don’t want a date, may-be,” she said, dragging out the word, “we can find you a friend to accompany you. Someone you can call later and ask to meet you for dinner. That’s all I’m suggesting.”

I sat back in my chair and stared at her. “Adley, I don’t have time for that. And what makes you think I don’t have friends?”

I didn’t. And she knew it. She knew everything about me, dammit.

“Hudson, your life encompasses two things. Running the state of California and your children. I’m just saying you need an outlet. If you’re not ready to date, at least find someone to have a beer with and watch sports. And before you say it, Jack doesn’t count. He can’t drink.”

I raised a brow and grunted. Maybe she wasn’t completely wrong. It would be nice to have someone to talk to.

Adley sighed. “Is my nephew still mad at you?”

“Yes,” I sighed, running my hand over the back of my neck. “He won’t tell me what’s going on, and it worries the hell out of me.”

“I think that’s standard behavior for fifteen-year-old boys. Even ones who haven’t lost their mother. He’s still hurting, Hudson. They both are.”

Releasing a weighted breath, I rubbed my forehead. “I know. But it feels like something else is bothering him. And it doesn’t help that I’m gone all of the damn time.”

I ran my hands through my dark hair.

“He’s upset that I won’t allow him to play football this year. I just don’t see how we can juggle that commitment when I’m traveling all over the state. They both need me, and I’m not there most of the time as it is.”

Her brows drew together. Adley curled her lips in and nodded. “I understand, but he needs an outlet. And you’re a good father, Hudson. Don’t sell yourself short. My sister had faith in you.”

I released a weighted sigh. “I appreciate that.”

“Maybe it’s time you finally took a little vacation. We can find some time to clear your schedule for a few days. Take them both somewhere you all can relax. Maybe the beach.”

“I guess we could go to San Diego for a few days.”

Her eyes lit up, and a smile crossed her face.

“What? What are you planning in that head of yours?”

Adley laughed. “That is perfect!”

I was confused. We’d been to San Diego a million times.

“Jack loves the Storm, right?”

I nodded. “Yes. Why?”

She clapped her hands like a kid at Christmas. “Have you forgotten who we added to the Gala?”

“I don’t spend my days combing the guest list of events, Adley. I’m a little too busy to do that.”

She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“What would you do without me?”

I snorted, but she continued.

“Six of the players from the Storm are attending the gala tonight. Maybe we can schedule a time for Jack to meet a few of them. Then you can let my mother spoil all of you. You know she’s dying to see them.”

Thinking that over in my head, I nodded. “They do need to see their Nana.”

She rolled her eyes again dramatically.

“Glad you’re catching on. And…it would give you time to meet with Preston James.”

A smile formed as I thought about the possibilities.

“Okay. Check my schedule and see what you can rearrange.”

She saluted me. “Yes, sir. And I’ll make you meet the right people tonight. For Jack’s sake.”

I frowned. “I can’t take him tonight. They’re serving alcohol.”

Another eye roll. If she wasn’t family, I’d fire her. Maybe.

“I’m aware. But you can start the groundwork tonight, and I’ll call their PR person. I’m sure someone might like to take advantage of the media attention by playing football with the governor’s son.”

I opened up my computer and perused the guest list. Scrolling through the names, I grinned when I found who I was looking for.

“There is one player Jack really looks up to,” I said, thinking about the posters on his wall. “This could be just the thing he needs, Ad. You might be a miracle worker.”

“Not until you tell me his name. Then I’ll be a miracle worker—for my nephew.”

I laughed. “It’s one of the tight ends. Evan Ellis.”

Her eyes lit up. “I know exactly who he is. And he’s so hot! I’m on it.”

She got up and headed for the door. Turning for one last look, she gave me my orders.

“Drink your coffee. We’ve got the staff meeting in thirty. Afterward, I’ll get started on your agenda.”

“Hey,” I said, calling out to her. “Thanks.”

Her face softened as she smiled. “That’s what family does, Hudson. Now drink your coffee. I have miracles to perform.”

With that, she strode out of my office, leaving me in a much better mood than when she entered.