Chapter 11
PIPER
Looking into my cup of tea, I dip the bag as I sit waiting at a table. I feel a smile threatening to stretch on my mouth as I recall in my head the last few days.
Gosh, Hudson does something to make me feel alive.
Every conversation is light, every joke a laugh, and he is one of those people who lives life without a care in the world. And he’s asking me to come along for the ride.
That’s what it is, right? Fun. That’s what it should be, but I can’t shake the feeling that Hudson Arrows is a lightning strike that hits deep inside of me.
The pure thought spreads warmth inside of me, and I smile to myself.
“Hey, Ginger,” April greets me as she slides her purse onto the high-top table.
I gently shake my head to bring me back to the present. “Hey there, stranger.”
“I ordered a gin and tonic when I came in. Why are you drinking tea?” She smiles in bewilderment as she adjusts her hair and sits on the stool.
Looking at my drink and then April, my mouth parts open but stalls. In truth, I’m drinking tea to ensure alcohol doesn’t influence what I say to April. Already, I feel slightly sour in my stomach from my lies, and a few nerves float inside of me.
“Saving myself for my grandmother’s dinner tomorrow. You know how she gets with serving wine,” I explain half-heartedly.
April seems to accept that answer, and she thanks the waiter for bringing her drink. “How was Austin?” She sips from her lemon-slice-rimmed glass.
“Austin?”
“Yeah, you had that fashion expo thing. You went to Texas, no?”
Right, I did say that. “It was normal. Nothing exciting, just good to network. So, tell me about wedding planning.” I’m quick to divert our topic.
April frowns. “Okay, I guess.”
“What do you mean? Haven’t you started to talk about venues or something?”
She shrugs and takes another drink. “Not really. Jeff has been busy this week.”
I reach out to touch her hand. “That kind of conversation needs a lot of attention, so if he has been busy, then it’s probably not the best time,” I do my best to assure her.
Squeezing her hand, I tell her something to make her smile.
“I began to play around with a design for your dress. I forgot the sketches at my office, which by the way I’ll need to move out of next month. The landlord confirmed it today.”
“Yay for dress designs. Boo for office. What are you going to do?”
I bob my head side to side as I sink my shoulders and lean back.
“I don’t know. Something inside me says to wait it out and have my living room become a chaotic nightmare of boxes until I figure out a more concrete option.
My grandmother has a storage unit in her building that she said I could borrow. I’m trying not to think about it.”
“Did my lobster statue curse you?” She attempts to smile.
“Nah. He may still bring me good luck, but I don’t see it yet.”
April’s eyes scan around the room and then she scoffs a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“My uncle is on the TV.”
My eyes snap in the direction of the flatscreen over the bar. When I arrived it was playing the sports channel… which now in retrospect shouldn’t be surprising.
I can’t look away. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but Hudson is sitting in an interview, with that winning grin that makes me want to melt. The screen bounces back and forth between him speaking and a replay of a football game.
“He always knows how to schmooze for the camera. I remember this documentary, a sort of history of Hudson Arrows becoming one of the best coaches of our time. They really missed out on interviewing me.” I can hear her joke in the last sentence.
I study the screen more intently and realize the replay is of a younger Hudson playing football, before the blonde-haired interviewer asks another one of her questions, which causes Hudson to smile in this suave manner that makes me internally shake my head, amused. He’s charming everyone.
But that just makes it even better because something I’ve learned about Hudson is that he is genuinely the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. It isn’t for show.
“How come you never mentioned what he does?” I wonder aloud but can’t tear my eyes away from the screen. Partly because I don’t think I will ever get bored of looking at Hudson.
“He’s just my uncle, no different than me. Besides, you already know he’s down to earth.”
My eyes whip back into April’s direction, with fear running to my heart. “I do?”
“Yeah. I mean, you spoke with him at my engagement party, right? What did you two talk about?” she innocently asks before playing with the lemon from her drink.
“You mean when you left to go speak with someone?” I hope that’s what she means, and I’m relieved when she nods her head. “Oh, um, you know, nothing crazy. He asked about work and how I know you.” I take another sip of tea to hide any unease that may show on my face.
Only a few minutes in and I realize that I’m a horrible liar.
“Well, I’m sure he didn’t flash around the fact that he is the highest-paid coach in the league or that everyone is waiting for him to show up with a Mrs. Arrows any day now,” she casually mentions.
I cough a little from unease. “Really?”
“I think so. He hasn’t really dated in a while or at least since his son entered the picture. Plus, the rumor is my uncle Bay will get traded next season.”
“Why is that?”
“Another team may sweep in with a better offer, that’s what the public notion is.
But I think he may actually trade in pro-ball for college ball because he wants a bit of a quieter life.
He isn’t a recluse by any means, but he likes to retreat to his lake house.
” April raises a finger. “I should totally ask if we can borrow his house one weekend for a bachelorette party. You would love his house. Well, I mean, his neighbor is a pain in the ass, but we can just go during baseball season to avoid him.”
I try to evade her eyes and only awkwardly nod.
This is unbearable. I just want to scream that I’ve already seen his amazing house, and yes, I know that Hudson enjoys his own little world on Lake Spark.
“Hey, so while I was waiting, the table behind us had a bit of a bombshell conversation happening. Crazy, really. The one friend told her other friend that she hooked up with her dad. What does a person do in that situation?” A total made-up story, but I need to test the waters somehow.
April flashes me wide eyes. “Wow, I missed that? Damn. Could you imagine? I mean, total end of a friendship there. What a betrayal, right?”
My throat feels tighter. “Right.” That was weak-sounding, I’m sure of it.
“What a way to start an evening. Wild. Speaking of dating, any news on mystery guy?”
“Oh, uhm. Yeah, total bust. I reached out and it’s just not meant to be,” I lie yet again, securing more points for the award of bad friend.
“Other fish in the sea, right?” She gives me a consoling look.
“Absolutely.”
“Want to head to the flea market next weekend?”
I pull on my earring and think up an excuse. But half the truth is okay, or at least a start. “I can’t. I’m going to be out of town.”
“Again?”
“Yeah, heading out for a family weekend. My grandmother mentioned something about some fancy hotel in Wisconsin with cheese and wine. Nobody says no to my grandmother.”
“Sounds fun.”
I feel like a horrible friend right now. April is sitting in front of me, oblivious, and I’m selfishly lying to her because I’m giving in to desire.
I look up at the television again and see a scoreboard comparing game wins between Hudson coaching the team and the former coach. The numbers don’t interest me, but the picture of the man does.
In that moment, it’s what I need to remind myself that I had a plan for good reason.
I don’t know yet how to explain this to April, and for the first time in years I want to enjoy being with a man before addressing the consequences, or maybe I’m hoping that the end result isn’t a consequence at all but rather a choice.
And I can’t seem to figure out why I’m ignoring the risks so blatantly. Probably, because I’m counting down the days until I see him again.