2. Lance Ingram
Chapter 2
What the hell was I doing?
I stared at my grayish-green eyes in the rear-view mirror of my late-model Ford truck. Haven Grove had been home up until about eight years ago and now I was back.
I’d been back in town a few days and I knew without a shadow of a doubt this was where I’d spend the rest of my life.
I had my old truck back.
Mom had handed me the keys to the Sweet Kim’s father fought cancer for an excruciating four years. After he died, she got a lot of money, announced she’d been cheating on me, and wanted a divorce. I gladly gave it to her, stuck around for a while longer because Dad needed me, and jumped at the chance to come home when Mom said she was done running the Sweet & Creamy.” My eyes met Hudson’s over the rim of my cup. “Your turn.”
There was that smirk again. “Um, nothing nearly as soap opera-ish as that,” he teased. “Dad and Billy continued their feud. They did their usual working together—or working around each other—and grousing the whole time. Billy kept drinking, nearly destroyed the orchard and store with it. He finally drank himself to death about six months ago. Dad pretends like it doesn’t bother him, but it does. I think losing his brother when Missy pulled her shit fucked him up worse than watching her walk away. He said he wasn’t running the orchard or store and started talking about selling. Henry and I convinced him to let me take over.” Hudson shrugged. “So, Dad helps where he can and when he feels like it. Henry runs The Roadhouse and I’m now the proud owner of a peach orchard and general store that may sink despite my best efforts.”
I blinked. “Wow, that’s…well, it’s a lot. Hate to hear it about Billy, but can’t say I’m surprised.” I checked my watch again. “Looks like I’m being stood up.”
Hudson chuckled. “Same. Fifteen minutes late and no contact seems a bit rude.”
The teen bopped over to our table as we spoke, popping her gum. “Yeah, so, we’re closing early today for an event. You don’t have to leave yet, just thought I should let you know.”
Giving her a nod, I glanced toward Hudson. “Any chance you wanna get out of here? I planned on talking to Casey Joe about some ideas I had for a business partnership—cross-promotion type stuff—but now I guess I need to talk to you,” I said. I didn’t hate the idea.
Hudson cocked his head. “I’m down to listen to ideas. At this point, the orchard and store—and me—need all the help we can get.” He tapped his phone. “Just let me tell this guy I’m gonna head out.”
I pulled out my phone to let HornyInHavenGrove know I wasn’t going to be able to meet after all. A couple quick words to explain—I honestly didn’t feel bad about canceling since he hadn’t even shown up—and I hit send.
Two things happened at once. My phone vibrated in my hand to indicate a new message and Hudson’s phone chimed with the unmistakable sound of ClickC*ck.
HornyInHavenGrove: Sorry, man. Looks like you’re late and I just had something come up. Maybe another time.
I stared at my phone, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.
Hudson breathed out a low, “No fuckin’ way.”
Something clicked and I jerked my head up.
Our eyes met.
Confusion, curiosity, hope, and lust.
Refusing to cling to the hope and completely ignoring the lust, I huffed out a chuckle.
Hudson cocked a brow. “So, it looks like maybe you didn’t tell me everything that happened in the last eight years.”
My face must have held a question—couldn’t blame me, my brain was struggling to catch up.
He waved his phone. “ClickC*ck is an app for guys to hook up with guys. True, they may be bi, pan, gay, or even straight and sneaking around, but when you left here you were definitely sleeping with a woman. What happened?”
When I didn’t blink, Hudson cringed.
“Sorry, that’s invasive and insensitive. I was just some kid?—”
“You were twenty-five,” I said.
“True, but you’d known me as just some kid my whole life, it wasn’t like you owed me any sort of explanation of your sexuality. It’s not my business if you’re gay or bi or pan or—” He cocked his head and studied me. “I can’t see you cheating and sneaking around.”
“I’m not.”
“Not what?”
“Cheating and sneaking around.” I ran a hand over my face. Had I really arranged a random hookup on an app only to find out I’d propositioned my best friend’s son?
Fuck.
Even better, I wanted to talk my hookup into at least one date so I could get to know him better.
Get to know the guy better when I’d known him since birth?
To be fair, you don’t know the person he is now.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m sorry.”
Hudson frowned. “For what? Being the real you? Fuck that, man. Best thing I ever did was come out all those years ago. You were one of three people who supported me, and you did it better than Dad did, that’s for sure. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got it all figured out. Talk about it or don’t, but I’m here if you want to.”
I glanced at him. Hudson had always been unashamedly himself while being a supportive, listening ear to others. I’d seen him listen for hours while painting a widow’s house. Or tinkering on old Mr. Johnson’s truck. Or planting a row of green bean plants. He wasn’t one to judge or push, he’d always been that way.
Suddenly, I wanted to pour it all out. The slow realization that women did it for me, but men did too—often even more. The constant wondering if it was just a mid-life crisis in my fifties. The inner argument of wanting a label to sort myself out and make everything into a nice, neat package while thinking that no specific label really fit me.
“No,” I said instead. “I’m sorry for trying to hook up with you the first week I got back in town.”
“To be fair, I tried to hook up with you too,” Hudson said with an easy grin.
I ran a hand over my face.
Hudson leaned forward on his elbows. “Is it the first week back in town part that’s bothering you? Would it have been better if you’d waited until week two? For propriety’s sake?”
Huffing out a chuckle, I shook my head. “I see some things haven’t changed.”
Hudson shrugged and swigged the last of his coffee. “No reason to make things weird, might as well laugh it off.”
We stood and gathered our trash before making our way toward the trashcan and the door.
“I mean, it is a little weird,” I said. “You’re my best friend’s son.”
Holding the door open for me, Hudson’s hand brushed across my lower back as I walked past him. A jolt of awareness zinged through me, warm and electrifying.
“Wasn’t planning on letting Dad get involved,” Hudson whispered at my ear when we reached my truck.
He was too close, too fucking magnetic, too…just too Hudson. The scent of Irish Spring, something citrusy, and just man teased my senses.
I’d never thought of him in a sexual way, but that was then. Back before I’d recognized my attraction to men. Before I returned to the town I planned to make my forever home. Before I’d met Hudson Riggs as a man and not just the boy I’d known all those years ago.
Grasping onto the red flag and stepping out of the danger zone, I moved closer to my truck with a grunt. “Casey Joe’s not getting involved because there’s nothing to get involved with.”
Hudson’s eyes went wide and then his face fell. “What? Come on. It can be your welcome home party. I promise I’m the perfect hookup, I never ask for seconds. Dad won’t hear a single word from me.”
It was my turn for wide eyes. “You think quick, easy, no-strings sex with a guy you’ve known your whole life—a guy who is now living in the same town and very likely working close with you—is a good idea?”
Hudson shrugged. “I know I don’t do relationships. And I know you already left once. I’ll take my chances.”
His challenge and insinuation shot right through me and I stepped closer, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m home. To stay. And I’m not lookin’ for something quick and easy.” Nodding my chin toward the coffee shop, I said, “I had every intention of asking that guy out on a real date. Enjoyed talking to him so much, I wanted to see if the connection was there in real life.”
“I don’t date.”
“Looks like we’ve found ourselves at an impasse. You don’t date and I’m not interested in one-and-done, especially not with someone I’ll be seeing on the daily.” Why the hell did it sound like I was challenging Hudson to date me? I had absolutely no business getting involved with Casey Joe’s son in any way other than work-related.
Hudson smirked. “Impasse. Yeah.” He studied me. “Guess we’re just working together, then.”
My heart stuttered. Relief? Disappointment? I needed to get my shit together. “Guess so.”
“It’s a shame, really,” Hudson drawled as I turned to get in my truck.
Giving him a sideways glance I asked, “What is?”
He let his gaze travel up and down my body, heat trailing over my skin as his eyes gobbled me up. “You’re hot as hell. I thought my teenage wet dreams were about to come true.”
My face heated and I sputtered. “You didn’t…you weren’t…did you…”
Hudson laughed. “Come on, Lance. You had to know I was panting after you from about sixteen on. Back then, it was just horny teen shit. But I’m thirty-three damn years old. We’re not the same people we were back then. Getting hot and sweaty with some good ol’ fashioned sex isn’t going to hurt anyone.” He shrugged. “I’m just saying, we’re consenting adults. There’s a whole lot of fun to be had.”
My brain was about to short-circuit. “But only once?”
Hudson considered me. “Maybe I’d make an exception for you. Maybe I’d allow repeats on a semi-regular basis.”
My dick begged me to agree, my head screamed danger, danger, and my heart stuck out its bottom lip in a pout. “Then we’re right back where we started. I want more than casual booty calls and no-strings, friends-with-benefits.”
“With me?” Hudson challenged.
No.
Yes.
Fuck.
“Does it matter?” I asked, my back ramrod straight. “You want something completely different than what I want. Add in the fact Casey Joe would murder and wood-chipper me all over the orchard as fertilizer and I think we have our answer.” I gestured toward his truck. “Now, are we going to look into this business arrangement or not?”
Hudson studied me for a long moment. “Let’s do it. Just know, the offer still stands. I’m good for easy and casual. Maybe you can take me up on the offer before you head back to the city.”
“I’m not going back,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Mmhm,” Hudson hummed.
“Meet me at the Sweet & Creamy,” I said, yanking open my door. “And my offer still stands too.”
Hudson sneered. “Dating?” he scoffed. “No, thank you. Not my style.”
If I hadn’t known what he’d been through with his mom, I probably wouldn’t have picked up on Hudson’s avoidance tactics. He didn’t date, he didn’t get close to people. Probably thought if he didn’t let himself get attached, he couldn’t get hurt like when his mom left.
Not that it mattered. I wasn’t dating Casey Joe’s son. I most definitely wasn’t having no-strings-attached sex with him.
So, overall, Hudson was doing me a favor.
Actually, we were saving each other from a heap of trouble.
Business partners only was definitely the way to go.
I’d just have to get used to being around him and not getting distracted. Hudson had a perfect ass, killer smile, and snarky attitude all rolled into one.
It wouldn’t be that difficult working with a permanent hard-on.
I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore the headache coming on.