Bexley
I thought about how I really wanted to kill Maya as I stood in front of the mirror looking at myself. I’d tried on three different outfits and, at this moment, I didn’t know why I even cared what I looked like. I also didn’t know why or how I’d even agreed to doing this, but then Maya had that way about her.
I’d left brunch on Sunday, and by Monday night she’d messaged with a day and a time and told me my blind date would pick me up. For some reason or another, I didn’t tell her no, probably because I knew if I had, she’d have driven over here and wouldn’t have left until I’d said yes. She’d have brought reinforcements too, and I hadn’t been in the mood for company.
I gave myself a once-over again and walked away from my reflection. There was no use worrying about tonight. I already knew it was going to end up on the huge list of regrets I already had. So what the hell was one more to add to an ever-growing list?
I made my way out to my living room and went to sit down and finish my lukewarm tea when someone knocked on the door. I glanced at my watch. There was no way that was my blind date. It was almost twenty-five minutes too early.
Another knock. “Coming!” I yelled, running to the door.
I opened the door and was surprised to see Hudson.
“Hey, detective.” I smirked. “I’m getting ready to leave. What’s up?” I questioned.
It wasn’t unusual for Hudson to drop by while he was on duty. He used to bring a coffee often, and we’d hang out while he was on break. Although the frequency had stopped after that night in January, and it was even less now since I’d been punishing myself for that accident.
“What makes you think I’m on duty?” he asked, his eyes skimming my body.
I glanced down at myself, taking in the short, form-fitting black dress I’d chosen to wear, wondering if something was out of place.
“Um, hello, did you just plan on wearing a dark suit today?” I giggled.
“I don’t wear this suit to work. It’s my funeral suit. I’m here to pick you up for…. fuck it, Maya sent me.”
He looked less than impressed, and I saw relief in his face after he told me Maya had sent him.
“Well, I’m honoured and bugged. I have a blind date with a guy wearing his funeral suit and I’m bugged with my so-called best friend! I sense this is going to be one hell of an evening. Let me grab my coat.”
I heard Hudson chuckle as I grabbed my coat and purse, slipped my shoes on, and headed out the door with him.
Twenty minutes later, we sat inside The Harborview Courtyard looking over the menu.
“So, what made you decide to come here?” I questioned, looking around the room.
“Oh, Maya chose it.” He sighed, closing the menu.
“Maya picked the restaurant?”
He took a sip of water and looked at me. “Well, she said you loved the place, so basically yes, she picked the restaurant.” He smirked.
I nodded. “Right. Well, is there anything that you are picking?” I questioned.
“The tab. She told me I was to pick up the tab,” he said, running his hand over his face.
To say this was awkward was an understatement. Not that I didn’t get along well with Hudson, I did, but I’d never looked at him as someone to date. We were friends. We’d only ever hung out alone when he’d stop by. Other than that, our friends always surrounded us.
“That’s unfortunate because I didn’t get to have lunch today, and she wasn’t lying. This is my favourite restaurant.”
“Okay, well then, I have one thing going for me. If this is your favorite place, then you can recommend something.”
I smiled. “Sure can.”
He picked up the menu and opened it up, placing it between us on the table. “I’m going to have the lobster bisque and a salad. They have the best lobster bisque I’ve ever had.”
Hudson made a face. “You actually eat those?”
I giggled. “I do. Have you ever tried one?”
He nodded. “I have. I prefer my meat to come from the land, not the sea.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, well then I’d say you need to try either the tenderloin or the New York strip. They are both equally amazing, and their double baked potatoes are to die for because, unlike other restaurants, they actually use real bacon and this cheese…god, I’m almost salivating just thinking about it.”
“Here I thought you were drooling over me,” Hudson said, a grin coming to his lips.
I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw that smile.
“Okay there, handsome pants, you get to pick the appetizer.” I winked.
His eyes landed on mine, and for the first time, I noticed just how blue they were.
“She called me handsome,” he said, puffing out his chest.
I couldn’t help but giggle as he finally tore his eyes from mine and looked down at the menu. “Okay, how about the cheddar and bacon pinwheels?”
I shook my head. “Those are disgusting. Try again.”
He chuckled and glanced at the menu again. “Alright, how about the warm brie, with apple and pear?”
“Better choice.” I smiled.
We both dug into the appetizer once it had been delivered to the table.
“Okay, you were right,” Hudson said, his mouth full as he took the first bite. “This is to die for.”
“Told you,” I replied, my mouth full as well. “So tell me, how the hell you get roped into tonight?” I questioned, loading up another piece of garlic toast.
Hudson chuckled. “Well, you know Maya. She doesn’t let up, and that sidekick of hers, well, he isn’t any better.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Hudson was right. Maya was unstoppable once she had an idea, always had been.
“Anyway, I don’t mind. It’s turning out to be a good night, with wonderful company.” He winked.
My cheeks heated as I took another bite of that sinful appetizer. I listened to Hudson talk about Maya’s ambush, laughing at almost everything he said. It was the first time in months I’d felt this light. It was a welcome feeling and one I wasn’t sure I wanted to have end.
When my soup and salad was done, I sat there and watched as Hudson still worked on his New York strip.
“You still hungry?” he questioned.
“No, why?” I said, shaking my head.
“Because you look like you might attack my plate. The soup and salad looked more like appetizer size than meal size.” Without another word, he cut the rest of his steak and potato in half and placed them on his slide plate.
“What are you doing?” I questioned.
He placed the plate in front of me. “Eat up.” He winked.
I’d never had a date do anything like that before.
“Seriously, eat. You were right about these potatoes. To die for.” He smiled, passing his knife to me so I could cut everything.
“Will there be anything else tonight?” the server asked as she cleared our plates. “Dessert?”
“Sure, please bring us a dessert menu,” Hudson said, glancing over at me.
Once again, he placed the menu between us and asked me what was good. As I ran down the menu, I noticed immediately they’d brought back my favorite dessert, Sex in a Pan.
“Oh my gosh, we have to get this,” I said, pointing to the item.
Hudson cocked his eyebrow as he read the menu and looked at me. “Are you trying to get me into bed?” he questioned, looking serious.
I let out a loud laugh, then covered my mouth as people turned to look at us, my cheeks heating. “No.”
“Thank god, because I don’t do that sort of thing on a first date.” He chuckled. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
Soon, coffee and two pieces of Sex in a Pan were delivered to our table. One bite and we both closed our eyes as the sweet dessert hit our mouths.
“Here I thought you were crazy, suggesting that dessert, but I can seriously say I know where the name comes from.” He chuckled.
“I know. It’s like a full-blown orgasm with each bite,” I answered.
“Is it now?” he asked, his face turning serious. “I wouldn’t take it that far.”
“It absolutely is.”
Hudson shook his head. “I hate to say it, but I was right. You’ve been missing out, my dear. While it was good, I wouldn’t take it that far.”
For the first time tonight, my mind actually wandered to that place. Our conversation flashed through my mind, the one we’d had that night in January. I remembered the look on his face as Id approached him, asking if there was someone he knew of that could do better than that guy I’d been seeing. Then I wondered if he’d been talking about himself. What would it be like to be with Hudson, something I’d never even thought of? I shook the thought from my head. I wasn’t sure why I was even thinking about that. Maybe it was the alcohol we’d had with dinner.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, bringing me back into the moment.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
Hudson picked up the dessert menu again and then looked at me. “Want to split something else?”
“Sure,” I answered, not believing the amount of food we’d already consumed.
We’d stopped for a coffee on our way from the restaurant and had parked down by the water before Hudson drove me home.
“Sorry, had I have planned this date, I’d have thought of something to do after dinner.” He shrugged.
“It’s okay. I’m sure you probably weren’t all that thrilled with Maya’s idea to begin with.”
“Why would you say that?” he asked, passing me my coffee.
“Because I know Maya well, and I know her idea’s well. That mind of hers can be frightening.”
“Well, that is true. Don’t put yourself down, though, and to let you know, I had a good time tonight.”
I looked over at him. He didn’t look at me; he just stared out the front window of the car at the lake.
“Same here,” I said, looking out the front window.
We sat in silence. He was acting funny, and it made me on edge. This wasn’t the normal Hudson. Normally, he would crack some joke about something. Instead, he’d grown oddly serious after he admitted to having a good time tonight.
“So had you planned tonight, what would we be doing right now?”
When I looked over, he jerked his head away and looked out the driver’s side window. He probably didn’t think I’d seen him watching me, but I had. “Well?”
“I might have taken you down to that little carnival on the outskirts of town. You know that one that sucks all your money before they allow you to win anything?”
“Really?” I asked.
“Not into carnival games?”
“I didn’t say that. What else?”
“After I won you a bear, I’d have brought you here and we could have walked through the park, hand-in-hand, maybe sat at the water’s edge for a bit or taken a swim.”
I looked out toward the water and smiled. “Well, what are you waiting for?”
He looked over at me and frowned.
“Let’s go for that walk.”
We walked for a bit before taking a seat on one of the picnic tables in the park. Hudson surprised me by not sitting beside me but climbing up and sitting on the top of the picnic table, straddling my body. It was when I felt his large hands on my shoulders I wondered what was going on. I said nothing, I just sat there waiting to see what he was going to do.
I closed my eyes as he began rubbing my shoulders, then digging his fingers into my neck. I let out a sigh and felt my body relax as he continued.
“Feel okay?” he murmured.
“Mmmmyes.” I half moaned, enjoying the feel of his hands on me.
An hour later, we arrived back at his truck. He opened the door for me and then drove me home. I went up to my apartment alone, and once inside, I quickly changed, made a cup of tea, and then went into the living room and flopped onto the couch, turning on the TV.
I had such a great time tonight. Hudson was completely different on his own, and whatever had happened between him telling me he’d had a good time and him dropping me off had me hoping that he’d asked me out again sometime soon.