Chapter Fourteen
Seth’s eyes opened at five forty-five, his internal clock as reliable as ever.
For a moment, he lay still, savoring the warmth of Heavenly pressed against him and Beck’s steady breathing on her other side.
Last night had been exactly what he’d needed—intense, consuming, a chance to lose himself completely in pleasure and exert control when life seemed determined to steal his.
They’d pushed Heavenly’s boundaries in ways they never had, and she’d responded beautifully.
The memory of her gasps, her unbridled surrender, the way she’d trusted them completely, sent heat coursing through him even now.
He’d needed to dominate her, stop thinking about the chaos crowding his head—his failure at the old house, the shock of Hudson’s existence, the weight of suddenly being responsible for a teenager.
Thank God Beck had been there to keep him grounded and present. Without Beck’s steady presence and quiet check-ins with Heavenly, Seth feared he would have pushed her too hard.
This morning, he felt settled enough to face the day ahead.
Carefully, he slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake either of them, and pulled on his workout clothes. Hudson was probably still asleep, but they had an appointment to pump iron at six-thirty, and Seth intended to keep it.
When he padded downstairs to the home gym, however, he found Hudson already there, dressed in basketball shorts and a tank top, stretching near the free weights.
“Morning,” Seth said, pleasantly surprised.
“Hey.” Hudson straightened, looking more alert than a typical sixteen-year-old at this early hour. “I wasn’t sure what we were doing, so I hung out and waited.”
“Good call. You work out much?”
“With football and stuff, yeah.”
“Nice. You work out much before that?” Seth asked, noting that Hudson looked at home with the equipment.
He nodded. “Couple years now. There’s a gym in our apartment complex in Cromwell. I go pretty often. It’s good to blow off steam.”
“That’s about when I started working out, too. Same reason.”
In companionable silence, they started with a warm-up, then moved to the weight stations. Seth watched Hudson’s form carefully and was impressed. The kid knew what he was doing—proper positioning, controlled movements, good breathing technique.
“You sleep okay?” Seth asked as they worked through their sets.
“Better than the first night. I’m getting used to the place.” Hudson adjusted his grip on the bar and glanced at Seth with a half grin. “But if you and Beck are going to tag-team Heavenly, maybe keep it to a dull roar? She’s kind of a screamer.”
Seth nearly dropped his weights. “Jesus, Hudson.”
The kid laughed, clearly enjoying Seth’s discomfort. “I’m just saying, maybe invest in some soundproofing or something.”
Seth gave him a playful smack upside the head. “Invest in some ear plugs, smart-ass.”
Minutes passed while they continued their workout before Seth asked the question weighing on him. “You still cool to stay for a while?”
Hudson froze. “You want me to go?”
“No.” That was the last thing Seth wanted Hudson to think. “I just want to check in and see how you’re feeling.”
Hudson considered the question as he moved to the next exercise. “I needed out of Cromwell. I love my mom, but her life is different now. New husband, new baby—she’s got her future mapped out…and I don’t really fit into it anymore.”
Laura hadn’t given Seth the impression that she didn’t want him around, but he understood that Hudson’s feelings were just that and might not be rooted in reality. “What are you hoping to find here?”
The kid shrugged. “Something different, I guess. Someone who doesn’t baby me but actually gives a shit about what I’m doing and where I’m going.”
“I’ll give you that,” Seth said quietly. “If you can handle it.”
“I can handle anything,” he said with teenage swagger.
That wasn’t true. After all, Hudson had come here for a reason. The teenager was high on youth and testosterone. He’d have to mature some to understand that everyone needed support and people to help them through the tough times.
“If you’re good with it, I need to tell my mother about you. Maybe after breakfast?”
Hudson’s expression tightened. “Will she freak about having a bastard grandson who’s almost grown?”
Of course the kid would wonder that. Everyone and every situation around him was new. “She’ll be surprised, but she’ll be over the moon. Trust me. My mom lives for family.”
Hudson nodded, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “Okay. I’m good with you telling her.”
“Thanks.” Seth patted the kid on the shoulder.
In companionable silence, they finished their workout and headed toward their separate showers. When Seth emerged from his bathroom upstairs, Heavenly was just waking up, her hair tousled and a sleepy smile on her face.
“Morning, angel,” he murmured, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
“Mmm. Good workout?”
“Yeah. Hudson and I did good. It was nice having company. How are you feeling?”
A soft blush colored her cheeks. “Sore in all the right places.”
Seth’s chest tightened with satisfaction and something deeper—love, possessiveness, gratitude that she trusted them enough to let them take her so far.
“Glad to hear it. Where’s Beck?” He glanced at the empty bed.
“His turn to work out. Once he’s done and cleaned up, we’ll be heading to the hospital. He’s got rounds and patients. I’m going to get in some volunteer hours. You heading to the office today?”
“Long enough to catch up with River. Then I’ve got to get Hudson enrolled in school somewhere.”
Heavenly squeezed his hand. “You’ll make the right decision. I think he really needs you.”
Despite how sudden incorporating Hudson into their life felt, Seth was of the same mind.
He dressed and trekked downstairs to make coffee. Heavenly followed a few minutes later, looking absolutely fresh in pale pink scrubs with her long hair in a fat braid that brushed her spine. She’d made a breakfast casserole that filled the kitchen with the savory scents of eggs, cheese, and bacon.
“You’re an angel.” Seth sidled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle as she poured herself a cup of java.
“Just taking care of my boys.” She leaned back against him. “All three of you now.”
After heavy footsteps, Hudson appeared at the top of the stairs, hair damp, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. “Smells good.”
“Help yourself,” Heavenly said, gesturing to the casserole. “There’s plenty.”
Seth laughed. “That’s the wrong thing to say to a teenage boy. They’re like human garbage disposals.”
“Hey, still growing here!” Hudson objected.
“So you don’t eat everything in sight?” Seth raised a brow.
That made Hudson laugh. “Okay, maybe I do.”
As they shared a chuckle, a sweaty Beck thundered up the stairs from his own workout, grabbed coffee, and kissed Heavenly breathless.
“Morning, little girl,” he said against her lips. “Seth. Hudson.” He nodded to them both. “I need a shower and a few bites, then we’re out of here.”
“Morning, doctor.” She gave him a saucy wink. “Ready when you are.”
He gave her ass a playful smack before he headed up for a shower.
Hudson’s stare followed all the action. “Him touching her doesn’t bother you at all?”
Seth shook his head. “It used to. But now…this works for us. For a lot of reasons. We know our relationship isn’t typical and that some people will never get it, but that’s on them.”
“Sure.” But Hudson’s voice said he didn’t understand, either.
Like a lot of things, it would take time.
Fifteen minutes later, Beck and Heavenly headed to the garage with a wave, leaving Seth and Hudson to tackle the dishes. The kid pitched in without being asked. Seth approved.
After they finished, he pulled out his phone. “Ready to call your Grandma Grace?”
Hudson dried his hands on a dish towel, his nervousness evident. “I guess. What should I call her? Hopefully not grammy. That was my mom’s mom.”
Good question. Danny was waiting for Anna to get verbal and see what she called his mom, but with Hudson here the question wasn’t going to wait. “We’ll ask her.”
Seth’s palms were sweating when he hit the FaceTime button.
He wished he could tell his mother that she had a teenage grandson in person, but he couldn’t wait to break the news until his next trip back East. Mom deserved to know now.
He hoped she took it well. No question she’d accept Hudson.
But Seth wasn’t holding his breath that she’d be all smiles once she did the math.
His mother’s face filled the screen, her smile bright and immediate. “Seth! This is a nice surprise. How are you, sweetheart?”
“I’m okay, Mom. You good?”
“I am. It’s quiet here now. Carl’s at work, and I was just cleaning up the kitchen and making a grocery list.” She frowned. “You look serious. What’s going on? Please tell me you’re not calling to say you can’t come to the wedding.”
“No, that isn’t why I’m calling. I’ll absolutely be there.”
“What about Heavenly? She’s still coming, I hope. You know I’m dying to meet her.”
Yes, Mom hadn’t been shy about that. “She is. Beck, too. But…we’re hoping to bring a fourth person, if that’s okay.”
“Oh, is your doctor friend bringing a date?”
“No.” Seth took a deep breath. “Mom, you should sit down.”
Her smile faltered as she sank into her chair. “Oh, no. What’s going on?”
Here goes nothing. “I can’t think of an easy way to say this but…I found out yesterday that I have a son. His name is Hudson.” Seth blew out a breath and went for broke. “He’s…sixteen.”
His mother stared at the screen for a long moment, her mouth gaping wide.
“Mom? Did you hear—”
“He’s sixteen?” she breathed. “That’s impossible, Seth. You would have been—”
“Fifteen. Yeah.” Seth’s throat felt tight, and he resisted the urge to wince. “I know you’re shocked.”
“Oh, my— I knew you weren’t a baby then, but…” She scrubbed a hand down her face. “How did that happen?”
Seth grimaced. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
She scowled. “I meant, didn’t you use protection and—”