Chapter 23
Thomas
“How did the date go?” Hudson asked as I handed him his coffee. I’d stopped on the way over to pick up an espresso mocha latte from the coffee shop he loved. I needed his opinion on my career opportunities, and plying him with his favorite coffee drink was the payment.
“It was great,” I said, walking into the house. “He loved the rooftop. Have you been up there to see it?”
He took a sip as we walked out to the deck. “Only photos, but Preston said it was incredible. From what I saw, Nick really outdid himself on the design.”
I agreed. “He did. Mason is thinking about doing something like that at his house.”
“Well, Nick is the guy to ask. I can get his number.”
I waved him off. “I can find it.” Taking in the unusually quiet home with two teenagers, I looked at my friend. “Where is everybody?”
“Evan flew up to Portland to see his mother for a couple of days. And the kids are doing their thing.”
“Why didn’t you go with him?”
He smiled. “Erin is on a waitlist for a summer marine biology camp, and Jack is busy with Lennox. He’s been taking him to work out because he’s got it in his head that Jack is going to be a quarterback.”
I grinned as I sipped my coffee. “He probably will if Lennox is training him.”
Hudson grunted. “We’ll see. So what’s going on with you?”
Relaxing against the chair, I told him why I was there.
“I need your perspective since your life has followed suit. Part of me says go for it and be adventurous, even though it’s been a while and I’ve never done this particular one before.
But then there’s the other side that says stick to what you know.
I’m not that young anymore, and trying new things is exciting.
I know I have what it takes to get the job done right, but I don’t want to jeopardize Mason in the process. He’s lost enough.”
Hudson sat up, now concerned. “Okay, yeah, whatever you need.” He picked up his phone and started typing. “I can definitely do that. Don’t worry, buddy. I’ve got you, but I can admit I never thought we’d be having this conversation.”
My phone pinged with incoming messages, but I ignored it. “I agree. I never saw myself doing this either. Only saw one path for myself. I was happy before, but a whole new world has opened up to me, and I want to make the right decision. It’s not just about me, but Mason too.”
Hudson got a dreamy look on his face. “Change is good. Makes you feel young and revitalized. I never knew I could enjoy it so much.”
His words were confusing because, as far as I knew, he hadn’t made a new career choice. Unless something had happened in the last two weeks.
“I’ll send you some links to online products on the market to make things easier. The choices can be overwhelming at first, but I found that if you have a specific expectation or want a particular outcome, you can narrow it down.”
“Are you serious?”
He smiled. “Oh yeah. The world has changed a lot. There are things out there we never knew existed. Remember when I got that big box delivered to my house in Sacramento? That’s just one example.
And I might have some samples tucked away.
” He waggled his eyebrows, making me think we might not be talking about the same thing.
I frowned and shifted in my seat. “Can I see your coffee?”
He looked confused, but handed it to me. Popping the lid off, I smelled the contents for any trace of alcohol. “What are you doing?”
“Checking to make sure your coffee wasn’t spiked with alcohol. I’m not sure we’re having the same conversation.”
His face contorted. “What makes you think that? Aren’t you wanting advice about how to… You know.”
I folded my arms over my chest and tried not to smile. “How to what, governor?”
Hudson rolled his eyes. “You know. Intimacy training. How to have sex with a man.”
When I didn’t answer, embarrassment crept up from his neck to his face. “That’s not what you were wanting to know?”
I held it as long as I could until I started laughing. That made his face turn even redder. “Hudson, I’m here to discuss the job offers that have landed in my lap. What are you talking about?”
Hudson’s eyes widened until he covered his face with both hands. “I’m so sorry,” he laughed. “I assumed…”
“I know, but I assure you, I don’t need that kind of advice. I know how to do sex, and pretty well, according to Mason. We may not be the most experienced couple, but I know what it takes to… ” I waved my hand in the air, not wanting to discuss it. He knew what I was talking about.
“Yeah,” he sighed, “I don’t need to know anything further.”
Laughing, I started with the job descriptions, and our previous misunderstanding was soon forgotten.
“All three sound really good. You’re not hurting for income, and you’ve got a hefty investment portfolio. If you factor those out, you’re left with working for the Storm, which will allow you to stay close to Mason, taking a job you’ve always wanted, or working for yourself. What does Mason say?”
My stomach tumbled. “He told me to do what made me happy.”
Hudson grinned. “Sounds like him.”
“Yeah. It’s exactly like him. He’s the most selfless person I’ve ever met.”
“Do you love him?”
My eyes met his. “Yes, I do.”
Hudson’s smile reached his eyes. “Then my advice is to do what gives you the most time with him. Follow your heart.”
I looked out over the water as the waves rolled in. “What if I do that and he gets tired of me. No one stays in my life for very long, Hudson.” I turned back to look at him.
“No one stayed. Past tense. But they weren’t Mason. And Vanessa wasn’t your friend before you started dating. You’re a different person now, and things change. You deserve to be happy, just like Mason does. You’ve spent your life in service to others. It’s time for you to do what makes you happy.”
He was right. And when I looked at it from that perspective, I knew which job made the most of my time with him. “Thanks, Hud. I appreciate it.” I looked down at my watch. “I’d better go. The girls have their annual checkup.”
Hudson grinned. “You’d make a good father, Thomas. You should reconsider it.”
Smiling, I nodded. “Noted. I’ll take it under advisement.” I stood to leave, pulling out my phone to check my messages.
“You might want to ignore the links I sent you.” He curled his lips in. “You probably don’t need them.”
“Noted, Governor.”