11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Trey
I don’t think. I just react.
I’m well aware I’m going to eat this cancellation fee, but it’s a small price to pay if it means Hudson will be okay.
I don’t wait until the cancellation is confirmed, my feet moving almost as fast as my heart. I could go to the rental car counter and complain, maybe even ask to see a manager.
I know rentals are supposed to be inspected and kept up on, but sometimes shit gets overlooked.
People return cars and aren’t always honest with the condition.
But I also know it’ll take time to argue with them, get a manager, maybe even get someone to ride out and change the tire if they happened to have enough staff to spare someone.
Not to mention, there’s this damn storm to contend with.
No, my best option is my least favorite, but I try not to think about my past experiences.
I get the notification my Uber driver has arrived just as I’m bursting through the doors to the rideshare pick-up.
I don’t waste time with pleasantries, nor do I bother using his trunk.
I toss my suitcase into the backseat and climb in, slamming the door shut.
“Where exactly am I taking you?” he asks, too lazily for my liking. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and I have to remember to breathe.
I’m not going to get anywhere if I blow up at the guy, but all I can think about is Hudson.
He sounded so fucking scared…
I should have just driven him myself, and then maybe…
No, you can’t think like that, Trey. Hudson’s not some kid. He’s a grown man. This kind of shit can happen to anyone.
“I gave you the address,” I say as politely as I can. The driver—who looks not a day over twelve, and not old enough to drive a car, period—squints at me in confusion.
“I think your address got cut off or something because this is the middle of the highway.”
It takes everything in me to not snap at this guy and reconsider my options. But the longer I take, the longer Hudson has to suffer—alone.
“I know that. I’m meeting a friend,” I say as coolly as I can. “I will tip you one hundred dollars if you stop with the twenty questions and just drive the fucking car.”
The kid nods his head. “Whatever.”
I close my eyes and let out a long breath of relief when he puts the car into gear and takes off.
I watch the map on my phone screen. Hudson’s only about thirty minutes out, not far at all. But in this weather and traffic he might as well be an hour away.
I swipe out of the app and pull up his number. He picks up on the first ring.
“Hey, Huds,” I say, my heart racing like a damn firetruck straight for a fire. I do my best to keep my voice even. Calm. Last thing I need is to add to his panic attack.
“Hey, ” he says.
“Did I ever tell you about the time I went to Disney World with my ex?”
Hudson’s breath is shaky, and I think he’s not going to say anything. That he’s going to hang up, but he says, “No.”
I let out a sigh of my own.
“Well, she wasn’t my ex at the time. She wasn’t really my girlfriend either, but we used to mess around once in a while when I was in town and—” I clear my throat, feeling strangely self-conscious for some reason.
“Anyway, I thought it would be fun to, you know, surprise her with tickets to Disney World. Got them for cheap through my company, showed up in a Minnie-Van—”
“A minivan?” Hudson asks, almost surprised.
“No, not a minivan, a Minnie-Van. It’s like this little red and white polka dot van service—”
I hear a faint laugh.
“Minnie Mouse has a van?”
I let out a chuckle of my own. “Duh. Minnie Mouse has everything.”
I keep going as I watch out the window. The rain is getting harder, the skies getting darker, but traffic is at least moving.
“Anyway, we went, and it was going pretty good, at first. Then we went on one of those cart rides—the one with the ghosts, I think—”
“Haunted Mansion,” Hudson says, his voice steadier.
“Yeah, I think that’s it. Anyway, we went on the ride, and when we went in, it was sunny as fuck.
But when we got off, it looked like a damn hurricane was going to hit us.
Mind you, we were not prepared in the least for rain.
She wanted to leave. Thought we could maybe get our money back or something, but I wanted to wait it out.
It always rains in Florida, you know? Seriously, like every day at 3:00 pm, it rains. ”
Hudson doesn’t say anything, but I can hear his breath. In. Out. In. Out.
“So there we were, in the middle of Cinderella’s Castle or whatever, dodging strollers and disgruntled parents arguing over whether to stay or go, when she just turns heel and leaves.”
“She left you?” Hudson asks, the shock evident in his voice.
“Yup.”
“That’s fucked.”
I laugh, noting we’re almost five minutes away. Relief floods me.
“So there I was, no poncho, drenched in the middle of Magic Kingdom, alone, when the rain just… stopped.”
A smile forms on my face as I look out the window, noting one car pulled off to the side.
“Stop,” I order the driver. “Right there.”
The driver stops, and I grab my suitcase and all but leap out as I tap out my tip and wave him off.
The rain is harsh, and I am soaked within the ten seconds it takes to get to his car, but the minute I see him through the window, I forget about the rain.
He cracks the window, looking up at me like I’m a ghost. Like he doesn’t believe I’m here.
“Pop the trunk,” I say, my voice strangely thick.
He blinks, and I don’t miss the way he lets out a deep breath or the way his eyebrows furrow.
“Hudson,” I try again, and that gets his attention.
I hear the trunk, and head to the back. Sure enough, there’s a spare.
I remove it and toss my suitcase in its place.
My clothes are clinging to me, but I don’t care.
All I can focus on is fixing this flat, and getting Hudson to the airport.
I can worry about wet clothes and rescheduled flights later. Right now, my friend needs my help.
It takes me longer than I want to change the tire, and when I am done, I knock on the driver’s side door, and Hudson cracks the window again.
“I’ll drive.”
“Trey…”
“Come on, I’m getting wetter by the second, man.”
I can’t be sure because the window’s tinted and foggy, but I swear Hudson’s cheeks turn red.
I’ll bump the heat down when I get in.
Part of me expects him to argue or protest, but I’m pleasantly surprised when he doesn’t. He gets out, into the rain, and stands in front of me. I look down into his amber eyes, seeing the panic there, but there’s also something else.
Relief, maybe?
“Get in Passenger Princess,” I say with a smirk. “And remember to keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. You’re flying Kelly Air, now.”
Hudson nods, his lip quivering as a smile tries to form. He rounds the car, heading to the passenger side, and I waste no time getting into the driver’s seat.
Wordlessly, we move in tandem. He fastens his seat belt as I adjust the mirrors and fasten my own. He slides his hands over his thighs as I adjust the seat and run a hand through my wet hair.
I turn to look at him. There is no music, I realize. It’s just… quiet.
All I hear is the sound of the rain and his breathing, all I smell is his cologne and that unmistakable rental car smell.
“Radio on or off?” I ask, my voice slightly raspy.
“Off,” he says. His shoulders are tense, his hands sliding over his thighs in a steady motion, his fingers flexing. Back and forth. Back and forth.
I reach out one hand gently and settle my palm on his chest and swiftly push.
“You’re good,” I tell him. “You can relax.”
He looks at me like he wants to argue, but he doesn’t say anything. He does lean back into his seat, and his shoulders loosen a fraction.
I turn the car on, and pull out onto the road, taking my time. The rain is still heavy, but I’ve definitely been in worse conditions.
“See, it’s letting up,” I say with a smirk. “All storms pass eventually.”
Hudson lets out a breath. “Thank you.”
I squeeze his shoulder.
“Don’t have to thank me. That’s what friends are for, right?”
My palm heats, or maybe it’s him that’s warm?
I pull my hand back and adjust the temperature so we don’t burn up.
I’m feeling strangely flush all of a sudden.
It seems the break in the storm was a false sense of security, because we barely get another half hour before the wind picks up and the rain gets worse.
“Shit,” I mutter, trying to stay calm because I don’t want to freak Hudson out.
Sure enough, our phones chime with emergency weather alerts and text notifications.
“Damnit,” Hudson hisses, his voice returning to that shaky, panicked tone.
“What? What does it say?”
“All flights are grounded and there’s a shelter in place.”
Fuck.
I let out a heavy sigh.
“Okay, so that just means we pull over at the first hotel we see.”
I feel his panic like it’s my own. And maybe it is.
This…
This is not how today was supposed to go…
“We’re in the middle of nowhere, Trey!” he snaps. “Where the hell are we going to—”
“It’s fine. Just Google hotels near me or something.”
Hudson sighs in exasperation.
“Oh, wait—” I slow the car as I set my sight on the glowing vacancy sign. I don’t think twice as I pull off the road, into the parking lot which is pretty full. I find one open parking spot and breathe a sigh of relief as I pull in.
“Looks like we’re in luck.”
“Are you serious right now?” Hudson shrieks.
“What? It’s fine, it’s—”
“A creepy hotel in the middle of fucking nowhere! Look around us! There’s… nothing.”
Thunder booms so loud, I swear I feel the vibration beneath my feet.
“It’s not creepy, and we’re not in the middle of nowhere,” I say in defense. “We’re in New Jersey. You can’t see anything because of the rain—I bet there is stuff everywhere.”
I think. But I won’t tell him I’m unsure too.
“Same damn thing!” Hudson cries, his head falling back and hitting the headrest with a thump.
I turn to look at him, but he’s staring at the roof of the car.
“Hey, come on. It’s not that bad. At least we aren’t alone. We have each other.”
He doesn’t look at me or speak. Just keeps staring at the roof like it’ll open up and aliens will beam us both straight to Newark and clear the weather at the same time.
“Hudson…”
Thunder booms again and lightning flashes. I reach out to grip his shoulder, my fingers brushing along his neck, and the only acknowledgment I get is his eyes closing.
I let out a sigh. He can be mad all he wants, it doesn’t change the alert.
Shelter in place.
We’ve got no other option.
“I know it ain’t the Ritz, but it’s just until the storm passes, okay?”
He shifts out of my grasp, leaning against the window. When he opens his eyes, he looks out of it, but says nothing.
I purse my lips as I try my hardest to remember the advice in my self-help books. When something goes wrong, remain calm. Breathe. Count to ten. Focus on the things around you like…
Like the smell of rainwater and spicy cologne.
All I wanted to do was help, and somehow I’ve made everything worse. Hudson stares out at the rain.
“I’m going to get us checked in, okay?”
Nothing. Not a peep. If I didn’t see the rise and fall of his chest, I’d be concerned, but his breathing is steady, so I take that as a good sign.
Well, maybe not good , but… I think he’ll be okay while I get us a room for the night.
He’s still in the same place when I get back with our key. I unlock the trunk and grab both our bags, but he doesn’t move. I let out a sigh as I come up to the passenger door and knock on the window. His warm brown eyes find mine through the glass, and I’m not sure if it’s the rain or…
If those are tear stains on his cheeks.
I press my forehead against the window. I need to get us both inside. I’m freezing. A hot shower is top of my list right now, but before I can do that, I need to make sure Hudson is okay.
“Come on,” I say, though I am not sure if he can hear me. I hold his gaze. He doesn’t look away.
Just as I am about to give up, the door opens.
A smile of relief forms on my face as his hand slides over mine for the briefest moment.
He grabs his suitcase wordlessly, his gaze holding mine in challenge.
I pass him a key and he takes it.
“Room thirteen,” I say with a smirk. “Your lucky number, right?”
Hudson sighs as he takes it from my hand. “Yeah.”
I ease a fraction, hearing his voice as I lead us toward room thirteen.