Chapter 2
TWO
Hudson
That damn shirt.
It’s as if she’s trying to drive me insane every time she wears it. What’s even more infuriating is that I’m sure my curvy little assistant has no idea of the effect she has on me.
Groaning, I turn away from my apartment window and move to my desk to pour myself a scotch. I take a welcome swallow, enjoying the burn.
“Fuck. What the hell am I going to do?”
I’ve earned my grumpiest man alive award. I’ve always been focused and cutthroat—attributes that have made me a success in business. But in love? Not so much.
To be fair, I’ve never cared about dating or women or the beating organ in my chest… until Hazel walked into my office.
I’ve wanted her for ten months. At first, I told myself it was curiosity. A big, fat lie. My obsession with her only grows stronger with every passing day.
Hazel is perfect. Stubborn, like me, but also strong, capable, and incredibly smart. She could be doing something far better than working as my assistant. I’d never fire her or let her go, though, because I need her. I have to see her and talk to her every day, or I’d go insane.
I tried to ignore her and how I felt about her, but I lasted fourteen hours before I broke down and called her to ask her a stupid question about work.
Now I spend my days searching for opportunities to seek her out. It’s why I ask her about reports I’ve already reviewed.
I waste my weekends thinking about her and texting her about work. I ask if she’s eaten because I need to know she’s taken care of and safe.
I crave her eyes on me. I love hearing her sweet voice, even when she’s giving me shit.
“Fuck, I’m so screwed,” I groan, sinking into the chair in my home office.
My phone rings, and for one second, I’m hopeful it’s Hazel. Instead, I see Carter’s name on the screen. He’s my best friend; he has been since we were kids. He’s also the only person who knows how insane I am for my girl.
“Hey,” I grunt, taking a sip of my scotch.
“Hey. How’s it going, man?”
I look around my empty apartment. “Fine.”
“Are you still at the office?”
“No, I’m at home.”
“Let me guess, in your home office?”
I can hear the smile in his voice.
“No,” I lie, standing and walking out to the living room.
He laughs. “Right. What are you up to?”
“Nothing.”
“Daydreaming about your girl.”
I don’t bother answering that question.
“Just ask her out already, dude,” Carter groans.
I plop down onto my couch. “What if she says no? Or runs straight to HR?”
I hear him moving in the background—probably at his cabin.
Carter returned from his last deployment, got out of the Marines, and has been holed up at his place ever since.
I’ve tried to ask him what happened, but he doesn’t want to talk.
He just wants peace and solitude. I get that.
Or I did until I met Hazel. Now I just want her.
“Well, at least you’d have your answer,” Carter says.
“I don’t want an answer,” I snap.
“Fair enough. But you need to do something, man. Figure out a way to ask her out that won’t make her quit.”
His words remind me of the look on Hazel’s face this afternoon when she left. She’s going to quit. I could see it in her eyes. She’s probably waiting until she’s worked for me a year. Then she’ll leave me.
I snarl at the thought, squeezing my eyes shut. That doesn’t give me much time. I have to convince her to be mine before then. How long is that? Seven weeks?
“Fuck!”
“You good, brother?”
“No,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Jesus, may love never find me,” Carter remarks wryly.
“Oh, it will, and when it does, I’m going to laugh my ass off,” I warn him, slugging down the rest of my scotch.
“Ask her out to dinner,” Carter suggests. “Hell, make up some fake business trip and tell her she needs to go with you. You could be on some beach somewhere when you tell her how fucked up you are over her. That’ll stop her from running to HR. Solves one of your problems.”
“You’re suggesting I kidnap her?”
He snorts. “Like you haven’t already thought of that.”
He’s got me there…
“Yeah, well, I don’t fancy prison food.”
Carter chuckles. “Good point.”
We’re silent as we both ponder how to win over a girl. Carter isn’t the right person to help me with this. He’s always been single. Neither of us has any idea how to flirt or date.
I’ve been trying to figure out a solution for ten months without success. I doubt tonight will be any different, but it doesn’t stop me from trying.
“Sometimes I think she wants me too,” I admit.
“Okay, that’s promising, right?”
“I think she’s playing mind games with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Every time I stop scowling, she looks a little smug. Triumphant. Like she’s scored a point.”
“That’s insane.”
“It’s true! It’s hard to explain. I just… I don’t know. Sometimes I get the feeling she’s as obsessed with me as I am with her.”
“Or you’re just seeing what you want to see.”
“I’m not. I’ve spent fucking months watching her, studying every micro-expression, every movement.”
“Okay, now you’re giving me stalker vibes.”
“Fuck off, Carter.” I pause. “I’m not imagining it. She blushed when she looked at me earlier.”
“Whoa, the girl blushed? Did she fan herself with her hand too?” he asks sarcastically.
I scrub a hand down my face. “Shut up.”
“Why don’t you just, and stay here with me,” Carter says sarcastically. “Why don’t you just try to be friendly to her?”
“Fuck you,” I say, but there’s no heat behind the words.
“Yeah, the opposite of that,” he says.
Maybe he’s right. I could try to be nice to Hazel.
“So, I should smile at her and shit?”
Carter cracks up. “Yeah, man. I’ve heard that women like that.”
“Huh,” I grunt, like this is revolutionary information.
He laughs harder. “Couldn’t hurt to try, right?”
I rest my head against the couch cushions. “It might.”
“Well, give it a shot and let me know how it goes.”
“Will do.” I clear my throat. “What have you been doing lately?”
“Some security work. Fixed up the wood shed. Got groceries.”
“You need to get a life.”
“I’m not taking advice from Mr. Workaholic.”
“Smart,” I reply.
“Go practice smiling. Get your girl.”
“Yeah, okay.”
We say goodbye and hang up.
Is Carter right? Will winning over Hazel be as simple as a smile and a few kind words?
Deep down, I know it won’t be, but that doesn’t stop me from hoping as I get ready for bed.
I fall asleep, slipping into my favorite dream where Hazel is grinning up at me, my arms wrapped around her, and my ring on her finger.