Chapter 6 #2
“Excuse me if wearing your ex-girlfriend’s boots is a turnoff.”
It was a strange way to phrase it. Awkward even, and he stared at me for a beat before he rolled his eyes and turned away from me. Grabbing his jacket from where I’d put it on the stand, he threw mine at me, smirking when I missed it.
“Never were a good catch,” he said, opening the door.
“I caught you,” I blurted, heat rising in my cheeks when I realized what I’d said.
“Yeah, but then you dropped me.”
He was out the door, yelling at me to catch up before his words could hit home.
I had dropped him, and in doing so, I’d left us both damaged.
Valley Knoll was almost too small to be called a town.
Tucked in the heart of the valley, it offered a panoramic view of the mountains.
With a handful of mom-and-pop stores—hardware, pharmacy, grocery—it screamed quintessential small town.
Fall decorations hung from the light posts, reminding me that my nephew’s birthday was in two weeks and I still needed to get him a present.
I wasn’t certain what to get a boy turning six, but I’d figure it out.
Hudson stayed quiet, keeping his eyes on the road while a country song played from the radio. I’d never been in a truck, and I would never admit I liked the sensation of being so high above the other cars—the few we passed.
He pulled into a spot in front of a diner that looked like something out of an old movie. Booths lined up against the windows, and a pretty blonde woman in an apron poured coffee at the counter.
A bell jingled over my head as I followed Hudson through the door. He held it open for me, greeting the woman behind the counter, who gave him a big smile and a hello that held familiarity.
“Take a seat, and I’ll be right there.” She gave me the same warm smile, which I did not reciprocate because I didn’t smile. Smiling didn’t earn me points with my father. Being cold and emotionless did.
I walked over to the third booth, inspecting the seat when Hudson cleared his throat.
“This one,” he said, his authoritative tone bunching my stomach into knots.
“What’s wrong with this one?” I asked as he shrugged his coat off. Strong, solid shoulders, a thick neck of muscle, scruff from days of not shaving. All things I’d never cared for on a man, but suddenly had warmth forming in my lower body because Hudson made them look sexy. Too sexy.
“This is where I sit.”
He slid into the booth as I thinned my lips, debating whether a retort was worth the effort. Taking my coat off, I walked to the booth, looking for a place to hang it. He snatched it from my hand and tossed it to where his was bunched in the corner.
“Sit,” he grunted, and I lifted my brow.
“Did you leave your manners when you moved to this godforsaken place?”
“I wouldn’t say that too loud, Olivia. You’re outnumbered here, and the locals don’t like city folk. Especially uppity ones.”
I took the paper napkin from the table and wiped off the seat as he rolled his eyes.
“I’m not uppity. I’m just particular,” I said, scooting into the booth.
He snorted, but a sugary voice cut my reply short
“Afternoon, Hudson,” the woman from the counter said, standing over us.
She was pretty, with big blue eyes and dimples on her cheeks. Cute. Something I’d never been.
“Afternoon, Jessie.”
My mouth went dry.
“The usual?”
“You know it.”
She turned to me, and I held my head high. I would not let this woman make me feel inferior. My father was the only one who ever had that satisfaction, much to my irritation.
“And you’ve got company today.”
“Unfortunately,” he grumbled, and I kicked his shin.
He narrowed his eyes as I said, “Olivia Icinda, since his manners are as uncouth as his attitude.”
His glare could have cut ice, but I ignored it, waiting for her reaction, expecting her smile to turn into a nasty curl of her lips and her eyes to stop sparkling. But they didn’t. She looked between us, her smile growing.
“Oh, Hudson. You told me she was beautiful, but I didn’t imagine she was this gorgeous.”
My mouth dropped, and I slammed it shut as Hudson grumbled something incoherent, averting my eyes.
“You’re a hard act to follow,” she said with a chuckle that was too spirited.
Hudson’s features contorted so that he looked like he was about to explode.
“She’ll take the same as me,” he snapped.
“All right. I know that tone and will see myself out. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Olivia.
I’ll be back with two coffees in a jiff.
” Her smile never faded, the bounce in her step still as spirited as when she’d walked over to us.
I stared at her back, miffed at the woman.
I’d expected daggers and nasty looks, jealousy at least, but she acted like it was a good thing I was sitting here with her ex.
My ex. The thought jolted me back to the grump sitting across from me.
“What did you just order for me?” I asked, sitting back and crossing my arms.
“Fried eggs, sausage, and toast with a side of hash browns.”
“No.”
His eyes lifted to mine.
“I don’t eat like that.” The thought turned my stomach. I couldn’t fathom how many hours it would take to work that off. Or what it would do to my arteries.
He peered around my side, sizing me up. “You look like you don’t eat at all.”
I sucked my lip in. “Bring her back and order me a yogurt with a shot of flax seeds. Is there a coffee shop around where I can get a latte?”
Another snort turned into a belly laugh. I stared at him, indignation searing me.
“I suppose you want some expensive water in a glass bottle to go with it?”
“Well, yes.”
“Good God, what happened to you?”
My head went back at the accusation in his tone.
“I don’t have to take this,” I said, rising and reaching over to grab my coat.
His massive hand encased my wrist, bringing my attention to him. He was close, too close. The scent of cedar and summer nights and rich chestnut eyes had my heart hammering. A pause. A moment where our gazes lingered. Familiarity and comfort.
“Stay,” he said.
I didn’t move, searching his eyes and fighting the memories of another time. One where laughter came freely and smiles were constant.
“If you stop,” I said.
“What?” he asked, his eyes falling to my lips.
“Being such an ass.”
A smirk that weakened my knees formed on his mouth.
“It’s a regular occurrence now,” he said, his tone lighter.
“Hm. I guess we’ve both changed.”
Our eyes remained locked, his touch sending heat cascading from my wrist and through my body.
“Coffee coming through,” Jessie said, her voice cheerful and grating. She reminded me of Tori, and I didn’t know what to think about that.
“Sit back down, Olivia.” Hudson’s breath was warm on my face, his eyes soft.
I yanked my arm from his and flopped back into the seat, crossing my arms.
Jessie placed the coffee cups—white ceramic, plain and chunky—in front of us, followed by a bowl of small containers of cream. I crinkled my nose as she looked between us again, her grin mischievous before she walked away, shaking her head and chuckling to herself.
I turned the mug handle toward me, playing with it to give my fingers something to do.
“She seems nice,” I said, wanting to be bitchy, but too tired to try.
“She is.” He grabbed three of the creamers, and I watched him dump them into his coffee.
“Why did you break up?”
What are you doing, Liv? You don’t want to know.
I was punishing myself. Torture, like Gabe had done when he’d hired Tori. Maybe we were both so used to the pain that we invited it.
The containers made a distinct crinkling sound as Hudson’s hand clenched around them. My eyes rose to see darkened orbs of chocolate, narrowed and so intense that I instantly regretted the question.