Chapter 12 #2
"I need to work on editing the film this weekend while Maya's with her dad. I can start posting as soon as it's done. I think we have a week's worth of material already. It really depends on how granular you want to get. Will viewers get bored with five days of tiling?"
"Probably," I grumbled, not happy that the video would be shown soon.
"What changed your mind about filming the renovation?" Hudson asked, his gaze fixed on me.
"Kinsley was convincing." I didn't tell him the truth that I wanted to have an excuse for her living in the house. I was hoping nothing would ever get posted. But now that my brother was involved, that was inevitable.
Hudson nodded his approval. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing it."
"I can send you the first edited video tonight, if you want," Kinsley offered before she hit Record on her phone. "But right now, smile, because you're on camera."
Would Hudson give me a hard time? Would he openly criticize me on camera? I tried my best to put the camera out of my mind as I grabbed the framing for the shower. Hudson rushed to assist me getting it into place. Once it was secured, we moved onto the next piece.
Once the framing was done, we installed the walls. We'd done this dance so many times that we worked well together.
We'd learned how to install a shower when we were teenagers. Back then, we worked together. But as we got older, we each worked on separate projects. Although I usually still shared mine with Cooper.
I hadn't worked with Hudson in a long time. Usually, I avoided him because he had an opinion about everything.
At some point, Kinsley disappeared, saying something about laundry and editing the video.
Hudson was the first to break the silence. "You're the last single brother."
He probably figured any potential viewers would be asleep watching us work in silence which I didn't mind. I grunted in response. "Do you have a point?"
Hudson stood to his full height and puffed out his chest. "I'll have you know that I've offered successful relationship advice to every one of our brothers, and they're now in serious, long-term relationships.
"You're messing with me, right?" I chuckled.
Hudson nodded. "Each one showed up on my porch looking for good old-fashioned advice."
"What advice could you possibly have to give? It's not like you've been in a relationship for twenty years or something. Why don't they go to Mom or Dad?" They had a relationship we all admired.
Hudson leaned on the wood framing. "I was the first one to fall, and you're going to be the last."
I laughed without any humor. "Sure."
He raised a brow. "You don't believe me?"
I shook my head. "Um. No. Just because everyone else is dating someone doesn't mean that I'm next."
I heard a noise from Kinsley, who must have reappeared during our conversation. She was fighting a smile from where she stood behind the camera.
I gave her a look, but that made her smile wider. Great. Now she thought we were amusing.
"Of course it does. It's only a matter of time."
"I'm the last remaining of the hottest Kingston bachelors on the island, and I have no intention of being claimed."
"Coop said you haven't been going out as much."
"How would he know? He's shacked up with Ivy and their kid." Bitterness trailed into my tone, which I hated. I didn't want anyone to know that it had sucked when he hooked up with Ivy. He didn't have as much time for me anymore.
Hudson rolled his eyes. "He's your twin. Of course he knows you better than anyone else."
I gestured at the shower. "Are you going to flap your lips all day, or are you going to work?"
Hudson was quiet for a few more minutes, and then he asked, "Are you seeing anyone?"
I paused and glared at him. Then I turned to the camera, carefully avoiding Kinsley's gaze. "I'm keeping my options open." Then I turned back to him. "There. Are you happy now?"
Hudson had a self-satisfied smile on his face. "That means you're open to finding love."
I placed my hands on my hips. "That's not what I meant."
"Keep telling yourself that. Love shows up when you least expect it anyway."
I groaned, giving up on the conversation. I wasn't going to tell him that I was interested in Kinsley. Not with her standing there, watching us.
"I'm going to make lunch," Kinsley said before disappearing.
Hudson handed me the tile. "If you need some advice about how to snag a certain single mom who's staying at your place—"
I ripped the tile out of his hands a little harder than necessary. "No one's dating the single mom."
"Are you sure about that? I thought it was a temporary living situation, but now it seems like it's more permanent." He picked up the rubber duck with a tux that Maya must have hid in here.
"Where did you find that? I've been looking for it everywhere."
Hudson gave me a weird look. "It was behind the door."
My heart warmed at the thought of Maya hiding it with the idea of me finding it while she was gone.
"What's so important about this duck?" Hudson lifted it in the air, and I snatched it from his hand, tucking it into my pocket.
"That's between me and Maya."
"You're getting close to her."
"You know I like kids." I kept my gaze on the tile we'd already placed, grabbing another one.
"What about Kinsley? Anything going on there?"
I was grateful he'd dropped the questions about Maya. That little girl held my heart in her hands. "She's helping me with the renovation and filming. That's it."
"Then she can move to a new place, one with a better landlord."
"Her current landlord is giving her grief about the lease. So it's easier for her to stay here rent-free while she figures everything out."
"And you get to be the nice guy?" Hudson said, his voice dry.
"There's a first time for everything." Right now, I sounded like a cantankerous old man. I didn't think the viewers would have any interest in my grumblings.
"And you don't have any designs on your roommate?"
I straightened, grinning. "I happened to adore Maya. She's the best assistant. She somehow talks less than you do." I lowered my voice. "And that's saying something."
Hudson merely grinned. "Gotcha. Hiding behind the kid."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not hiding behind anyone. But I happen to enjoy Maya's company."
"But not Kinsley's?"
I groaned. "She's nice. Will you leave it alone?"
Hudson handed me another tile. "It's just that she mentioned to Elena that she wants to date again."
My jaw tightened. "Good for her."
"You going to let her date someone else?"
I wondered if there was a way that I could delete the video from this morning and tell Kinsley there had been some error in filming. "I don't see why not."
"Are you going to watch Maya while she goes out?"
My shoulders stiffened at the idea of Kinsley going out with another man. "I think she goes out when Maya's with her father. But it's none of my business."
"Right," Hudson said in a tone that made me think he didn't believe a word I was saying. "The women are betting on when you fall for your new roommate."
I shook my head. "They don't have anything better to do with their time?"
"Nope," he said, acting way too smug for my taste.
"We have a renovation to finish and a wedding to plan.
So shut up and get to work." I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to hold off his questions.
He didn't seem to believe any of my answers.
I shouldn't invite him over to help anymore.
Maybe Brady or Cooper would be a safer bet.
Hudson took the role of oldest way too seriously.