Chapter 25
HUDSON
The hall was pure chaos, and when I caught Angela ducking out, I maneuvered through the crowd to get to her.
"Hudson," Clara called, and I paused, "Angela left."
"Saw that," I bit out.
Clara's brow creased. "How did Bill get that picture?"
I ran a hand through my hair, anxious to talk to her. "I have no idea. But I have to get to Angela.”
I didn't wait for her response. Instead, I picked my way through the crowd to reach the exit. Cold air greeted me.
Ayla was at the bookstore. Angela was probably going there. I headed in that direction. Cooper was walking toward me.
"Did you see Angela?" I asked.
He nodded, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, just dropped her at the bookstore."
"Is she okay?" I felt like I was barely holding on to my sanity.
He shook his head. "She's really upset. You know how Bill had access to that picture?"
"I had it on my phone, and I sent a few to Wynter so she could edit them. I wanted it to be a present." A declaration of my love.
Cooper whistled. "You were planning a present?"
"I was going to tell her I loved her and show her the picture. That moment was private. He had no business stealing it and sharing it with everyone." I could only imagine how violated Angela felt.
"If you love her, you should probably tell her—"
"That's why I need to talk to her.” I looked over his head, trying to determine if Angela had walked out with Ayla. I didn't want to miss them.
Cooper held his hands out, palms facing me. "But she said she doesn’t want to hear what you had to say."
My eyes narrowed on him. "Are you trying to keep me from talking to her?"
"I'm saying that maybe tonight's not the best time."
My shoulders lowered. "Am I supposed to let her think that I'm the one who gave that photo to Bill? After I promised her those photos were only for her and me?"
He grimaced. " You might have to give her time."
"What would you do?"
Cooper shook his head. "I've never been in a situation like this."
Aspen ran up to us. "Where's Angela? Is she okay?"
"She's at the bookstore. Cooper said she doesn't want to talk to me," I grumbled, still unsure what to do.
Aspen glanced at Cooper and then said, "I'll talk to her then."
When Aspen rushed down the sidewalk, Cooper didn't stop her.
"I have to talk to her, explain that I didn't do what she thinks I did.
" Then I sighed. "She trusted me, and I violated that trust. Somehow Bill got his hands on that photo.
" Now I was wondering if he had access to the more risqué photos.
But I didn't share those with Wynter. Only the ones where she was covered.
Wynter had said that they were similar to the boudoir shots she took in her studio.
She didn't think they were illicit or filthy.
But when Bill had put it on that screen, he made it that way.
He exposed Angela, and I didn't like it.
"You have to look at it from Angela's perspective. The whole town was there, her family and friends, her boss, and colleagues. We all know what that was, a private moment—"
"One that never should have been shared."
"You don't think Wynter would have shared it, do you?" Cooper asked.
"Absolutely not. Most of the shop owners have had run-ins with Bill. They'd never hurt Angela like that."
"Maybe you need to figure out how Bill got the photo before you talk to her."
I let out a breath. "That's not a bad idea."
Cooper nodded. "I have them sometimes."
I clasped his shoulder. "You know you're a Sterling, through and through."
He nodded seriously. "Yeah."
I wasn't sure he believed me, but I didn't have time to tell him what he meant to my family. He always had a place with us.
"Change of plans. I have to figure out how that asshole got pics of my girl. You gonna help?" I asked him.
"Let's talk to Bill first." He headed toward the town hall where people were spilling into the street. I had a feeling the meeting was over once Bill revealed that picture.
When we got closer, Eve rushed toward us. "Is Angela okay?"
"Aspen's talking to her." I hated that I couldn't go to Angela to explain what happened. But Cooper had a point. If I didn't know how Bill got the photograph, how would I apologize? I wasn't even sure that it wasn't my fault. I couldn't talk to her until I had the truth.
She blinked at me. "You have any idea how he got that picture?"
Cooper inclined his head toward me. "Hudson shared it with Wynter, hoping she'd edit it. It was supposed to be a gift."
Eve sighed. "This is a mess."
"Bill doesn't want you to renew her lease?" I asked through gritted teeth. I'd wanted to help Angela, and all I'd done was make everything worse.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do right now," Eve said.
Natasha approached her and asked, "Can I talk to you?"
"Of course." Eve allowed Natasha to pull her away.
I bit off a curse. "I can't believe that Angela might lose her business because of me."
"It's a fucked-up situation. I like Angela and Ayla. I don't want anything bad to happen to them," Cooper said, soothing my unease.
We waited for people to file out of the hall and, when we didn't see Bill, went inside. He stood by the podium. Someone had taken the picture down at least.
I stalked toward the front of the room. Bill's startled gaze flew up.
"How did you get that picture?" I demanded.
His expression turned to a sneer. "Wynter had it open on her computer when I went to talk to her.
She had to speak to a customer, and I snapped a pic.
You shouldn't leave stuff like that just lying around.
Although I should probably thank her. I've wanted to expose Angela for what she is, and now I have. "
Cooper stood by my side and slightly behind me, allowing me to take the lead on this. Energy was coiled tightly inside me. I wasn't sure how long I could hold onto it without lashing out at Bill. "You exposed a private moment between me and my girlfriend. You didn't reveal shady shit."
He blinked in surprise. "From what I saw, you're fucking her in her store. That's indecent, and she shouldn't be allowed to continue as a seller in this town. We hold ourselves to a high standard—"
I clenched my teeth. "Let me get this straight. Your high standard is stealing someone's private photo and sharing it with the town?"
"That's not what this was. I exposed her for who she is—"
Cooper cleared his throat. "If you're about to say what I think you are, you'd better shut the hell up."
Instead of shoving him against the wall and landing a fist in his face, I said, "You're the one who screwed up. No one will ever be able to trust you again. You stole something and violated Angela. Most of the shop owners are female in this town."
That was why she'd run. She felt vulnerable, exposed, and who could blame her?
We'd shared an intimate moment, and Bill had tried to make it something ugly.
As far as I was concerned, he'd failed. He'd only exposed himself for what he was, an ugly person who sought to make everyone else miserable. But no one could dim Angela's light.
The only problem was that she didn't see it that way. She thought I'd shared those photos. I curled my hands into fists.
"She doesn't belong here in this town. Eve will see that she's not the right fit. She'll cancel her lease. It will work out," Bill rattled on, but his tone wasn't as confident as before.
I wasn't going to hit an older gentleman, no matter how much he deserved it. I turned and walked away, Cooper hot on my heels.
Outside, I headed for the bookstore. Cooper was silent as he fell into step with me. My jaw ached from clenching my teeth, and I couldn't seem to uncurl my fingers.
There was a roaring in my ears as I opened the door to the bookstore. Mom stood talking to Aspen.
"Where is she?" I asked.
Aspen bit her lip. "She left."
I couldn't speak to her when Ayla was around anyway. But maybe she'd let me come over after she got Ayla into bed. I pulled out my phone, and Angela stopped me with a hand on my wrist. "She doesn't want to talk to you."
"I wasn't the one who shared that image.
I mean, I was the one who sent it to Wynter, but not for the reasons she thinks.
Bill saw it and took a photo." I ran a hand through my hair.
"I wanted Wynter to edit it. I wanted to make Angela a book or a framed photo.
It was something that was only supposed to be between the two of us. Wynter had assured me of privacy."
"I'm sure Wynter didn't mean for that to happen either," Mom said.
"I just want Angela to understand; I didn't intentionally try and hurt her. I would never—" I felt like my chest was caving in. Was I going to be able to fix this?
"I don't think tonight's the best time to talk to her. Maybe when she's had a chance to calm down," Aspen said, and Mom nodded.
They made sense, but something didn't sit right with me. I didn't want her going to bed thinking I'd intentionally expose her like that.
I was moving and had almost made it to the door when Mom asked, "Do you love her?"
I nodded tightly. "So much."
Mom nodded too. "Then go get your girl."
I opened the door and headed toward my truck. I'd been worried about how the meeting would go, but I'd never anticipated Bill would stoop so low. I still had no assurances that Eve would renew her lease. I couldn't fix that for Angela, but I could make her understand what happened.
By the time I made it to Angela's house, the lights were off upstairs. There was a dim glow from the kitchen, but that was a light that Angela left on all night. I pulled out my phone.
Hudson: Are you still awake?
Angela: Yes
Hudson: Can we talk? Is Ayla asleep?
I waited for a response, but none came. Instead, the front door opened. I rushed out of the truck, not bothering to grab my coat. The air cooled my heated skin.
She shut the front door, wearing a puffy jacket, her feet stuffed into boots.
I moved toward her, touching her shoulders.
"I shared that photo with Wynter. She was going to edit it and make a book for us.
A tasteful one that showed our love for each other, and then I intended to gift it to you.
It was my plan to tell you I love you. I never intended for Bill to get it.
He said he took a picture of it off Wynter's computer when he was in there the other day. "
Angela was stiff and unyielding under my palms. "He shared it with the town. That was never supposed to be seen by anyone."
I sighed. "It's my fault. If I hadn't shared it with Wynter, he wouldn't have had access to it."
She chewed her lip. "Are you saying that you love me?"
I nodded. "I was looking for the right way to tell you.
That day in the shop, you trusted me with your body and your feelings too.
I was already starting to fall for you, but that night solidified everything for me.
I love you, and I want to spend my life with you.
I'd never intentionally expose you like that.
I want to protect you. I want to support you.
I want to be the man that you can count on. "
She reached out to touch my chest, grabbing my shirt, and pulling me close. She licked her lips. "You love me?"
I nodded. "You're so easy to love. I never stood a chance."
Her eyes shone with unshed tears. "I love you too."
"And no matter what happens with your store or Eve, I've got your back. I'll help you find a new building with even better foot traffic than Christmas Town. I'm not giving up on us or you—" I drew up. "Wait, did you say you love me too?"
She nodded, a tear spilling down her cheek.
I brushed it away with my thumb. "I'm so sorry that the picture fell into Bill's hands."
She shook her head. "You wanted to give me a photo book?"
"I'm sure it wouldn't have been as good as if Wynter had taken them, but these were something we shared."
"It means more," Angela said.
"Yes, and no matter what happens, I want to be by your side, supporting you. I won't ever be afraid of expectations or pressure. In fact, I want the pressure of being the man in your life. If that's what you want?"
She nodded jerkily.
"You think I could come inside? I want to show you how I feel."
A smile spread across her face, and I pushed open the door and tugged her inside.
"My room," she whispered as I locked the door. Then we hurried up the stairs and down the hallway. I turned the lock in the door before facing her. She was already shrugging out of her coat, revealing flannel pajamas. She hopped on one leg to pull off her boot, then on the other leg.
She never looked sexier to me.
I toed off my shoes, never taking my eyes from hers.
Her hands went to the buttons on my shirt.
I touched her face, not quite believing that she was here with me. That she'd forgiven me for being so reckless, for trusting someone with our most intimate moment. It was only meant to be between us. Not anyone else.
"I love you," I said before I kissed her, grateful she'd listened to me. That she believed I'd never hurt her.
We worked to get the rest of our clothes off, not pausing. It made it more difficult, but when we finally tumbled to the bed, skin on skin, it was worth it. I never wanted to be apart from her again.
The tension inside my chest had eased, and I wanted to show her how much I loved her. I braced myself on one hand above her as I kissed her, my fingers delving between her legs, gathering the wetness there before slipping inside.
She reached for me. "I need you inside me."
I had other plans for her, taking my time, tasting her, but I couldn't resist her sweet plea.
I positioned myself at her entrance and slipped inside. She arched up to meet me, our bodies moving in sync. I kissed her as I moved, driving us ever higher, and when we crested, we did it together. I'd never felt more for another person.
I dropped to the bed, rolling her so that she was sprawled on top of me. Her weight was a welcome anchor. We were together. We loved each other. No one could ever come between us.