Page 53 of Abyss

Because, as I was starting to realize, holding a grudge against Hudson Case has never been easy.

“I guess I just can’t see you with windblown hair, wearing a weathered shirt, running around handling fishing gear.” I imagine a younger version of Hudson with sun-kissed skin and freckles around his nose. “Not when, only until very recently, I hadn’t seen you in anything besides a suit.”

I run my spoon through my soup, letting the warmth permeating off the surface fill my senses and drown out the thoughts of Hudson in his gray sweatpants. As hungry as I am, my mouth seems to be watering with that image alone.

His responsive smirk tells me he’s caught something on my face—something I wish he hadn’t. He leans over the table between us. “Why do I get the feeling you’d like to see mewithoutmy suit?”

My cheeks heat, but I take a quick bite of my soup, hoping to hide the blush I know is creeping in. “You wish, old man. Maybe not having seen the sun in so long is doing things to your head.”

Hudson tilts his head back, his eyes hooded. “There’s definitelysomeonedoing things to my head.”

My blush deepens and I wipe the corner of my mouth with my napkin, changing the direction of the conversation before the temperature between us gets any higher. “So, both you and Jett worked on the charter together, and then he started working with you at Case Geo?”

Hudson nods, taking a deep breath as if to clear his mind of whatever it was he and his brother spoke about today. “He helped me build the company in a lot of ways, but apparently, he wanted more. We also own a restaurant together.”

I squint at him. “You meanCarl’s Catch? The one you fired me from?”

His lips twitch. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Maybe I’d lost my senses after being pegged by a flying cork? Or possibly it was the cold water in my lap.”

I hide my face behind my palms, cringing at the memory of the day. “Touché. It was one disaster after another when the staff decided the newbie was going to be responsible for the boss’s table.” I raise a brow. “Much like your staff at Case Geo, they’re all a little scared of you, you know that, right?”

Hudson looks out the darkened window next to our table, watching people walk by, lights from the nearby establishments glimmering off their umbrellas. “I’m beginning to think change might be necessary.”

“Change to the staff?” God, I hope he’s not thinking about firing people.

He shakes his head. “No. I mean me. Jett said something similar today. I know I’m a harsh critic; clearly, not easy to please.”

I gasp, feigning shock. “You?Aharshcritic? Why, I would never use such foul language to describe you, Mr. Case! Especially not after the way you red-lined the entire document I sent last week, or when you told me I was ‘used to accepting mediocrity’ when I didn’t want to pay the astronomical rent for the apartments we toured together.”

He sighs, leaning back in his chair. “You’re right. I’m a jerk. I’m sorry . . . again.”

“Well, you’re definitely improving your apology game.” I smile. “We’re good. Madison had already warned me about you, so I knew what I was signing up for. So, are you going to accept Jett’s proposal for RCS?”

Hudson had updated me on why Jett had come by, proposing that Case Geo contract out with Jett’s company for extra manpower on the project.

“What do you think I should do?”

I nibble my bottom lip. “I don’t know how deep your trust issues are with Jett, nor do I know him personally, but given what I do know—through you and Belinda—I get the feeling he’s not the villain you may have made him out to be in your head.”

Hudson starts to say something, and I lift my hand, letting him know I’m not finished.

“I get that the way he left came as a shock for you, but he tucked his tail between his legs and showed up to see you today, didn’t he? He apologized for the way things went down between you two and said he missed you—”

“Yes, but—”

“I think it’s unfair of you to ask for forgiveness for your own mistakes but not allot the same to others. Especially a brother you clearly care about; someone who was a huge part of your life, someone you helped raise.”

Hudson stares at me for a long moment, eyes soft. “It seems you and I have that in common . . . younger siblings we love.”

I chuckle, nodding. “My brother can be a shithead, too, but no one could replace him, either.”

“Tell me more about you. Have you always lived in the Bay Area?”

I shift in my seat. “Born and raised. I live in a town called Porcelain Castle, which, let me tell you, is anything but aporcelain castle. Most people in that town have probably never touched porcelain. So, humble beginnings and all that compared to the high-rise I live in with my boss now.” I wink at him.

“My dad worked for a small utilities company for a good portion of his life, but the pay was meager at best. Mom worked, too, but again, their salaries barely covered the household expenses.” I smile, running my hands down my thighs. “But the one thing we never lacked was laughter and love. I grew up with a lot of love, despite not having extravagant meals or my own bedroom for a good portion of my childhood.”

Hudson listens, something I’ve noticed he’s rather good at. “I know your dad passed away recently. What happened?”

---