Page 82 of Abyss

Belinda elbows me before taking a bite of her fish. Brie and Madison had all the food catered from Hudson and Jett’s restaurant. “Between you and me, I don’t think Jett was pursuing Case Geo because his company was in need of the money.”

My brows furrow as I turn to her, my fork still pinched between my fingers. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, sure, their stock has dropped, but the profitsthey stand to make from RCS would be a drop in the bucket for them.” She shakes her head before wiping the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “This was Jett reaching out to mend the rift between him and his brother. He fucked up, and he knows it. I know he’s tried to reach out to Hudson before, but Hudson has this rule—”

“What rule?”

Belinda chuckles. “Oh, you know our boss by now. He has a million rules, but this one is something about never chasing quitters. In Hudson’s eyes, Jett quit on him, quit on their relationship, and fucked up while doing it. Which is why it’s taken Jett two years to reach Hudson. Honestly, I’m surprised our stubborn boss actually agreed to work with him and his company.” She winks at me. “But I was told it had something to do with what you said to him.”

My eyes widen. “Me?”

“Yes. Hudson told me you convinced him to loosen up a bit when it comes to his ridiculous expectations of his employees, and that you lectured him about having a double standard on forgiveness, which is why he agreed to work with his brother again.” She searches my face with a smile I can’t quite decipher. “He didn’t go into much detail because, come on, it’s Hudson. The man speaks a total of fifty words a day, if that, but I’m glad you guys are getting along.”

I nod, looking back at the risotto on my plate.

Are we getting along? I’m not sure what you’d call the constant electricity and the palpable weight in the air around me and Hudson when we’re both in the same room. Would that be called getting along, or would that be more accurately described as skirting around an elephant neither one of us wants to acknowledge?

Still, Belinda doesn’t need to know those details, so I settle for, “We are.”

“He might be one stubborn mule, but he’s a decent man.One of the best I’ve met, to be honest, but don’t you dare tell him that and inflate his ego any more than it already is. I’m just glad he’s warmed up to you because hell, if you had quit, I honestly don’t know how I would have trained another admin with a baby attached to my boob.”

I chuckle but keep my thoughts to myself. There’s no need for her to know that I actually did quit and how Hudson gave me an offer I found hard to resist, so I came back.

Nor does she need to know that, while that offer was at first about the money, I haven’t given the money much thought since that day. Yes, while every extra dime is already earmarked for overdue bills, my brother’s future, and my apartment deposit in Portland, it’s not the reason I’ve continued to stay. It’s never really been the reason at all.

Nor does she need to know that I’m living with him.

My gaze finds Brie and Madison across the room, eating their dinner and whispering to each other, and my stomach sinks at the thought that Madison still has no idea that I’m living with her dad.

I want to tell her. I should tell her. But would it be right of me to tell her without Hudson’s consent? I wouldn’t want to blindside him like that.

“So, have you found a place in Portland yet?” Adam asks, pulling me from my musings. “I could show you around if you haven’t.”

“I just signed a lease, actually, right outside of Portland, in Wood Village,” I tell him, still feeling this strange mixture of relief and anxiety at the prospect of having found a place to live.

I knew it would only be a matter of time before I did, but any comfort I thought I’d feel after signing a lease a couple of days ago never came. I still feel like I’m in knots inside.

Adam’s eyes light with excitement, disbelief. “Seriously? Ilive in Troutdale, literally five minutes away from Wood Village!”

“Oh, wow! I’ve been meaning to ask, what do you do?”

“I actually manage a distillery in Troutdale. You’ll have to come visit while I’m working; I’ll show you around. All your drinks will be on the house, of course.” He winks, as if hoping to entice me further with the prospect of said drinks.

I giggle. “Well, how can I say no to an offer like that?”

He puts down his fork and turns to me, his lips lifting as his eyes trace the curve of mine. “You shouldn’t. But can I sweeten the pot a little more?”

I bite my bottom lip, feeling a weird flutter in my stomach. Strangely, the flutter has less to do with our exchange or the almost two glasses of wine I’ve consumed, and more to do with the fact that I know my boss’s eyes are still on me, watching my every move.

But . . . fuck it. I take another sip of my wine, feeling emboldened.

I should feel guilty for using Adam to lure the prowling and hungry lion that is my boss, but I’m blaming the alcohol swimming inside my system for my skewed moral compass at the moment.

“Sweeten away,” I say through falsely lowered lashes. “I need more sweet and less cranky-dick in my life.”

Adam’s brows furrow slightly, clearly not understanding my reference. “How about I take you out to dinner after my shift one day and show you around town?”

I squint at him. “So, let me get this straight. You want to liquor me up, then fill my tummy—”

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