Page 62 of Promise Me

“Of your brother or Hudson for letting you live with him?”

“Both.” I reach for more pizza. “Hudson is also helping me try to get my memory back.”

“Willingly? Like he wants you to remember that you hate him?”

“Hate is such a strong word.” I cringe. “The last thing I remember about him was that he was playing hockey, and I swore I’d mend things between us if he ever came back, but it turns out I didn’t.”

“Of course not. Your bags were basically packed to move into the place Hudson now calls home, but then they sold the space practically overnight to someone who offered them cash, above value, overnight. Cue Hudson’s Bar.”

“Ouch. So that really is what happened. He thought as much when we talked about it earlier today.”

She nods. “To his credit, he had no idea you were trying to buy it first.”

“And I was still mad at him?”

“Mad?” she laughs. “Honey, you downright put him on your shitlist the day he came back.”

I sigh. “I don’t sound like a nice person where he’s concerned.”

She reaches over to cover my hand. “You’re the sweetest. Your relationship with Hudson has always been different, even now.”

He’s been amazing, and it makes me feel bad how I’ve acted.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen you smile that way before,” Brooke says, kicking me gently with her foot. “Are you thinking of him?”

“Who?” I play dumb.

She rolls her eyes. “Hudson.”

I scrunch my nose and feel my cheeks warming.

“Am I crazy? I mean, he’s been really great since this all happened. Maybe I’m overthinking that.”

“No way. This is good. I like this for you. In the time we started this friendship and have worked together, you’ve never once shown interest in any guy.”

“I haven’t? Well, that answers one of my questions. I was wondering when the last time I had sex was.”

I slap my hand over my lips the moment the words are out of my mouth. Mumbling, I say, “I’m so sorry. That was too much information.”

“You told me about your first blow job, so it’s really not. And unless you’re keeping secrets from me, the last time you slept with anyone was last summer with this rich asshole who was here for a wedding at the lodge.”

“I had a fling?”

“You had a fling.” She nods. “Honestly, I think you might have made it last the entire weekend he was here, but he was kicked out of Hudson’s bar, so he didn’t really leave the lodge after that.”

“Why? What did he do?”

She shrugs. “I have no clue. Can I ask you something on a different subject?”

“Go for it.” I settle in, ready to broach another topic.

“Are you going to reopen the bakery, or should I look for another job?”

Oh.

I haven’t really thought about it, and it never really occurred to me that I was putting others out of a paycheck.

I stare at the table as I finally think about it.

---