Page 202 of Callan

He wasn’t that old in years, but he surely wanted to live the rest of his life differently.

I can’t blame him.

I wouldn’t say no to making that change myself––I muse, taking in the gated community comprised of over one thousand hectares of forest and coastal landscape not far from Tamarindo.

The road snakes up to a charming colonial modern house that screams luxurious living.

Wearing a long, flowing white shirt and sand-colored matching pants, Hudson, a man in his sixties, lounges casually on the terrace when he lifts his gaze from his book and flashes a smile at me.

A woman wearing a dress and an apron exits the house just as he rises from his chair.

They engage in a short dialogue while I push the door open and collect my travel bag from the car.

I packed light and had my baggage taken to the airport by one of my men, so I didn’t raise any suspicions.

“Long time no see,” Hudson says, opening his arms and broadening his smile while the woman goes inside.

“I told Maribel to set the table on the terrace if you don’t mind. I love the weather this time of year.”

“Works for me,” I say, grinning and briefly hugging and patting him on his back.

“Look at you,” he murmurs, running an admiring gaze over my frame. “You put on more muscle.”

“Not by choice,” I joke, and he shows me to the table on the terrace. “You didn’t have lunch, I suppose.”

“I didn’t get the chance.”

“Good.”

He glances over his shoulder before shifting his focus to the staff.

“Maribel, please take care of his driver. I’m sure the man is hungry, too.” He turns to me. “What time is your flight back?”

I check the time on my watch for no reason.

“Whenever I’m ready to go back.”

He cocks an eyebrow at me, studying me for a few moments.

“Can you stay a little longer? Now that you’re here…” he says.

I think about it for a few seconds.

Everything I left behind urges me to return as quickly as possible. If anything happens to Mackenzie, I’ll never forgive myself.

Other than my men, no one is there to protect her.

Alistair takes care of some business. Duncan is still in Montana. And Ewan? God knows where he is these days.

The corners of Hudson's eyes crinkle with a smile when he touches my arm.

“You’ll love it here,” he says before turning his focus to the housekeeper. “Maribel, get the guest bedroom ready upstairs. Chap, chap.”

The woman responds with a charming smile, which makes me think she is more than his housekeeper.

Hudson has never been committed to a woman. Who was it? Most of us couldn’t.

My father was, and we all know how that ended.

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