Page 26 of The Promises We Break

How we’re both mad at each other, when this is clearly the most odd coincidence to happen in the history of coincidences, is beyond me.

“I just started this job today. I moved here yesterday. I can’thave anything ruin this.” He flinches, like I attempted to stab him.

Palming my face, I exhale into my hand. That was the wrong thing to say.

“I’m sorry. I’m just surprised to see you, and it’s been a wild couple of days.”

In the span of three days, I flew from Vegas, to Missouri, to Seattle. I somehow managed to pack up everything that means anything to me and my necessities, which sadly fit in two medium-sized pieces of luggage. I moved to an unknown city, where nobody knows me, or so I thought, completely alone and against the wishes of everyone in my entire family. And when I say against, I had to outright lie in order to leave the house with my luggage.

You would think they would be proud to have an ambitious daughter. The only future they see for me is a day of me wearing white, then immediately having more kids than I do fingers. So lying to them and telling them I met someone in Vegas that I was going to visit for a little while because I needed some time away from home, that was just easier. I would have never gotten out of the house if I were permanently moving or, god forbid, for a job.

But really, whatishe doing here?

“I thought you lived in San Diego? Are you here with...” I glance over to where Elena and the groom disappeared to, because I don’t know his name.

“Jake. The groom.” He air quotes. “Sort of. I flew home first, then here. I live here now, too.”

My jaw loses all its elasticity.

Hudson just chuckles. “Don’t get too excited.”

I’ve had a couple of boyfriends; nothing that turned too serious, for me at least. Elliot proposing to me was more my parents pushing him to do it than either one of us, but he definitely wanted more than I did. Somehow, a few short minuteswith Hudson makes me feel more excitement and butterflies than Elliot ever did. Which is dangerous for me.

But living near him, that is another level of danger I can’t even begin to decipher.

“Where are you staying?” he breaks the silence.

“Across the street. Well, I was. I’m heading there now to pick up my luggage and check into a different hotel for a couple weeks.”

I hardly finish speaking when he blurts out, “Stay with me.” His hands run through his thick, dark hair. It’s clean cut, yet the longer strands on the top are slightly disheveled, reflecting how I’m currently feeling. “I mean, I have a hotel tonight, but I’m moving into a condo near the water tomorrow. You should... you should stay with me. It’ll be easier than being at a hotel.”

My lips thin as I suck in my lower lip.

“I… um, I can’t.” Hudson opens his mouth to reply, but I interrupt. “I mean, I’ve already paid for it.” I shrug with a smile. “I should go.”

His brows furrow in disappointment as he gives me a heavy nod.

I walk toward the elevator, and I can sense him following behind me. The pack of Big Red I picked up at the airport falls out as I pull my phone out of my purse, landing on the floor in between us as we wait for the elevator. Embarrassment floods my checks because it’s a new, still in its original plastic, pack.

So what if I bought it because it smells like him?

He reaches down to pick it up, then hands it back to me, his shit-eating grin on full blast.

“Thanks.” I ignore his smug-as-hell face, placing it back in my purse, shoving it all the way to the bottom where it belongs. That treacherous, traitor pack of gum.

Pressing the down button, the doors immediately open to an empty elevator, and he holds his arm outward to allow me to walk in first.

A few flashbacks of the last time we were in an elevator come to the forefront of my mind. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. It’s amazing what the mix of alcohol and zero inhibitions will do for you. Without them now, the tension is thicker than wax.

As we step out of the elevator, I tap on the Uber app so I can order a ride as soon as I have my bags. It’s barely loaded on my screen before Hudson speaks up.

“I’m taking you to your hotel.” I look up to see him, fucking gorgeous by the way, staring back at me. His eyes are a deeper color brown than usual. The playfulness is replaced with what looks like frustration, maybe.

“You don’t have to do that.” My reply is quick.

He reaches out and gently tugs on my arm, halting my steps toward the rotating door that leads outside.

Stepping in front of me, his eyes rip straight through me. A slight squint in his chocolate eyes, that flood with a need. A need I can relate to because they’re laced with confusion, just like mine.

---