Page 29 of Game On
I breathe a laugh. “She’s alright.”
In truth, the two of us are not very close—we never have been—something that has made it difficult to open up to others about her in the past. Until Jamie. Before I can deflect, Levi cranks up the music. The opening chords of Luke Bryan’s ‘Country Girl (Shake It for Me)’ fill the cab, drowning out any potential for awkward conversations. This time Hudson doesn’t bother to turn it down. And for that, I’m grateful.
Soon enough, the theater comes into view, bringing a whole new wave of excitement with it. Drive-ins aren’t as common back in England. I’ve only been to a pop-up cinema in the park once. It was nothing like this, though—sprawling with rows of cars and a massive screen beneath an open sky.
There’s something so nostalgic and thrilling about it, like stepping into a scene from one of those classic American movies. The perfect escape from everything I’ve been carrying lately.
Hudson maneuvers the truck into a relatively secluded spot near the back. The screen is still clear from here, but it gives us some privacy from the bustling crowd. Once we’resettled in, Levi dramatically shoves his seat forward, allowing Gabi and Sammy to escape from the back.
Hudson, with a bit more decorum, swings his door open and extends a hand to help me down. His grip is rough and warm, the skin toughened by years of handling a football. “There we go,” he offers in a soft tone as I step onto the gravel.
His eyes meet mine for a moment, lingering just long enough for a flush to creep up my cheeks. Then he’s turning away, striding towards the back of the truck where Levi and Sammy are arguing about the best way to arrange the mountain of pillows and blankets we’ve brought.
“Rookie,” Gabi says in my ear, having snuck up beside me. She waggles her eyebrows and nudges me with her elbow. “Are you reconsideringtheHudson Fox already?”
I scoff. “No. He’s just … attractive.”
Her grin widens. “To say the least.”
“Why don’tyougo for him, then?”
She bumps me on the shoulder. “I’m enjoying being single at the moment. And besides, I’m more into women these days.”
“Well, I’m enjoying being single myself. In fact, this is the first time in years that I’ve been on my own. Shouldn’t I take advantage of that?”
“I think,” she says, “you should do whatever the hell you want to.”
“Tonight, I think I’d like to just … watch the film?” It’s a half-hearted statement, I know, but right now it’s all I have.
Gabi winks at me before striding off towards the boys and the blanket-covered truck bed. I shake my head, tryingto rid myself of my embarrassing thoughts. Yes, I’m attracted to Hudson—painfully so—and that’s exactly why I need to stay away.
The smell of popcorn wafts over as I head towards the concession stand. Despite the crowd, the line moves quickly and soon I’m heading back to our spot with two large tubs of buttered popcorn and a ridiculous amount of sweets.
As I approach, Hudson meets me to help carry the food, his hand brushing against mine as he relieves me of one of the popcorn tubs. A spark of electricity shoots up my arm, catching me off guard. I nearly jump at the contact.
Jesus Christ, you touch-deprived woman, get a hold of yourself.
His eyes dart towards mine, a hint of amusement glimmering in them. “Careful there,” he teases, the corners of his lips tugging upwards into a smile.
I swat at him before setting down the rest of the food in the back of the truck. The second movie’s about to start and everyone’s settled in their chosen spots. Levi and Sammy are snuggled together in a corner of the truck bed, while Gabi is stretched out on a pile of pillows.
Hudson, as if understanding my indecision about where to place myself, gives me a small nod and sets up a spot for us in front of the tailgate. With a sigh of resignation, I settle down next to him.
“Cold?” he asks.
“A bit,” I say as a shiver runs down my spine. It’s a warm August night, but there’s something in the air that’s chilling my bones. Or maybe it’s just the presence of this man—off-limits and yet impossible to ignore—that’s affecting me.
His brow raises, a small smirk playing at the edge of his lips. He doesn’t reply verbally, but instead reaches for a neatly folded blanket nestled behind us. He shakes it out a few times before draping it over us both.
I glance at him, his face bathed in the soft light from the screen. “Thank you.”
He nods, his eyes trained forward. “Of course.”
I don’t know how much time passes—maybe an hour, maybe more—before he stirs. His arm stretches out next to me, fingers brushing against my waist for a brief moment. At first, I stiffen, but then I slowly let myself relax. He’s not making a pass at me; he’s just making himself comfortable.
“You need anything, Ella?” he whispers, turning to face me. “Think I’m gonna go grab a Coke.”
“A blue ICEE. I, er, I could come with you to get it?”
