Page 10 of Fall Wedding With the Mountain Man
“Oh.”
Hudson turned left into one of the cow fields.
“What are you doing now?”
“Well, I happen to know a thing or two about the wedding you’re attending. See, Shelby is getting hitched up to a guy I know. And the wedding’s happeninghere. The reception will be at the Fall Festival, also known as the Autumn Harvest Festival. I think they did that to save money because they bought their dream recently.”
I flushed bright pink. “You didn’t tell me you know the groom.”
Hudson chuckled. “It’s no big deal.”
Actually. It was. I’d just spent the hour-long drive shit-talking the groom and saying my BFF was making the biggest mistake of her life. Embarrassment rolled over me.
He parked his pickup in a sea of pickup trucks. The field was full of them.
“I liked our little journey, Elizabeth.” His hand was still on my knee, and he squeezed it lightly. “It kind of sucks that it’s ending so fast. And it’s just when I felt things were gettingstarted.”Somehow, now that the trip was over, I didn’t want to get out. I liked this fantasy life I was living right now, and I wasn’t ready for the real world yet. I wanted a few more minutes with Hudson. Ideally unclothed and horizontal. But I’d take unclothed and vertical, too.
Looking at him, I said, “So thank you for the ride… and the kitten rental. I guess you should have her back now.”
But I held onto Leona, not actually handing her over to him. I also didn’t budge from my seat. I felt glued in place.
Then, on a reckless whim, I added, “Would you like to stay? You could be my plus one.”
He grinned at me and said, “Yes, ma’am. Besides, who else is going to hold your kitten while you do all your maid of honor duties?”
I started laughing, then dropped my hand down to his. It was comfortable there, like it fit, and I had a moment to wonder what the hell was happening to me.
Did the Ozark air cause people to fall in love? Because I was falling in love with this man, this kitten, the dog, and everything about this place.
We sat there staring at each other for a few minutes. Then Hudson rumbled, “Let’s go watch our people get hitched.”
“Our people?”
He gave me a devious grin. “Yup.”
I can’t believe he knows the groom.
Chapter 6
Hudson
Before we got out of the truck, I addressed the obvious elephant in the room. “About those heels. I don’t think they’re going to work on the grass. I’ve got a pair of my little sister’s hiking boots in the back of my truck. Would you like to put them on?”
Elizabeth looked aghast. “Absolutelynot. I’d rather break my ankle wearing these heels than show up at aweddingwearing hiking boots.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. She really had lost touch with her friend. She had no idea who Shelby was now.
It probably wasn’t right to continue withholding information from her, so I said, “Would you mind popping the glove box for me? My boutonniere’s in there.”
Her jaw dropped open, and she eyed me suspiciously. Then she popped the glove compartment, revealing one peach orchid.
“What thehell?”
Clearing my throat, I told her, “I might be attending the wedding, too.”
“And you didn’ttellme?”
“I was having too much fun talking to you. It was nice. And I figured you’d talk more freely thinking I was a stranger rather than, well, part of the wedding party.”
