Page 69 of Her Goal
My lip trembles. “Hunter?—”
But he doesn’t let me finish. He’s on his feet, his eyes hard and fists ready to fight. “That’s it. I’m tracking him down.”
“You didn’t let me finish, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
“If he did something?—”
I shake my head because the truth is, I’m protecting myself from Hunter’s twin.
We’re both quiet for a long measure until Hudson says, “I can’t apologize on his behalf, but if you want to talk to me, Ipromise I’ll listen. Though I might punch an inanimate object. Maybe kick a rose bush.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “And get pricked by the thorns?”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
A long sigh escapes from behind the gate of my lips. “At times, it was like I was Hunter’s babysitter, protecting him from himself. At others, I had to fight for his attention.”
“You liked him.”
I turn to Hudson and meet his eyes. “I thought I loved him.” This time, I cut myself off because the truth surfaces and it’s hard to shoulder. “I had no idea what love was.” But I’m starting to understand.
Hudson’s gaze sweeps mine and I’m afraid he knows what I’m thinking, so I push back, desperate to keep up my boundaries. “You’re just giving me a hard time because back in the day, you were jealous that Hunter and I were so close.”
He snorts through his nose. “No, Leah. It’s because I saw how much you gave to him and how much he took.”
Just like that, he boldly throws the truth toward me. I wasn’t ready to catch it or block it from slamming into the goal.
Hudson drops to his feet, signaling that story time is over. The horizon line turns gray like someone took a pencil and divided night from day.
He says, “Thanks for helping me strengthen my mental muscle.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“See you on Friday?”
“You really want another lesson?”
“We’re only just getting started, Leah.”
I’m halfway to my car when I realize he’s beside me and pause.
Hudson asks, “Are you heading back to Omaha?”
I thumb in the general direction of my parents’ house on Stowells Street. “I have work later, so I’ll probably just go to my mom and dad’s.”
“Do you live on Graves Street?”
I nod. “Who’s the stalker now?”
“It was a hunch. But why there?”
“Because I wanted my own place.”
“But you love it here. Want to trade?” he speaks with zero humor.
I lean in slightly. “You’d hardly fit in my closet-sized bedroom and my roommate Mirin would maul you even though she’s supposedly with my other roommate, Branch, who I think is actually her cousin.”
“Perhaps I want to spice things up.”
