Page 33 of The Wedding Cake Wish
I tell myself it’s good for Amelia. He’s taking her mind offMyles for a while, which is exactly what she needs.
Hudson glances over, seeking me out, and I sit up straightand wave, and smile brightly.
I keep the smile in place, glancing around the gorgeousballroom as if I’m having a brilliant time. And when they finally start headingback to the table, flushed and happy, laughing together, although my cheeks areaching, I keep right on smiling.
I carry on smiling through the awards ceremony, although myheart is bursting with emotion, thinking of how Hudson must be feeling when thehost starts talking about the award being presented posthumously for Myles.
When it’s time for Hudson to go up on stage to receive it,he stands up. Then he falters, holding onto the table edge, and my heart lurches,knowing how overwhelmed he must be by the occasion.
‘Shall I come up on stage with you?’ I murmur.
‘Please.’ He smiles sheepishly down at me. ‘I could do withsomeone to hang on to.’
I nod. ‘Let’s go, then.’
I take his hand and we start weaving between the tables,Hudson slightly in front of me. We’re almost at the stage, walking towards thesteps at the side, when suddenly I sense someone behind me. I register aperfume I recognise, and I turn to see Amelia’s smiling face right behind me.
‘It should probably be me going up there with Hudson, don’tyou think?’ she murmurs.
I feel her elbow dig in my side as she slips in between usand takes my place, putting her arm around Hudson’s waist.
Taken by surprise, I sway to the side and go stumbling intoa large potted plant, grasping a handful of stalk and leaves, and only justmanaging to remain upright.
I stand there, hoping Hudson will be okay, and watchingAmelia stride up onto the stage with him. Then I creep back to my seat, tellingmyself it’s probably worked out for the best.
Amelia was just concerned for Hudson, that’s all. It wasn’tas if shemeantto send me flying into a potted plant! And it’s onlyright that she – Myles’s girlfriend – should be the one to go up on stage withHudson.
I manage to keep my smile in place when they return,laughing and triumphant, Hudson holding up the award for me to see.
And when the three of us leave at the end of the night, andI get dropped off by Hudson first, I’m still smiling...
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
When I wake next morning, my first thought is:DidAmelia invite Hudson in when he drove her home last night?
Not that it’s any of my business, of course. And if he did,I’m sure it would only have been to make sure Amelia was all right to be lefton her own. She’s still so obviously grieving over Myles, so there’s no wayshe’s going to be ready for a new relationship right now.
Definitely not.
Plus, however attractive Hudson might find Amelia – and sheis most definitely stunning – he’s not the kind of man who’d take advantage ofher vulnerable state to get closer to her...
It’s fine.
Everything’s fine.
Except...what if they’re both soattracted to each other that common sense flew out of the window last night?They were entangled rather intimately on the dance floor last night. What ifthe entanglement continued...on the sofa or in Amelia’sbedroom...?
My mobile rings and my heart lurches. It’s Hudson.
‘Hi. You’re up, then?’ The words fly out of my mouth beforeI can stop them and I close my eyes in dismay.
‘Er...yes. It’s eight-thirty, Rubes. Someof us have to work,’ he says, referring to the fact that I’m not working today.
‘I know. Yes, of course.’
‘Plus a noisy blackbird woke me up at six. It serves meright for putting a bird table in my garden.’
He woke up in his own bed!
