Page 48 of Amelia and Her Prince Charming
Bret
We’ll keep an eye on them. Make sure they don’t need any more nudges.
Gage
I don’t think we have to worry, guys. Look at them.
Gage
They’ve got it from here.
Chapter 28
Amelia
Vandalism and Indecency in Winterhaven
It’s rare that a reporter becomes the subject of his story, and even more rare to become the victim of targeted vandalism in pursuit of the truth. Especially in such a close-knit town as Winterhaven. But these small towns have a dark underbelly, one I have seen firsthand. Imagine my shock when, after a night of capturing the inside details of Dylan “The Beast” Savage’s wedding (including the exclusive coverage of the bridesmaid infighting, Lia Halifax acting bad, and the near-death tragedy of Amelia Blaire and the late Shiloh Blaire’s brother) I found myself faced with mounds of CENSORED shaving cream, empty cans tied to the back of my CENSORED rental car, a handwritten sign calling me a “Loser, Loner and Whatever”, and worst of all, realistic figures of CENSORED and CENSORED all over my car. Though the police have promised to track down the perpetrator, theyhave made no inroads. The town has remained tight-lipped during my own investigation.
—Hot Goss Magazine social media page (Edited for general audience. Visit our Hot Goss website for full, shocking account and pictures.)
Hudson’shandfitperfectlyin mine.
We couldn’t hold hands all night, unfortunately, since he only had one working hand and he needed to eat, but the minute he set his fork down, his fingers were entwined with mine. Icouldstare at him all night though, and I did. I wanted to memorize every expression, every line around his mouth, every fleck of gold in his light brown eyes.
Every time he looked at me, it was with awe. Like he couldn’t believe this was happening.
I understood the feeling. I had a hard time believing it was happening too.
The food was probably delicious, but I didn’t taste a thing. My stomach was a swirl of emotion at every touch and every glance. Every promise.
Hudson and me. Who would have thought? But it was so perfect, it was breathtaking.
Hudson leaned close to me, his lips right next to my ear, giving me goosebumps. “Want to dance?” he whispered.
I nodded and went to grab my crutches, but he stopped me. “You can lean on me.”
“I know.” And I meant more than just to keep weight off my foot. I’d been leaning on Hudson in so many ways since we first met. At first it was to help me study and get me through those hard years after my mom died. Then it was our friendship and the contentment I had whenever he came to visit. Then, after Shiloh died, it was for literal survival to get through each day and keep living. In all the stages of my life, Hudson had been there in the way I needed him.
We stayed close to the edge of the dance floor. I wrapped my arm around his good shoulder, and held my other arm around his waist, under his slinged arm. He tugged me close to him and I rested my head against his chest, breathing him in. He smelled like pine. Like home.
“Have I told you how much I love this dress,” he murmured, sending chills down my spine.
“No, you haven’t,” I tilted my head up to look at him coyly.
“I love that this pink matches the pink in your cheeks. I love that it’s so soft to the touch”—he grazed the fabric at my back with his thumb— “and I love how much leg it shows off.”
I felt his gaze trail over my bare legs, and I had a hard time forming words.
“Well, get used to seeing a lot of these legs, because I’m never wearing a long dress again.”
He sucked in his bottom lip in a way that drove me crazy. “You won’t hear me complaining.”
I closed my eyes, and he rested his chin on the top of my head. His thumb continued to draw patterns on the back of my dress and make me feel like I was floating in the clouds above us.
“I have six months left on my contract here, then I can move to Montana,” he said suddenly. “If you want.”
I pulled back quickly and saw that he had a nervous expression on his face. “I’m moving to Winterhaven,” I told him. “If you want.”
