Page 32 of Fragile Heart

“Then, yes. I’ll build it with you.” I turn to grab my stuff from the small table, and a full grin breaks out on my face. Hudson actuallylikesspending time with me. Who would have ever thought?

We meet Holly at the front, where she’s added even more stuff to what she was already planning to buy. Hudson walks past her, puts his items on the checkout counter, then takes Holly’s and my things and sets them on the counter.

“I’m buying,” he says in a low voice, avoiding eye contact.

I start to say, “You don’t have to do that, Hudson,” while Holly says, “Fine with me.”

She elbows me in the side. Code forshut up.

Hudson looks back over his shoulder at me. “You let me crash your girls’ day. It’s the least I can do.” He turns to face the cashier, and Holly immediately looks over at me.

She raises her eyebrow at me and leans down to whisper, “You’re still saying he doesn’t have a crush on you? He’s buying you a damn giraffe tea kettle.”

“He’s just being nice.”

“Oh, please.” She leaves me standing there while she collects our bags. Hudson just bought my best friend and me a bunch of junk for absolutely no reason.

Walking up behind him, I put my hand on his back. I don’t know why my hand went to that spot. I don’t think I’ve ever touched his back before, but my hand just goes there. Like it had a mind of its own. “Thank you. You really didn’t have to do that.”

Without looking at me, he says, “I know.” Typical Hudson response. I grab a few of the bags Holly left sitting on the counter before walking back to my car to load up.

On the way home, Hudson tells me he has an early call time tomorrow, so I take him home first. Holly jumps in the front seat and starts hounding me as soon as he's out of the car.

“When are you going to sleep with him?”

“Hollllyyyy,” I whine.

“What? That man exudes sex. And he’s totally into you.”

I feel my face heat even though I don’t believe a word she’s saying. “He’s not into me. We’re just friends.”

“Not for long.” She smirks at me. “Why don’t you want to?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” It’s not a lie. Hudson is gorgeous. I can’t imagine any woman turning him down. “We’re building a friendship. And you know I haven’t slept with anyone since. . .” I trail off, knowing I don’t need to finish the sentence.

“Have you told him about Kyle?”

“No, it hasn’t come up.”

“It hasn’t come up, or you’ve avoided the conversation?” she asks knowingly.

After a pause, I answer, “Maybe a little of both.”

“Mm-hmm. That’s what I thought. Listen, I can’t imagine how it feels to be in your situation. But it’s been four years. You’ve got to move on. Kyle would want you to.”

I feel my eyes sting with the threat of tears, but I swallow them down. “I know.”

“And maybe Hudson is the perfect person to move on with. He’s not here permanently. It could be like a trial run, you know? Make sure your vag still works.”

I laugh. She always knows how to make me laugh even when I don’t want to. I shake my head. “It doesn’t even matter. I don’t think he’s into me like that.”

“I know you can’t see because you’re driving, but I’m rolling my eyes. First of all, I can tell by the way he looks at you that he’s into you. Second of all, he wouldn’t be doing all these things with you if he didn’t like you. And third of all, you’re gorgeous, Quinn. Anyone with eyes would be into you.”

Smiling, I shake my head. “You’re crazy.”

“No, you’re crazy. If that man was hanging out at my apartment, I would have already jumped on him.”

“Even with your mom there?” I tease.

She swats at my shoulder. “Shut up. You know I’m saving up to move out.”

Neither one of us says anything after that. My mind drifts to Holly’s words about how Hudson looked at me. I thought he looked at me differently this morning with the frosting, but I figured it was in my head. But maybe. . . maybe there’s more to this than I thought.

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