Page 18 of Make Me Swoon

Hudson stops and digs a blanket out of the bag.

“A picnic?” I ask, bending over and kicking off my shoes as we start to walk across the sand.

“Yeah, it’s so nice out today and I thought that we could eat and watch the sunset over the water.”

“That sounds perfect,” I say as I take a seat on the blanket.

Hudson starts to unpack the food from the bag and I take the wine from him. He brought two of the single-serve wines that you can buy in some stores, and I get to work peeling off the tops. My stomach growls as he pulls out a small charcuterie board with some crackers, meats, cheeses, olives, and jams.

“That looks amazing,” I say, making room on the blanket for the tray and plates.

“Thanks. I made some snacking plates and a few desserts too. I hope that’s okay.”

I would reply but I’ve already got a mouthful of crackers and cheese. I flash him a thumbs up and he laughs as he takes out the rest of the food from the bag.

“It’s awesome,” I say after I’ve swallowed.

Hudson just smiles and passes me another plate. This one has mini tacos with homemade shells and I practically inhale mine. We work our way through the food and wine as we watch the sun start to set over the water.

“So, tell me about yourself,” Hudson says as he reclines on the blanket and we listen to the waves crash on the shore.

“What do you want to know?” I ask, looking out over the water.

“Everything.”

I smile at that, squinting as I look over to the bridge. The lights are starting to turn on as the sun sets.

“Well, I grew up in New York with my dad. My parents divorced when I was twelve, but I can’t really remember a time where they got along. My mom wanted more than my dad could provide, so she left and she got remarried to my stepdad like six months later. I haven’t seen her since I was twelve. She’s been busy with her new husband and stepkids ever since.”

“I’m sorry about that,” he murmurs but I wave him off.

“It’s alright. My dad was awesome. He got me, you know? We had the same sense of humor and he always supported me in whatever I wanted to do.”

“When did he pass away?”

“About six months ago. He was sick for a while, cancer.”

“I’m so sorry, Lyla.”

I nod, staring out at the water so that Hudson can’t see the tears in my eyes.

“Thanks.”

“Is that why you’re in Michigan?” he asks after a minute and I shrug.

“Kind of. I had been feeling lost since he passed. I didn’t know what to do in New York without him there.”

Hudson nods, his fingers starting to sift through the sand, and I clear my throat before I go on.

“I never knew what I wanted to do with my life and I’ve had quite a few jobs over the years. I thought that I was just exploring when I was younger, but now I’m in my mid-twenties and I still don’t know. Shouldn’t I have some things figured out by now?”

“I don’t think so. Some people know what they want out of life early on and others it takes longer. There’s no right or wrong time.”

“It’s not just my career. I don’t haveanythingfigured out,” I say with a humorless laugh. “New York doesn’t feel like home without my dad there, and I thought that I would take a road trip around the country. Maybe I would go somewhere and it would just click and this feeling would go away.”

“You don’t feel that way about Destiny Falls?” Hudson asks with a frown.

I shrug. “I don’t know what I feel. I still just feel a little lost. A little adrift. I’m like one of those buoys over there. I’m just bobbing along.”

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