Page 41 of Make Me Swoon

It’s been a week and a half and I haven’t had any more phone calls from my mom. I’ve been counting that as a blessing. She did text me to ask my size so they could at least buy the dress and since she didn’t seem to be letting this go, I ended up asking Stan if I could have a week or two off for the wedding. He had said yes, just like I knew he would.

I haven’t told Hudson or any of my friends yet that I’m leaving. I think it’s because I don’t want to go, so I don’t want to talk about it. If I don’t talk about it, I don’t have to think about it either.

Things have been going great with Hudson. We’ve spent the last ten days exploring the town and surrounding towns together and we have a new routine now. He works until later at night most nights so he usually comes over to my place and we spend the night together. On the days where he leaves work early, we go to his place and he cooks for me or we kick off our shoes on his back deck and walk along the water.

We spent last Sunday hiking out to the Destiny Falls waterfall and splashing in the water. He may have pushed him in at one point and he may have jumped in after me. One thing led to another and he ended up taking me roughly against the rocks underneath the waterfall. On Tuesday we went kayaking over by Maple Bend and I considered it a success that I only flipped my kayak twice. Then on Thursday, we went back to Lilac Harbor and got donuts from this cute little bakery before we walked around downtown.

“Here’s your paycheck,” Stan says as I get ready to leave.

“Thanks,” I say, taking the check from his hands.

“I’ll see you when you get back,” he says and the way he’s looking at me makes me wonder if he thinks that maybe I’m not coming back after the wedding.

I know that Stan has issues with people abandoning him. Sutton let that slip one day, though she didn’t tell me why. I wish that I knew how to assure him that I wasn’t leaving him.

“Yeah, of course,” I say, leaning over and giving him a side hug.

I tuck the check into my purse, waving goodbye to him as I head out to my Jeep and head back to my apartment. I need to cash the check at the bank on the way home so I swing through the drive-through before I head back toward downtown.

I don’t see Hudson’s car when I park and I wonder where he went. Then I remember that he mentioned wanting to check out some real estate over in Lilac Harbor today.

That means that I probably won’t be seeing him tonight which will be the first time all week. I should be used to sleeping alone but as I head up to the apartment, I find myself feeling lonely and bored.

I add the money that I got from the bank to the money in the box under my bed, counting out the three thousand that I owe to Hudson. I put his money into an envelope so that I can give it to him on Saturday when he picks me up for the Honey Festival.

His friend comes in on Friday and I know that he’s going to pick them up from the airport. Since tomorrow is girls’ night, I don’t think I’ll see him until Saturday when he picks me up for the festival.

Part of me doesn’t want to pay him back just yet. I know that I don’t need it, but I like having a reason to need to be in his life.

I want to tell Hudson that I love him, but I think maybe it’s too soon. We’ve only known each other for a few months now but we’ve only been dating for a few weeks. Maybe I should wait for him to say it first or maybe I should wait until after his friends have left and we’re alone again. I could tell him and invite him to Heidi’s wedding. I would love to see the look on her face when he stole the spotlight away from her but I’m not sure that I want to subject Hudson to my family.

I tuck the envelope with the money in it back into the box of notes that he left for me and slide it back under my bed. I decide to take a shower and change into my pajamas. I don’t feel like going out, so I’ll order food or make some ramen and curl up on the couch.

I take a shower, taking my time and letting the hot water loosen the tense muscles in my neck and shoulders. I take my time drying off and rubbing lotion into my skin before I head back to my bedroom and pull on my comfiest pajamas.

I’m about to decide whether I want to order takeout or just warm something up here when there is a knock at the door.

I frown as I head over to answer it and I’m surprised when I open the door to see Hudson standing there with a bag of groceries in his arms.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” I ask, opening the door wider to let him in.

“I thought I’d surprise you,” he says as he drops a kiss on my lips and heads past me to the kitchen.

“I didn’t think that I would be seeing you tonight. I figured you’d be busy at Prim + Proper.”

“No, I finished up the desserts earlier and my staff can handle the rest.”

“So, what’s all of this?” I ask as he starts to take out food from the bags.

“Dinner. How do you feel about salmon and some roasted vegetables?”

“That sounds delicious.”

I sit at the counter and watch as Hudson cuts up some zucchini, mushrooms, and potatoes. He tosses them in olive oil with some spices and spreads them out on a baking sheet.

“Would you like some wine?” he asks, pulling a bottle out of the bag and I grin.

“Oh, you’re trying to spoil me,” I say with a laugh as I go to grab some glasses.

---