Page 57 of Make Me Swoon

“I’m not surprised. You ruin everything,” she says before she turns and heads back into the reception.

My phone dings, signaling that I have a new voice mail and I order the car, wanting to be alone when I listen to what Hudson has to say.

My mom is wrong. I don’t ruin everything. Hudson never made me feel that way either. I thought that I was doing the right thing but I can see now that I’m only hurting both of us.

It’s time for me to go home.

My phone buzzes again, this time with a text, and I look at it as I slip into the back seat of the car.

Hudson:Would you rather come back or keep making both of us miserable?

I laugh,my eyes starting to tear up as I read his words. He knows me too well. I’m pretty sure that the driver thinks that I’m insane and I tip him well as I climb out of the back seat and hurry over to the pool house.

I remember his voice mail then and I pull it up as I kick off my heels.

“Lyla, fuck, I probably shouldn’t be calling you,” he slurs and I can tell that he’s been drinking. “I miss you, Lyla. So much. Destiny Falls is boring without you here. I just want to wake up with you. I want to see you smiling at me. I want you. I just… please come back to me,” he finishes in a whisper and I take a deep breath, blinking back tears.

I want to call him and tell him that I’m coming, but if I start driving right now, I can be back in Destiny Falls tomorrow morning. Maybe I can catch him before he heads to work.

I start packing as soon as possible, throwing everything that can fit into my bags and I haul everything out to my Jeep, throwing it in the back.

I’m headed home. Back to where I belong and I shed a few more tears and I realize that I’ve finally found where I’m meant to be.

Sure, I still might not have a plan for my future or any idea of what I want to do for a job besides working at the gift shop, but I’m happy and I’ve found someone who loves me no matter what my plans are. Isn’t that more important than some career?

It is to me.

I smile as I stuff the skirt of my poofy dress into my Jeep and pull out of their driveway. It’s time for me to go home and get my happily ever after.

TWENTY

I’m exhausted as I pull into Destiny Falls the next morning and I’m headed toward Prim + Proper when I see Hudson’s Range Rover in front of me and I get an idea.

The light turns green and I speed up, trying to catch up with him. He slows down as he gets ready to park in front of Prim + Proper and I don’t slow.

My front bumper hits him and I grin as he pulls over into the spot and angrily climbs out of his car.

He looks like hell. There are dark circles under his eyes and his mouth is turned down into a frown. He runs his hands through his hair and drags it down his face as he moves to check out the damage.

He looks annoyed as he turns to look at the other driver and I give him a little wave, smiling as he freezes. His eyes widen and I take that as my cue to park in the spot next to him and hop out.

I smooth my damp hands down the skirt of my pastel purple dress as I round the side of my Jeep and Hudson meets me before I’m even halfway to him.

“Lyla,” he breathes, dragging me into his arms.

I regret not changing out of the poofy dress now that it keeps me at least a foot away from his body.

Hudson is grinning down at me as he tangles one hand in my hair and cups my face with the other.

“It’s about time,” he whispers and I laugh, happy tears falling down my cheeks.

His lips claim mine then and it is heaven.

He tastes like coffee and sugar and I love the taste. His hands wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against him. I can feel the thick ridge of his cock pressing against my stomach.

I moan, wanting to go somewhere private. I get so lost in Hudson that I forget that we’re in public, standing in the center of downtown Destiny Falls and that it’s the middle of the day.

He pulls away from me, resting his forehead against mine as he breathes me in.

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