“Do you cook like this for yourself?”
“Oh geesh, no way! I usually make veggie trays or sandwiches. Simple things. It’s hard to cook for just one person.”
He rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it.”
A part of me wanted to ask him about his morning visit from Jean, but I decided to go in a different direction. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I’d been spying on him. “So, how was your first day in the cabin? Did you get some writing done?”
He set down his wine glass. “I actually started writing not long after you left last night. Something just clicked, and I wrote for a few hours. Got twelve-thousand words in today, if you count last night’s writing session.”
“Wow! That’s amazing, Hudson!”
He smiled, and I felt my heart jump in my chest.
“Yeah, I was pretty excited. I fell asleep around three and slept like a baby until Jean stopped by, offering up a sugary breakfast.”
I tried to act like this was news to me, but I had a feeling I wasn’t playing it off so well. “Oh, is that so?”
Hudson took another bite of fettucine and nodded.
“Well, I hope she doesn’t become a problem for you,” I said. “I mean, with her stopping by like that.”
He gave me a one-shoulder shrug and shook his head. “Nah. We chatted for a bit, and then I told her I needed to get some work done. She’s pretty cool.”
I was suddenly hit with an image of going to the cabin and peeing around the perimeter to lay claim to Hudson and I started to laugh. He looked up and frowned.
“Sorry, I thought of something, and it made me chuckle. It was nice of her to bring you breakfast.”
“It was, but I asked her not to bring me any more food. I told her that you and I had stocked up on plenty of it already.”
“I take it you wrote after she left?”
“I did for a little bit. Got about two-thousand words in and then started working on the steps at the front of the cabin and chopped some fire wood. It was nice to have the break, to be honest. I put my headphones in and listened to some music and actually got a great workout in. I should have them finished up tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I asked in a stunned voice.
“Yeah. Don’t look so surprised, Greer.” He jerked his thumb in his direction. “This guy right here can build shit.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, my father will be so grateful that you’re knocking those out so fast.”
“I also replaced the faucet; that’s why I was almost late.”
It took me a moment to realize I was openly staring at him. If God had intended to drop the perfect man in front of me, he’d succeeded. It sucked that said man was only here for a month or so. I could not allow myself to let my feelings for Hudson develop past this crazy attraction I had for him.
“You were right on time,” I said. “What do you mean late?”
“I would have been early then. I don’t like showing up at the last minute. Pet peeve of mine.”
All I could do was nod.
We ate for a few more moments before Hudson suddenly said, “Jean asked me to have dinner with her this evening.”
I paused with my fork almost at my mouth and lifted my brows. “I guess you told her no.”
Hudson laughed. “I did, yes. Told her I had plans for dinner with you. I think that might have been a mistake, though.”
I suddenly felt as if I might throw up. I set my fork down and cleared my throat. “If you didn’t want to come tonight, Hudson, you––”
He quickly cut me off. “What? No, Greer, that wasn’t what I meant at all. I wanted to be here. It’s all I’ve been thinking about all day.”
My eyes widened as I whispered, “Really?”
“Yes. I just meant that Jean must be a bit of a gossip. I ran into the hardware store earlier, and the guy who owns the place told me to have a good dinner with you tonight.”
I closed my eyes and cursed my mother. I couldn’t tell Hudson that it was most likely my mother who blabbed, because then he’d realize I had already known about Jean.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have pegged Jean for a gossip,” he said, “but then, I don’t really know her.”
Swallowing hard, I just nodded. “Let me go check on the dessert.”
“Dessert, huh?” Hudson asked as he wiggled his brows. “Chocolate?”
With a nervous laugh, I stood. “That’s what I promised.”
The second I got into the kitchen, I grabbed my phone and sent a text to my mother.
Me: OMG, MOM! Did you tell people Hudson and I were having dinner tonight?
Her reply came instantly.
Mom: I only told Millie Parks, I swear. Of course, there were a few other people in the candy store at the time who might have overheard me.