Hudson looked surprised. “Oh, no. Sorry. I’m staying in a little cabin on the property. It was my cousin’s, and then my brother stayed there. I guess at this point it’s like a guesthouse or something. Anyway, it’s just up a gravel drive. You can see it from here. If you need me for anything…” He let his words trail off, and things were uncomfortably silent again.
“Hudson,” I began, feeling a need to get us out of the awkward turn the conversation had taken. “Do you think maybe your family would still feed me breakfast even though I’ve left them a bloody terrible first impression?”
His grin was as big as the Boeing 777 that had defied all logic and transported me safely to Dallas the day before. “Absolutely. Charlie, you’re about to learn what it means when people call something Texas-sized. C’mon.”
19
Hudson
Hudson’s Words To Live By:
Never let them see you sweat. Or pine. Or just whimper a little.
After I introduced him to my family and left him alone to be handed around like a new baby by all of my meddling siblings, I returned to my cabin to get control of myself.
Charlie Murray is here in Hobie.
I wasn’t able to stop repeating that new fact in my head.
Charlie Murray is here in Hobie.
It just didn’t compute. I couldn’t even picture him here. It was almost like… the wild Irish coastline was such a part of the man, it was hard imagining him anywhere else.
Once back in my cabin, I took the opportunity to indulge my inner toddler for a minute since there wasn’t anyone around to hear.
“He’s so sweet and sexy. What the hell is wrong with me?” I whined out loud, thrusting my fingers into my hair and yanking. “Ugh, fuck! He’s here to work, you asshole. Work. And so are you. Remember that.”
I reminded myself what exactly that meant. Work. So I sat down and made a list of all the reasons why lusting after the Irishman would be a terrible idea.
Ultimately it came down to the most important one: I couldn’t jeopardize a shot at making vice president for a fling. My mind automatically rejected the word “fling” to describe Charlie, but I didn’t know how else to describe it. It honestly didn’t matter whether it was a fling with a man or a woman because it would be a fling with a business partner critical to the success of this project. And to make matters worse, Bruce Ames was not a sensitive new-age guy who thought love was love. He was a stereotypical Texas good ole boy who thought gay was a four-letter word and holding another man’s hand in public was akin to bitch-slapping Jesus. I was sure he’d be unhappy when he realized how femme and out Charlie was, but I was just as sure he’d be willing to put up with it for the sake of the success of his pet project. What he wouldn’t accept was his future VP dating not only someone else right in front of him after said man accidentally didn’t propose to his daughter, but also dating a guy who looked like a girl but was very much not one.
Sure enough, when Bruce showed up a few days later for the first meeting and clapped eyes on the beautiful petite Irishman in the skinny jeans, F&B-branded golf shirt, and high ponytail, he was visibly taken aback. For a split second, he’d smiled—the same smile I’d seen him give the attractive young woman who served beer out of a cart near the ninth hole of Bruce’s country club in Dallas. But then he had the same ah-ha moment I’d had. The one in which your world flips over as you realize you’re drooling over the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen. I had to hide my smile behind my hand.
It turned out, Bruce Ames was almost as much of a nervous babbler as I was when embarrassed. As he fumbled his way through introductions, Charlie snuck a wink at me that almost knocked me off my feet. It took everything I had not to bark out a laugh, but I managed to keep myself together in front of Bruce and pay attention in the morning meeting that followed.
Bruce had brought all the key players together for the first official management meeting. While Bruce himself wouldn’t be on site unless needed, the contractor, chef, head bartender, and brewery manager were already in place at least on a part-time basis to begin training and participate in the setup of the pub and attached brewery.
Charlie’s playful friendliness won everyone over right away. He had the energy of a new puppy and was damned near just as cute. Everyone he met loved the hell out of him, including my family. Especially my family.
And of course, I was no different. I hung on his every word and used any excuse to stay in the same room with him while we were working.