Rebecca slid onto a stool and waited for the water to boil. Once done, Hudson handed her a cup of tea, and she sipped it while he grabbed himself a beer and claimed the stool beside her. For the longest time, there were no more words, but she felt them. They were just beneath the surface. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to hear them.
After a few more minutes, Hudson set his beer down onto the counter and turned to her. His face was serious, and his dark eyes claimed hers with an intensity that matched the pounding heart inside her—the one that suddenly took off like a jackhammer.
“About that night,” he said, clearing his throat. “That last night. The night I left Crystal Lake. I want to tell you what happened.”
Something broke apart inside Rebecca. It burst wide open and disintegrated into nothing. It was painful and then…not, like an awakening. Slowly, she shook her head. In that moment, she realized a few things, and sat a bit straighter.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“What?” He looked confused. She got it, because she didn’t exactly know where she was going with this.
“It’s the past, Hudson. It’s done.” She had to wait a bit, the emotion inside her was that strong. “It’s over. The weight of the past is unbearable. It’s so heavy that it makes it impossible to live. I’m sick of that weight.” She exhaled and looked away.
“I’m sick of trying to live a life that’s weighed down by the sins of my past. By the mistakes I’ve made and the choices that followed. I’m done giving the past that much power over my future.” When she glanced back at him, the look in his eyes made her mouth go dry.
“So where does that leave us?” he asked.
Rebecca slid off the stool and slowly pushed it back into place. “I don’t know you anymore, Hudson, and you don’t know me. Not really. You’ve lived a life for over twelve years that I know nothing about, and I…”
How much was she willing to share?
“I’ve had a child and been married to a man I didn’t love. A man who made things…difficult.”
“What do you mean by that?” He stepped closer, the look in his eyes intense.
“It doesn’t matter what that means. What matters is that the last twelve years have changed us. We’re not the same kids we were. We’re not even close.” She paused. “We can be friends. Old friends who get to know each other again.”
Rebecca stepped away and headed for the front door. She reached for the handle and froze at the sound of his voice.
“I don’t know if I can just be friends.”
“It’s all I’m willing to give you, Hudson.” A pause. “It’s all I can give you.”
Rebecca slipped outside and shut the door behind her. She didn’t wait but ran down the stone steps and didn’t stop until she reached her car. She fired up the engine and turned the vehicle around. Just as she began the trek down the long driveway, she glanced into her rearview mirror.
He watched her from the front window. And something about that solitary figure made her sad. And angry. Conflicted. She eased up on the gas pedal as she approached the road and, with a lot of effort, let go of it all.
She settled back in her seat and headed for home.
Chapter 19
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
The sun was just coming up over the lake, and frost touched the ground, turning the still-green grass to a silver hue that sparkled. Hudson zipped up his jacket and yanked down on his cap before turning to Nash. He’d slept like shit and had been up for hours. After thinking hard about a few things, he’d stopped by his friend’s place to grab some tools before heading to town. Before heading to Rebecca.
It was brisk, the temperature not much above freezing, yet Nash stood in nothing but his boxers and an old pair of rubber boots. His hair was a mess, and by the looks of the red marks on his shoulders and the scratches across his chest, Hudson was guessing he wasn’t alone.
Ignoring his pal’s question, Hudson nodded to the house. “How in hell did you manage to pick up a lady when you were at Mackenzie’s last night?”
“That’s privileged information.”
“Don’t give me that crap. Did you go out?”
Nash snorted. “You and Rebecca killed the mood with your disappearance. Christ, couldn’t get two words out of Mackenzie.” He frowned. “That guy doesn’t like you.”
“No shit.”
“Well. At least you didn’t pull your disappearance until after I had my cigar. He had a box of Romeos.”