Looking for You (Oh Captain, My Captain 1)

“Hudson!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll drive safely,” he chuckles.

I try to hide my smile because he looks like he is having a lot of fun taking the corners at mac one speed. Once we get on Main Street, Hudson asks if I want to go shopping.

“Um, sure I guess.”

Hudson grabs my hand, and he heads downtown. I listen to him go on about the film that studied at the rink today. He’s excited for the upcoming games. I admit that I am too. The game other night was intense, and I can’t wait to see what is to come.

Hudson takes me to a part of downtown that I’ve never been too. I heard Lacey talk about it one time, but I could never afford to shop here.

He pulls into a parking spot and shuts off the car. “Ready to go shopping?”

“Hudson, I can’t-”

“We’re going shopping. There are rules when going shopping with me. I buy what I want. You’ll get whatever you look at or want. And,” he picks up my wrist and kisses the inside of it, “you can’t argue with me about it.”

“Hudson,” I almost whine.

“No, no, I’m a professional, these are the rules. So, let’s go.” He jumps out of the car. He comes around and opens my door, and we head in.

Walking into that mall was like walking into the pages of Vogue. I silently gasp as we’re walking inside. I don’t want to touch anything, for fear I might break it. It reminds me of the fancy magazines I see when I’m in the lobby waiting at the doctor’s offices. It’s like the pages are coming to life in front of me.

“Ellie, you’re fine,” Hudson whispers.

For the next two hours, we go from store to store. My feet actually hurt from shopping. Hudson bought almost everything I touched in the first store. He kept telling me to remember the rules. In the second store, I didn’t touch anything. Hudson bought things for himself and his nephews. He told me that he sends ‘uncle’ packages to them as often as he can.

“Aren’t they babies?” I ask, as we head out of the mall.

“Well, they are three and one, so I guess we could call them that. But, that doesn’t mean they can’t have cool stuff from their uncle.”

“Excuse me.” A gorgeous blonde comes up to us as we are about to leave the store. “Are you Hudson King?”

I take a step back from him.

“Yes.”

“Oh, I’m your biggest fan,” she bounces on the balls of her feet. “Can I have your autograph?”

Hudson smiles and nods. She goes on and on about being his fan. I’m not sure what to do? The girl keeps looking at me, and I look away from her each time. Finally, Hudson is done, and we go to the next store.

“Sorry about that,” he says, and I shrug. If I’m going to be part of his life, then I need to deal with everything. The question is how do I do that?

“Hungry?” he asks, to bring me out of my worried thoughts. I nod. We head towards the center of the mall, where all the restaurants are.

“Oh Captain, My Captain,” someone sings out from across the hall. We both turn to the guy.

“What are you doing here?” Hudson sounds confused.

“Don’t sound so excited to see me, your Highness. Who is this lovely lady?” The man turns to me and perks an eyebrow.

“Ellie, this is Gerald, another player on the team. Gerald, this is my girlfriend, Ellie Sullivan.” My heart jumps a little when he calls me his girlfriend.

“I’m surprised by you, Hudson. This must be the source of your distraction.” He picks up my hand and kisses it. “It’s nice to meet the lovely queen.”

“Um, nice to meet you too.” The heat of my body rises to my face.

“Gerald, stop being a dork. My last name is King, I’m not a king.” He growls at him. “What are you doing here anyway? Are you buying some girl a ‘sorry I forgot your name’ present?” He smiles at him.