Chapter 30

30

Georgia

When I hear the news, my world stops. Beau's staring down at me, holding my shoulders with a frown on his face.

"He… he came off his dirt bike?"

He nods slowly. "He's messed up pretty bad."

My racing heart is way in front of my head. Did Beau just say…

"George?"

Fear grips me and tightens its hold. I open my mouth but no sound comes out. Not right away.

"Is he…?" I can't even say the words.

"They took him to the emergency room. Gray went after him, to smooth things over, that's when he found him."

I glance at Beau sharply. "Smooth things over?"

My brother is many things, but when he looks away, I know something's up. I also know Hudson went over to talk to my dad and brothers, and when I didn't hear from him hours later, I called Beau. Beau said he'd left ages ago. It wasn't like Hudson to not answer his phone. Deep down, I knew something was wrong. I felt it in my gut, but I told myself to stop being so needy and let Hudson do this his way.

"He and Gray went at it when Hudson broke the news about you two."

I rush my hands up to cover my face. "Oh, no."

"Gray wasn't happy, which comes as no surprise. He took a swing?—"

"He hit Hudson?"

"Are you really surprised?"

"And then what? He took off angry and crashed his bike?" My words are hysterical. I feel my head swirling with questions but there are no answers. Hudson is hurt, seriously hurt, and he fought with Gray over me.

The tears start to fall before I can stop them.

Beau pulls me into a hug. "We need to get to the hospital, alright?"

"Not until you tell me he's going to be okay," I sob.

Wrapping his arms around me, he holds me tight. "You know Hudson, he's had harder knocks from wounded bulls. Pun intended."

"Is he conscious?" I pull away from Beau to look up at him. I know he's choosing to not tell me everything. I can sense it. "Beau!"

"He's having surgery on his leg, he smashed his knee, cracked his ribs and they're still waiting on a test for any head injuries. When Gray found him, he was barely breathing with a collapsed lung."

"Oh, God," I whisper. My chest feels like an elephant sat on it. "If Gray hadn't punched him, this wouldn't be happening."

"Don't let your head run away with you," he says. "He was always gonna have an issue with the two of you because he's Gray and he's overprotective. But he went to talk to Hudson. After he left, Dad was pretty mad about how he reacted, and Gray overstepped. He knew it, and went to talk to him."

"He drove Hudson away, to smash his bike into a tree?" I can barely get my head around it.

"George."

"What?" I snap, moving toward the front door, ready to jump in my truck to get to the hospital. "You and I both know it."

"Hudson gave it back to him, don't worry about that."

"Meanwhile, Hudson's lying in a hospital bed, and we don't even know if he's going to wake up."

Beau jogs up beside me. "I'm driving."

I don't have the strength to fight him. He takes my keys out of my hand, and I jump in the passenger seat. I'm so afraid. I've never been this scared before. The reality is, Hudson is hurt and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. Panic hits me as I imagine him lying there, and for how long? How long did he lie there unconscious, hurt and bleeding? A whimper escapes me as Beau stands in the open doorway, pulling my seatbelt over before he shuts the door and jogs over to the driver's side.

"He's a fighter," Beau reminds me as he climbs in. "You know that."

"I know, but what if it's too late?" I can't even picture what it would've been like for him when he came off the bike. Lying there while I had fun with my friends. I want to die. I should've gone with him, then we would've taken the truck. If I'd done that, then he wouldn't be lying in the dirt, with nobody to help. I can't help the feeling in the pit of my stomach, and the dread that washes over me knowing I can't help him.

"It'll take more than this to knock Hudson down, you'll see. Try not to be mad at Gray. Huds was the one who went speeding off like a mad man. He should've known better."

While that's all completely true, it's still no excuse. Gray should stay out of my personal life. He's not my father, and just because he's the eldest doesn't mean he can push me around or tell me who I can and can't date, or love for that matter.

"I love him," I whisper. "I love him so much, Beau."

I feel him turn to look at me in my periphery. "I know, sis. Just hang on."

I grip his arm because I need something solid to hold onto. "We haven't even had any time."

"I know you don't want to hear this, but it's gonna be okay."

I turn to look at him."How can you know that?"

"You know how I know?"

I shake my head.

"Because you know in your heart, he's gonna pull through," he goes on. "You and your woo-woo, George. It's not nothing. We all joke around and make fun of you because we're dicks. But you predicted me and Aut, and Brook and Eden getting back together, not to mention Gabe and Skye, and even Gray when he met Hart in New York. It's your time, baby girl."

The tears fall freely now. "I never really told him how I felt. I mean, I did, but I didn't want to come off too strong and scare him away."

Beau chuckles as he squeezes my hand. "I doubt that anything would scare him away. He told us all how much he loved you, how much he respects you, how you never meant to fall in love, but you did. That took some guts. Dad's fine with it, and so are we. Grayson is beside himself. Try not to be too hard on him."

"It's easy for you to say," I sniffle. "It isn't Autumn lying in a hospital bed after arguing with her brother."

"I know that, but he didn't make this happen, it was an accident. They both played a part." Typical Beau, always the peacemaker.

I turn away, unable to hear any more. I want to smash Gray in the face right now. He has no right to interfere with my life. Poking his nose in is what caused Hudson to storm off angrily, so how am I supposed to just forget all of that?

Breathe, Georgia-Blue. Just breathe. You know your brother. He loves Hudson. He would never do anything intentionally.

When we arrive at the hospital, I race across the lot, Beau on my heels, as I dash into the emergency room.

I see my family in the waiting room. All of them, plus Hudson's dad, Callan and Celeste. Right behind us, Trudy and Celeste's brothers come barreling through the door.

I fold into my mom and Dad's arms as they hold me and tell me he's going to be okay.

When Huck's arms fold around me, I cry into his chest. "I'm sorry we lied." My sobs are muffled by his soothing voice.

"Nothin' to be sorry about," he whispers. "Always knew my boy would pick the right woman at the right time, and you're a good woman, Georgia-Blue Bassett. I just don't know why the two of you fought it for so long."

"I need to see him." I pull back. This isn't about me: it's about Hudson.

"Not yet," Dad says. "He's not out of surgery yet."

"But he's going to be okay, right?" I stammer.

My father nods, and I believe him. I believe anything he says right now because it has to be true.

My eyes dart toward my brothers standing behind Mom and Dad, and my eyes lock with Grayson's.

He looks wretched. Like someone ran him over. His eyes are puffy, like he's been crying. The only time I've ever seen my older brother cry is at our grandparents' funerals. He's a tough man. But even I can't be mad at him seeing him like this.

He comes toward me. "I'm sorry."

I shake my head. "Gray?—."

He puts his arms around me, and I let him. "I really never meant anything I said. I was just mad at him for not telling me. I'm his best friend?—"

"Please just say he's really okay, that none of this is happening."

"You know how strong Hudson is." Gray pulls back and holds me at arm's length. "He'll get through this."

"With a punctured lung, smashed knee, cracked ribs and possible head trauma?" My voice feels unnaturally high.

"And he'll live through it. He has you to wake up to, GB. He's fighting for you."

I close my eyes. It takes all my strength to say what I have to say next. "I'm sorry we lied. We shouldn't have…"

"You don't have to be sorry. You're a grown woman, and I respect Hudson. You've been my little sister my entire life. It's different with you than with the others. I don't know why, but it is. We all just want you to be happy, to find the man of your dreams…"

"And I have. I have found him, Gray. I need you to know that. What we have is special. I didn't know how I really felt until Florida. Then everything unraveled when we got home."

He nods. "I knew I was wrong. I went after him. I'm upset with myself and if anything happens, it'll be my fault."

"You were just being my big brother," I manage. "But what my big brothers all have to realize is that I'm my own woman. I'm how Mom and Dad raised me: Strong. Capable. Independent. And I can make my own decisions."

"I know that now. I'm sorry."

"You hit him." I wince. "He's your best friend."

"Trust me, he got me back. It isn't the first time we've swung punches, and it won't be the last."

I shove him back with a roll of my eyes and he wipes a stray tear from his eye. Hartley wraps her arms around him and smiles softly at me. "We're all here together, as a family," she says. "Nothing is stronger than love."

"Wise words," Huck agrees. "And Hudson's like that mad bull he rescued. Strong and stubborn. If anyone's gonna make it, then it'll be my son."

I turn to hug him again when the doctor comes through the doors, walking toward us.

"The surgery was a success," he says. "He's in recovery now, and I'm pleased to say there is no blunt head trauma. He's gonna have to rest his knee for several weeks, and those cracked ribs took a beating. His collapsed lung should heal within a week or two with treatment, but the outlook is positive."

I grip onto his lapels and throw myself into his arms. He pats my back gently and I don't care how it looks. I don't even manage words, but I hear Huck and my dad thanking him as Beau peels me off the poor man.

I stare up at the doctor like he has all the answers. "When can we see him?"

"Give him a little while to come out of recovery, then immediate family only." He eyes the waiting room, mostly covered with all our family members and shakes his head. "With the exception of one or two."

"Thank you, Doc." Huck shakes his hand. "Appreciate it."

The longest few hours of my life awaits.

Hudson is going to be okay. That's all that matters. And when he wakes up, I'm going to tell him how much I love him until he's sick of hearing it.

I'll never hold back my feelings ever again, even if it means I'm open and vulnerable. We've made it this far, and Hudson survived this awful accident.

Beau's right. It's my time. No, it's our time. And I'm gonna make damn sure that he knows it.

??

When Hudson's eyes open, I fall to his side and bury my head into his neck. "Hudson!"

Huck stands on the other side of the bed. We were allowed in, but nobody else until Hudson wakes up properly and is ready for visitors. Seeing him all banged up like this not only reminds me how precious life is, but how precarious it can be. I, of all people, know this. After all, I'm always the one telling other people to just go for it and not care about what anyone else thinks. Here I've been hiding away like we're ashamed of ourselves.

"Blue Belle?" he croaks.

"Hudson, I'm here. Your dad's here too."

"Where am I?"

"The hospital," I whisper. "You had an accident. Gray found you on the trail."

He coughs. "I'm not dead?"

Huck chuckles. "No chance you're leavin' me with that big ol' bull now, Son. You're gonna be fine. You split your knee again and cracked some ribs, but nothin' that won't heal."

"Gray?" He coughs. "I saw Gray."

"He found you," I whisper. "He's so sorry, Hudson. He didn't mean?—"

"He didn't do nothin'. If I had a sister, I'd be the same. We never should've hidden it."

"That doesn't matter now."

He coughs and a nurse hovers close by. "He's going to need to rest," she tells us. "A few more minutes."

Huck lays his hand over mine and squeezes his son's shoulder at the same time. "Love you, Son. I'll be right outside."

Hudson smiles, his eyes closing. "Love you, Dad."

I turn to Huck. "You don't have to go."

He smiles. "I've seen all I need to see." He nips my chin. "Welcome to the family."

Tears form in my eyes at the gesture as he walks out to the hallway.

I glance down at the man I love. "I'm sorry we didn't do this sooner," I whisper.

His eyes flutter open. "Don't be sorry. It was worth waitin' for."

"You don't regret it?"

"Never."

"Are you mad with Gray?"

He shakes his head. "I could never be. I drove like a maniac, that's on me."

"Don't say that."

"It's true, I also saw you as I passed out, just like the time I fell off Bucko."

I look up at him. "What?"

"I never told you this; but when I had my accident, I saw you. When he knocked me off, I could hear and see things going on around me, but it was your face I saw. I'll never forget it. It made no sense at the time, now it does."

"Oh, Huds." Tears well in my eyes.

"You said; You're gonna be alright, you'll see, GP. I believed it, you got me through the darkest time in my life."

"I never knew that. That means so much to me."

"I guess it was always meant to be with the two of us. We just didn't know it."

"That's true. And you're gonna get through this just like you did the last time, you big old doofus. But promise me, no more racing around like a maniac. Dirt bikes. Bulls. Anything that could hurt you."

He chuckles, then coughs again and I wince. "No bikes, no bulls. You're my lucky charm, always have been."

"You mean to tell me we could've been doing this years ago?" I snuggle into his side.

One side of his mouth tips up. "I know. I'm a little old school; took me a while to see the light, but I'm so glad I did."

I press a kiss to his cheek. "I love you."

His lips part, his eyes on mine. "I love you, too, baby."

I lean down and press my lips to his. "Don't ever do that to me again."

He chuckles lightly. "I'll try not to."

I pepper his entire face with kisses. The nurse clears her throat as she moves toward us.

"I'm right outside. I'll be back when you've had some rest," I tell him.

"Stay."

I look to the nurse in desperation. She rolls her eyes. "I'll make up the cot, but you've got to be super quiet and let the man recover."

I smile gratefully. "Thank you."

Hudson chuckles again. "My girl," he whispers, his eyes closing once more. "She's always been able to get her own way. My heart… it belongs to you. Only you."

I press my lips to his once more. "And mine is yours. Always and forever."