Chapter 27

27

Hudson

Hudson’s Words To Live By:

Be careful what you wish for.

Thursday and Friday were spent in a kind of haze. Darci had been correct: Bruce Ames was retiring and selling the company. He’d been approached with an offer from a larger international investment firm and wanted my help in the negotiations.

“Hudson, I’d like to move forward with your promotion so that you transition to the new company as vice president,” he explained in one of our first meetings on the topic. “I’ll put in a stipulation guaranteeing you at least a couple of years with them at that level. That should give you time to prove yourself to them and continue to succeed with them or to find a new position with a different company if that’s the direction you choose.”

I couldn’t believe the opportunity he was offering me. I’d left my previous firm less than a year ago as a senior analyst with a reputation as a successful negotiator, and now I was going to be a VP for a giant firm with experience negotiating the sale of a billion-dollar portfolio. It was my dream come true.

So why wasn’t I more excited? Why wasn’t I bouncing off the walls, waiting to get out of there so I could text my father the good news?

“I can’t thank you enough, Bruce,” I said with as much enthusiasm as I could. “I appreciate the opportunity working with Ames has given me. I’m prepared to work hard to make sure you get the best deal possible.”

The large man leaned back in his chair and smiled. “I know you are. You’ve always been a hard worker, Hudson. Bill and Shelby must be very proud of you. I know I certainly am.”

My heart squeezed a bit. It was kind of him to say and almost as nice as hearing it from my own parents. It also illustrated he held no ill-will toward me for the break-up with Darci. I wondered what had caused the change of heart. Maybe he thought she was still happy with Greg?

I sat up straighter in my chair and began taking notes on my laptop. “I’ll start by pulling together everything I can get my hands on about their other acquisitions,” I said, referring to the company making the offer for Ames. “We should be able to get an idea of their negotiating techniques that way.”

We continued to work together for the rest of Thursday and all day Friday. Bruce treated me like an equal and over the course of our time together I realized how much he trusted me. Before I left the office Friday afternoon to return to Hobie, he pulled me aside.

“Listen. Even though I’m counting on you to help handle the negotiations, I don’t want to pull you completely off of the Fig and Bramble project. I know things are going well there and I’d hate to fumble it on the one-yard line. I need you back in the office on Tuesday for a meeting, but otherwise I’d like you in Hobie working on the pub. Any work I have for you on the acquisition can probably be done in the evenings. After the pub’s up and running, we’ll get you back here and on track to move forward with the transition.”

I should have felt elation at being brought back into the corporate fold, at being given higher-level responsibilities again. But the idea of leaving Fig and Bramble after all of the work I’d put into it was bittersweet.

And the thought of no longer working with Charlie was damned near impossible.

* * *

On Saturday morning,I found out about Charlie’s next trip to the dance club by accident. He’d been acting cold toward me for several days so I shouldn’t have been surprised he hadn’t wanted to include me.

I’d agreed to help Sassy move some furniture around in her apartment. When I asked why West and Nico weren’t helping us since the apartment was above West’s medical practice, she looked at me funny.

“They’re taking Charlie to the city. I assumed he’d told you. They’ve been planning it for days.”

My heart sunk like a brick. “No. No one told me.”

She wrinkled her forehead. “I would have thought they’d drag you along with them. It’s not like you ever complain about going to a gay bar with everyone.”

I felt stung. It would be one thing if West and Nico were going on their own, but to take Charlie without even asking if I wanted to join them? I was their connection to him. I was the one who’d introduced them. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised they hadn’t included me after I’d declined to join them the previous weekend. Charlie had clearly decided I wasn’t into him like that anymore. I assumed he was still pissed about our aborted attempt to hook up in my truck the week before Darci’s accident, but since I hadn’t gotten up the nerve to talk to him about it, the awkwardness between us remained.

After Sassy and I finished moving the furniture, I kissed my sister on the cheek and headed back out to my truck. I couldn’t help but text my asshole brother.

Hudson:Thanks for including me, jackass.

West:What, Dallas? I didn’t think you’d be interested in dancing with a dick in your ass.

I felt my face heat up at the idea of a dick in my ass. My own dick expressed interest in the concept, especially if the dick in question was attached to a certain long-haired beauty with an Irish temper.

Hudson:When have I ever complained about going out with you guys?

West:We haven’t left yet. But if you want to come, pack a bag. We’re staying at Saint’s.

I thought about it. Did I really want to go and be tempted by Charlie’s tight ass and sinewy body? I couldn’t imagine the agony of watching him dance with other men, and after last week’s episode, he sure as hell wasn’t going to want to dance with me. Clearly the idea of me going was a terrible one. Darci was working overnight shifts at the hospital, which would mean I could finally get some good nights’ sleep in my own bed.

Hudson:No, I guess I’d better stay here. Been a long week.

West:That’s what Charlie said. He told us you wouldn’t be able to go.

Well, well, well. Now it made more sense. They hadn’t included me because Charlie had suggested I wouldn’t want to go. Did that mean he didn’t want me to join them? And if so, why? Because he thought he knew what was best for me? Or maybe he thought he knew what I wanted? Or wanted to be able to hook up with random strangers without me watching over him?

Fuck that.

Hudson:Changed my mind. I ain’t an old man just yet.

West:If you say so. Pick you up in an hour at the bunkhouse.

By the time I walked over to the bunkhouse with a duffel slung over my shoulder, I was spoiling for a fight. Only I’d decided the best way to fight fire was with fire. If Charlie wanted to pin me as a straight arrow who couldn’t handle being at a gay bar, he was going to be in for a rude awakening. I may not have wanted to fuck around with his feelings by leading him on, but I certainly wasn’t above flirting with other guys to show him just how comfortable I was going out dancing with my brothers.

I should have known by the way I couldn’t fucking stop thinking about him that things with Charlie would soon come to a head.

And by the time I got into West’s SUV, I hoped to hell they came to a head while Charlie Murray and I were both naked.