Chapter 10

DIANA

Feeling almost giddy at the thought of seeing Hudson again, I felt like I was bursting with energy. This must be what it was like for my third graders all the time. They were always vibrating with energy to go outside or play a game.

I hop-skipped over to Hudson, carrying the bag with his freshly washed clothes in it. I waved at him and smiled. "Hi, you might not recognize me all dry and put together," I joked.

As I approached, I noticed his gaze drifting past me, his attention caught by Troy in the truck.

"Boyfriend?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Troy. Best friend, not boyfriend," I explained, feeling the need to justify his presence. "I can't get a new car until my insurance comes through. Troy offered to give me a ride out here."

Hudson's expression seemed to relax at my explanation. He nodded in understanding. "Right," he muttered. Was he seriously jealous that I got a ride from another guy?

It rubbed me the wrong way, considering how little we knew about each other. One kiss did not make us boyfriend and girlfriend. I wasn't cool with the whole alpha thing. I didn't want him running around peeing on everything to mark his territory.

"I brought your clothes," I said and handed him the bag. "I washed them."

"Thanks," he said.

"Did you get your rental car situation figured out?"

"I did." He nodded. His eyes went back to Troy, who had turned up the radio and was jamming out to a Morgan Wallen song.

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" I asked.

"Pretty good," he said and then gave me his full attention. "What are you doing?"

"Excuse me?"

"Right now, what are you doing? Do you want to get dinner or show me around your little town?"

"Troy and I are meeting my other best friend Rachel at the local pool hall to shoot some pool," I said. "Do you want to join us? You can follow us over there."

He looked at me and grinned. It was the look of a lion staring at a fresh steak that had just been served. Memories of the kiss came rushing back.

"Why don't you ride with me?" he said. "It's a convertible. I'm sure you would be far more comfortable."

He wanted me to be impressed by his flashy rental. Poor man. If he only knew that I liked a big, loud truck with mud on the wheels far more. "Just follow us," I said. "We'll wait if you need to grab anything."

I turned and walked away, leaving the man standing slack jawed. I might be a small-town hick, but his city-slicker ways did not impress me. I had a feeling he wasn't used to being dismissed like that.

Good. I wasn't like his city girls.

I climbed back into the truck and watched Hudson stroll down the sidewalk in front of us, his eyes on mine before he moved to get in the car.

Troy glanced over at me. "Everything okay?"

I hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Sort of," I admitted.

"What's going on?"

"I told him to follow us to the pool hall," I said. "He wanted to hang out. He wanted me to ride with him. He was acting weird."

"How was he acting weird?"

"I don't know," I said. "He was kind of cold, irritated. I think he assumed we were going to spend time together."

Troy shrugged in response. "Maybe he thought I was your boyfriend or something and it threw him off."

"Maybe," I replied. "He's not my boyfriend, so he has no reason to be jealous."

"But maybe he wants to be," he teased.

Troy headed down the road with Hudson right behind us. I couldn't explain it but seeing him act like that suddenly had me feeling a little guarded about Hudson. Maybe I didn't know what I was doing with him. He was a worldly man and I was not a worldly woman. I wasn't na?ve, but I also wasn't interested in being played with.

I needed to keep my guard up around Hudson, make sure he didn't think he could sweep me off my feet with his fancy car and city charm.

As we pulled into the parking lot of the pool hall, Hudson parked next to us. His eyes were fixed on me as he stepped out of the car. I hopped out of the truck.

Hudson was already focused on me with a confident, cocky smile on his lips. "You ready to show me how it's done?" he asked, gesturing toward the pool hall.

I smiled, not one to back down from a challenge. "Oh, I'll show you alright," I replied, walking ahead with a sway to my hips. I couldn't help myself. He could have had "dangerous" tattooed on his forehead and I would still want to flirt with him. He just had an effect on me, no matter how much I told myself I needed to be careful with him.

Inside the dimly lit pool hall, balls clacked together and chatter filled the air. Rachel waved at us from a corner table. The moment she spotted Hudson behind me, she raised an eyebrow. I braced myself for her teasing, flirting, and general amusement.

"Well, well, who do we have here?" she said, eyeing him up and down. "Look who just drifted in."

"This is Hudson," I introduced. "He's joining us for some pool."

Rachel raised her eyebrows, giving Hudson an appraising look. "Nice to meet you, Hudson. I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh, really?" he asked, looking at me.

"No, she hasn't," I said, a little flustered.

"She told me you saved her life." Rachel grinned, thankfully not mentioning the kiss.

He laughed. "I don't know if it was quite that dramatic, but I was glad to be able to help."

We grabbed some pool cues and started the game. Troy paired up with Rachel against Hudson and me. As the game progressed, I couldn't deny that Hudson had some serious skills on the pool table. His shots were precise, his movements confident. It was clear he had played more than a few rounds in his lifetime.

Despite his talent, I refused to let him beat me. I wasn't going to play the damsel that needed the big strong man to show her how to shoot pool.

"You've done this before," he said.

I smirked as I maintained my undefeated streak. "Maybe a few times."

"She's undefeated," Troy chimed in.

"Oh, really?"

"I spent a lot of time at the country club with my dad." I laughed as I racked up the balls for the next game. "I may not have city charm, but I can hold my own on the pool table."

Hudson chuckled, a glint of admiration in his eyes. "I like a woman who knows how to handle a cue," he said with a wink.

As we continued to play, I found myself relaxing around Hudson. He seemed to be loosening up too. He was charming, sure, but there was a playful side to him that put me at ease. Everyone seemed to like him. He had nothing in common with us locals, but he wasn't acting pretentious.

He knew how to have fun. He knew how to read people and changed up the way he talked or joked with people based on their personalities. I had a feeling my father would love him. Hudson had a very politician way about him.

After several heated rounds, Hudson bought a round of shots. I grimaced down at the tequila that I knew would bite back. "I shouldn't. I have to work in the morning."

"It's one shot," Rachel said, picking up her glass. "The kids can't tell if you're hungover."

I wasn't typically a shots kind of girl, but the group's enthusiasm was contagious. I didn't want to dampen the mood and be the only party pooper.

I sighed, giving in to the peer pressure and grabbing a shot glass. "You are all very bad influences," I said.

"Bad is fun." Hudson winked.

I quickly took the shot. The burning sensation as the tequila traveled down my throat made me wince, but I managed to keep a straight face. "So smooth," I lied, trying to play it cool.

Hudson raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing through my fa?ade. "You don't have to pretend your lips and throat aren't on fire."

Rachel put her glass down and gasped. "Now that's how you take a shot!" she exclaimed, earning some chuckles from Troy. Hudson joined in, clearly amused.

The pool hall transformed from the usual casual hangout spot to the epicenter of a full-blown party. Troy nudged me. "He's a fun guy."

Hudson was indeed a lot of fun. Rachel seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself too. I smiled at the lively atmosphere. Usually, it was the same old thing with the same old people. Hudson definitely infused energy and excitement into the environment. Despite my initial reservations about his behavior, I couldn't deny that he had a magnetic charm that drew people to him.

"Who's ready for another round?" Hudson asked.

Rachel's hand shot up. "Me!"

"I've got this one," Troy offered.

"No, it's on me," Hudson said. "You guys have taken in a lost soul. The least I can do is buy a few rounds."

Once again, another round of shots with bottles of Coors for chasers. We all cheered and clinked our shot glasses together, the sound echoing through the pool hall.

As the night went on, the music got louder, and the laughter became more frequent. I found myself losing track of time and, more importantly, of myself. The alcohol flowed freely, and I realized with a sinking feeling that I was more than a little drunk—and I had to work tomorrow morning. This was definitely not how I wanted to start my week.

I rarely went out and I almost never got drunk. Dad would disprove.

The party showed no signs of slowing down. Soon people were dancing. Even the employees that worked at the pool hall were having fun. Usually, the music was kept low, allowing for shit-talking and general conversation. But they had turned it up and put on a country station that was playing upbeat stuff. Before I knew it, Hudson had grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor.

Although I was apprehensive at first, the alcohol coursing through my veins drowned out my reservations. I let myself be swept up in the moment, twirling and laughing with Hudson as the country music blared around us. His hand on my waist felt oddly comforting, and for a moment, I forgot about everything else—the looming workday, my father's expectations, the fact that I barely knew this man.

As we danced, our laughter mingling with the beats of the music, I caught a glimpse of Rachel and Troy sharing a knowing look. Yes, Hudson was very literally sweeping me off my feet and I was happy to let him.