Chapter 24

DIANA

Hudson pulled up in front of my family home and I suddenly got a case of cold feet. My stomach twisted with nerves. The moment of truth was finally here. Nerves made my hands shake. Maybe I would hold off on telling my parents. Would it really hurt?

But then I would be hiding something from them. Our dinner at Salt was bound to get back to my father. He was going to know eventually.

"Do you want me to go in with you?"

I shook my head vigorously. There was no way that would go well. "No, thanks," I said, forcing a smile. "I'll handle this on my own. It'll be easier for them to hear it from me. I don't want to rub you in their faces."

Hudson nodded understandingly, though I could see the concern in his eyes. "Alright, just let me know if you need anything," he said gently. "And just for the record, if this thing between us is going to cause you a lot of drama, I don't want to be an issue. Don't mess up your relationship with your family."

I put my hand on his cheek. "You are not an issue. I just want to be able to go out to dinner with you and not worry about gossips running back to my dad, hoping for a pat on the head. My dad has ears everywhere. This is why me, Jessie, and Abigail have to be so careful all the time. If we look at someone sideways, it gets back to him. I guarantee you someone at the restaurant will tell him about our dinner by tomorrow. I don't want it to get twisted."

"I understand," he said. "One of these days, I might just tell you about my family. When I say I understand, trust me, I understand."

I stared at him, wondering how bad his family was. Did he have a harsh father like I did with impossible standards? I wouldn't push. He would tell me when he was ready.

"Thank you for the ride," I said. "I want to kiss you, but I don't want to risk my parents seeing. I'm sure they saw the car pull up and he's probably in the window watching us right now. The last thing I need is my father to get the wrong idea."

"You really are paranoid, huh?" he teased.

I shrugged, feeling a pang of guilt for dragging him into my family drama. "It's not paranoia if he's actually watching, and I'd bet money he is."

"Should we make him wait a while?" he asked, grinning. "He'll have to get tired eventually."

I laughed. "Let's not. I'll call you tomorrow. Is that cool?"

"Super cool," he said. "I'd like that. If you're not grounded."

"Goodnight, funny man."

"Goodnight, gorgeous woman."

With that, I gathered up my courage and made my way to the front door. My dad opened it before I could get my keys out. "Diana, what brings you here?"

"I was hoping we could talk," I said. "Busy?"

"Of course, not," he said with a smile. "Come in."

"Is Mom here?"

"No, she's at her book club meeting," he said. "She made cookies. Sit."

I sat down while he poured us two glasses of milk and brought a tray of cookies. My appetite was gone, and not just because I'd already eaten. The conversation I wanted to have was weighing on me.

"Dad, I've been seeing Hudson," I said. "The handsome newcomer, as Tom Riley put it. I should have told you when we were at the country club. I'm sorry I kept it a secret. I was just worried about how you would react. I know you don't like strangers."

My father listened quietly and chewed his cookie. "Diana, I already knew all this," he said quietly. "But I'm glad you finally told me."

Relief flooded me, though I couldn't shake the guilty feeling for keeping it from him. "I'm sorry," I murmured, unable to meet his gaze. "I didn't want to lie. I just wasn't sure if it was going to turn into anything. I didn't want to get everyone all riled up."

"And has it turned into something?" he asked.

"It has." I nodded. "I hope you understand why I didn't tell you right away. I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to see if it was something that was worth mentioning at all. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said softly. "I just want you to be safe, to not overlook red flags, and to remember that you have a lot to offer. You shouldn't squander it with someone who doesn't deserve you."

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, and tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. "Thank you, I won't."

"You're precious, Diana," he continued. "The most precious soul on this earth, if you ask me. Don't tell Jessie and Abigail I said that, though."

His love washed over me like a warm embrace. My dad wasn't necessarily a warm man. We knew he cared, but it wasn't something he really expressed with words. "I won't," I said.

"Just make sure the man you choose knows that, too," he said, his eyes locking with mine. "That's all I ask."

"I will, Dad," I promised.

"Did you have a nice dinner at Salt?" he asked.

I burst into laughter. "Word travels fast in this town. My god."

He winked. "Yes, it does. I heard Abigail was doing a great job as well."

"Dad, seriously, do you hire spies?" I joked. "Or were you there at the restaurant in sunglasses and a trench coat?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "No need for spies when you have Mrs. Abernathy from the neighborhood watch on speed dial," he said with a grin. "And a handful of other people who have taken a serious interest in my personal life."

"You mean our personal lives."

We laughed, and the tension eased between us. It was a relief to see him taking everything in stride.

"I'm home," Mom called out.

"We're in here," Dad said.

She walked into the kitchen. "Diana! I didn't know you were coming over. Have you tried the cookies?"

"She stopped by to tell us about her new boyfriend," Dad said with a knowing look.

Mom smiled. "Hudson sure has the whole town abuzz."

"You know, too?" I asked, shaking my head. "Seriously, is there some kind of tracking device on me? Are you two tapping my phone?"

Mom shrugged. "Sheila from book club mentioned you were dating him."

I rolled my eyes. "I seriously can't do anything without it getting back to you guys."

She smiled. "God made parents smart like that. You'll see when you have your own kids. Maybe with this Hudson fellow."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Dad said.

"We've been on two dates," I groaned. "Will everyone please relax?"

"What are your plans for the night?" Mom asked.

I shrugged. "Can I get you guys to give me a ride?"

"Why don't you stay a while?" Dad said. "We'll play cards."

"Sure, that sounds nice." I was tired but my parents had been surprisingly chill about the Hudson thing. Spending some time with them would actually be fun.

We settled around the table to play cards. This was why I was single. Rather, had been single. I spent my Friday nights playing cards with my parents.

"I heard Abigail had a good night at the restaurant," Mom said. "That she started a little shaky but is really settling in."

I shook my head in disbelief. "Did you two use to work for the CIA? Are you actually psychic? What number am I thinking of?"

Mom laughed. "The manager at Salt is my hairdresser's husband. He texted her. She texted me."

"At the risk of telling you all something you already know, Abigail was doing well. Hudson gave her some advice. It really seemed to help. And the tip he left her was very generous."

"Well, that's nice of him," Mom said, deftly shuffling the cards before starting to deal.

Dad chuckled. "Looks like Hudson did you a favor by letting the whole town know about your date."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. Something had apparently changed my father's opinion about Hudson. He'd gone from thinking he was trouble to accepting our relationship in the span of a week. Whatever people had been reporting in to my father, it must have been positive. Otherwise, Dad wouldn't be in such a cheerful mood.

"We weren't trying to broadcast anything," I said. "He wanted to go to the country club, but I figured you would be there or your friends would film the whole date for you."

He shrugged. "I guess you were caught, anyway."

"Yes, I was." I nodded. "I can't believe I thought I could get away with anything."

"Me either." He chuckled.

As we began playing our first hand of cards, I felt like I was floating. They had taken the news so well. I had prepared myself for a lot of yelling and lecturing.

"I suppose I'll have to meet this Hudson soon," Dad said, breaking my train of thought.

"Dad, you're not going to interrogate him, are you?" I asked, only half-joking. The thought of Dad grilling Hudson was both terrifying and hilarious.

"Who me?" he responded innocently. "Just a friendly chat."

We continued to play cards, the room filled with laughter and light-hearted banter. It felt good to just be together, to enjoy each other's company without the weight of secrets hanging over us.

"Today was the last day of school, right?" Mom asked.

I nodded. "Hallelujah."

"What are your plans for the month?" Dad asked.

"I'll probably just do what I always do—nothing," I admitted with a smile. "Maybe spend some time with Hudson, showing him around Cold Springs. It'll be like seeing it all for the first time."

"That sounds lovely," Mom chimed in. She had a soft spot for young love, always contending that it made everything appear bright and fresh.

"Diana, make sure to take him to the Blue Moon Café. Best apple pie in town," Dad suggested, absentmindedly flipping his cards.

"Yeah, unless he thinks it's too local," I said. Hudson had a certain elegance about him, the kind that didn't quite align with the small-town charm of Cold Springs.

"Well, if he's dating you, I bet he'll be just fine with a little local charm," Dad said. "Isn't that why he's here? Please don't tell me he plans on trying to turn our town into one of his city hotspots. I'm still not thrilled with the pool hall incident."

"Dad, the pool hall incident was not an incident," I said. "Dancing at a bar is not a crime. If I was dancing on the bar, flashing my giblets around? Sure, that's an incident. But we were just having fun."

"Don't say giblets like that, honey." Mom wrinkled her nose.

"That sounds like something Rachel would say," my dad said.

I had, in fact, heard Rachel say it recently, but I wouldn't tell my parents that. "Sorry. I was just trying to make a point."

"So how long will Hudson be in town?" she asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," I answered. "He's rented the house for a month."

"That's quite a commitment," Dad remarked.

I didn't miss the sarcasm. "He lives in Manhattan, not France. He came here on vacation. He never intended to meet me."

"I hope you understand he might leave after his vacation is over," Dad said. "I don't want you to get your hopes up about this. Small towns like ours can be an adjustment for some people."

"He seems to like it so far," I said, trying to hide my own uncertainty. But there was still a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. Was this too good to last?

As we played another round of cards, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. Mom shared stories from her book club. Dad talked about the latest community events. I found myself relaxing in their presence.

"Dad, can you give me a ride home?" I asked after a couple of hours. "I'm beat and tomorrow I get to pick up my car. Finally. I can't wait to have wheels again."

"Of course."

I gave Mom a hug before walking out to the car.

"I'm glad we talked, Diana," Dad said when he pulled to a stop outside my house. "Just promise me you'll be careful with this guy."

"I will, Dad," I replied. "I promise. Thank you for trusting me. And for understanding."

I climbed out of the car and turned to wave goodbye. I let myself in and waved to let my father know I was in safe. The night had gone much better than I expected. I felt free to date Hudson with my father's approval.

Things were looking up.