Chapter 9

HUDSON

Itook the keys for the new rental and walked out of the small building. The rental agency didn't have a lot of vehicles. I just needed something that didn't leave me stranded on the side of the road again. Although things had worked out well for me.

Meeting Diana had been an amazing stroke of luck.

I wasn't sure if I would ever see her or my clothes again. I didn't give a shit about my clothes. I was worried I had scared her off with the kissing. She probably thought I was some kind of creep.

I drove through the town, comparing it with the city. One thing I noticed was how bright the sun was. It was the same sun, but it wasn't blotted out by tall buildings and the haze of smog. I took in the sights and sounds of this new place, and my thoughts kept drifting back to the woman that had made such a huge impact on me in such a short amount of time.

I couldn't shake off the memory of her soft lips under mine, the way she had leaned into the kiss before pulling away in a hurry. Had I misread the situation? Was I too forward? I berated myself for potentially scaring her off with my impulsive actions.

I parked my car in the bustling area of cafés across from a huge park. It was a far cry from the place I had left. I found myself admiring the tranquility of the scene unfolding before me. It was such a different vibe from Manhattan.

I walked toward one of the cafés, hoping to get a decent cup of coffee. I did a little people watching. Families strolled through the park. Children chased each other and laughter filled the air. Couples walked hand in hand, leaning into each other. The atmosphere was so peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos of city life.

No one was in a hurry. No one was scowling. It was very different than what I was used to. I almost felt like I didn't deserve to be here. These were good people. I wasn't a good man. This was not the place I belonged.

I was immediately drawn to a heated argument taking place outside one of the cafés. It only caught my eye because it was out of place in the idyllic environment. Two men stood facing each other. Their voices were raised in anger and their body language made it clear they were not happy with one another. One of them appeared to be younger by a good twenty years.

I noticed the resemblance between them, suggesting they were a father-son duo. I certainly knew that scenario. I tried not to look, but I was only human and the drama intrigued me.

The older man pointed a finger in his son's face. "I won't put up with this behavior," he seethed. "You will get yourself together or you're finished!"

His words carried the weight of a threat. Again, I knew what that looked like. My father had issued many of those same ultimatums every time I got busted. He loved to threaten to withhold my inheritance. He would have taken back his name given the chance.

"I'm not doing anything," the son argued. "I'm not a kid. Quit trying to run my life. I'm my own person."

His voice was defiant, but there was a hint of hurt in his eyes that betrayed his tough exterior. The tension between them was palpable, drawing the eyes of the patrons around them. I felt for the kid. I had been there, done that. I knew what it felt like to be treated like a twelve-year-old instead of a grown man. Even with all my mistakes, I still felt like I had the right to make those mistakes without my father telling me I was stepping out of line.

I made the lines. I could tap dance all over the lines if I wanted to. That was the joy of being an adult. If I could face real consequences and had to pay bills and deal with all the other bullshit that came with being an adult, then I should have the chance to live the way I wanted.

The older man's face turned red with anger. "You're a disgrace! I raised you better than this. You think you can just do whatever you please without consequences? You're wrong, son."

The son's jaw clenched as he struggled to maintain his composure. "I don't need your approval, Dad. I'm tired of living in your shadow and constantly seeking your validation."

With a final, dismissive gesture, the father stormed off, barely sparing me a glance as he passed by me. The coffee stand where the son was standing was where I wanted to be.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to continue on my way and give the guy a wide berth or if I should make my move and get some damn coffee. Something about the scene tugged at me, and before I knew it, I found myself approaching the man cautiously.

"Everything okay?" I asked, offering a tentative smile as I approached.

The guy looked up. "What?"

"You looked like you were having a rough go." I shrugged nonchalantly. I didn't want to make a big deal of the situation if it made the dude uncomfortable.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Just another day in my life."

"My dad can be a hardass too," I said, offering a sympathetic nod.

"Oh yeah?" he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of skepticism.

"Oh yeah." I laughed. "I seem to draw his fire out of all my brothers."

I stepped up and ordered a coffee. The man took a seat at one of the tables, rubbing his temples and looking exactly how I felt after one of my arguments with my father. After getting my coffee, I walked to his table. "Mind if I sit?"

"Sure," he said. "Can't say I'm going to be good company."

"That's fine. So, was that your dad you were arguing with?"

He nodded. "Was it that obvious?"

"I know the look," I said with a shrug. "But when it comes to my family drama, it's my older brother Kameron that gets under my skin with his constant advice and criticism. He means well, but he can be a real dick sometimes. Nearly broke my nose a couple of months ago when we got into it."

He chuckled. "I'm the oldest in my family. No one is going to pop me in my nose."

"Lucky you," I said. "Having older brothers is a lot like having a bunch of dads."

The man raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Never thought about it that way. But yeah, I guess you're right."

We both took a sip of our coffees in silence.

"So, what's your name?" I asked, breaking the quiet between us.

"Jessie. And you?"

"Hudson," I replied.

"You're not from around here," he said.

"Nope. I'm just here for a bit. Not sure how long, just kind of kicking around."

"There's a better place for food up the street," he said. "And something a little stronger than coffee. That's what I need. Want to grab a burger? I'll show you around town. Not that there is a lot to see."

I nodded. "Sure."

We walked up the street to a restaurant. Jessie seemed to know everyone, with people waving or nodding at him before we found a table. We ordered burgers and beers.

As I took a sip of the beer, I savored the taste. It was the first drink I'd had since leaving Manhattan, and it went down way too easily. It tasted damn good. But I stopped at one, knowing that I needed to stay focused if I wanted to avoid getting shipped off to rehab by my overbearing brother all in the name of doing what was right for me.

"So, how many older brothers do you have?" Jessie asked.

"A lot," I replied. "Too many."

He chuckled. "Sorry to hear it."

"What about you? Brothers? Sisters?"

"Two younger sisters," he replied. "They are perfect angels compared to me. They can do no wrong. My father seems to have blinders on when it comes to their missteps."

"And I take it you've grown up here?"

"Yep." He nodded. "My father is the mayor of Cold Springs. Everything I do reflects on him. Apparently, that's not a good thing. He wants me to be his perfect shadow, following in his footsteps and holding up the good name of the family."

I offered him a sympathetic smile, understanding all too well the weight of parental expectations. "Sometimes you need to strike out on your own," I told him, raising my beer in a silent toast. "This is your life, not your dad's. That's something I had to learn. Can't say I've learned it well, but I'm trying."

Jessie listened as he took a long sip of his beer. "I guess you're right," he finally said, setting the glass down on the table. "It's just hard when it feels like everything you do is being judged against some impossible standard. He is convinced I have to be the next mayor."

"Do you want to be the mayor?"

He laughed. "No. Not even a little."

We talked a bit more about his strained relationship with his father. I felt bad for the guy. It was like we were living parallel lives. I had the same expectations slapped on me and I seemed to fail at every turn. It was hard as hell trying to be the good son when there were so many other good sons. Jessie was competing against his perfect sisters.

"I better get going," Jessie said with a sigh. "Take my number. Hit me up if you want to hang out. There's not a lot to do around here, but we find ways to entertain ourselves."

I took his number and walked back to the rental car. It was almost three. I had no idea if Diana would actually show up, but I hoped so. I got back to the hotel and couldn't bring myself to sit inside the cramped room to wait for her.

I sat down on the bench a few doors down, sipping one of the sodas Diana had talked about which was nothing more than a can of Coke out of a vending machine. Yes, it was colder than a lot of other gas station cans, but I wasn't sure there was anything all that special about the soda. I sat down, enjoying the stillness. It was weirdly quiet. No cars on the road. No people. It was just me, the bench, and an assortment of birds singing.

It was such an odd feeling. I never just allowed myself to sit in silence. I always had the TV on or streamed music on my phone.

This was weird but oddly cathartic. I could practically feel my cells rejuvenating after being pedal to the metal for so long.

The moment was ruined by the sound of a loud truck coming down the road. I watched the beat-up old thing pull into the parking spot next to my rental car. I watched as Diana hopped out of the passenger seat. There was a good-looking blond guy behind the wheel, smiling at her in that way a man smiled at his woman, thinking about getting her naked when they got back home.

Jealousy coursed through me. Obviously, she had a boyfriend. That explained why she ran out of my room so fast after the kiss.

I got to my feet and waited, no longer feeling at peace.