Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
By the fourth day, the fog had cleared.
“Oh. It’s you,” I rasped. Blinking awake, I shielded my eyes from the sunlight streaming through my living room window and zeroed in on the man sitting in the armchair next to the sofa, watching television.
The cowboy twisted to face me. “Hey, there. How’re you feeling?”
Good question. I sat up, licking my dry lips. “Better…I think. What are you doing here? Is it January?”
Hudson smiled and shook his head. “Not yet. I told Vicki I’d drop off your soup and make sure you took your medicine. Hang tight. I’ll get that for you now.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“No, but I volunteered, and I don’t mind at all.” He returned with a glass of water and a bottle of prescription pills.
I took the antibiotics, swallowing around the razor blade scraping my throat.
“Ugh. That hurts.”
“Poor guy.” Hudson patted my knee gently. “Sinus infections are the worst. I’ve had a couple, and I remember feeling achy all over. The important thing is to keep hydrated and get a lot of rest.”
“I didn’t know you were a doctor,” I snarked.
His grin was instantaneous, spreading across his handsome features like wildfire. “I’ve missed that sassy mouth of yours.”
“I’m sorry. That was rude and—no, wait. It’s still December, so…I’m not sorry at all. I’m sick and I’m mad about it, and…and…you shouldn’t be here. Sure, I saw your penis once, but let’s face it, I don’t know you and you don’t know me, so…skedaddle.”
Hudson cocked his head as he perched on the coffee table. “You’re right, but you were the one who asked me to stay.”
“I didn’t!”
“You did. You said, and I quote, ‘I like your peppermint tea. Do you want to watch The Price is Right tomorrow?’ So here I am.”
I gasped. “I didn’t say that. I wouldn’t.”
“You did,” he insisted.
I frowned, pointing at the flat-screen. “That’s not The Price is Right.”
“Nope, we’re watching sports highlights. We’ve got NBA, NFL, NHL, and of course, it’s college bowl game time, so—”
“Halt. I don’t understand those words.”
“That’s okay. My teams aren’t doing so hot this year, so it’s a little painful to explain.” Hudson turned the station to the Game Show Network. “Are you hungry?”
“Not really.”
“You should eat something. How do you feel about lentil soup?”
“It sucks dragon balls,” I huffed around a cough.
He chuckled. “What about chicken noodle?”
“It’s the devil’s dander.”
“Tomato soup?”
“Meh.”
“Meh? That’s it?”
“I sort of don’t hate it.”
Hudson clutched his chest in mock surprise. “Alert the press! We found something Moody doesn’t hate in the month of December.”
I pursed my lips to hide my smile. “I like some things in December.”
“Name three…that aren’t fifty-year-old game shows.”
“Warm blankets, birds, and chocolate-covered pretzels.”
“Oh, good ones.” Hudson pointed to the television. “The Joker’s Wild okay?”
“Lovely. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
He pulled his cell from his pocket and scrolled through messages, seemingly in no hurry to leave. I wasn’t sure why he hadn’t moved on yet. I was an expert at scaring off eligible bachelors…and friends. And looking and feeling the way I currently did, I couldn’t believe this one was still lurking about. Hudson was either a masochist or a weirdo or both or—
Or maybe he was lonely.
I frowned. So? It wasn’t my problem he’d moved to a new state and started a new job. Did I have to be nice because he was being nice to me? Was that a rule? If so, I didn’t like it. I’d warned him that I was no good till January. No good at all.
“Are you staying?” I asked testily.
He glanced up from his phone. “I don’t have anywhere else to be, so…sure, if you’d like the company.”
“Why?” I winced.
Contrary to my sassy mouth, ungracious behavior didn’t come naturally to me. It was hard work being a full-time turd. But I truly couldn’t understand what this handsome hunk of a cowboy was doing here playing babysitter to my sick downtrodden self. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t hang out with me.
Hudson snickered. “Because you’re so pleasant.”
A smidge of decency surfaced out of the blue. “Sorry, I’ll try to be less…”
“Of a dick?”
“Yeah, that.” I brushed my forearm across my nose and sniffed. “I just thought you’d want to explore the area before you settle into your new job. This doesn’t seem very fun.”
“This, my friend, is a good time,” he quipped, flashing a sexy grin my way.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m serious.”
“I know. The truth is, I did my share of exploring a couple of months ago. I was up and down the coast and saw San Francisco, Yosemite, and Moro Bay. I spent a day in Monterrey, drove through Carmel, and even went to that Hearst mansion.” Hudson snapped his fingers. “What’s it called?”
“Hearst Castle.”
“Yeah, that was cool. But for now, my focus is getting to know everyone and the animals at the ranch without stepping on toes. Tanner and the other owners have been welcoming, but I’m not officially part of the crew till January.”