Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“Because you’re so very good at that?” Ah, there the anger was, and so much safer than the desire. I grabbed hold of it with both hands.
“Like you’re an open book?” He retreated with a heavy sigh. “I fucked up when I left without saying goodbye. I have regretted it every day of my life. That’s the truth. Can you accept that just enough to put it aside for the next few months?”
A little piece of that gaping wound yanked itself together as if his words were stitches. It was foolish to believe him, and yet I did. “I can.”
“You sure you’re up for playing this particular role? I know it’s tough, but our main goal today should be convincing them we’re together.” His eyes lit up like he was purposely poking me for a reaction.
Game on.
I scoffed. “Please. Once you master faking an orgasm, any role is easy. This is cake.”
His eyes bulged for a heartbeat before he schooled his expression. “Okay. Then let’s do this.”
I definitely won that point.
We walked into the backyard, and my jaw dropped.
The house backed up to Founder’s Park, and the entire two acres of space had been taken over for Juniper’s party. Little stations were set up around the perimeter, leading to the picnic tables that were covered in bright colors.
“It’s a little much, but we have a good time,” Hudson said, leading me into the park, which had been transformed into a carnival. “Juniper, Mason, and Melody—those are my cousin’s twins—are the only kids in the family, so we all get together for their birthdays. Juniper chose the carnival theme, so everyone brought something to add.”
We walked past a giant bounce house with an obstacle-course slide.
“Caroline’s responsible for that one, and you should have seen her panic when we thought the extension cord wasn’t going to reach.” A corner of his mouth tilted upward and he gestured to the station on the right. “Aunt Jo and Uncle Mark are running a balloon dart booth.” They both waved in between blowing up balloons. “And their teenagers are in charge of face painting.”
I gave the teens a wave as we passed by.
“Over there”—Hudson pointed to the stations lining the other side—“we have a three-legged-race track, Gavin’s bottle-toss station, and the Nerf-dart target—something which I’ve already been banned from playing because everyone knows I’ll smoke them.” He set Juniper’s gift next to a few others on one of the picnic tables as I tried to take it all in. “The twins are bringing out folding chairs for the middle. Something about musical chairs.”
“Your family just . . . does this?” My breath caught. Our family didn’t even do dinner.
“I mean, it’s no tea party at the Plaza—” He shaped the brim of his hat.
“It’s better.” I watched his family scurry about, setting up their stations.
“You’d better make sure you’re set,” Hudson’s dad lectured as he carried out a net-covered tray of food, passing by to get to the grill next to a table covered with dishes. While Gavin took after their mother, just like Caroline, Hudson was entirely his father. “If those kids get here and you’re not ready to go, Caroline will never let you hear the end of it.”
“Good point. You set on the grill?” Hudson’s hand skimmed my lower back, and the nerve endings fired, sending a shiver up my spine.
“You know it.” He lifted two silvery eyebrows at me and pointed to an empty camping chair beside the smoking grill. “If he gives you any trouble, you just come over and sit with me.”
“Yes, sir.” I couldn’t help but nod as Hudson led me away, to the unoccupied station a little way off from the picnic tables. The ground was covered in a thick foam mat in what looked to be a twelve-by-twelve square.
“I may have borrowed it from the gym at the station.” Hudson crouched next to an assortment of beige and brown . . . somethings.
“What is this?”
“We’re the T-Rex battle station.” He stood, dragging the head of a costume up so it unfolded in front of him.
“The T-Rex battle station?” I asked, certain I’d heard incorrectly. There were at least eight more on this side of the mat.
“I may have gone a little overboard, but I wanted to make sure we had one in every size.” He grinned, and the dimple popped in his cheek, completely eviscerating my train of thought. That dimple had always been my kryptonite. “This one is yours.”
I opened and shut my mouth a couple of times, searching for the correct response.
“You heard me,” Hudson whispered, his eyes sparkling like they used to when he’d talk me into doing something I wasn’t supposed to. “Let’s knock a few blocks out of those mile-thick walls you’ve got around you.”
“Is that your goal?” My eyebrows shot up.