“Yo, Willa. Are you listening to me? You’ve got a visitor.”
I’m brought back to current time with her words. “A visitor?”
“Yes,” she practically hisses. “It’s Hudson.”
“Hudson?” I squeak. “Is here?” Could this day get any worse? I mean, I didn’t even get a shower this morning…
“Michelle called me from downstairs. She was talking to her fella down there. Anyway, she saw him standing at the security desk. With. Flowers.”
“Flowers?”
Flowers?No one had ever given me flowers before.
Hells bells, what am I thinking? Hudson Adler isn’t here for me. He probably came to see someone else. It’s merely a coincidence.
Except, it’s not a coincidence because the second I’m about to refute her claim, the man himself appears behind Bonnie. His voice is deep and rich, a sound that gives me happy chills. “There you are.”
“Yep. There I am.”
Hudson steps up to my open doorway. I turn my chair to face him, then smile up at him. I can’t help noticing he’s doing the same. I also note that he’s got great teeth. And is that a dimple on his right cheek?
“You’re wearing a suit.” I don’t know why that surprises me. I suppose it’s because the only time I’ve seen him he was wearing a rather worn gray T-shirt advertising the baseball team from Saturday, the Chicago Hawks. He looked great in that, but today, in this black suit and white shirt, he looks even better.
Like cover of romance novel better.
Like the book I was reading last night. It was so steamy I couldn’t put it down until I was done.
Sort of kind of makes me want to reread it again tonight.
“What are you doing here?”
Hudson produces the flowers that Bonnie mentioned. Speaking of Bonnie, she’s still there watching everything with her big round eyeballs. I glance at her and give her a look that I hope she can read. It says buzz off.
Hint taken. Bonnie’s eyes begin to lower like she’s sliding down our short partition until they disappear. Except, I know her. She’s still close enough to listen.
Standing, I take the bouquet from him and bring them to my nose for a whiff. “Thank you. They’re lovely.” It’s a huge arrangement filled with every flower you can think of. There’s even a sunflower. “I love sunflowers.”
“I had a feeling.”
I look up at him and he’s still smiling. “Why did you assume I’d like sunflowers?” It’s a good question, right? Either he really thought about it or he’s just saying that to sound good.
“They’re happy and you’re happy-go-lucky.”
“I am?”
“Absolutely. You always have a smile on your face, and your laugh is infectious. You’re joyous.”
I hear Bonnie from the other side of my partition. “Oh. Em. Gee. So romantic.”
Ignoring her, I ask, “Joyous?” As compliments go, I’d have to say it’s one of my all-time favorites.
“Yep. Plus, you’ve got those adorable freckles.” He touches the bridge of my nose gently.
I feel heat flush up my neck. “My freckles? I’m too old for freckles. You think I’d grow out of them, right? I mean, I’m twenty-four.”
“I happen to like your freckles.”
“Oh.” We stare at each other for what feels like minutes but it’s probably only a second or two. “So, what brings you to the South Loop?” Might as well find out why he’s here. “Are you going to tell me you were in the neighborhood?”
