Hudson’s voice pulls me back to the present. “Hey, you ready?” I hadn’t even noticed him walk up beside me.
We had a half-day today, and he had a meeting with the guidance counselor to confirm his scholarship. Since my truck’s still in the shop, I’ve been waiting on a picnic table in the back courtyard for him to finish.
“Hey.” I jump up from my seat. “How was your meeting?”
He takes my hand as we head toward his Bronco, one of the last cars in the lot. “It was fine. Scholarship’s officially mine. Well, pending one last morality check.”
“Morality check?” I raise a brow.
“Yeah. Since it’s directly from Ashbridge State, they do a deep dive on academic records, extracurriculars, and legal history. If anything’s off, they can pull the plug.”
“Damn. That’s harsh.”
He shrugs. “It’s partly why it’s so prestigious. Most students just get a basic background check. This is more in-depth.”
I smirk. “Let’s hope they don’t find out what a dirty boy you are.”
He rolls his eyes and cranks the engine. We pull out of the parking lot, sun flaring off the hood. “You’ve got that interview at the hardware store in a couple of hours. Wanna hang at the house until then? I don’t have much energy for anything else. And before you ask, Hadley’s not there. She’s been alternating between staying with Katie and Maggie.”
That’s news to me, but not shocking. Matt kicked Hadley out of the party after I told her off. She shuffled out with the help of Katie and Maggie, both bitching about having to leave. Hadley’s been lying low ever since, especially since our friends have iced her out after that homophobic meltdown.
“I actually canceled the interview,” I confess as we turn onto his street.
His head jerks, surprised. “I thought you were gonna work through summer to have extra spending cash.”
“I was. But Mom and Dad said they’d rather I didn’t take on a job, that they are more than happy to keep giving me an allowance. Especially with some psycho lurking around. They were proud I wanted to take on the responsibility, but they’d rather me be safe.”
Hudson goes quiet.
Shit. I’ve said too much. I can practically see the guilt pulling at his shoulders. “Hud—”
“Wanna grab pizza?” he cuts in. “Or tacos? Oh—it’s Wednesday. Melvin’s has half-priced burgers.”
“Baby… ”
“Or we could hit that Chinese buffet—”
“Hudson.” I raise my voice. “This isn’t your fault. I know that’s what you’re thinking.”
His jaw ticks. “I’ve obviously done something to catch this person’s attention. And from what they said on the phone… he’s not stopping. He’s gonna rip everyone I love out from under me. Things are just going to keep getting worse.”
I reach for his hand. “I’m not going anywhere. No matter what bullshit he throws at us.”
He squeezes my hand as we pull into his driveway, then kills the engine and gets out without a word. I follow him inside, catching his hand at the base of the stairs, and tugging until he turns around.
He won’t meet my eyes.
“Talk to me, baby. Please.”
“I’m just…” He sinks onto the stairs, rubbing his face with both hands, before his fingers rake through his hair. “I know this guy’s a lunatic,” he says. “I know I didn’t cause this, but I can’t stop my brain from screaming that this is karma. That somehow, I deserve it.”
I sit on the step behind him, pressing my thumbs into his shoulders. They’re stone, tight with weeks of tension he hasn’t let anyone see. He groans low when I hit a knot, dropping his hands from his hair.
“I can’t lose you, Cullen.” He utters it so softly I almost miss it.
I lean in, keeping my voice just as low. “I already told you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Not by your own choice.” He stands and heads up the stairs. I stare after him, heart pounding, his words clicking into place like puzzle pieces I don’t want to see. A lightbulb flashes, and I bolt after him.
