“I can’t wear this!” I say to my friends as we make our way over to the boxes from the offices where they met me. His latest present arrived today via a very nervous equipment assistant. I swear Hudson has no concern for rumors. Inside the plain bag was a new-to-me, game-worn jersey from Hudson with instructions to wear it to tonight’s game.
“You have to: a player gave it to you and told you to wear it,” Beck insists seriously. “Not wearing it would be like asking for us to lose tonight. Do you want to be the reason the Werewolves don’t get the cup this year?”
My other friends are all smirking at how intense he is, or maybe at the thought of me wearing this giant jersey that’s basically Hudson staking his claim on me, but they all nod and murmur agreements. I’ve told them all by now that we were hooking up when we lived together, but that we’re reevaluating everything now that things have changed. Beck so kindly translated that to them all, explaining Hudson wants to date me, and I’m apparently “too hard on myself to believe him.” They’ve all been trying to convince me that his constant texting and various gifts have meant I should give in.
And obviously, I want to. But I need to know this is more than just a challenge for him to win, too. I know how competitive he can be.
Excuses? Who me?
“This is huge on me, and someone is going to say something,” I insist.
“No one said anything when you lived with the man and went to public adoption classes with him for months. Everyone in this arena is going to be in Werewolves merch tonight. You’re special to all of us, A. But you aren’t that special,” Lincoln teases.
I stick my tongue out at him playfully. Who let him be in our group anyway?
“Fine. I’ll wear it. But if they lose, or I’m in some gossip magazine tomorrow, I’m blaming all of you.”
We get to the Caldwell owner’s box without incident, and despite how crowded it is, no one in there even bats an eye at what I’m wearing.
“See, A. You’re fine,” Oakley reassures me before heading to get food.
“I hate when Lincoln is right,” I mutter, crossing my arms.
Jordan laughs. “Yeah, but unfortunately he usually is.”
The warning buzzer sounds, and we all squeeze out onto the balcony. I’m small enough that people easily let me past to claim our normal seats at the front of the box, and eventually my friends follow.
“He won’t even know that I wore it,” I grumble as they announce the starting lineup.
“I think it’s sweet,” Cody insists with his signature smile.
And apparently the jersey wasn’t the only gesture tonight.
To my absolute shock and horror, Hudson blows a fucking kiss at our box after he scores.
I’m pretty sure most people missed it, and no one would have any way of knowing that he was directing it at me, but I know. My friends see it, and they know. And it’s all any of them talk about for the rest of the night.
Luckily, I manage to stay out of the gossip columns,although there is a picture of Hudson blowing that kiss with speculation as to what “mystery fan” it was intended for. As far as I know, no one caught on that I was actually wearing his jersey, but Hudson definitely knew, and he insisted I keep it when I asked if he wanted it back.
I’ve been wearing it around the house nonstop. But he doesn’t know that part.
41
HUDSON
Somehow, we manage to win all four of the first games against Nashville in the conference finals. I’m exhausted, but as I pull out my phone in the away locker room, the ten missed calls from Adrian, Emily, Holly, and an unknown number immediately have me on high alert.
I hesitate for a moment, but call Emily first, she picks up on the third ring. “Baby is fine, I’m fine,” she says in greeting, but that isn’t exactly the most reassuring greeting.
“What happened? I didn’t even check my voicemail, I just saw all the missed calls.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Oh my god, is that him? Does he need me to pick him up at the airport? Hudson, get your ass over here!” Adrian shouts in the background.
“Why are you with Adrian? Where are you?”
“I’m at the hospital,” she says casually. “And no rush, but you can come if you’d like. I’m technically in labor, but it could be a while with the induction. I’ve been trying to explain that to Adrian, but I think he would feel better if you were here.”
