I’m sitting at the bar with Paige for brunch when a large figure storms across the bar. My eyes widen at the sight of Tate, red faced and jaw clenched in anger.
“Woah. What the hell?” Paige says, waving the bartender down for help. My hand falls to his heaving chest.
“Tate— “
“I’ve got Hudson on the phone. We need to go.Now.”
“What, why didn’t he call me? What’s going on?” I ask rapid fire questions as I jump off the stool, snatching my purse up. Tate has his keys in his hands. He’s speaking with a calm and soothing voice into the phone, keeping Hudson at ease. My heart pounds as my short legs keep up with his long strides out of the restaurant.
Tate’s SUV peels out onto the street with a loud screech, his knuckles turning white as his punishing grip on the wheel tightens.
“Hudson? Baby, are you okay?”
“Mom! I’m okay. I found a worker like Tate said to. They got me some juice.” My chest squeezes painfully at the idea of Hudson, lost and alone. “There’s a police officer, too. He wants to talk to you.”
I’m going to kill TJ.
Tate weaves in and out of traffic- well over the speed limit. His jaw ticks as he makes controlled decisions on the drive, turning twenty minutes away into ten.
He pulls right up to the entrance and throws the car in park. I jump out, phone still to my ear as the officer gives directions to where he’s waiting by, deep in the park. Well away from any of the restaurants and the hotel located in the park. Tate’s large frame parts the sea of people. He grips my hands tightly, pulling me behind him.
I spot the top of Hudson’s signature ball cap through the crowd. Relief floods my chest. Hudson’s face crumples when he sees me. He collides with my chest, knocking the wind out of me. I don’t care. I squeeze him back just as tight.
“Mom.” His little face is red with fresh tears.
“I know, baby. I’m here.” Now that Hudson’s in my arms, the fear starts to subside. I become aware of Tate standing beside me, a silent support. I straighten up but hold tight to Hudson’s hand. “Thank you, Tate. Really... I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t… if you weren’t…”
“It’s okay. I know.” Tate’s fingers spread wide, then clench into fists— like he’s trying to keep himself from reaching out. He shoves them intothe pockets of his jeans. “Hudson, you did a good job calling me. You canalwayscall me. Ok?”
“Yes sir.” Hudson nods, wiping his nose with his sleeve. The corner of Tate’s mouth lifts into a small smile.
“Hudson! There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you!” TJ’s grating voice reaches us before he does. He’s walking at a fast pace with his arms stretched out as he raises his voice. "When I tell you to stay put, that’s what I expect you to do!”
Hudson’s face flushes a tomato shade of red and hides behind my arm.
“Oh, hell no.” I say, getting ready for a verbal lashing to this prick. Tate steps in front of TJ, blocking us entirely from view.
“You’re not gonna stand here, yell the place down and embarrass them. Especially not for something that, as the adult in charge, is one hundred percentyour fault.”Tate jabs a finger into TJ’s chest.“You're responsiblefor this ten-year-oldchild.I’m not gonna stand for it.”
“I said I’d be right back. I just had to take Tanya back to the hotel room so she could rest her feet!” TJ’s getting defensive, flailing his arms about and causing a scene.
The worker who waited with Hudson doesn’t look a day over seventeen, but she pipes up, “Um, I waited here with him for nearly two hoursbefore we figured out the password to the phone.”
She flicks her ponytail over her shoulder before crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes on TJ.
“Are you the parent who brought him here today?” The officer asks, hands on his belt.
I just wrap an arm around Hudson’s shoulders to steer him back to the car. He doesn’t need to hear all of this. We can just talk through our lawyers. The one I was able to hire with the promotion bonus was going to be contacting him on Monday anyway. TJ’s neglect is going to cost him. This is just the final nail in the coffin.
“Allison!” TJ calls to my back. I don’t glance back, trusting Tate to keep him away. “It’s still my weekend!”
I decided against making any more of a spectacle by shouting back. I’m not sure that anything more than afuck you, TJwould come out anyway.
When we make it to the car, I open the back door for Hudson. He slides in but doesn’t let go of my hand. His pleading eyes meet mine. My sweet boy, too old to ask but still young enough to need me. I slide into the seat beside him and pull the door shut.
Finally, I’m able to take a deep breath. Tate’s vehicle smells of pine and leather and his cologne. Tate gets in the car. He’s calm. Hedoesn’t slam the door. I still see the anger rolling off him in waves, in the tick of his jaw and the redness crawling up his neck.
“I wish he wasn’t my dad,” Hudson says quietly enough I almost miss it.
