“He’d better be keeping his hands to himself,” my brother Jaxon speaks up in the background.
“Sorry. I should have been quieter,” Macy mutters. “Go away,” she says to her husband. “This is none of your business.” A few seconds pass and she utters, “Go!” again.
I laugh. “If I wasn’t used to my brothers and if I didn’t know they meant well, I might murder them.”
Macy chuckles too. “Did I interrupt anything?”
“No. Braden has a meeting with his father this morning, so I stayed back at the hotel.” I take a long sip of my coffee and all but moan. I need the caffeine so badly.
“That sounds so formal.”
“You should meet these people. They’re the epitome of wealth and utter disdain for anyone they find below them in social status. And they’re still trying to fix Hudson up with someone suitable.” I roll my eyes at that, because I’ve seen Hudson stand up to his parents. For me.
The thought warms me all over again.
“Were they rude to you?” Macy’s outrage sounds over the phone.
“If they were rude to my baby sister, I’m going to kick some ass!” Jaxon says.
I roll my eyes. “Remind him I’m older than him, will you?”
“Be quiet!” Macy yells, then a muffled sound reaches my ears.
“Eew. Tell him not to kiss you while we’re on the phone!” I wrinkle my nose at the thought of hearing or seeing anything about my brother’s sex life.
Macy giggles, and Jaxon mutters something before saying louder, “Love you, Bri!”
“Tell him I love him, too.”
“And I love hearing you so light and happy. It sounds like Hudson is good for you,” Macy says.
Putting my coffee cup on the table in front of the sofa, I curl my legs beneath me and sigh. “He is. We have a lot in common, and we like each other without conditions or strings. He doesn’t need or want anything from me, and that’s not just refreshing, it’s what I’ve been looking for in a man.” And I’ve fallen hard for him. Faster than I’ve let my guard down with anyone before.
“Well, when you get back, let’s have lunch or coffee and you can tell me more. I have to go help Hannah with something, so we’ll talk soon?” Macy asks.
“Sounds good. Thanks for checking in. Bye.” I disconnect the call and settle in to finish breakfast.
I need to shower and be ready to go when Hudson returns from talking to his father. And I can’t wait to hear the end result. I pray he gets access to his trust fund so he and Braden can move forward with their plan for the health center they envisioned.
***
Hudson
I stand in the doorway of my father’s study, apprehension filling my veins. I hate to have to ask the man for anything. This is my money, and I shouldn’t have to fight this hard for something that belongs to me. I wish my grandfather had lived long enough to see how different me and my father are, but Gerald Northfield died when I was young, the trust had been set up for all the grandchildren for tax purposes, and his choice of trustee had made sense at the time.
My father sits at his desk, head bent as he looks over some papers. I clear my throat, and Martin raises his head.
Catching sight of me, Martin removes his reading glasses and rises to his feet. “Good morning. I trust you had fun at the wedding?”
I step inside and shut the door, not wanting any interruptions. “We did. I’m happy for Serena.”
“Yes, well, her choice of grooms leaves something to be desired,” Martin says as he steps around and gestures to the two Queen Anne chairs in front of the mahogany desk.
Since this isn’t the best time to argue, I let the derogatory comment stand, as much as it galls me to do so.
We each take a seat, my father crossing one leg on top of the other. “So. You want to talk?”
“I do.”
