I was feeling the magic of Christmas, and I wasn't going to let that go.
CHAPTER 14
ANGELA
The Sterling family was so welcoming; I didn't feel like an outsider. Aspen immediately pulled me aside, saying that she loved having another female present. I talked with the women—Natasha, Aspen, and Penny—throughout the evening. And Hudson's brothers kept Ayla occupied, or it was the other way around. I couldn't quite figure that part out.
Every time I checked, Ayla was playing a game with another brother. The cupboard in the living room was open with games spilling out. Aspen said they were leftovers from their childhood. Her mom was hoping for grandkids, but so far there hadn't been any.
Toward the end of the evening, I found myself sitting on the couch eating a slice of chocolate cake with Natasha.
"Are you and Hudson dating now?" Natasha asked.
I almost dropped my fork. "No. Whatever gave you that idea?"
Natasha huffed out a laugh. "He brought you here. As far as I know, he's never brought a woman home before."
My hand trembled as I held onto my fork, not sure I was capable of swallowing the cake if I took a bite. "I didn't realizethat. But we're not dating. I called to ask him for help with a present for Ayla, and he insisted I come with him afterward."
Her brow rose. "Okay."
"He probably felt bad for us since we didn't have plans this evening other than baking cookies and watching a holiday movie. My parents live in Arizona. They don't like traveling here in the winter. It's too cold and snowy for them."
Natasha glanced over at Hudson, who was talking to Aspen. I had a feeling she was asking him similar questions.
"Aspen doesn't like when the guys get in her business about who she's dating, but she has no problems doing it to them."
I laughed.
"But to get back to what you said?—"
I took a bite of cake, thinking that I couldn't answer her with a mouthful.
"I don't think that Hudson feels sorry for you. I think he likes you," she said carefully.
"When my shop flooded, I wasn't able to stay in my apartment, and he offered to rent us his old place. He feels responsible for us. Then he brought us a tree and had his brothers decorate the porch. It was really nice."
Natasha leaned in. "He brought you a tree and had his brothers decorate your porch?"
"Yeah, I mean, it's really his porch."
"I don't think Hudson normally puts up a tree or outdoor lights. The guys always joke that they're perpetual bachelors and they have to come here for holiday cheer."
I knew what he'd done was something special, but hearing Natasha say it too had me rethinking the entire day. "You don't think he's just helping a single mom because he feels bad?"
She laughed. "Uh. No. I don't think any of the guys have gone out of their way for clients."
I glanced over at Hudson, who noticed my attention and winked at me.
She nodded toward the motion. "See? He likes you."
Now it was my turn to laugh. "I'm a lingerie shop owner with a daughter and no permanent place to call home. I'm a bit of a mess right now."
"He obviously sees something he likes."
I usually didn't allow myself to think about Hudson that way. But now my mind was whirring with possibilities. If I assumed he was interested in me, the things he'd done the last few days made more sense.
He didn't pity me; he liked me. But what if Natasha was wrong? I didn't want to get my hopes up.
