He deserved to know about Roman too. I planned to tell him on our next date in four days, the night before we drove upstate together.
“Read me what it says,” Wes commanded in a disturbingly controlled tone.
I read it to him.
Friday
3pm-4pm Guests Arrive
5pm The Hunt
8pm The Feast
Saturday
11am Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s brunches
Free time for nature, play, and mind, body, and soul rejuvenation
6pm Ritual & Invocation
8pm Play Party
Sunday
Free day, guests depart.
Schedule is not comprehensive and subject to change. We will follow the magic…
“Thank you,” Wes ground out. “Please use every lock on your door and call me if you ever feel unsafe.”
“I will.”
“This ends this weekend. All of it. By any means necessary.”
Wes canceled our date last minute on Thursday, only a couple hours before we were set to meet. He said he had to meet with someone he sponsored, so while I was disappointed, I knew that was more important. I found it deeply admirable and touching that Wes mentored others the way his sponsor had helped him.
Still, I found myself sighing as I sank into the couch, wiped from a long writing day. I was nearing the homestretch, ready for the third act breakup that was going to rip readers to shreds.
At this, I smiled gleefully. I might’ve had a sadistic streak after all.
“What’s that cheeky little grin about, then?” Hudson asked in an obnoxious British accent.
“Are you watching an old season ofLove Island?” I asked. “You said you wouldn’t do that again. Too much of a time commitment, remember?”
“I lie,” Hudson said with a shrug.
I snorted. “I wasn’t smiling about anything. Just had a good writing day, though I’m bummed because Wes had to cancel our date.”
I waited for Hudson to question this, to call Wes sketchy or suspicious, but he didn’t. He’d actually stopped doing that altogether since the party at Third House.
He grabbed veggies and hummus from the fridge and plopped down across from me on the couch. “I think this may be one of the incredibly few times in my life I was wrong about someone.” He let out a long breath. “He seems to really make you happy, Nova. And I love seeing you happy.”
Shocked, I looked behind me, because Hudson couldn’t possibly have said those words tome.
He chuckled, rolling his eyes when I returned my gaze to him. “You’ve been a bit of a high-strung demon, even more so than usual, these past few months, but after you talk to him on the phone or come home from a date, you’re better. The stress is gone and you seem lighter, even if temporarily. I’ve been waiting for signs of love bombing or red flags, but unless you’ve been keeping them from me, I haven’t heard any.” He shrugged. “I’m only so protective because you deserve love more than any of us.”
“Love,” I repeated slowly, as if my brain was rebooting from the sheer disturbance Hudson had invoked with his approval of Wes. I shook my head. “That would be crazy. I like Wes a normal amount—whatever the normal amount is after being someone’s official girlfriend for one week.”
