Page 138

Her breathing changed faintly. “Okay.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation.”

“I know.”

“And I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

“I don’t.”

“Good.”

I closed my eyes. Why was this so difficult? It shouldn’t be so difficult.

“I had a good time,” I said, clearing my throat. “Not only at movie night. I really enjoyed the walk. I like talking to you. I like being around you. I want to spend more time with you when neither of us is pretending it happened just because the pack planned something.”

She remained quiet.

I forced myself not to ramble on about something.

“Hudson, are you asking me on a date?”

“Yes.” The relief of saying it surprised me.

“A real one?” she asked.

“A real date.”

“What would we do?”

I had considered several possibilities. “I was thinking dinner?”

“I enjoy dinner.” She laughed, the sound loosening the knot in my stomach. “When?”

“Friday evening. If you’re free.”

The few seconds it took her to answer me felt like an eternity.

“Yes,” she said. “I’d like that.”

My heart stuttered. “Yeah?”

“Yes, Hudson.”

The smile that came over me felt impossible to contain. “Good.”

“Good,” she repeated.

Neither of us ended the call.

I leaned one shoulder against the wall. “I should probably tell you what time.”

“That would make it easier to attend.”

“Six?”

“Six works.”

“I can pick you up.”