Carter had come through the surgery and would eventually recover, but it would be a long process. Hudson didn’t know what he would do without the man who knew the ins and outs of the projects they had going, especially the one at The Village. Carter would be absent from work for months. Those months would test Hudson in more ways than he’d ever expected.
Searching for a replacement would take time he didn’t have right now. Responsibility for Conrick Construction and its survival lay solely in his hands. A lot of people were counting on him, and he had to come through for all of them.
The image of Melody’s face floated across his mind. Her willingness to help out today made him wish he hadn’t given her the promise not to ask her out again. He had to be patient and do his best to show her he was a man she could count on—a man she wanted to get to know and spend time with. And so he could get to know her, too, and find out if his impression that she was different from the other women he’d dated was right. He wondered if Melody could be the one woman who could erase the bad memories and hurt that Nicole had left behind.
Would Carter’s accident help Melody see that life was uncertain and that playing it safe didn’t always result in security?
With these thoughts swirling through his mind, Hudson parked his car near the administration building. He had to keep his mind on the business at hand—the road rally. Melody had offered to talk to him about his plans during her lunchtime. Grateful that she’d agreed to let him bring her lunch, he grabbed the bag containing sandwiches from his favorite deli. Despite the burdens that weighed him down, he had no doubt seeing Melody would lighten his heart.
As Hudson made his way through the reception area, Lovie greeted him. “I’m so sorry to hear about your friend Carter. I’ll be praying for him.”
“I appreciate that.”
Lovie gave him a speculative look. “Are you here to see Ms. Melody?”
“Yes, we have a fund-raising idea to discuss.”
Lovie wagged a finger at him. “You should be discussing more than fund-raising. You got to get busy on the romance front. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.”
Hudson couldn’t help laughing as he shook his head. “Lovie, what am I going to do with you?”
“Follow my advice and romance that woman.”
Hudson wanted to tell Lovie that it was easier said than done in Melody’s case, but he wasn’t about to admit to this grandmotherly matchmaker that he was a flop in the romance department. “Some things can’t be rushed.”
“I don’t know what it is with you young people these days. When I was a girl, we didn’t waste time thinking about love, we did something about it.”
“I’ll consider your advice.” Hudson chuckled as he started down the hall.
“Don’t consider it. Act on it,” Lovie called after him.
Hudson knocked on Melody’s door and wondered whether Lovie had given Melody the same little talk. No matter what Lovie said, he wasn’t about to jump into any relationship without making sure there would be no repeat of his former experience with love. At this point, working with Melody would have to suffice for getting to know her and judging whether she was the kind of woman he believed her to be—someone who cared about people, someone who didn’t use people for their own advantage.
Melody opened the door. “Are things still okay with Carter?”
“They are, but he’ll be in intensive care for a few days.” Hudson set the bag of food on Melody’s desk. “They’re grateful that he’s going to pull through, but they know it won’t be easy. Tiff’s mom will stay with her for a while. That’ll help.”
Melody nodded. “You were a big help to them today.”
“I did what had to be done. Carter and I have known each other for a long time. I helped him get a job with Conrick Industries after we graduated from college.”
“He’s blessed to have a friend like you.” She opened the bag and peered inside. “What did you bring me?”
Hudson tried to digest the compliment from Melody. “I’m doubly blessed to have a friend like him. I brought you a turkey on wheat with tomato, lettuce and provolone cheese, just like you requested.”
Opening the container, Melody sat behind her desk while Hudson sat on the chair on the other side. “You want to give thanks?”
Hudson nodded and bowed his head. He thanked God for Carter’s good prognosis and prayed for his recovery, then gave thanks for the food and asked a blessing on their meeting. When he said amen, he looked up to find Melody blinking back tears. He frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Your prayer touched me. It’s been an emotional morning for me.” She tried to smile while she wiped at her eyes. “This whole thing with Carter reminded me of losing my fiancé, Christopher, and losing my brother and dad. I’m so glad Carter’s going to be okay.”
“I don’t want you to be sad.” He reached across the desk and touched her arm. “I know it must have been hard to lose your fiancé in such a horrific manner. The wars in that area of the world have brought sorrow to the military and civilians alike. I appreciate your sharing with me. Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes.” She tried to smile but wound up pressing her lips together obviously trying to ward off more tears. “It’s been hard to talk about Christopher, but things get better every year. Thoughts of him still pop into my mind unexpectedly. Carter’s accident was a trigger for those sad memories.” She picked up her sandwich and took a bite as if to signal the end of the conversation.
For a few moments they ate in silence while Hudson let her admission roll through his mind. He didn’t want to press her for details. This was the first time she’d ever mentioned Christopher in his presence. Was it a good sign that she could talk about the loss of the man she had loved? Melody’s reference to this tragedy made Hudson see more clearly her reasons for not wanting to date him.
Maybe he did take chances when he raced cars or jumped from planes, but he wasn’t ready to give up those things. Wasn’t life itself one big chance? A person never knew what the day would hold.
He wished he could convince Melody that her worries were unfounded. He wasn’t going into a war zone when he participated in the activities he enjoyed. Could he insinuate himself into her life until those things didn’t matter to her anymore? He didn’t want to cause her more hurt, so talking about something else was the wise thing to do.
“How’d your meeting go?” Hudson took a bite of his sandwich as he listened to Melody talk about her work. Her enthusiasm touched him deep inside. Everything about her touched him. While they ate, they also talked about the Valentine banquet and discovered that Ian had them working together in the kitchen. Hudson wondered whether she recognized the matchmaking efforts behind their assignments.
Their food gone, Melody brought up the information about road rallies on her computer. “I’ve read this, and I agree that it sounds like a good idea. Who will determine the route and the time?”
Hudson pointed first to her and then at himself. “We will.”
“Us?” Melody’s mouth formed a grim line.
“Yes. Adam gave me the go-ahead to help you plan this.”
A flicker of annoyance crossed Melody’s face. “I wish Adam had consulted me, too. How do we do this?”
“We plan out the route, then we drive it and generate the clues and instructions. After we’ve determined that, we drive it again and time ourselves. That’ll be the official time that someone has to match or come closest to in order to win. We’ll also have prizes for gathering certain items along the route—all donated, of course.”
“Are you going to solicit them?”
Hudson nodded. “I will.”
“Great. When do you plan to drive the route?”
Hudson took a deep breath. “When we have a day off. Maybe this coming Saturday.”
She leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed, but she didn’t look happy. “There’s no racing involved, correct?”
“Correct. We’ll drive the speed limit. Variables will be traffic lights and the time it takes each team to interpret the clues, collect any items listed and perform any requested tasks.” Hudson raised his eyebrows as he looked at her. “So is this Saturday good?”
“I guess it’ll have to be.” She let out a long sigh. “When will we hold the event?”
“Sometime in late March or early April. We should allow enough time to get the word out and have people sign up.”
“We need to run the dates by Adam, so he can coordinate the calendar and get it in the newsletter and out to area churches and civic groups.”
“That sounds like a good strategy.” He wasn’t going to make a comment on her less-than-enthusiastic acceptance of the plan. He would be thankful that she had agreed. This was as close to a date as he could get without actually asking her to go out with him. Would this time together do anything to cut through the barrier she’d erected to shut him out and put to rest any of his own doubts?
* * *
Ferraris sat in Melody’s driveway. The car and the man. She stared out the window as Hudson came up her front walk. She was going to spend the day with him in the close confines of that car. Could her resolve not to let him into her heart survive this scenario?
As soon as Hudson stepped onto her porch, she opened the door. “I’m ready. Got my map and a notebook.”
“Let’s get started.”
He opened the passenger door for her and, as she slid onto the seat, the feel and the smell of leather reminded her of their date. Sitting in this fancy vehicle with its low-slung bucket seats made her heart race. He said they would travel at the speed limit. She clung to that promise.
Hudson folded his lanky frame into the driver’s seat. She buckled her seat belt, almost expecting the car to launch itself from the driveway. When the engine thundered, her heart did, too. She shouldn’t be afraid to live a little.
He looked her way as he pulled out of her neighborhood onto the main road. “Since we’ve got the route highlighted on your map, we need to notice landmarks, parks or places of interest where we can ask the participants to collect an item or take a photo of something to bring back. We also want to give some of the route instructions in clue form.”
Melody wrinkled her brow. “Are you good at that kind of thing?”
He laughed. “You have to ask?”
She held up her hands in surrender. “The job’s yours.”
“Of course, I need your final approval.”
“Of course.” She couldn’t hold back her laughter. “I doubt there are too many times when you have to ask for that.”
“Then, you’ve never met my dad.” Hudson shook his head. “I call him the lovable tyrant. I do love him even though he insists on having his way.”
Melody wondered about their relationship. Judging from these comments, it sounded somewhat troubled. “Thankfully, we don’t need to get his okay.”
Hudson let out a belly laugh. “I think he’d like you.”
Melody wasn’t sure what to make of that statement as a follow-up to his previous one. “I hope so, if I ever meet him.”
“There’s no doubt you would charm him.”
“Thank you. I guess.”
“I mean it.” Hudson gave her a quick look before focusing on the road. “Let’s concentrate on the task at hand. I’ve contacted some local businesses on the route, and they’re willing to provide clues.”
“Wonderful!”
Hudson turned onto a less-traveled road running through a wooded area. “I talked with Jordan Montgomery earlier this week. He said we could use their church parking lot for our starting and ending point. We should limit the entries to one hundred cars. What do you think?”
Melody took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Jordan said the church is willing to provide a meal at the end of the rally.”
She looked over at him with a smile. “You’ve been busy. When did you have time to do this and your other work, too?”
He shrugged. “What can I say? I’m amazing.”
Melody was beginning to think he was. How long could she continue to hold him at arm’s length? The question bombarded her mind more and more frequently. “Since you’re so amazing, have you come up with some fabulous prizes?”
“Of course. When you’re as amazing as I am, what can you expect?”
“Okay, amazing man, tell me what you’ve got.” Melody knew he was joking, but every time he said it she found herself thinking that very thing.
She couldn’t deny that he was a remarkable man. The work on the women’s shelter was humming right along despite Carter’s absence. Hudson charmed the older ladies at the senior center whenever he ate lunch there. Even though the thought of it curdled her stomach, she had to smile when he told them he’d take them on a tandem jump when the weather got warmer. Melody could almost see some of them taking him up on the offer.
“I don’t remember everything. Lots of gift certificates. The big one is a free tandem jump from the place where I work as a part-time instructor.”
“You mean as in skydiving?” Melody couldn’t keep the frown out of her voice. “Not everyone thinks that’s a fabulous prize.”
“I know, so I got some for the less adventuresome folks. How about a day at a spa?”
“Now, that sounds like something I’d like to win.”
“I figured as much.” He flashed a grin. “Don’t worry. There are prizes to suit every age and every taste.”
“How will you determine who gets what prize?”
“We’ll have a big board at the end of the rally, and the winners of different categories will get to choose what they want. So it’s not as if the big winner will be stuck with something they don’t like or can’t use.”
“I’ll need a list of the prizes to put in the advertising.”
“I’ll have it to you Monday.”
“Good.” Melody tried to relax. Did she dare? She feared letting down her guard in any way would lead to liking this man too much. She couldn’t take a chance on a guy who liked to take chances. But she wouldn’t think about that today. Her thoughts would center on the road rally and the fund-raising that went with it.
“You got your notebook ready?”
“Writing utensil.” She held up her pen, then her notebook. “Paper.”
During the morning, they worked out a seventy-mile course that would take the participants through several small towns and the wooded countryside south of Atlanta. Hudson took them down roads that Melody had never traveled, much less heard of. Some of the unusual names lent themselves to excellent clues for folks to decipher. Along the way they talked with several merchants about the rally and got donations. They found landmarks and historic markers to put on the list for photos.
After they finished planning, they stopped for a quick lunch. While they ate they wrote out a set of instructions. Finally, they returned to the church parking lot and drove the route again. This time Melody kept the timer as they went through the instructions, which included having someone take their picture in front of several landmarks. Melody couldn’t help thinking they made a good team.
Returning to the parking lot, Hudson pulled to a stop, then turned to her. “So what’s our time?”
“Three hours and forty-one minutes.” The quantity of time she’d spent with this thrill-seeking man gave her pause because it had been one of the most enjoyable days she’d had lately. In fact, if she looked back over the weeks since she’d first gone out with Hudson, she had to admit that he’d brightened her life. She shoved that thought away as she looked at him. “Is that the official time?”
He nodded. “Record it somewhere, so we can make it official.”
“Okay.” Melody logged the time into her notes. “I’ll give Adam a full report, so he’ll have the certified time to announce after everyone has completed the course.”
“Good. We’re set.” He smiled. “Thanks for your help. Today’s been a productive day, and I enjoyed your company.”
And I enjoyed yours. The words sat on the tip of her tongue, but she wouldn’t say them. She wouldn’t give him the idea that they could have some kind of relationship. Her conflicting emotions about Hudson were tying her in knots. “I should be thanking you. After all, you’re helping The Village in so many ways.”
“No thanks needed. Promoting the work you do has been good for me and made me realize I’ve been thinking too much about myself.”
“It’s a common malady. I often have the same problem.”
“You? I’d never have guessed.”
Melody knew her thoughts about Hudson were self-centered. If she let go of them, would she find too much to like about him, even more than she had today? She wasn’t ready to admit she was wrong in ignoring her growing attraction to this man. “Thanks again for the help. I guess we should call it a day.”
Hudson put his car in gear and drove out of the parking lot. “I’ve got one more place I want to stop for a donation, and I thought we’d catch a bite to eat there if you don’t have plans.”
Putting a smile in place, Melody glanced at him. Why was he always making these invitations that bordered on asking her out, but were never actually dates? “I don’t have plans, so that sounds good.”
“Great. Have you ever eaten at McGurdy’s Pizza?”
Melody chuckled. “More times than I can count. It seems to be the choice for everyone at The Village. Dine in and carryout.”
“That should bode well for my donation request.”
As the sun danced on the treetops, Hudson pulled his car into the parking lot at McGurdy’s. The place was crowded on a Saturday evening, but he managed to snag a spot at the back of the lot. Lively conversation and the smell of spices, garlic and baking bread greeted them as they entered. Melody thought they’d have to wait for a table, but the hostess appeared and led them to a booth that the busboy was clearing.
She slid into the booth and wondered what she should talk about while they ate. Surely he didn’t want to discuss the fund-raiser after they’d spent the whole day doing that. She certainly didn’t want to discuss his skydiving or car racing. “Should we order the same pizza I ordered when you twisted your ankle?”
“That came from here?”
“You didn’t recognize it?”
“I was a little out of it that night.”
Hudson chuckled. “Maybe just a little.”
“Did I thank you for being so kind?”
“You did. You don’t remember?”
Melody shrugged. “You know, I was so sleepy. I kept drifting in and out of dreams. I wasn’t sure what was reality.”
“So you were dreaming about me?”
Melody hoped the dim light in the restaurant would camouflage the heated blush that crept up her cheeks. Why had she even mentioned that night? She couldn’t lie. How could she get around his question? He didn’t have a clue that she’d been dreaming about kissing him, so why was she getting all worked up about it? “Yeah, I guess I was.”
“A good one, I hope.”
“Definitely. You were my hero that day.”
He gave her a thoughtful smile. “Thanks for saying that. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” Melody hoped the whole conversation could end on that positive note.
Her wish came true as the waitress appeared.
After they ordered, Hudson leaned back in the booth as he looked at her. “The work on the women’s shelter is moving right along. I have a couple of guys who stepped in to take over Carter’s role. He’s doing well, too, and that’s good news.”
“It is.” Melody realized she’d been so wrapped up with her work and worries that she hadn’t followed up with Carter and his family. That would have to change.
“While we’re waiting on the pizza, I’m going to talk to the manager about that donation for a road-rally prize.” Hudson stepped out of the booth and strode down the aisle.
Melody wondered what the rest of the evening would bring. Did she dare find out more about Hudson beyond his childhood dance lessons and the less-than-perfect relationship with his father?
“We’ve got another donation,” Hudson announced, sliding back into the booth.
“Wonderful. I know lots of people who love the food here, so that’ll be a good prize.” Now, what was a safe topic of conversation? If she asked about his time in the Middle East, it would dredge up memories of Christopher. She didn’t want to start crying like the day of Carter’s accident.
“I forgot to tell you that I asked my dad about the window in the chapel. He confirmed that Maisy Conrick was my great-grandfather’s sister, who died when she was only twenty from diphtheria.”
“That’s so sad. Do you know a lot about your family history?”
Hudson laughed halfheartedly. “I know too much—most of it related to Conrick Industries. My dad never fails to inform me that a Conrick son has always taken over the family business.”
Melody gazed at Hudson as a muscle worked in his jaw. “Are you saying your father wants you to run Conrick Industries and you don’t want to do it?”
Hudson’s mouth curved in a lopsided smile. “That about sums it up.”
Did she dare ask him why he didn’t want to take over from his father? Was it any of her business? Maybe Hudson saw running the company as a lot of work that he didn’t want to tackle, but that thought didn’t square with the man she’d come to know. He’d had no trouble working double duty since Carter’s accident. Besides the work on the women’s shelter, he also had volunteered to take on this road rally. He didn’t try to get out of work. He undertook more. “May I ask why you don’t want to run the family business?”
That muscle worked in Hudson’s jaw as he stared at her. Before he could answer, the pizza arrived. He gave thanks, then helped himself to a slice. The unanswered question hung there like an overripe piece of fruit on a low-hanging branch—so tempting to pick but not necessarily the right thing to do.
They ate in silence for several moments, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Melody hoped her question hadn’t ruined the evening.
Hudson put his half-eaten slice on his plate and took a big gulp of his drink. Setting the glass down, he looked at her. “Do you actually want to know why I don’t want to take over the company?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”
Hudson let out a heavy sigh. “Here’s the deal. When I was in the army, I didn’t know whether I’d live to see another day. I realized I’d never figured out who I am or what I wanted. I’d always done what someone told me to do. Take this class. Go to this school or this church. I’d look in the mirror and wonder who the guy was staring back at me. What did he want? Did he know how to make a decision on his own, or did he always have someone telling him what to do? I didn’t want to live that way anymore, but when I got out of the army, my dad immediately shipped me off to work for the company overseas. He didn’t ask me whether I wanted to do it. He just told me. I promised myself when I got back that I would finally take charge of my life and quit letting my father rule me.”
Melody couldn’t miss the determination in his eyes or the disapproval in his voice. She couldn’t imagine not being able to make her own choices. “Have you told him this?”
“I’ve let him know I don’t want to run the company. My sister Elizabeth wants the job, and I don’t understand why he won’t give it to her.”
“Have you ever thought about taking the job and then handing it over to her?”
A slow smile brightened his features as he shrugged. “I’ve been so consumed with not wanting it that I never thought of that. It’s something I’ll consider discussing with my sister.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
“And I could kiss you, but I won’t because that might be treading on territory I promised I wouldn’t enter.”
The thought of kissing Hudson sent little prickles up her spine. “And you wouldn’t want to do that.”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t want to do it, but I make a habit of keeping my promises.”
“That’s something I’ll remember.” The promise she’d made to herself lingered at the back of her mind, but Hudson was slowly shredding it with his kindness and humor as he shared snippets of his life.
He raised his eyebrows and gave her a mischievous grin as if he knew her thoughts. “You know if you ever want to change the way things stand, you only have to tell me.”
“I’ll remember that, too.” How could she forget? Did he sense with every passing day that he was tearing down her resistance?
“Good.” He finished eating his pizza and didn’t mention his promise again.
On the drive home, Hudson mentioned his plans to visit Carter after church. Melody wondered whether asking to go with him would constitute changing the way things stood between them. She wasn’t ready to do that. Arriving at her house, Melody unlocked her door. “I’ll see you tomorrow at church.”
Hudson nodded. “Sweet dreams.”
“Good night.” Melody wondered whether he was referring to her admission that she’d dreamed about him. Trying to shake that question away, she watched him walk to his car, his stride confident. She’d failed to keep the promise she’d made to herself not to let this man into her heart. He’d found a place there. Now what was she going to do about it?