The sight of the red Ferrari parked in front of Ian and Annie’s house jumbled Melody’s insides. There was only one person that car could belong to. How had she guessed that Hudson was a Ferrari? She should have known he’d be in the mix when Annie had invited her over for a Super Bowl party, something she wasn’t that excited about.
A little get-together with a few friends. Were Ian and Annie trying to act as matchmakers?
Melody wondered how she should deal with Hudson. Why was he pursuing a poor girl from rural Georgia? Maybe she was a challenge he couldn’t resist. If she fell all over him, would he turn and run the other way as fast as he could? If she put that plan into action and it didn’t work, she could be in big trouble.
Even though he’d told her that he wasn’t going to ask her for another date, his presence always put her on edge. He seemed to be around every corner on The Village campus—at the construction site, the administration building or at the cafeteria. His appeal had her running scared. She’d even considered packing her lunch and eating in her office, but she refused to let any man intimidate her into hiding.
She couldn’t forget that in their interactions he’d been masquerading as a sedan with his down-home stories and good-old-boy persona, but in truth he was a sports car. There was only one thing she could do. She had to manufacture a smile and make the best of the evening. It couldn’t be all bad with other people to act as a buffer between Hudson and her.
Melody took a deep breath as she made her way to the front door. She was thankful to have hung up her crutches a few days ago. Although she could feel a twinge of pain once in a while and she had to wear flats instead of heels, her ankle was nearly as good as new. Every time she felt a small ache, she thought of Hudson and the way he’d insisted on helping her that day. She didn’t want to think nice things about him because they undermined her resistance.
She rang the doorbell. Annie opened the door. “Melody, come in.” Annie leaned a little closer. “Hudson’s here.”
“Yeah, I figured that when I saw the Ferrari. Not too many of our acquaintances own one of those.”
Annie laughed as she hung Melody’s jacket in the coat closet. “Everyone’s in the den. While we’re waiting for the game to start, Hudson’s entertaining us with some video.”
Melody’s nervousness increased but she tried to pretend he was any other guy, not someone who put her heart on a racetrack like one of his cars. She had to be friendly, but not too friendly. Walking a tightrope of emotions wouldn’t make for a great evening.
When Melody entered the room, everyone was gathered around Hudson. Just as Annie had said, they were looking at something on the tablet he was holding. As she watched him, her heart bumped against her rib cage. If it could be possible, he was more handsome in a pair of blue jeans and a blue-and-white-plaid shirt than he was in a tuxedo or even the khakis and dress shirts he wore when he came to the campus.
“Hey, everyone, Melody’s here.” Annie propelled Melody toward the group.
Hudson looked up from the iPad. His intense scrutiny sent her heart into overdrive. She could handle this. No need to let his presence tie her in knots.
Melody smiled as she raised her hand halfway and gave a little wave. “What are y’all looking at?”
Kirsten pulled her into the group. “You’ve got to see this. Hudson skydives. So cool.”
Melody tried to smile at Kirsten, who obviously had no idea that Melody wasn’t excited about Hudson’s skydiving or even the fact that he was here. “I’m not a fan.”
Brady came up and put his arm around his fiancée’s shoulders as he looked at Melody. “You’d think Kirsten would say the same thing since she’s the woman who doesn’t like to ride on cable cars dangling above the ground, but here she is saying how cool skydiving is.”
Kirsten gave him an irritated look. “I’ve never known anyone who has actually jumped from a plane. I didn’t say I was going to skydive. Hot-air balloon rides are as adventuresome as I want to get.”
“I’m not sure I’d even like a balloon ride.” Melody grimaced.
“Maybe you should see for yourself what we’re talking about.” Hudson grinned as he held out the iPad. “Take a look.”
“Okay.” Melody figured everyone would think she was unsociable if she didn’t. She watched the video of Hudson jumping out of a plane, his parachute opening in a colorful display. After soaring over the forested hills in the Atlanta area, he made a pinpoint landing in an open field. She wanted to ask how he did it, but she decided not to engage him in conversation. He had enough attention from the others. Was she the only one who found the idea completely horrifying?
Closing the cover on the tablet, Hudson looked at her. “So was it as bad as you thought?”
Melody raised her eyebrows. “You really don’t want me to answer that question.”
Hudson pressed his lips together in a grim line. “So I didn’t change your mind?”
“I’d rather not talk about it. The thought of it turns my stomach.” Melody tried to smile to take the edge off her statement. “Let’s discuss something else.”
“Sure.” He gave her a pointed look. “Did my mother call you about talking to her ladies’ group?”
“She did, and she’s set up a luncheon at her home.” Melody stared back, wondering why Hudson was so interested in her project beyond the construction. Was he still trying to win the brownie points he’d joked about the day she’d sprained her ankle? She shouldn’t doubt his sincerity. Was her attitude the result of fear—fear of letting this handsome, danger-loving man get too close?
“I’m sure that made her happy. She loves those kinds of events.”
“Thanks for mentioning The Village to her. I always appreciate an opportunity to share the work we do.” Melody hoped she sounded sincere. She really did love sharing the ministry, though standing up in front of a group of wealthy women wasn’t something she was looking forward to. It was her least favorite part of the job.
“I have another fund-raising idea that I mentioned to Ian this evening. He seemed to like it, so I thought I’d run it by you.” Hudson picked up the tablet from the end table and scrolled through the screen as he studied it. He held up the device for her to take a look. “Have you ever heard of a road-rally fund-raiser?”
Melody shook her head as she looked at the screen. “What is it?”
“Folks pay a fee to drive their cars along a predetermined route with clues that guide them to the end point. The team car coming closest to the course time set by the sponsors wins a prize. It’s something an individual or a whole family can do.” Hudson handed her the tablet. “You can read about it more in depth here.”
Melody took it, her heart pounding at the thought of racing cars. How could that be a family event? She tried to focus on the screen, but the words swam before her eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as the words became clear. As she read, her fears began to subside.
Melody stared up at him, but before she could respond, Travis Hoffman, Kirsten Bailey’s friend who had recently moved to Atlanta, approached.
“Melody, I wanted to congratulate you on the great fund-raiser.” Travis smiled.
“Thanks, Travis.” Why didn’t he interest her? He fit the sedan model. Maybe that was the problem. Her head said “sedan,” but her heart told her to go for the sports car. “Have you met Hudson?”
“Yes, we were talking about cars before you arrived.” Travis motioned toward the front of the house. “I admit to being envious of his vehicle out there.”
“We should find a time to do some racing.” Hudson nodded. “If I set something up, would you participate?”
“Sure. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Oh, great! Hudson was going to get all these guys racing cars, even Travis, who didn’t seem the type.
“Has Hudson told you about his road-rally idea?”
Travis shook his head as he looked over at Hudson. “I did one of those when I was in college for our fraternity. Are you doing one to raise money for The Village?”
“That’s the thought.” Hudson pointed to the tablet. “I was showing Melody what they’re all about.”
“That would be fun,” Travis said.
“What do you think, Melody?” Hudson asked. “I’d help you set it up.”
Melody tried to smile. That would mean another meeting with Hudson. Was he doing this on purpose? He wouldn’t ask her for another date, but he would find every opportunity to be in each other’s company. “I’ll think about.”
“Talk to Ian.” Hudson nodded toward the other side of the room. “He’s on board.”
“I will.” Melody wanted to get away. Could she escape now that Travis was here? “I’ll see if Annie needs help in the kitchen and let you guys talk about cars or football or whatever.”
“Yeah, the game will be starting soon. You don’t want to miss the kickoff.” Hudson’s expression told Melody that he knew she was running away, but he didn’t try to stop her. As she hurried across the room, she could hear the guys start their plans for a race. Maybe she should cut Hudson some slack. After all, Travis seemed interested in cars, too.
Did all men like to live on the edge or just certain men? Christopher hadn’t been one to live like that. He’d only wanted to help people in need. Why had God allowed Christopher to die? She didn’t have the answer. She had to quit thinking about it or the negativity would ruin her evening.
Melody found Annie working in the kitchen. “Need some help?”
Her friend lifted a lid and stirred something in a big pot. “You should be spending time with Hudson.”
“Was it your idea to invite him?”
“I don’t remember. Ian and I made the guest list together.” Annie shrugged and stirred some more. “Why?”
Melody frowned. “So I can tell you to stop pushing us together.”
“What do you have against him?”
Melody let the question rattle around in her mind. Could she explain her reservations? The man had endeared himself to everyone here and at The Village. “Nothing. He’s not my type.”
“What’s not to like about a handsome rich guy?”
Melody shrugged. “Do we have to discuss him?”
Annie raised her eyebrows as she gave Melody a skeptical look. “So he really is your type. You just don’t want to admit it.”
Melody huffed. “There’s nothing to admit. You’re trying to make something out of nothing.”
“I remember when you were giving me advice about Ian, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to listen—”
“But that was different. You and Ian had a history. I’ve only known Hudson for a few weeks, and we don’t have much in common.”
“Kirsten told me that was how Brady felt when they met. Look at what happened with them.”
Melody pressed her lips together as she contemplated an argument to refute Annie’s reasoning. “You don’t understand.”
“Then, explain it.” Annie opened the oven and extracted a casserole dish and set it on a trivet.
“Another time. Is that your delicious buffalo chicken dip?”
“Well, it’s Ian’s mom’s recipe.” Annie chuckled. “She supplied me with most of the instructions for tonight’s dishes.”
“Can I help you serve the food?”
“You can, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get out of telling me why you’re not interested in Hudson.” Annie took off the oven mitts and laid them on the counter.
“I can try.”
“But you won’t succeed.” Annie grinned as she handed Melody a bag of chips and a jar of salsa. “You can replenish the snacks in the den. I’m going to put some of the stuff on the breakfast bar and leave the rest in here.”
Welcoming the diversion, Melody hurried to replenish the bowls on the coffee table. She glanced up at the TV. The game was already in progress. Folks had found seats on the sofa, on chairs or on the floor. She surveyed the room and spied Hudson standing near the breakfast bar, where Annie was putting more food.
He motioned to the empty bar stool next to him. “You can sit here, and I’ll keep you company.”
Waving the empty chip bag in the air, she made a move toward the kitchen. “I have to throw this away and put away the salsa jar.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be waiting for you to come back. We should discuss the road rally.”
“I thought you were here to watch the game.”
“I am, but I can do both.” He gave her a wry smile.
Melody couldn’t think of a good reason not to accept his invitation. Despite her earlier skepticism about the event, the idea had merit. “Okay.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” He turned his attention to the game.
How long could she hide out in the kitchen? Melody shook the question away. She had to learn to live with Hudson’s presence. She’d already told herself that, but she wasn’t doing a very good job. His kindness made her vulnerable to him.
When she returned, the game was still scoreless. People all around her cheered or moaned depending on how their chosen team was doing. Melody perched on the stool next to the one Hudson occupied.
“Welcome back.”
Melody frowned. “I wasn’t gone that long.”
“Seemed like it.”
Melody stared at him. What did he mean by that statement? She wasn’t going to ask. She turned her attention to the game.
“Is your ankle still doing okay?”
Melody looked down at her foot. “Yeah. Didn’t you ask me that this morning at church?”
He gave her a little smirk. “I did, but I’ll keep asking until I see you wearing those heels again.”
Melody held out her legs. “I hardly think I should be wearing heels with jeans.”
“I’ve seen it done, and I had no idea you weren’t a jeans-and-heels woman.” He tapped the side of his head. “I’ll sock that information away for future reference.”
“And why would you need to do that?”
“Because I’m learning all about you. I like to know as much about the people I work with as I can. It makes for good business.”
“I suppose it does.” Melody stared at him. Was he playing games with her, making her wonder whether his references were really about business? Annoyed with herself for even entertaining the idea that it might not be, she turned her attention to the game.
“Do you have a team?”
“No.”
“Me, neither. I’d just like to see a good game.” He gave her a sideways glance. “Are you one of those women who is only interested in the commercials?”
Melody shrugged. “I’m not that interested in this because Atlanta isn’t playing. My brothers played football in high school, so I know a little about the game. And of course, I always cheered for the Dawgs when I was at Georgia.”
“And I always cheered for the Gators.”
Melody raised her eyebrows. “You went to the University of Florida?”
“I did.”
“Did you play football?”
“And hurt this pretty face?” Hudson waved a hand in front of himself.
Melody laughed. “A guy who jumps out of planes and races cars is afraid of hurting his face?”
Hudson joined her laughter. “Just kidding. I was a slow bloomer. I was a puny kid growing up—all the way through high school. That’s why I was taking dance lessons instead of playing football or basketball. I ran track so the guys chasing me weren’t going to tackle me. For years my sisters were not only older than me but bigger than me, too. I finally had a growth spurt in college. I was excited to nearly top out at six feet.”
A big roar filled the room, and several people jumped out of their seats, arms raised. One of the teams had scored, and Melody realized neither she nor Hudson had been paying attention. They’d been lost in their own conversation—a conversation she’d been enjoying too much for her own good. “Guess we’d better start watching the game.”
“I was having more fun talking with you.”
As a commercial played, a collective chuckle rolled through the room. Thankful for the distraction, Melody ignored Hudson’s statement. She didn’t want to make anything more of it than she should. She needed to get away before his banter sucked her in more than it already had. She slid off the stool and looked at him. “I’m going to load up a plate with bad-for-me food and mingle a little.”
“So does that mean we won’t be able to discuss the road rally?”
“We should leave that for another time.”
“Tomorrow morning?”
Melody didn’t relish the prospect, but she couldn’t pass up anything that would raise money for The Village. “Sure. Stop by my office when you get to campus.”
“I’ll be there at eight.”
During the rest of the game, Melody managed to keep her distance from Hudson, but from time to time she glanced in his direction and found him looking at her without a hint of apology. He didn’t seem to mind that he’d been caught staring. She didn’t want to think about him, but he seemed to find his way into her vision even when she wasn’t looking his way.
She couldn’t help thinking about him helping with the senior center Valentine’s Day party. It was held the day before, and Melanie wondered if Hudson would have special plans for the actual holiday. Was there a rich debutante waiting in the wings for him? Why did that thought bother her? Her conflicting emotions about him left her unsettled. Why did she have to be attracted to a man who lived to do dangerous things? She couldn’t deny the pull, but she intended to fight it.
But it was no use. By the time the evening was over, she had a throbbing headache from thinking about Hudson Conrick and her increasing feelings for him. He was just another man who liked to live on the edge. Even her dad, who’d flown cargo planes, had lived that way, refusing to listen to those who had advised him not to fly because of bad weather. He’d rolled the dice and died at the age of thirty-eight, leaving behind a young widow and four children. She didn’t want to have an interest in a man who gambled with life...no matter how appealing.
* * *
The next morning Melody sat in her office while she waited for Hudson’s promised visit. She tried to tell herself that she wasn’t looking forward to their meeting or that she hadn’t taken special care with her clothes, hair and makeup this morning. As the minute hand on the wall clock ticked toward eight thirty, Melody started to worry. Hudson was always prompt. Why was he late? Had he forgotten?
She picked up her phone from the desk and stared at it. Should she call him? With a deep sigh, she put the phone down. No. She would go on with her morning as planned. She turned to her computer screen and began to type reports.
When her phone rang, she grabbed it. Her heart pounded as she stared at the screen. Hudson. “Hey, is everything all right?”
“No. Got a real problem. Carter’s been in a bad accident. I’m here at the hospital.”
Melody’s heart jumped into her throat. “How is he?”
“Don’t know for sure. Docs are working on him now.”
“Oh, Hudson, I’m so sorry. Is there anything I or anyone can do?”
“Yeah. His wife is here with her two toddlers, and they’re a handful. Do you suppose you could come get them and take them over to their sitter’s house?”
“I don’t have car seats.”
There was a momentary silence, and Melody wondered what was happening.
“Melody?” Hudson’s voice sounded over the phone. “That’s okay. You can use Tiffany’s car after you get here.”
“Are you at the local hospital?”
“Yeah.”
“Where will I find you?”
“I’ll meet you at the emergency entrance.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Thanks.”
Melody poked her head into Adam’s office and let him know what had happened. Then she raced to her car. While she drove, she couldn’t help reliving the day her brother had been taken to the hospital after his accident. Why did bad things happen to good people? Melody’s pulse pounded in her head as she turned onto the main road.
During the trip, she prayed for Carter and tried to calm her own nerves. She wouldn’t help anyone if she was in a panic. After she parked her car, she sprinted to the emergency entrance. She slowed her pace when she felt a twinge in her ankle. As she drew nearer, she spied Hudson standing just inside the sliding glass doors.
When she was only a foot away, he stepped outside. “Thanks for coming.”
“Do you know anything more?”
He shook his head. “We won’t know anything until they bring him out of surgery. Come this way, and I’ll introduce you to Tiffany and the kids.”
Melody had no idea how she could comfort Carter’s wife. She wanted to give reassurances, but she’d been through this with her brother and her dad. All the reassurances in the world hadn’t saved them. And she’d never had the chance to hope for a good outcome for Christopher.
She took a deep breath as she followed Hudson into a room in the emergency wing. A pretty redhead with a stricken look on her face bounced a little girl on her lap. A riot of red curls surrounded the child’s chubby face. A little boy with big brown eyes and medium brown hair clung to her arm.
“Tiff, I want you to meet my friend Melody Hammond. She’s going to take the kids over to the sitter’s house.”
A tear trickled down Tiffany’s cheek. She sniffled. “Thank you. Sharon, the lady who watches them when I’m at work, is expecting you.”
Melody wanted to reach out to Tiffany but felt inadequate. Every day she dealt with tragic situations in the lives of the women she helped, but these kinds of events nearly froze Melody’s mind. They only created a flood of bad memories, but thinking about herself didn’t help anyone.
“Would you like me to pray for Carter?” Melody asked, hoping it was the right thing to say.
Tiffany nodded, and Melody prayed for Carter and the doctors. She silently begged God to spare the life of this young father whose wife and children needed him. Would God answer in the affirmative? She had to believe He would. After she finished praying, she hunkered down beside the chair. “Who do you have here?”
Tiffany sniffled, but smiled. “This is Aubrey, and over here is Carter, Jr., but we call him CJ.”
“Will she come to me?” Melody reached out.
Nodding, Tiffany held the little girl out to Melody. She took the child in her arms and stood. Melody breathed a sigh of relief when the little girl didn’t make a fuss. “Hi, Aubrey. Would you like to visit with Ms. Sharon this morning?”
The little girl nodded and smiled shyly at Melody. Her heart melted as the child snuggled close. She hadn’t thought about having children since Christopher had died. She swallowed hard as a powerful longing inundated her. She shoved the thought from her mind. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about herself.
Hudson scooped CJ up in his arms. “You ready to go with Uncle Hudson?”
CJ giggled as Hudson bounced the boy in his arms.
Melody looked over at Hudson. “You’re going with me?”
Hudson nodded. “At least to the car. You can’t manage two kids and this mammoth diaper bag all by yourself, can you?”
Melody wasn’t going to argue with him. “I suppose not.”
Hudson grabbed the bag, then turned to Tiffany. “Be back in a few minutes.”
Melody followed him as he trotted to the car. He helped her put the kids into their car seats and placed the diaper bag in the front. He handed her the keys and the directions to the babysitter’s house as she got into the car.
The whole scene screamed of family.
Hudson. Her. Kids.
She pushed that thought away. There were so many reasons she couldn’t go there. Pretty soon her mind would be a blank if she kept banishing her thoughts.
Hudson stood for a moment by the open door. “I’ll call you if I learn something new before you get back. Thanks for your help.”
Nodding, she started the car and Hudson closed the door. He stood there and watched as she drove away. His caring heart for the man who worked for him brought a lump to Melody’s throat. It would be so easy to care about him.
A few minutes later Melody delivered the children to their caregiver. With the kids safely in Sharon’s care, she made her way back to the hospital. Please, Lord, spare Carter’s life. She repeated the prayer over and over as she drove.
While Melody walked through the parking lot to the emergency room, she could see Hudson on the phone and Tiffany in a nearby chair. As Melody stepped through the door, Hudson ended his call and came her way. “Carter’s still in surgery.”
Melody looked Tiffany’s way. Worry still clouded the other woman’s features. “How’s she holding up?”
“As good as can be expected. She’s talked to her parents and Carter’s parents. They’re on their way to the hospital from Dalton, where they all live. No matter what happens, I plan to stay until they get here.” Hudson looked as though he wanted to say something else, but he remained silent as he stared at her.
“That’s good. I’m sure she’ll appreciate your support.” Melody looked toward the parking lot. “I have to get back because I have a meeting with some of my ladies in a half hour.”
“Sure. I can’t expect you to stay. Thanks for coming and helping out.” A muscle worked in his jaw. “I’ll call with any news.”
“Thanks. I’ll be praying.” Melody said her goodbyes to Tiffany, giving her a hug.
On the drive back to The Village, Melody continued to pray. The situation had stirred up a lot of emotions for her. She couldn’t shake the hurt in her heart. She prayed that Tiffany wouldn’t have to deal with the loss of her husband. These circumstances made Melody more determined to keep Hudson at a distance, even though his goodness invited her to let him into her life.