I pull into my driveway after sneaking out a back door of the resort instead of going through the lobby. I don’t need to be back on Buzz Wheel’s radar.
Harper is still at Palmer’s when I drive up to my house. I knock, and Harper already has her coat on when she answers the back door.
“Hey, Romeo,” she says with a grin. “Give me five.” She raises her hand.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, not returning the high five.
“You’re not fun.” She lowers her hand. “You think you can keep something from me? I know the two of you were getting all hot and heavy while I was watching your kid.”
Fuck, no way did Palmer tell her, but then again, Harper, along with Linus, are the cousins Palmer is closest to. It could be a good sign or a bad sign that she sought out advice from Harper. Who knows what she told her?
“Don’t get upset. Linus called me last night. You were missing your white horse, but kudos, buddy. I love the fact that you busted in there and broke up their date.”
I feel my cheeks redden. I owe Matt an apology for what I did. All this time, I told him I was cool with it, then their first real date, I break it up and end up sleeping with Palmer. “Did you talk to her about it?”
Harper can’t lie. She gives away so much with her face, so I really hope no one asks her point-blank if Palmer and I are sleeping together. She glances at her car in Palmer’s driveway. “I have to go. Adley’s having her nap, and the monitor is on.” Then she walks toward her car.
“Harper?”
She rocks her head back and turns around with an exaggerated movement as if I’m nagging her, and she’s a sixteen-year-old. “Whhhaaaattt?”
God help me when Adley’s a teenager.
“Tell me what she said.”
She shakes her head. “My alliance is with Palmer, but I really want the two of you to work out, so let me just say, she’s not going to run. That’s all I can tell you.”
That’s enough for me.
I smile. “Thanks. Bye.”
I step inside and shut the door, not waiting for her to respond. When I turn and look through the window, Harper narrows her eyes and flips me off before walking to her car.
I laugh and walk into the family room. The monitor is on the coffee table, but I head upstairs and peek into Adley’s room. She’s fast asleep, giving me some time for my own nap. After last night, I need the rest.
I sprawl out on the couch, but before I try to nod off, I pull out my phone. I need to get this conversation over with.
Matt answers on the first ring. “Hey, prick,” he says with a lightness in his tone.
“I just wanted to apologize.”
“Don’t worry, I poured all my angst into a hot blonde I met at the bar.” He laughs.
And that’s why I didn’t want Palmer to be with him, although I don’t think she was looking for anything serious with him.
“Still. I gave you the green light and then shoved you out of the car. Not cool on my part.”
He’s silent for a moment. “Just do me a favor and don’t blow it. You guys obviously have feelings for one another, and I get that emotions run hot. I have no idea why you didn’t get together sooner. Don’t let the little shit get in the way. I say that as a child of divorced parents who have each remarried twice.”
“Thanks, man.”
“I’m serious, Hudson. I get you’re all hot for one another right now, but the lust will fade, and you don’t want Adley to be collateral damage. “
“It’s not like that. Not for me.”
“That’s good to hear. I just remember you back in the day.”
I shake my head. “Listen, could you keep it to yourself about Palmer and me? Like you said, we’re going to take it slow and not tell Adley or anyone else for that matter.”
“Well, you’re already in Buzz Wheel.”
I laugh. “You’re seriously reading that?”
“Yeah. I like it. See you Monday.”
“Later.”
We hang up, and I drop the phone next to the monitor, grabbing an afghan from the back of the couch and laying it over me. Being this tired after the night I had with Palmer is worth it. It feels as if I’ve been waiting a lifetime for this.
An hour later, Adley’s talking through the monitor, so I open my eyes, wishing I had another two hours to catch up on my sleep. I turn off the monitor and climb the stairs, then open her door.
“Daddy!” she says, sitting up in her bed.
Maybe I could’ve let her stir for longer, but she jumps down and runs over to me. God, to be able to wake up in the same house as her every day would be amazing. I hold her tightly, standing and bringing her up in my arms.
“Where’s Mommy?”
“Working.” I walk out of her room and down the stairs. “It’s just you and me, but Mommy said we’re going to have movie night tonight.”
“YAY! Elemental!”
I groan because we’ve watched that movie a thousand times, I swear.
“Maybe. We’ll see what we have.” I lower her to the floor. “Let’s get your coat and go to the grocery store so we can make our own pizzas tonight.”
“OMG!”
I stare at my little girl, knowing she could’ve only learned that phrase from one person. Jesus, Harper. “You want something to drink or eat before we go?”
“Juice, please.”
“Sure thing.” I ruffle her hair that’s a little out of control, but we don’t have time to do it since it usually takes me forever because of my big clumsy fingers. She’ll have to go out looking a tad disheveled.
We head to the grocery store, and I swear everyone in Lake Starlight is shopping today.
A teacher who works with Theresa passes me in the produce aisle and gives me the evil eye. “You should be ashamed of yourself. You embarrassed her enough.”
I blow out a breath. Luckily, Adley is distracted in the cart with my phone.
I say nothing. I probably never should’ve entertained a relationship with Theresa, but I’d given up on anything happening between Palmer and me.
I should’ve gone to Sunrise Bay to do my shopping because the minute I go down the sauce aisle, I stop and try to step back, but Theresa catches me in her peripheral vision.
Fuck.
She doesn’t say anything, placing the jar she was picking up from the shelf and putting it in her cart. It’s like seeing a wild cat at your back door. I’m not sure what to do. How do I react? And seriously, does every teacher shop here after school?
Adley drops my phone, and I scramble to pick it up, hoping Theresa will be gone when I stand, but then Adley says, “Theresa.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Hi, Adley, how are you?” Theresa approaches us like a cat ready to pounce on its dinner.
What is she going to say? No way she’d make a scene in front of Adley.
“Look at my nails.” Adley raises her hands, showing off the color.
“How pretty. Did Daddy paint them?” Theresa glances at me briefly, then her eyes fixate on Adley’s hair. She rolls her eyes and huffs.
“No. Harper did.” She smiles innocently at Theresa.
I let the two talk about colors, standing there like an idiot, unsure of what to do or how to act.
“And it’s movie night. Me, Mommy, and Daddy.”
I love Adley’s excitement, but right now, I wish she’d go back to the phone.
“That’s nice.” The strain in Theresa’s voice is obvious to me.
“And make our own pizza. Daddy, I want pepperoni.”
“I know. We’ll get it.” I ruffle her hair.
Theresa doesn’t say anything, and I’m unsure what she’s expecting.
I clear my throat. “It’s um…”
“I’m not stupid, Hudson. I know who you spent the night with.” She looks at Adley, who has picked up my phone again and is watching her kid’s show.
“Stupid is a bad word,” Adley says, not looking away from the phone.
“Adley—”
Theresa interrupts me. “You’re right, it is. You shouldn’t say it, and I shouldn’t either. Well, I should go. Have fun tonight.”
“Theresa—”
She puts up her hand and walks away.
So we’re not there yet. Good to know.
It’s weird to feel so awkward with someone I’ve slept with. With someone who, before last night, I talked to almost every day. But I don’t regret it.
I’m grabbing the cheese when my phone vibrates, and Adley passes it to me. “Text.”
It’s crazy what these kids pick up about technology so easily these days.
The three dots appear as if she’s going to send another message and I stand in the refrigerated section waiting like a dog for his treat, but they disappear. My heart sinks, but I remind myself, it’s early days. I hand the phone back to Adley and head to the cashier.
Of course, Theresa is one lane over, and word must have traveled fast that we broke up. It hasn’t been in Buzz Wheel that I know of, but the way the cashiers look at each other tells me that gossip in Lake Starlight is alive and kicking, and everyone knows Theresa and Hudson are no longer.
I can’t get out of the parking lot fast enough, so I quickly get Adley strapped into her car seat. On the drive home, Adley tells me about her time with Harper. Although Harper is a little crazy and has some growing up to do, she’s great with Adley. Never complains about playing a game, painting nails, or baking. She does it all with Adley.
Palmer’s car is in the garage when I pull into my own. After getting Adley out, I grab the bags and Adley walks toward my house.
“No, we’re gonna do it at Mommy’s,” I tell her.
She exaggerates circling back around and heads toward the back door of Palmer’s house. I open the door, and Adley stands on a chair to help me unpack the groceries. Palmer walks into the kitchen with her hair piled high in a bun, pajama pants on with a sweatshirt and fuzzy socks.
I love this look on her, I always have. I wish I could wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her fiercely, showing her how much I missed her today.
“Pizza, Mommy!” Adley takes out the pepperoni and holds it up. “Pepperoni. What goes on yours?”
Palmer wraps her arms around Adley from behind and nuzzles her face into her neck.
“Mommy!” Adley squirms, but Palmer only holds her tighter.
“I missed you,” she says.
Adley turns around and puts her arms around Palmer’s neck. “I missed you, Mommy.” Then she slides down from the chair. “I gotta go potty.”
It’s the perfect excuse for me to have a little privacy with Palmer.
When I hear Adley peeing, I know I only have a couple of minutes. I tug Palmer into my arms and place my lips on hers. Just the kiss causes my dick to perk up. I want her so badly, but the sink in the bathroom turns on, and Palmer tries to slide out of my hold. I grip her harder, pushing her against me so she can feel through those thin pajama pants what she’s doing to me.
“You’re playing dirty,” she whispers against my lips.
“Of course I am.” I kiss her again before pushing her away right before Adley walks into the room, holding up her hands.
“All clean.”
Palmer’s cheeks are red, making her even more of a temptress. “Let’s go then.”
The three of us make our pizzas, and we make Adley sit at the coffee table to eat her pizza, while we’re on the couch. My hand slides under the blanket over Palmer’s lap a few times, but she shoos it away every time. Tonight is going to be pure torture.
After we finish eating, Adley comes up on the couch, sliding in between us. Midway through a bowl of popcorn, Adley takes one of Palmer’s hands then one of mine, bringing them into her lap so the three of us are holding hands together.
I look at Palmer, and she looks as if she might cry. Adley turns to Palmer and then me, leaning back on the couch with a goofy smile. Palmer stares over Adley’s head at me, and I can hear her thoughts as though she’s yelling them, the worry that keeps her an arm’s length away from me.
She doesn’t have to tell me what she’s thinking. We can’t break her, Hudson.
Her fear is real, and it’s a valid concern. But what if it could be so much better than what we thought we could have?