Page 24 of All the Ugly Things
My shoulders jerked back with surprise as the blood rushed from my face.
“What?” Here? I scanned the courtyard. How had I missed him? I was always aware of my surroundings.
You’ve gotta be shitting me.Because there was absolutely no freaking way this was a coincidence.
And yet, there he was, sauntering across the tree-lined, outdoor courtyard with all the confidence of a man who knew he held power and the same wealth as his father.
My lip curled as I realized his focus—me.
“Shit.”
“You know him?”
I didn’t speak. I couldn’t figure out why she was blushing and why she was gaping at him like a fish.
“He’s just a guy, Angie.”
“Yeah, like the richest guy in Iowa practically.”
“Seriously?” I took another peek at him. “What are you talking about?”
He was headed straight for us, sunglasses covering his eyes. His jaw seemed less hard, his posture more friendly. He sauntered in my direction like a man on a mission who had just found his target.
Me.
“Lilly,” he said, stopping directly in front of us.
Next to me, Angie made a choking sound.
“Who’s your friend?” He smiled at her and held out his hand. Strong hands. Non-callused and nice fingernails. He was built like he could lift a small vehicle but there was no way this guy did manual labor. Not with hands that pretty. I hid mine in a fist. Fingernail chewing habit. “Hi, I’m Hudson.”
“Angie. And I know who you are,” she whispered, maybe giggled. Kind of a mixture. It was strange and weird but cute. Kind of like the rest of her. “Nice to meet you, Hudson.”
“You too. And I don’t want to be rude, but do you mind if I have a moment with Lilly?”
“I mind.” I waved a hand in the air, getting his attention off Angie. I might not have known her, but based on her reaction alone, his presence there would cause questions.
He smirked at me and then turned a full-watt charming smile on Angie. The poor thing. She didn’t have a prayer of being able to withstand that look. Pretty sure he hypnotized her because she started nodding and was already moving away.
“Yeah, yeah, no problem, really no problem at all. Bye Lilly.”
She was almost screeching by the time she left. Like she’d done moments ago, at least a dozen other people were watching him.
Which meant they were watching me.
That familiar sensation of ants climbing my skin returned and I scowled at him. “I don’t like having attention on me.”
His smile faltered. “Okay. Can we go somewhere and talk? I was a jerk the other day and I’d like another chance to explain.”
“No.” Screw accounting. Angie said she was good at it. Maybe she’d be willing to help. She owed me one, right? But now they were hunting me down at myschool? How’d they even know where I’d be? Ridiculous didn’t even begin to describe their intrusion into my personal life. I lengthened my strides, speeding away from both Hudson and the not so sly glances in our direction.
“I’ll walk with you then.”
He fell in step next to me.
Ugh. Of course he’d catch up. At least six inches taller than me, I’d had no hope of getting away from him. I also had nowhere to go. The bus wouldn’t come for an hour yet and I wasn’t walking anywhere near the vicinity of my rundown neighborhood or apartment with Hudson next to me.
I ducked behind a maintenance shed and beneath a large tree once we were out of the main courtyard. A prickling warmth grew in my chest and spread outward until my body buzzed with it.
