Page 76 of All the Beautiful Things
Samaya moved slower, settled her hand at the door to keep it open. “I’m always here, if you need to talk. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
And I did. Because she’d been there to help me on a horrible night and I’d never doubt her willingness to be kind or helpful. Still, I didn’t want to talk.
I wanted to wallow. Hudson had lied more than once this week and while I understood why, I hated he was still so easily able to do it to me.
If he was worried about pushing me away, lies and dinners with exes was the way to do it.
But why?
And why had I once again run without asking the most important question?
It wasn’t the first time I’d done it, and if Hudson and I were going to work at all, if I was going to be there for him when he needed me, I needed to knock it off.
It was too easy to flee for self-preservation though when the risk of staying and fighting meant heartbreak or humiliation.
The doors opened on my floor and I stepped out, headed toward my apartment. It wasn’t even two, but I hadn’t eaten, so while I warmed up a frozen meal, I changed into my lounge clothes.
Hudson had plans tonight. With his dad’s old friends.
And his ex-girlfriend was at his office today.
Sure, he could have had a business dinner. He’d had them before. But before, he’d told me who he was eating with, bringing me into their business and explaining what the meeting was about.
He hadn’t done that this morning. Just… brushed me off. And that was what still stung. The brush off and the lies.
I ate my lunch, turned on the television, and at four, when my phone rang, I dove for it. A spark of hope had me grabbing for it. Maybe it was Hudson. Surely Stephanie told him what she told me.
Only it wasn’t.
It was Angie, and I tried not to let my disappointment ring in my voice as I answered. “Hello?”
“Hey, do you and the hottie have plans tonight because if so you have to cancel them so you can hang out with me.”
She rushed all the words out with an excitement in her tone.
My response was the opposite. “Why?”
“Because we’re going out. Josiah and some of his not total loser friends are getting together with some other friends from school. I know you’re older, but come hang out with us? They’re cool. I swear.”
Spending the night with a bunch of twenty-year-olds or younger didn’t exactly seem like the kind of fun I wanted.
On the other hand… what else was I going to do all night?
Sit at home and wait for Hudson to get back from a dinner when I didn’t even know if at this point, I’d see him?
Sticking toothpicks into my fingernail beds sounded like more fun.
“Sure. Angie. Can you come get me?”
“I’ll be there at seven! See you!”
23
Hudson
What a hellish day. It still wasn’t over and if I didn’t have to go to this damn dinner, I’d be more likely to go home and collapse into bed.
