Page 47 of Hudson
“I had a really good time, Hud.”
“Me too.” When the rain slowed to a drizzle he walked her down the steps and opened her car door. He leaned down and kissed her softly. “See you tonight, darlin’.”
She grinned up at him. “What?”
“Darlin’.” She shook her head. “Sexy cowboy jargon.”
She kissed him quickly, got in and drove off with a wave out the window.
Hud stood in the driveway with his hands on his hips and watched until her taillights disappeared around the bend, then turned and went inside.
****
Blair drove home with her wipers on high, the rain coming down hard and the wind pushing her car enough to notice. Lightning strobed across the sky every few minutes. She hoped it would blow through before tonight.
She pulled up to the townhouse and sat for a moment watching the rain sheet across the windshield, her mind drifting back to the pond, the blanket, Hud’s hand on her cheek. She smiled at the steering wheel like a teenager and didn’t even care. When thunder rattled the windows she grabbed her bag, pulled her sweater over her head and made a run for the door.
Inside she leaned against the closed door and pushed wet hair from her face. The townhouse was quiet and cool. She dropped her bag on the chair, kicked off her boots and padded to the kitchen to put the kettle on.
Her phone buzzed on the counter. Celine.
“Hey.”
“Well? How did it go?”
Blair smiled. “Really well.”
“Define really well.”
“We rode out to this gorgeous pond, had lunch, talked.” She paused. “He kissed me.”
Celine made a sound somewhere between a shriek and a laugh. “So, are you seeing him again?”
“Tonight. Dinner at the diner and then Dewey’s.”
“Going back to where it all started.” The smile was audible in her voice. “Blair, I’m happy for you. It’s about time you let someone in.”
Blair looked out the window at the rain. “Don’t make it into something it isn’t yet.”
“I’m not. I’m just saying.” A pause. “Call me tomorrow.”
“I will. Goodnight, Celine.”
She set the phone down, poured her tea and curled up on the sofa, listening to the rain and hoping it would wear itself out before six-thirty.
It mostly did. By the time she was ready to think about getting dressed the sky had lightened to a dull gray and the worst of it had moved on. She pulled out a soft emerald-green top that draped nicely and held it up in the mirror. That worked. She laid it on the bed alongside her favorite dark wash jeans and stepped into the bathroom to shower.
The rain was still hammering the windows when she got out. She dried her hair, put on a little makeup, nothing too heavy, just enough, then wrapped herself in her robe and went back to the kitchen and poured the last of the tea. She stood at the window watching the storm. It had backed off some but hadn’t quit entirely. The lightning had moved on at least, leaving just a steady rain and the occasional gust of wind rattling the glass.
She was still standing at the counter, mug in hand, when her phone buzzed at six-fifteen.
On my way.
She set the mug down and headed to the bedroom. Jeans, green top, sneakers. A quick check in the mirror, a little adjusting, and she was satisfied. She grabbed her sweater from the hook by the door and dropped her phone into her bag just as headlights swept across the front window.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d looked forward to a night out this much.
She opened the door before he had a chance to knock. Hud stood on the step in a dark button-downshirt, fresh jeans and boots, hat in hand, and he looked good enough to make her glad she’d picked the green top.
