Page 44 of Bad Decisions & Back Roads

I hid behind a long sip of beer.

His brows lifted.“Youdidget dumped?”

I gave a quiet shake of my head.“I was the one doing the leaving.”

A crooked smile tugged at his mouth.“Great news for me…someday, of course.”

The joke landed wrong.Not cruelly.More casually, as if this was some messy ex-boyfriend situation that would sting for a month and then fade into a story I’d roll my eyes over later.

His teasing softened when I didn’t smile back.“I’m sorry.Was this going on for a while?”

A bitter laugh slipped out before I could stop it.“Almost my whole life.”

His forehead creased.“What?”

I stared down at the condensation sliding along my bottle, gathering the nerve to say something I’d never told anyone in Tennessee.Not even the man I married.

“Back in high school, there was someone,” I said quietly.“It wasn’t some teenage first-love thing I got dramatic about.He was…” My throat tightened.“He was there for me when I had no one.”

Hudson’s expression shifted, but there was still a trace of amusement there.Like he thought I was romanticizing some boy from the past.

“My father was cruel back then,” I continued.“This guy was the only person who ever made me feel safe.”I swallowed hard.“When I was sixteen, I ran away from home.I left him because I had to.If I’d stayed, my father would’ve killed me.”My fingers tightened around the bottle.“Probably him too, just for being there for me.”

“That sounds dramatic.Killed you?Really?”

He thought I was exaggerating.He didn’t exist in a world where men like my father threatened people.He’d never believe how close I’d come to dying by my father’s hand.It made me sad but pointed out how connected I’d always be to Timothy.No matter what rested between us and no matter what tugged us apart, history wouldn’t change.

I tried to explain, “Our families hated each other for generations.Not just petty dislike, but a real, old blood feud kind of hate going back generations.”

Hudson tried for lightness.“Like the Hatfields and McCoys?”

“Something like that.”My voice went flat.

His smile faded at the edge of my tone.“Then you came back and it still wasn’t over?”

“I thought we’d outgrown it.I thought enough time had passed.”I looked away, blinking against the pressure building behind my eyes.“Turns out some things don’t loosen their grip on you just because you survive them.”

He studied me for a second too long before asking, “So you ended it?Has he turned into an asshole?Did he hurt you?”

A startled laugh escaped me.The question itself hurt more than it should have.Hudson still didn’t understand.In his mind, this man had to fit into a familiar box—bad boyfriend, toxic ex, or a mistake I needed to recover from.He couldn’t grasp that the person I’d walked away from was still the person I felt more connected to than anyone else in the world.Probably always would.

“God, no,” I said softly.“He would never lay a hand on me.”

I shook my head, and despite everything, a small helpless smile pulled at my mouth.“The man he’s grown into would probably kill anyone who tried to hurt me, regardless of whether we were together.”My smile faded into something aching.“He’s just…” I searched for words Hudson would understand and already knew he wouldn’t.“A lot.”

Hudson studied me for a moment, curiosity flickering across his face.“I’ve met a lot of people around here.What’s his name?”

I hesitated, then said quietly, “Timothy Hurst.”

His eyes widened.“You’re kidding, right?TheTimothy Hurst?”He leaned back, letting out a low whistle.“I’ve never treated any of his animals—his brother usually handles that—but I’ve crossed paths with him once or twice.We don’t know each other, though.”He took a slow sip of beer, then frowned slightly.“He looks a little like?—”

“No, he doesn’t,” I cut in, sharply.The force of it surprised even me.“He’s nothing like Justin.Not in any way.”My throat tightened.“He would never cheat on me, and certainly not withthreeother women.”

Regret flickered across Hudson’s face immediately.“Oh, hell, Gia.That’s despicable.”He reached across the table and wrapped his hand around mine, warm and steady.“Justin really did that to you?”

I nodded once.

Hudson’s expression hardened with quiet anger on my behalf.“He never deserved you.”