Page 89 of Bad Decisions & Back Roads
I glanced at him.“We are literally elbow deep in this mare trying to save her life after what he did to make this happen .”
“That man up there was marginally concerned until you got involved.He might’ve lent us a trailer to make it to Raleigh.Then you gave him one look andafter that, he decided to show off.”
Show off?What the hell?
Hudson had no idea of the cost of what Timothy arranged.He didn’t see the humiliated man breaking apart.Oh, God…I wanted to run upstairs and hug him one more time.
Hudson cut a suture and tossed the scissors onto the tray with a metallic clank.“Look at him.”Hudson flicked his gaze toward the gallery.“The man looks like he walked off the cover ofCowboy Quarterly.He smells like bad decisions.He’s a handy man who will cheat on you the second he loses interest.Just like Justin.”
Hud’s jealous.I appreciated Hudson as a friend, but now I remembered why I never saw him as anything more.There was a reason he’d remained on good terms with Justin through his residency and afterward.Everything was about winning and points.Hudson had been biding his time so he could become the best.
“Hudson—”
“He will destroy you.”
I looked back toward the gallery.As if he felt me watching, Timothy lifted his head.Even through the thick glass, his attention found me instantly.To try to reassure Timothy, I forced a smile even though he couldn’t see through my mask.
His forehead creased as he slowly let the phone drop from his ear.
I went soft in the middle and muttered, “He smells better than bad decisions.”
“See, that right there?He’s like a German shepherd guarding what’s his.”His eyes narrowed.“Wait.Did you just say he smells better than bad decisions?”He lowered his voice to a scandalized whisper.“You slept with him?”
Thank God for the mask because my entire face went hot.
Hudson said, “Whatever.You had your taste.Now forget about him.”
“Forgetabout him?”I braced both hands against a sterile section of the drape before I did something insane like throw a surgical instrument at his head.“You know nothing about my life.”
His jaw tightened beneath the mask.“I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
A sharp laugh ripped out of me.“Oh, you don’t?”
Hudson glanced toward the monitors before tying another suture with infuriating calm.
“Tell me, what’s your plan?”I demanded.“Take me on a few dates?Charm me into bed?Convince me to come work at your practice?”My voice rose with every word.“Then what?”
He finally looked at me.“What do you mean, then what?That’s the dream, right?”
“What happens the next time my father smacks me around?”
“I didn’t know he did that.You call the police.”
I stared at him in disbelief.“He owns the police.”
Hudson opened his mouth, but I bulldozed right over him.“No, seriously, tell me how this fantasy of yours works.Let’s say we have a child someday.A little girl.”My throat tightened violently around the words.“What happens when my father decides he’s angry at me and hurts her to punish me?What if he…” I swallowed hard because this scenario wasn’t too far from reality.“Kidnaps her and demands something?Money or whatever?”
Hudson’s hands slowed.“Then we really call the police.”
Something inside me snapped.“Sure, we phone the police.I do know the sheriff.Beyond that, what wouldyoudo to get her back…or what if it was me he took?What if there’s no time to call the police?”
A couple techs looked over.I didn’t care.
“Doing anything more would be illegal, Gia.This is a ridiculous scenario.”
“What willyoudo?How can I trust you to keep me safe?”I demanded.“That’s the question.”
Hudson went back to suturing like if he ignored me long enough, I’d burn myself out.This was exactly what Justin had done when I asked these kinds of questions.Ignore the angry woman until she was no longer a problem.
