Hudson

“Mr. Rutherford?” Savannah/Shoshannah taps on my door Friday morning, her fingers fidgety like she doesn’t know where to put them when they’re not in use.

I glance through the clear glass door, lifting a brow.

She knows not to bother me when my door is closed, but I’m trying to cut her some slack here because I don’t feel like listening to another one of Mari’s lectures.

Forcing a modest smile, I nod. “Yes, come in.”

“Thank you,” she says, exhaling and smiling.

“For what?”

“Thank you,” she repeats, “for the flowers. They’re beautiful. And I accept your apology.”

I have no idea what the fuck she’s talking about.

“And thank you for spelling my name correctly,” she adds with a relieved titter. “On the card. It means a lot. I know you’re not the best with names.”

Mari.

All of this screams of Mari’s doing.

“You’re welcome, Sa … Shoshannah.” I force a smile and politely wave her out. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m in the middle of something right now.”

“Of course,” she says, prancing away like a nervous Pekingese at a dog show.

Turning back to my computer, I flick my pen back and forth and lose myself in thought. I hate the second round of revisions. That township in Jersey felt the library needed a little something extra, though they couldn’t say what. That’s my job, they said. Never mind that I’m not a mind reader, and I don’t particularly enjoy wasting my valuable time playing guessing games.

Besides, this building is absolutely perfect just the way it is.

But if they want something extra … I’ll give them something extra. At the end of the day, they’re not my taxpaying dollars going to waste.

We’re leaving for Montauk this afternoon, and this project was supposed to be finished by now, but so much for that. Looks like I’ll be taking work with me, and I’m sure my mother will find every excuse she can to ensure that I know how disappointed she is.

Today’s weather is abnormally cheery, which is distracting for me, so I make my way around my office, yanking the blinds down until it’s dark so I can focus. Flicking on my desk lamp, I try to concentrate on this fucking library one more time, but I’m feeling rather uninspired.

Believe it or not, I’m actually looking forward to spending a few weeks by the ocean with Mari.

Grabbing my phone, I dial her up so I can chew her ass while I’m thinking of it.

“Hey,” she answers on the third ring. “What’s up?”

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Did you seriously just call me to see what I’m doing? What are you, my fiancé or something?” The phone rustles. “I’m packing. We’re still leaving today, right?”

“Right,” I say. “Mari, what did you send to my assistant today?”

“Oh? She got the flowers?”

“Why’d you do that?” My jaw tenses.

“Because you owed her an apology. And because I want the two of you to be on good terms before you take off for an entire month,” she says. “It’s the right thing to do.”

“In the future, I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t meddle in my work affairs,” I say. “And before you send any woman flowers in my name, at least have the decency to run it by me first.”

“Whatever.” She laughs.

“I mean it.”

“Get back to work,” she says. “I’m hanging up now.”

The second she ends the call, my line rings.

“Yes?” I answer, exhaling. I could have sworn I pushed the “do not disturb” button hours ago.

“You have a visitor, Mr. Rutherford,” Shoshannah says.

Glancing at my iCal, I don’t spot any appointments.

“I thought I asked you to keep today clear? It’s my last day in the office before my vacation. It’s very important that I have zero interruptions,” I say, pushing a breath past my nostrils before rubbing my left temple.

“She’s not on the schedule, Mr. Rutherford.”

She?

Oh, God. Tell me it’s not Sienna.

I wouldn’t put it past her to show up here after the string of text messages she sent a little bit ago. She’s got a temper, that one. I used to pick fights with her on purpose because contrary to popular belief, two adults can still have hot makeup sex without being in an actual relationship.

“I’ll be out in a second.” I replace the receiver and straighten my tie, cleaning up my workspace before heading down the hall to the reception desk. I’m going to have to turn her away, and it’s going to be painful for the ‘old’ me, but it is what it is.

By the time I round the corner, I see that God has in fact answered my plea.

It’s not Sienna.

“Audrina,” I say. “What are you doing here?”

“Hudson.” She slinks past the front desk; lanky arms open wide as her hips sway. Before I can stop her, she’s wrapping herself around me and kissing my cheeks. “It’s so good to see you. Can I steal you away for just a moment?”

I lead her back to my office and close the door.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Just in the city for some last minute shopping before I head to Montauk,” she says, her green eyes flashing and mesmerized as she takes me in. “I wanted to stop by and personally congratulate you. I heard about your engagement.”

“Good news travels fast.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting the lucky woman.” Audrina’s voice falters. She smiles, but her shoulders droop and she glances off to the side for a brief second. “You’re going to be thirty in a couple of weeks.”

“I know.”

“Remember what we always said? What you always swore to me?”

“Yes.”

“If we were both unmarried by thirty, we’d marry each other.” Her lips pull into a hesitant smile, and she tucks a strand of silky chocolate hair behind her ear.

“We were kids when we said that, Audrina.”

“I’d hardly call us kids when we made that promise,” she corrects me.

“I’m in love. I’m marrying Maribel. I’m sorry.”

“Who is this girl anyway, Hudson?” Audrina winces. “I saw you last Christmas. You were single and loving it. How could someone pin you down and make you the marrying type in under five months? The timing’s rather suspect, don’t you think? Especially since we both turn thirty this summer …”

She laughs, though I see the pain in her eyes. Despite it all, I have zero sympathy for her.

“You’ll meet someone eventually,” I say, monotone, as I direct my attention toward my laptop and take a seat. “I’m sure.”

Audrina huffs, rolling her eyes and blinking away tears. She looks admittedly lovely today, dressed to the nines in a floral, bare-shouldered sundress, nude espadrilles, and a tiny Fendi clutch, and I’m positive she put herself together for my sake.

“You know,” she says, her tone wistful. “Your mom is throwing that engagement party this weekend. And I can’t stop thinking about how it should’ve been us.”

“You’re clearly not hearing me.”

“This was going to be the summer, Hudson.” She shakes her head. “I thought we were going to finally get back on track. We belong together and you know it.”

“Audrina.”

“Do you know how many men I’ve turned away? How many proposals I’ve walked away from over the years because I was holding out for you?” Her complexion turns ruddy, her eyes misty again.

“Don’t put that on me,” I snort, shaking my head.

“You promised, Hudson.” She shakes her head, rising. “Shame on me for thinking you were a man of your word. All you do is lie. All you do is tell people what they want to hear so you can get what you need from them. I hope this Maribel knows that about you.”

Audrina heads to the door, stopping with her hand on the knob.

“I’m sorry,” I say again. “It’s just not meant to be. You need to accept that so you can finally move on.”

She scoffs. “What am I supposed to do? If I could snap my fingers and fall out of love with you, don’t you think I would? Loving you, Hudson, for all these years, has killed me. And now I have to show up at your parents’ house and smile like I’m happy for you.”

“You don’t have to go.” I shrug. “Feel free to sit this one out.”

“Ha.” She rolls her eyes. “You know as well as I do that my absence will only make things more awkward for everyone. Your family, my family, everyone knows it was always supposed to be you and me. If you’re all of a sudden engaged and I fail to show up, it’ll make me look bad. And I refuse to be a laughingstock all because you think you’ve met The One.”

“I’m glad you can be an adult about this.” I rise, shoving my hands in my pockets and keeping my distance. Audrina has always been a bit of a loose cannon: sophisticated and charming one minute, venom-spewing and tantrum-throwing the next. “I know Maribel looks forward to meeting everyone.”

Audrina’s mouth pulls up at one side, though it isn’t a happy smirk. It’s more devious.

“And I look forward to meeting her,” she says.

With that, she’s gone.