With nothing left to argue, in true Lawson family fashion, I changed the subject. “Well, what are you doing?” I asked and then chugged the rest of the water in my glass.
“Lauren’s trip got extended a few days, so Jack and I are getting some pizza and then hitting a ball game. He’s still laughing at your unique dance moves from last night.”
I smiled, remembering how much fun it had been, even if my feet were still in critical condition. They would be touch and go for a while.
“My moves are good.”
“Your moves look like upright seizures.”
“Shut up.” I rolled my eyes, listening to the pair of them chuckle at my expense. “Anyway, have fun at the game, and thank you.”
“We still on for Huey’s Thursday?”
Drinks didn’t sound good, even days away. “Cal will be on his honeymoon. If you want to cancel, that’s fine.”
“No way. You’re not ditching me. I’ve had to miss the last two.” Hudson could only make it to our weekly night out when Lauren was in town. Life of a single dad and all. “Come on. I can’t play darts by myself. That’s too pathetic,” he complained and then sweetened the pot. “I’ll buy.”
“Deal. See you Thursday.”
The beer was usually a little too warm and the wings were on the dry side, but free beer and wings would always hit the spot. Surely, I’d recover before then.
I helped Hudson’s crew with cleaning up and thanked them all. He’d of course been right. They were tickled pink to have what they considered a “puss day.” But if it hadn’t been for them—and him—I would have likely never gotten around to it, and I had to admit that it looked ten times better than before.
My porch was now visible from the street and I didn’t have to worry about someone scary jumping out from the bushes to get me. I could check “major yard overhaul and cleanup” off my list thanks to Hudson and company.
Then there was the other thing I had to do that day, but Craig took the breakup—if you could really call it that—pretty well. That was until I learned right after our call that he’d called his mom, who called my mom, who I then had to talk to for thirty minutes about why I’d broken her friend’s son’s heart.
Truthfully, if a man’s heart was that weak, he shouldn’t be wearing it on his sleeve to begin with. I’d been dumb enough to do that once, and I wouldn’t be making that mistake again anytime soon.
The beginning of the week flew by. The closer my bosses, Maggie and Shane, got to the arrival of their baby, the more they were delegating tasks and projects to us in the office, but I didn’t mind. They paid me well; plus, I got along with everyone else they’d hired.
That’s kind of what made it nice at Warren and Warren Consulting. We’d all been brought on around the same time, so there wasn’t any real hierarchy to speak of. We were all new and doing our best. Not to mention, I was getting some real hands-on marketing experience, which would hopefully come in handy soon.
“Are you sure you don’t mind waiting?” Maggie asked from the front doors Thursday evening as she was heading out. Shane was already in their truck, honking for her. FedEx was running late, and part of the last major campaign she’d been working on was supposed to show up that day.
“I’m fine. They’ll probably only be a few more minutes.” It was only five thirty, but everyone else had already left. “It’s no trouble. I’ll lock up.”
“Thank you. You’re the best, Lex. I’ll bring you a good coffee and breakfast in the morning.” She waved as she waddled out the door.
I sat at my desk and sent off a few more emails. Then it hit me: I should message Hudson since I was running late, because without Cal there, he’d be waiting by himself.
Me: Shit for brains, I gotta wait on a delivery. I’ll be a few minutes behind you.
Hudson: We’re already here. Don’t stand us up…or I’ll tell your dad where you really went on spring break your junior year.
That motherfucker wouldn’t dare.
Wait. We’re? The hell? Had he brought someone to Huey’s? A date? Ugh, I didn’t want to be a third wheel.
Me: I’m coming. Who is we?
Hudson: Me and Craig. Your boyfriend. I invited him for you. You can be so rude sometimes.
My mouth hung open and I stared at the screen. No. No. No. No!
Adrenaline started to sing in my veins. I was going to kill him. My tongue swept back and forth inside my bottom lip, a true tell that I was pissed if I ever had one. Wrestling with my anger, I was blank about what to reply.
Thank God I didn’t have to, because just then, another message came through.
Hudson: I’m teasing you, Kid. I heard he hit the road. I was just giving you shit.
He was lucky, because I didn’t just get mad—I got even. And usually then some. Controlling my temper could be tricky at times. Especially when I had grown up with one older brother who liked to test my sanity and a second honorary-ish brother who thrived on pissing me off.
Breaking me out of my thoughts was the bell above the door when the FedEx guy popped his head in and set the poster tube on the chair. “Sorry I’m so late today. It’s been a long one.” The man who was about my age—and not half bad to look at—smiled at me and winked. “I’m glad I caught someone still here. Seeing you is literally the best way to end my day.”
“No problem,” I replied as I stood and turned my monitor off, smiling back at him. Maybe if I ever got desperate, I’d ask him out. FedEx guy, if not punctual, was tall and tan and handsome. He filled out the uniform if you know what I mean. “Glad I was here too.”
I was still smiling about the foxy FedEx guy flirting with me when I walked into Huey’s.
“What’s that grin for?” Hudson asked and poured me a glass from the pitcher.
“Oh, nothing. Just thinking, and it’s almost the weekend.” I tossed my bag into the booth and slid in across from him.
“I’ll drink to that.” He lifted his glass in my direction and waited, his T-shirt stretching around his bicep.
Hudson had always had a nice body, but lately, he was totally shredded. It was probably all the hard work, and also, God thought it was funny to give certain people a perfect metabolism while the rest of us could literally feel every calorie they consumed stick to their bones.
Oh well. I’d been a good girl and hadn’t had a drop of alcohol since my bender at Cal’s reception. It hadn’t even sounded good until now. But my liver’s vacation was over, and I clinked my glass with Hudson’s.
“Your little joke text wasn’t that funny,” I said.
He pressed his hand against his chest, feigning innocence. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were so upset about things with you and Craig the Stud ending.” He smirked. “Did he let you down gently?”
I glared, hoping it had enough intensity to melt his smug face off. It didn’t; he just sat there completely immune and proud as ever.
“I broke up with him, Bradley, and you know it.”