"Go ahead. I'll be waiting for you to come back. We should discuss the road rally."
"I thought you were here to watch the game."
"I am, but I can do both." He gave her a wry smile.
Melody couldn't think of a good reason not to accept his invitation. Despite her earlier skepticism about the event, the idea had merit. "Okay."
"I'm looking forward to it." He turned his attention to the game.
How long could she hide out in the kitchen? Melody shook the question away. She had to learn to live with Hudson's presence. She'd already told herself that, but she wasn't doing a very good job. His kindness made her vulnerable to him.
When she returned, the game was still scoreless. People all around her cheered or moaned depending on how their chosen team was doing. Melody perched on the stool next to the one Hudson occupied.
"Welcome back."
Melody frowned. "I wasn't gone that long."
"Seemed like it."
Melody stared at him. What did he mean by that statement? She wasn't going to ask. She turned her attention to the game.
"Is your ankle still doing okay?"
Melody looked down at her foot. "Yeah. Didn't you ask me that this morning at church?"
He gave her a little smirk. "I did, but I'll keep asking until I see you wearing those heels again."
Melody held out her legs. "I hardly think I should be wearing heels with jeans."
"I've seen it done, and I had no idea you weren't a jeans-and-heels woman." He tapped the side of his head. "I'll sock that information away for future reference."
"And why would you need to do that?"
"Because I'm learning all about you. I like to know as much about the people I work with as I can. It makes for good business."
"I suppose it does." Melody stared at him. Was he playing games with her, making her wonder whether his references were really about business? Annoyed with herself for even entertaining the idea that it might not be, she turned her attention to the game.
"Do you have a team?"
"No."
"Me, neither. I'd just like to see a good game." He gave her a sideways glance. "Are you one of those women who is only interested in the commercials?"
Melody shrugged. "I'm not that interested in this because Atlanta isn't playing. My brothers played football in high school, so I know a little about the game. And of course, I always cheered for the Dawgs when I was at Georgia."
"And I always cheered for the Gators."
Melody raised her eyebrows. "You went to the University of Florida?"
"I did."
"Did you play football?"
"And hurt this pretty face?" Hudson waved a hand in front of himself.
Melody laughed. "A guy who jumps out of planes and races cars is afraid of hurting his face?"
Hudson joined her laughter. "Just kidding. I was a slow bloomer. I was a puny kid growing up-all the way through high school. That's why I was taking dance lessons instead of playing football or basketball. I ran track so the guys chasing me weren't going to tackle me. For years my sisters were not only older than me but bigger than me, too. I finally had a growth spurt in college. I was excited to nearly top out at six feet."
A big roar filled the room, and several people jumped out of their seats, arms raised. One of the teams had scored, and Melody realized neither she nor Hudson had been paying attention. They'd been lost in their own conversation-a conversation she'd been enjoying too much for her own good. "Guess we'd better start watching the game."
"I was having more fun talking with you."
As a commercial played, a collective chuckle rolled through the room. Thankful for the distraction, Melody ignored Hudson's statement. She didn't want to make anything more of it than she should. She needed to get away before his banter sucked her in more than it already had. She slid off the stool and looked at him. "I'm going to load up a plate with bad-for-me food and mingle a little."
"So does that mean we won't be able to discuss the road rally?"
"We should leave that for another time."
"Tomorrow morning?"
Melody didn't relish the prospect, but she couldn't pass up anything that would raise money for The Village. "Sure. Stop by my office when you get to campus."
"I'll be there at eight."
During the rest of the game, Melody managed to keep her distance from Hudson, but from time to time she glanced in his direction and found him looking at her without a hint of apology. He didn't seem to mind that he'd been caught staring. She didn't want to think about him, but he seemed to find his way into her vision even when she wasn't looking his way.
She couldn't help thinking about him helping with the senior center Valentine's Day party. It was held the day before, and Melanie wondered if Hudson would have special plans for the actual holiday. Was there a rich debutante waiting in the wings for him? Why did that thought bother her? Her conflicting emotions about him left her unsettled. Why did she have to be attracted to a man who lived to do dangerous things? She couldn't deny the pull, but she intended to fight it.
But it was no use. By the time the evening was over, she had a throbbing headache from thinking about Hudson Conrick and her increasing feelings for him. He was just another man who liked to live on the edge. Even her dad, who'd flown cargo planes, had lived that way, refusing to listen to those who had advised him not to fly because of bad weather. He'd rolled the dice and died at the age of thirty-eight, leaving behind a young widow and four children. She didn't want to have an interest in a man who gambled with life...no matter how appealing.
* * *
The next morning Melody sat in her office while she waited for Hudson's promised visit. She tried to tell herself that she wasn't looking forward to their meeting or that she hadn't taken special care with her clothes, hair and makeup this morning. As the minute hand on the wall clock ticked toward eight thirty, Melody started to worry. Hudson was always prompt. Why was he late? Had he forgotten?
She picked up her phone from the desk and stared at it. Should she call him? With a deep sigh, she put the phone down. No. She would go on with her morning as planned. She turned to her computer screen and began to type reports.
When her phone rang, she grabbed it. Her heart pounded as she stared at the screen. Hudson. "Hey, is everything all right?"
"No. Got a real problem. Carter's been in a bad accident. I'm here at the hospital."
Melody's heart jumped into her throat. "How is he?"
"Don't know for sure. Docs are working on him now."
"Oh, Hudson, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I or anyone can do?"
"Yeah. His wife is here with her two toddlers, and they're a handful. Do you suppose you could come get them and take them over to their sitter's house?"
"I don't have car seats."
There was a momentary silence, and Melody wondered what was happening.
"Melody?" Hudson's voice sounded over the phone. "That's okay. You can use Tiffany's car after you get here."
"Are you at the local hospital?"
"Yeah."
"Where will I find you?"
"I'll meet you at the emergency entrance."
"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Thanks."
Melody poked her head into Adam's office and let him know what had happened. Then she raced to her car. While she drove, she couldn't help reliving the day her brother had been taken to the hospital after his accident. Why did bad things happen to good people? Melody's pulse pounded in her head as she turned onto the main road.
During the trip, she prayed for Carter and tried to calm her own nerves. She wouldn't help anyone if she was in a panic. After she parked her car, she sprinted to the emergency entrance. She slowed her pace when she felt a twinge in her ankle. As she drew nearer, she spied Hudson standing just inside the sliding glass doors.
When she was only a foot away, he stepped outside. "Thanks for coming."
"Do you know anything more?"
He shook his head. "We won't know anything until they bring him out of surgery. Come this way, and I'll introduce you to Tiffany and the kids."
Melody had no idea how she could comfort Carter's wife. She wanted to give reassurances, but she'd been through this with her brother and her dad. All the reassurances in the world hadn't saved them. And she'd never had the chance to hope for a good outcome for Christopher.
She took a deep breath as she followed Hudson into a room in the emergency wing. A pretty redhead with a stricken look on her face bounced a little girl on her lap. A riot of red curls surrounded the child's chubby face. A little boy with big brown eyes and medium brown hair clung to her arm.
"Tiff, I want you to meet my friend Melody Hammond. She's going to take the kids over to the sitter's house."