Falling for the Millionaire(17)

"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."