Falling for the Millionaire(30)

A few minutes later she found Hudson sitting on the front pew and sat  beside him. He didn't say anything at first, just looked at her with sad  eyes. Her heart was breaking for all his trouble. She sat there in the  silence with him and prayed.

"Did you see the damage?"

His question caused her to look up. Melody nodded. "What happened?"

Hudson quickly explained.

Melody wrinkled her brow. "If I'd turned off that faucet, there wouldn't be all that damage."

"Not true." Hudson put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.  "The broken pipes still would've sprayed water everywhere. There might  have been a little less water, but it wasn't your fault. I didn't get  that valve off. The blame clearly lies with me."

"What are you going to do?"

Hudson took a deep breath. "Insurance will cover the cost of the new  materials and repairs, but not the cost of hiring more workers. And I'll  have to do that so we can finish the project on time."

"Time isn't that important. It'll get done when it gets done."

"It is to me and to my father. If I don't come in on time and under  budget, he'll say he was right about the construction division. It's a  money pit and should be sold or even shut down."

"But don't you have other projects that are doing fine?"

"Yeah, but this is the one that's under the most scrutiny."

"Why?"

"Because it's the one I insisted on undertaking when I took over the  construction division. So this is the one that sits squarely on my  shoulders."

"Have you ever thought that there might be a message in the fact that  one thing after another has gone wrong? First Carter, then the stuff  with the windows and now this. Maybe these things are trying to tell you  to consider your father's request. Would that be so bad?"

A muscle worked in Hudson's jaw. "So you're on his side and not mine?"

Melody cringed at the accusation. "I'm on your side, but I'm asking you to think about it."

"I've considered it, and I've rejected it. End of story."

He was being as stubborn as his father. No wonder the two men butted  heads. "Maybe it'll be the end of the story whether you like it or not."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. Conrick Construction has given  work to a lot of veterans, and that's important to me. I want to make  sure that continues." Hudson narrowed his gaze. "I'm not giving in no  matter what problems arise."

Melody nodded. "I see your point. So what's your plan?"

"I'm not quite sure. I've been sitting here thinking and praying." He  let out a loud sigh. "I inherited some property in South Georgia from my  mom's parents, and I've had some inquiries from a company who wants to  purchase some of the timberland. I can use that money to pay the new  hires."

"Yes, your mom told me about that property."

"She did?"

"Yeah, the day that I had lunch with her ladies' group."

Hudson sat back in the pew and stared straight ahead. "Do you suppose  she'd be upset if I sold part of it? That's why I never followed up on  the inquiry before."

"I don't know." Melody took Hudson's hands in hers. "Let's pray about it  together. Ask God to help you know about selling it. Getting the asking  price without negotiation would be a sure sign."

"No doubt. That doesn't happen often."

While they prayed, she thought about how important Hudson had become in  her life. He'd constructed a place in her heart that she couldn't easily  tear down, and she was ready to find out how he fit into her life.

When they finished, he looked up. "I like having you to pray with and talk to."

"Didn't seem like that a few minutes ago."

Hudson gave her a wry smile. "I like it that you're not a yes-woman. You let me know what you think."         

     



 

"I'll try to remind you of that when we disagree." Melody chuckled.

Hudson grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the pew. "Let's go get warm."

"Come over to my place. I have heat and electricity, and I can fix you dinner."

"Now, that's an offer I can't refuse."

"Do you need to go back to the construction site?"

Hudson shook his head. "There's nothing more anyone can do there  tonight. Hopefully, people will be able to get to work tomorrow, and we  can start putting things back together."

As they left the chapel, the sun had disappeared behind the trees  surrounding the campus. Its disappearance brought with it even colder  temperatures. Melody shivered and Hudson pulled her closer as they  walked together. As they reached the front gate, the light inside the  guardhouse flickered to life.

Melody glanced up at Hudson. "The electricity's back."

"Good news for everyone." He squeezed her shoulders. "Tomorrow's a new day and a new beginning."

"It will be." She waved as she opened her car door. "I'll see you at my house."

As Melody drove back home, she noticed the main roads had been cleared,  but the side ones still had a snowy coating. She thought about her day  with Hudson and how they'd been brought closer even in their  disagreement. Was it safe to fall in love with this man? Would God guide  her in this, too? She had to believe He would.





Chapter Eleven

The spring sunshine warmed Melody as she tried to put aside her worry.  She sat in the stands with Annie, Kirsten and several other wives and  girlfriends who'd come to watch Hudson and a number of the guys from The  Village race around the track in their cars. The past two weeks had  been some of the happiest times of her life, and she forced herself to  think about the good things.

Every day she and Hudson shared lunch together at the senior center. She  loved to listen to his enthusiastic talk about the progress of the  women's shelter project. The damage wasn't as bad as it had first  appeared, and he'd been able to hire new workers. The sale of the  timberland was a done deal. God had given an affirmative answer to a lot  of prayers.

Slipping out of her jacket, she wished this display of testosterone  didn't make her so nervous. Even the sun couldn't warm her heart and  take away the dread that sat there like a ball of ice. She'd made  herself come to this thing because Hudson loved it, but every time a car  swerved or a tire squealed, her heart was in her throat. Everyone else  seemed to be enjoying it. Why couldn't she?

The bright sunshine glinted off the windshield and shiny red exterior of  Hudson's Ferrari. Engines whined as the cars sped around the track.  Melody's heart raced as Hudson left the other cars in the dust. Despite  the speed, he'd explained that today was more about testing driving  skills rather than a competition.

Melody glanced over at Annie and shouted above the noise, "It's so loud."

Nodding, Annie smiled, not trying to converse.

After the cars drove numerous laps, they stopped in one of the pit areas  in the center of the track. Melody looked over at Annie again. "Do you  know what they're doing now?"

"Ian said something about each driver doing a solo run for time."

"You mean like a race?"

"Not against each other. Against the clock."

"Well, it still sounds like a race to me."

Annie chuckled and patted Melody's arm. "Relax. They're having fun."

"But I'm not."

"I can tell." Annie laughed again.

Kirsten pointed to the death grip that Melody had on her purse strap.  "Your knuckles look as white as mine did when Brady took me on that  hot-air balloon ride."

Melody grimaced. "I'll be glad when they're finished."

Annie squeezed Melody's shoulders. "I'm so happy that you and Hudson are  dating. I knew when I saw you two together at the fund-raiser that you  were meant for each other."

"That remains to be seen."

Kirsten gave Melody a knowing glance. "I don't have any doubts."

Melody wasn't going to express hers, like the disapproval of Hudson's  sisters. Today was about trying to cast her doubts aside, though they  crowded into her thoughts as fast as the cars on the track.

When the racing was done, Hudson jogged across the track to where she  was in the stands. Melody's heart soared. She was determined to put  aside her trepidation to please this man who'd captured her heart.

When he reached her side, he gave her a peck on the cheek. "Did you enjoy your first race?"

"You don't want to know."

He gave her a quizzical smile. "Sure I do."

"Let's just say it was noisy."

"Looks as if you got a little sun today. I see a few freckles dotting that pretty nose of yours."

He leaned over and planted another quick kiss on the tip of her nose.

"It'll probably be pretty and pink tomorrow." Melody shook her head.  "Even when I put on sunscreen this pale skin burns and those freckles  pop out."         

     



 

Hudson laughed and put an arm around her shoulders as they walked down  the stands toward the track. "Let's head over to my place. I've got some  of my famous barbecue sauce ready to pour over the pulled pork that's  been slow cooking all day."