Falling for the Millionaire(34)

"I'm sorry I didn't take your worry seriously after hearing Will's  warning. I can see why that old incident coupled with my sisters'  comments would make you question my thoughts."

"Can we have forgiveness all the way around?"

Gazing into her eyes, Hudson took her hands in his. "I only have this to  say to you, Melody Hammond. I love you, and I don't want our families  to come between us for any reason."

Had she heard him correctly? "Would you say that again?"

Hudson chuckled as he pulled her back into his arms. "Gladly. Melody, I love you."

Melody's heart soared. He loved her. "I love you, too. You've made me so happy."

"Me, too." Hudson settled back on the couch with an arm around her shoulders.

* * *

The day of the grand opening for the women's shelter had arrived. A wide  red ribbon stretched across the entrance swayed in the gentle breeze. A  jubilant crowd, including dignitaries and reporters, gathered nearby as  they awaited the appearance of the skydivers who would open the  festivities.

The noise of an approaching plane sounded overhead. Melody looked up as  the four jumpers came into view, barely more than dots against the sky's  blue canopy.

She shaded her eyes as the first parachute opened, its rainbow of colors  brightening the sky. A second one opened, then the third as the  skydivers maneuvered their parachutes in a zigzag pattern, following  each other toward the earth. Melody waited for the fourth one, but the  diver continued to plunge earthward, his chute not opening.

She let out a little cry as her heart sank to her stomach. She didn't  want to believe her eyes. Did the rest of the crowd realize that there  was a problem? She looked around, but it didn't seem as though anyone  else was concerned. When she looked back up, the fourth diver's  auxiliary chute opened-rounded and white compared to the colorful  elliptical-shaped parachutes of the others.

With her heart still in her throat, Melody watched the first three  divers make a pinpoint landing on the quad near the crowd. Loud cheers  went up each time one landed. The odd parachute disappeared behind a  stand of trees on the other side of the campus.

As the divers removed their helmets and gear, she could see that Hudson  was missing. Melody wanted to scream as her stomach churned. How could  she go through with the ribbon cutting without knowing he was okay?         

     



 

Melody searched for Adam in the crowd. When she saw him approaching, she raced to his side. "Did you see?"

Adam nodded. "Looks as if Hudson's main chute didn't open. I've sent Jeremy to see where he landed."

"You sent a golf cart?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

"Take it easy. Jeremy can take the golf cart into places where a car  can't go. Hudson will be okay. His auxiliary chute opened. He's an  experienced skydiver. No need to worry." Adam patted her arm. "We've got  to go on with the ribbon cutting."

Melody went through the ceremony like an automaton, her mind totally  consumed with worry. Why was she the only one concerned about his  safety? She kept looking over her shoulder hoping to see him, but the  ceremony ended and still there was no sign of him.

After Adam announced the reception in the senior center dining hall, the  crowd dispersed and Melody cornered Adam. "I'm going to find Hudson."

"No need. Jeremy called, and he's fine. He landed on the soccer fields  in the adjacent park." Adam patted Melody's arm again. "I know you were  worried, but Hudson told me this kind of thing happens in about one out  of every thousand jumps. That's why they have backup chutes."

"You're right, but that doesn't make it any less frightening." Melody  had no idea what she was going to say to Hudson when she saw him. She  wasn't even sure she could talk to him without bursting into tears. She  had to pull herself together before he arrived.

After Hudson joined the activities, she found no opportunity to talk  privately with him. She managed to get through the tour of the facility  and the reception while he hovered by her side. She smiled, but inside  she was frowning. She thought she was okay with Hudson's risk-taking  activities, but today's incident showed her that she wasn't. She  couldn't feign acceptance of these pursuits.

When the festivities finally ended and Melody stood alone with Hudson in  the hallway of the women's shelter, she hoped she could talk with him  without crying. The smell of new construction permeated the air, but  there was nothing new about her fears and the conversation she was about  to have.

"That went well." He put an arm around her shoulders as he smiled down at her.

"Everything except you." Melody slipped out of his embrace.

"Well, other than that little incident." He gave her a lopsided grin as  he held his arms up by his sides as if nothing had really happened. "I'm  all in one piece. No problem."

"No problem?" She forced herself not to raise her voice. "It's a problem  for me. I can't deal with it. I should've gone with my first instincts  and never gotten involved with you, but I let you convince me that love  conquers all."

"It can if you let it." His expression sobered.

"No, it can't." Melody took a deep breath. "I think it would be better  for both of us if we stopped seeing each other. The construction is  done. We can cut our ties since we no longer have to work together."

Hudson shook his head, disbelief in his eyes. "Melody, please  reconsider. I won't skydive anymore. I won't race cars. I love you more  than those things."

"No, Hudson, you can't give up your passions for me. You would come to  resent me. There's no way we can find a compromise. Please accept this  reality."

"I don't want to accept your reality."

"That's the way it is." Melody held up a hand. "I'm sorry. I'm leaving now. Please don't follow me."

Melody forced herself not to run or look back as she left the building.  Once outside, she sprinted to her car while tears streamed down her  face. Why couldn't love be simple? Why couldn't life be simple? God, why  did You let me fall in love with a man who likes to take chances?

Sitting in her car, she gripped the steering wheel. She squeezed her  eyes shut and stifled the tears. She couldn't blame God, and she  wouldn't cry. This was her own doing. She was the one who had ignored  those doubts niggling at the back of her mind. Breaking up with Hudson  was like pulling off a bandage-painful now, but the healing would come.

* * *

Two weeks later, Hudson's heart still ached. Melody's rejection had hurt  more than he'd ever thought possible. Lovesickness-a perfect diagnosis.  He'd wanted to argue with her that day, but he was wise enough to know  that he would've been wasting his breath. This strong-willed woman  didn't easily change her mind about anything, but why couldn't she see  that he would give it all up for her?

Still, a twinge of doubt wouldn't let him go. Was she right? Would he  come to resent her? Was God trying to tell him that they didn't belong  together? He couldn't stop asking that question, but he never came up  with an answer. Now his father had commanded him to appear. What other  bad news was going to drop in his lap?

Hudson walked into his father's study. H.P. looked up from where he sat  at his desk as Hudson stood there wondering what had prompted this  meeting. The breakup with Melody had done nothing to improve his mood,  and on top of that, he dreaded this conversation.         

     



 

"Have a seat, son." H.P. steepled his hands and stared at Hudson. "I hope you're receptive to what I've got to say."

"I'll listen." He sat on the edge of the chair, not wanting to get too comfortable.

"Good. I know it hasn't been quite six months since you took over the  construction division, but I don't want to wait to talk over what I'd  like to see happen there."

Hudson wished he could walk out and never look back. But he loved his  family and didn't want to alienate any of them, even his overbearing  father. "Is this some kind of ultimatum?"

"Depends." H.P. leaned forward, a no-nonsense look in his eyes. "I've  decided to retire. I've seen what you've done with the construction  division, and I approve. You've demonstrated you're a good manager and  leader. When trouble arose, you developed a plan to get through it, and  you were successful. Your achievement there makes me even more certain  you should take the reins of Conrick Industries."

Hudson drank in his father's praise-a rarity in his life, but even the  longed-for approval didn't make him happy. He still didn't want to run  Conrick Industries, but was there any point in arguing? It would  probably be about as successful as arguing with Melody. "So what's your  plan?"

"I'm glad you're willing to listen." A surprised smile curved H.P.'s  mouth. "I'd like to retire by the end of the year. In the preceding  months, I want you to work side by side with me. Then when I hand it  over to you, I'd like you to bring Elizabeth on board. You were right.  She has the qualifications and a lot of good business sense, just not  the experience. You can teach her the ropes. After that the two of you  can figure out whatever you'd like as to who's in charge going forward."