The Fixed Trilogy(Fixed on You, Found in You, Forever With You)(81)

Sophia’s expression was unchanging, her voice level. “Sure. Why not?”

Jack guffawed. “Sophia spending the day in the sand? This I have to see.”

Again Sophia ignored her husband, but Jack seemed pleased all the same.

“Adam,” Mira elbowed her husband in the ribs. “Go wake up Chandler. We can take the Jet Ski out.”

“Uh, okay.” Adam stuffed his phone into the pocket of his khaki carpenter pants, crumpled his napkin into a ball, and stood, appearing grateful for the excuse to leave. It occurred to me that I’d never seen him around Sophia. Perhaps he had buried himself in his phone to avoid interacting with her. Smart.

Mira turned her attention to Jack. “And Dad, if you wear a thong again, I swear to God…”

“Fine.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’ll dress like an old man. But only for you, ladybug.”

While her family conversed around her, Sophia sat solemnly, her eyes calculating. At least, that’s how I interpreted her narrow gaze, fixed at nothing in particular on the table in front of her, her hands laced together.

“Hudson,” she said finally. “The Werners are arriving at their Hampton house this evening.”

“That’s nice.” He poked at what was left of his ham with his fork, his features even. “Why are you telling me this?”

I put my hand on Hudson’s knee, bracing myself for where this conversation was going.

“Celia’s coming, too.” And there it was—Sophia’s bombshell. “I know how long it’s been since you’ve gotten to spend time together so I invited her for brunch tomorrow.”

Hudson’s face was steel, his jaw tight as he set his fork down with a noisy clink.

I imagined my heart plummeting through my chest, landing in my stomach with the same clink. Celia was a weak spot for me. She fueled my jealousy in ways that were absurd and unreasonable but real nonetheless. To keep from betraying my emotions, I bit my lip. Hard.

Mira’s face went red. “Mom! Why would you do that?”

Jack, who had rolled his eyes at Sophia’s announcement, now leaned toward his daughter, his arm resting on his knee. “Honestly, Mira, does this type of behavior from your mother surprise you?”

Sophia’s eyebrows raised in mock innocence. “What did I do?”

Mira groaned in response. Hudson remained silent, anger rolling off his body in waves.

Sophia either delighted in her son’s rage or didn’t recognize it. “Anyway, we’ve been talking about redecorating the main rooms. I figured this was a great opportunity for her to show us some ideas while catching up with her dear friend.” She turned up her sickening sweet smile. “Alayna, you’ve met Celia. Did you know that she did all the decorating for Hudson’s offices and penthouse?”

I glanced at Hudson who was barely containing his fury. “I did.”

I took a sip of coffee, preparing my next words. The loft above his office wasn’t where Hudson lived. I’d never been to his penthouse, but, of course, Sophia assumed I had. Anything I said I’d have to phrase carefully. “Celia’s got excellent taste. I think she managed to capture Hudson’s style quite well in both his living and working space.” It was true of his office and the loft, anyway. Hopefully it held about his penthouse.

“Which is your favorite room?”

“Sophia.” Jack’s tone was a warning.

Hudson tensed beside me, and I shoveled a mouthful of eggs into my mouth to stall. He’d hinted that he never took women to his penthouse, which had seemed like a good safety net for me—I couldn’t stalk a man’s house if I didn’t know where it was. But did Sophia know he didn’t take women there? Was she trying to trap me or was I being paranoid?

And underneath the concern of responding correctly was the punch of jealousy: Celia had been in Hudson’s private home. She had to have been if she had done the interior design.

I swallowed the bitter sting with my eggs and gave Sophia the only answer I could, lame as it was. “Oh, I love all of it. I could never pick one room.”

Hudson took my hand that still rested on his knee and laced it in his. “Didn’t you tell me you liked the library the best?”

Thank god. He’d cooled himself enough to throw me a line.

“Only because it has books.” Of course I’d love the library, being an avid reader.

Sophia’s smile was smug. “He barely has any books at all.”

Leave it to Hudson to have a library with no books.

He cleared his throat. “Actually, we’re working on improving that.” I exchanged a glance with him that I hoped expressed my thanks. “Alayna loves books so I’ve purchased quite a few since we’ve met. You haven’t been there in a while, Mother.”