She nodded, her mouth parched. For a minute, they sipped their water in silence. What was he thinking? What did it matter? Even though she didn’t plan to go out with him again, she wanted this date to have been a success.
“So you have brothers?” After the silence, his question sounded like a loud clap in an empty room.
Melody pushed aside the cobwebs of her thoughts. “Yeah, younger brothers.”
“How many?”
Melody never knew how to respond when people asked that question. Fortunately, it didn’t come up that often. A lump rose in her throat as she thought about her eldest brother, Blake, who’d been killed when his dirt bike had skidded and slammed into a tree.
“Is that a question I shouldn’t have asked?” He peered at her in the dim light, concern on his face.
Waiting for her emotions to subside, she shook her head. “The eldest of my brothers died in a dirt bike accident when he was seventeen. He was a year younger than me. I have two other brothers. So I never know quite how to answer that question.”
“I’m sorry about your brother. That must’ve been a difficult time.”
“Thanks. It was for my whole family.” Melody lowered her gaze as she twisted the strap on her purse. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore, or she was afraid she might embarrass herself by bursting into tears. She’d lost too many men in her life.
Her brother. Her father. Her fiancé.
Hudson fell silent again, and Melody stared out the window as the limo turned onto her street. The evening was at its close, but she didn’t want it to end on a sad note. She had to say something cheery or at least make an attempt. “I appreciate you taking me to the fund-raiser. I had a good time.”
The concern on Hudson’s face morphed into a lazy smile. “Me, too. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to show off my dancing skills.”
Melody laughed, feeling the earlier sadness waft away. “Ms. Smithers would be proud.”
Hudson joined in the laughter. “Maybe. I don’t believe she ever considered me one of her star pupils. I stepped on too many toes.”
“She should’ve seen you tonight.”
“Thanks.” He set his empty glass on the bar, then turned to her. “I had more than a great time tonight. I enjoyed every minute with you. I’d like to take you out to dinner next Saturday.”
Melody’s heart caught in her throat. His request caught her off guard. Aware that she’d upped his expectations with her compliments, she wished he hadn’t asked. How could she explain her reasons for not wanting to go out with him again? She didn’t want to go into past heartaches that he couldn’t begin to understand. Could he possibly see how their very different backgrounds weren’t compatible? “I did have a fun time with you, but another date wouldn’t be a good idea. I’m sorry.”
His eyebrows knit above his brown eyes. “Why not? It’s only dinner.”
“I don’t know, Hudson.” Melody sighed. “I’m not sure I fit into your world.”
The limousine came to a stop in front of her house before Hudson could respond to her statement. He lowered the window between them and the driver. “James, we’re going to sit here for a minute.” Without waiting for James’s reply, Hudson turned back to her. “My world isn’t any different from yours.”
Shaking her head, Melody let out a halfhearted chuckle. “You come from a rich family. I’m from small-town Georgia and grew up poor. I went to the University of Georgia on a HOPE scholarship, got a degree in psychology and then a masters in counseling. I worked for a few years with a government job-counseling center before I started working at The Village. I love my work there. What do I know about the life of a multimillionaire?”
“Maybe you should find out. People are people. How can you make a judgment without getting to know me?”
“I don’t want to go down a road that wouldn’t be good for either of us. Tonight was wonderful, but this has to be it.” Melody gritted her teeth, wishing he would listen to reason, but his mentioning her judgment went right to her guilt. Was she too critical? But this wasn’t all about his money. She couldn’t forget his love of skydiving and car races—dangerous activities that took lives. She couldn’t be with a man who took such risks.
“I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Please don’t make this difficult. It’s not just because you come from wealth and I don’t. You like to live on the edge and I like to play it safe. How can that be a good combination?”
“It might be fun to find out.”
Melody let out an exasperated sigh. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Not when I want something.” Hudson’s look could cut steel. “I won’t press you anymore tonight, but you haven’t heard the last of me, Ms. Hammond.”
“I’ll take that as a warning, Mr. Conrick.”
“James, I’ll be walking Ms. Hammond to the door.”
Again the driver seemed to materialize out of thin air. He opened the door. Hudson stepped out and extended his hand to Melody. She braced herself against her reaction to his touch as she took his hand. She didn’t want to like the way her hand felt in his, but she did. She didn’t want to like anything about tonight, but she did. She didn’t want to think about Hudson kissing her good-night, but she did. She couldn’t let that kiss happen, no matter what she wanted.
When they stepped onto her porch, Melody quickly snatched her keys from her purse and unlocked her door. She turned to look up at him, another lump forming in her throat. Her head was telling her to run and run fast, but her heart told her to take a chance. She couldn’t listen to her heart. “I can’t thank you enough for being my escort and for your support.”
That lazy smile reappeared. “Sure you can. You can go out with me again.”
Melody clenched her fist around her purse strap. She would not give in. She would stand her ground no matter how captivating his smile was. She would not take a chance on another man determined to pursue something dangerous, especially when it had no redeeming value. “I’m sorry, Hudson. The answer is no. Please don’t ask me again.”
“I’m not going to make promises I can’t keep.” Hudson leaned closer, almost close enough to kiss her.
“Thanks again. Good night.” Her heart pounding, she ducked inside as his good-night was lost in the closing of her door.
Melody watched through the sidelight window while Hudson strode away without a backward glance. Her wobbly legs failed to move an inch. She put her fingertips to her lips where he’d almost planted a kiss. Her pulse raced as she stood there until the taillights of the limousine faded from her view. She couldn’t let his persuasive words, his handsome face or his generous nature change her determination not to go out with him again.
* * *
The redbrick buildings of the former college gave a stately air to The Village of Hope campus. Even the grays of winter didn’t take away from the beauty as Hudson parked his car near the administration offices. How would Melody react when she saw him? He’d spent the past four days trying not to think about her, but her image plagued his thoughts.
Maybe his ego had taken a hit when she’d refused to go out with him again. He wasn’t used to women turning him down. But he was wary of female motives no matter the circumstances. Too often they were looking at his bank account and not at him. Melody certainly had reason to see him as a dollar sign even if her interest wasn’t personal.
He wanted another date with her, and he would find a way to get one. But first, he had other things to accomplish. After a little research, he’d discovered that they were still taking bids for the women’s shelter project. Winning that bid was his goal.
Hudson and Carter Duncan, the general manager and numbers guy from the construction division of Conrick Industries, walked into the impressive reception area with its shiny marble floor and the two-story ceiling. A
smiling silver-haired woman sat behind the massive reception desk. “Good morning. May I help you?”
“Good morning, Lovie. I’m Hudson Conrick, and this is my colleague, Carter Duncan.” Hudson motioned toward the short stocky man with the thinning brown hair who stood nearby. “We have an appointment with Adam Bailey and Melody Hammond.”
Lovie’s brow wrinkled. “How do you know my name?”
Hudson pointed toward the little gold bar pinned to her jacket. “It says so right there on your name tag.”
Lovie shook her head. “You can’t fool me. You said my name before you were close enough to read it.”
“Okay. You’ve got me.” Hudson chuckled. “I heard about you and your quilt the other night at the fund-raiser.”
Clapping her hands together, Lovie beamed. “So wonderful what the Lord can do with a little bit of nothing.”
“I saw your quilt. That wasn’t a little bit of nothing. It was a lot of work. A true work of art and love.” Hudson leaned on the raised counter of the reception desk.
“Thank you. I am proud of it and so happy I was able to help The Village.” Lovie blushed as she reached for the phone. “I’ll let Adam know you’re on your way to his office, which is down the hallway to the left.”
“Thanks.” Hudson nodded, then fell into step with Carter as they made their way around the corner.
“I sure hope you know what you’re doing. I wouldn’t want to make your father unhappy with this venture.” Carter frowned as he slowed his step and turned to Hudson.
Hudson stopped, taking in the worry in Carter’s eyes. “I told you this project will be mine. I’m prepared to take this whole endeavor on my shoulders. You don’t have to be concerned about a thing.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Your part is to help me get the numbers I need. I want to be armed with as much information as possible when I confront my father.”
Carter shook his head as they continued on their way. “Better you than me. Besides, I’d sure like it if this project saved my job.”
Their footsteps sounded loud in the quiet hallway as Hudson tried not to think about his dad’s reaction to this undertaking. He had heard rumors that the construction side of the business wasn’t doing well. Carter’s statement made it a certainty. Hudson would like nothing better than to save the jobs of all those involved. Before they reached their destination, Adam stepped into the hallway. “Good to see you again, Mr. Conrick.”
Hudson shook hands, then made introductions. Adam ushered them into his office. Hudson glanced around the Spartan space until his gaze rested on Melody. Although she smiled as she greeted them, she didn’t look happy to be there. Was she still wishing to avoid him?
Adam motioned for them to sit on the black leather chairs near his desk. “I understand you want to see the blueprints for the new project and tour the area. Is that correct?”
Hudson nodded as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it over the back of the chair. “Carter here is my numbers man. He’ll want to see what you’ve got so Conrick Construction can give you a bid.”
“We’re close to making a decision, so you’ll have to give us your proposal by Monday.” Adam pushed the rolls of blueprints and another folder across the desk.
“That won’t be a problem.” Despite the statement, Hudson’s dry mouth and racing pulse gave him no peace. So much of what he wanted to prove to his father was riding on this proposal. For years he’d walked the path his father had set before him. Those dance lessons, law school and the army had been his father’s command. Hudson was determined not to jump to his dad’s wishes anymore. Staring death in the face on the battlefield made him realize he’d been living a life that had been chosen for him. He didn’t know who he was or what he wanted because he’d let someone else plan his life. Not anymore.
Could he make his case? No time for doubts. He would finally stand up for himself and make his own mark in this world. That included his interest in one very reluctant woman. Melody Hammond was a challenge he couldn’t resist.
While thoughts of standing up to his father rolled through Hudson’s mind, Carter studied the blueprints and the information Adam had provided. Finally, he closed the folder and glanced at Hudson. “I’d like to take these blueprints to the construction site.”
Adam waved a hand in Melody’s direction. “Melody will give you a tour. I have another meeting this morning, so I’ll meet you in the senior center after you finish.”
Melody produced another uncomfortable smile as she led Hudson and Carter into the hallway. “Let me stop by my office and grab my coat.”
“Sure.” Hudson nodded as he walked beside her. “It’s a little chilly out there today, unlike the night of the fund-raiser.”
She nodded, still trying to hold her smile in place as she scurried into her office and out of sight. Had he made a mistake in mentioning their date? He had to quit second-guessing himself. Women didn’t usually intimidate him, but Melody did. He’d never met a woman like her.
“I can see why you’re eager to do this project. She’s quite a looker.”
Annoyed at Carter’s description of Melody, Hudson glared at the other man. “She might be good-looking, but this isn’t about her. This is about business.”
“If you say so.” Grinning, Carter shrugged.
Hudson balled and unballed his hand. The urge to wipe that smile off Carter’s face passed through Hudson’s thoughts. Not wise. Not productive. Not Christian.
He took a deep breath as Melody reappeared wearing a dark gray trench coat. With a nod, she led them out the side door. The bright sunshine belied the temperature outside. Hudson liked the way sunlight sparkled in her blond hair as it lay on the jacket’s dark material. He wished he could say something to brighten her mood, but it was obvious his presence didn’t make her happy. Much the same as the night of the fund-raiser, Melody charged ahead at a fast clip as she made her way across the quad. She walked with determination. He liked that about her, too. When she reached the fountain, she stopped and turned. “I’ll show you our current women’s facility so you can see what’s been done before with an existing building.”
“Works for me.” Carter nodded.
Hudson nodded but didn’t say anything. He wanted to ask about the colored water and balloons on the fountain but decided against it. The less he said the better at this point. The situation demanded patience. Not one of his virtues. He’d let Carter take the lead. That might be more to Melody’s liking.
Melody took one of the sidewalks leading away from the fountain toward the right side of the quad. She said little until they reached the building, where she punched in a code on the pad next to the door. Looking up at Carter, she motioned for him to go in. “We hold security very important, especially for our women. So we require background checks on every member of your crew if you win the bid for this project.”
Without a word, Carter entered the building and Hudson followed, walking along the hallway where the faint smell of a pine-scented cleaning solution explained the gleaming tile floors. “Nice facility you have here.”
“Thanks.” Melody turned her head, giving him the first genuine smile of the day. “This used to be a dormitory that we converted into apartments. There are a dozen on each floor. That’s what we plan to do with the other building. That’s why I wanted to start here.”
“Your new project’s similar to this one?” Hudson asked.
“Yes.” Melody stepped toward the first door. “I’ve made arrangements for you to look at this apartment. The resident gave her permission to let me show the place while she’s attending job training. You’re welcome to look around.”
Carter made a hurried trip through the place while Hudson took a more leisurely stroll, observing the modest furnishings in the two-bedroom dwelling. When he finished his tour, he joined Carte
r, who was studying the blueprints he’d laid out on the dinette table near the galley kitchen.
Hudson glanced at Melody. “Do they all have the same layout?”
“Basically.” Melody shifted her weight from foot to foot as her gaze flitted around the room. “Are you ready to see the other building?”
“Absolutely,” Carter said as he rolled up the blueprint.
Minutes later, as Melody reached the door to the next building, she turned, focusing her attention on Carter. Hudson didn’t want to believe that she was doing her best to ignore him, but he couldn’t dismiss the evidence.
“When we go in, you’ll see that the interior has been gutted. It’s been that way for a couple of years. We’d planned to renovate it right after we did the other one, but we didn’t have the funds at the time. So we put this one on hold.”
Hudson digested this information as Melody granted them access. He glanced around at the bare concrete block walls and floors illuminated with light filtering through dingy windows. He tried to focus on the possibilities rather than the grim picture the place presented while Carter asked the questions. Hudson figured the less he said the better.
After they completed the tour, Melody locked up, then turned to face them. “Do you have more questions for me?”
“Not right now, but I may have some after I go over the information I’ve collected today.” Carter stuck the rolled-up blueprints under his arm.
Melody produced one of those forced smiles. “Good. Then we’ll meet with Adam.”
While they walked back across the quad, she chatted comfortably with Carter. The breeze ruffled her blond hair around her shoulders as she laughed at something he said. Why couldn’t she be that comfortable with him? She obviously wanted to make it abundantly clear that she meant what she’d told him the night of the fund-raiser. She wouldn’t go out with him again. Would that be a strike against Conrick Construction getting the bid?
Falling For the Millionaire Page 3