Falling For the Millionaire

by Merrillee Whren

  Hudson’s radar went up. Did she know his family or the family business? “How’s that?”

  “I heard Mr. Ian talking about you and Ms. Melody. You were the one who took her to the fund-raiser.” Lovie shook a finger at him. “You two make a pretty good pair. And I have a marvelous record on knowing when people match up well. So you two are next on my list.”

  Hudson’s laughter echoed in the reception area. “This could be interesting. Does Melody know about your list?”

  “She knows, but she doesn’t know I’ve finally put her on it and paired her with you.”

  Hudson laughed again. “So what does being on this list of yours mean?”

  “That you’ll be the next bride and groom here at The Village.”

  Not sure how to respond, Hudson rolled that information around in his mind. Melody fascinated him, and he wanted to get to know her better, go out on a few more dates, but marriage? That was a leap. Eyeing Lovie, he shook his head. “That’s getting a little ahead of where I’m at.”

  Lovie nodded. “I know, but you’ll eventually come around, and so will Ms. Melody. I’ve got you two in my sights.”

  “Then, maybe I’d better stay out of range.”

  Chuckling, Lovie shook her head. “Once you get there, you can’t get out of range. Just saying.”

  “Guess we’ll see what happens.” Shaking his head again, he headed toward Ian’s office. “Take care, and don’t do too much matchmaking.”

  “Never too much.” Her laughter followed Hudson as he turned the corner.

  He knocked on Ian’s door and hoped this upcoming conversation would give him the information he needed.

  “Come on in.” Ian clapped Hudson on the back. “Congratulations again on winning the bid to complete our women’s shelter expansion.”

  Hudson smiled. “Yeah, the work’s beginning as we speak. I’m out here to make sure we get things moving. And to find out where you can use me for the Valentine banquet, since we never discussed it after Melody twisted her ankle.”

  “Yeah, that’s been rough on her. As soon as you told me about her accident, I knew it would cramp her style.” Ian chuckled. “It’s killing her, but I told her it was a chance to stop and smell the roses.”

  “You’ve talked to her already this morning?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Because I just dropped her off, and she didn’t look very slow to me.”

  Curiosity flashed across Ian’s expression. “You drove her over?”

  “I did. I gave her a ride home after she got her ankle wrapped, too. I ordered her a pizza and played nursemaid until I had worn out my welcome.” Hudson didn’t miss the surprise that wiped out Ian’s curious look.

  “Interesting. Is something going on that I should know about?”

  Hudson wondered what he should tell Ian. After all, he’d arranged their blind date, but that was about the fund-raising, not romance. “Even if something is, I’m not sure you should know about it.”

  Shaking his head, Ian let out a halfhearted laugh. “Are you telling me to mind my own business?”

  “Not really. There isn’t anything to tell.”

  “Would you like there to be?”

  “Good question.” Hudson shrugged. “Let’s talk about the Valentine banquet, then we can discuss Melody and sponsoring the fountain.”

  “What’s the occasion?”

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  Ian nodded and motioned toward the black leather chairs in front of his desk. “I was surprised when Adam invited you to participate, but I think he has his reasons.”

  “What would those be?”

  “It might have to do with one Melody Hammond. She seems to be the topic of the hour.” A slow smile crossed Ian’s face. “I think Adam’s trying to do a little matchmaking.”

  “Him, too?”

  Ian chuckled. “Maybe. The matchmaking bug seems to be contagious around this place.”

  Hudson joined the laughter. “I’ve met Lovie, and she already has me on her list. Do you suppose she shared her list with Adam?”

  “Wouldn’t surprise me.”

  Hudson nodded and changed the subject. “So what am I doing for this banquet?”

  “How’s your skill in the kitchen?”

  “As in cooking?” Hudson raised his eyebrows.

  “No, preparing the plates.”

  “Sounds like something I can handle.”

  “Then, that’ll be your assignment.”

  “Now I’d like to discuss the fountain.”

  Ian eyed him. “Does this have anything to do with Melody?”

  “It does.” Hudson held his breath as he waited for Ian’s reaction.

  “If you were thinking of Valentine’s Day, that day’s been taken for months.”

  “I’m not interested in Valentine’s Day.” Hudson rested his elbows on the armrests. “I don’t have a specific day picked out yet. But I also have another idea I want to run by you before I do the fountain.”

  “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

  “Before Melody sprained her ankle, she took me up in the bell tower of the chapel and told me that the bell can’t be rung anymore because the mechanism is broken. I’d like to have our company fix—”

  “We’ve decided not to fix it because we can make better use of our money.”

  “Hear me out before you dismiss the idea. There’ll be no charge to you. I’m paying for it as a gift to The Village. I’d like this to be a surprise, and I want to sponsor the fountain on the day the bell is ready to ring.”

  Ian sat back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head as he raised his eyebrows. “So you want to surprise Melody?”

  Hudson wished he could explain his thoughts about her, but he wasn’t sure of them himself. “Yes, and I want to get to know her better.”

  “Then, take her out again.”

  Frowning, Hudson sighed. If he wanted to talk about Melody, he would have to admit that she wouldn’t go out with him again. “I know she had a good time with me at the fund-raiser, and we had an enjoyable evening last night, but she won’t go on another date with me.”

  “Did she say why?”

  “Yeah, she says we come from different worlds. I like to live on the edge and she likes to play it safe. And the two don’t mix.”

  Ian shrugged. “She could be right. She has a good reason.”

  “What?”

  “First, her father died in a plane crash when she was young. Then three years ago her fiancé was killed by a roadside bomb while he was delivering aid to people in Afghanistan. She begged him not to go because of the danger, but he went anyway because he wanted to help.”

  The air sucked out of Hudson’s lungs. No wonder she’d turned pale when he’d mentioned stepping into a minefield during the dinner dance. “That’s tough. Are you saying she’s never gotten over the death of her fiancé?”

  “She doesn’t talk about it. Everyone believes she throws herself into her work so she doesn’t have to think about it.” Ian shook his head. “For a long time, no one could convince her to go on a date at all, but lately, she’s agreed to some. You were one of them.”

  “Have any of the others resulted in a second?”

  “Not that I know of, but I’m not the dating coordinator around here.” Ian chuckled. “Ask Annie about that.”

  Hudson scooted forward in his seat. “But didn’t you arrange my night with her?”

  “I mentioned you to Annie, and she took over.” Ian got up and walked over to the window and made a sweeping gesture toward the view of the quad outside. “Melody is interested in only one thing—her work here.”

  Joining Ian at the window, Hudson contemplated the new information about Melody’s fiancé. Add that to
the deaths of her brother and father, and Hudson could see why she wanted to stay away from men who took chances on anything. And he wasn’t willing to give up his adventures for a woman he didn’t know all that well, even though she fascinated him. “So you’re saying my chances of getting a second date are slim?”

  Ian nodded. “I would venture to say almost impossible.”

  “Thanks for the ego boost and encouragement.”

  “Always glad to be of service.” Ian chuckled.

  “Could I ask you a personal question?”

  Smiling wryly, Ian leaned against the windowsill. “That all depends.”

  Hudson shook his head. “I know that’s a loaded question. Let me ask it, and if you don’t want to answer, feel free to ignore it.”

  “Okay.”

  “Am I remembering correctly that you were divorced while we were in law school?” Hudson watched for signs that he might have offended Ian.

  Ian looked out the window again as if he was trying to find an answer. “Yeah, Annie and I divorced while I was in law school.”

  Hudson smiled. He’d always loved happy endings—maybe the result of growing up with three older sisters. “So you remarried?”

  Ian lowered his gaze, then looked back at Hudson. “Yeah. We’re both in recovery for substance abuse. We had a lot of forgiving to do, but with God’s help we’re going to do it right this time.”

  Ian went on to tell Hudson about their reconciliation and remarriage after Annie had come to The Village for help in regaining custody of her daughter and son. No wonder Melody hadn’t wanted to discuss the details and had suggested that he ask Ian about it.

  Hudson clapped Ian on the back. “Hey, thanks for explaining everything. I’m glad things worked out for you and Annie.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” Ian nodded.

  “Will Melody be hands-on with the women’s shelter project?”

  Ian smiled. “Are you hoping she is?”

  “I thought maybe if—”

  “If you’re around her enough, she’ll warm up to your reckless ways?”

  Hudson shook his head. “I’m not sure I know what I’m hoping for. Maybe just a chance.”

  “Well, she and Adam are the ones keeping track of the new construction, so you’ll probably see a lot of her. On the other hand, she’s one busy woman with a lot of irons in the fire. No telling how much time she’ll spend there.” Ian gave Hudson a curious look. “Even after you helped Melody with her sprained ankle, she’s giving you the cold shoulder?”

  Hudson laughed halfheartedly. “I’d say it’s lukewarm.”

  Ian clapped Hudson on the back. “Hudson, you’re my friend, but I’m also Melody’s friend, and I’m warning you to tread lightly with her. I’d like to see her find someone who can make her happy. She’s not a woman you can take out a few times and toss aside. She’s been through a lot of tragedy, and she has a tender heart. I won’t stand by and let you hurt her.”

  Hudson didn’t know what to make of his friend’s warning. How was he supposed to know whether to pursue a serious relationship with her unless they went out again—got to know each other better? “I have no intention of hurting her.”

  “I know you wouldn’t mean to, but I remembered how you operated when we were in law school. You went through women faster than you went through legal pads.” Ian gave him a cautionary look. “You can’t do that with Melody.”

  Hudson took a deep breath, remembering the way he’d tried to bury his hurt over Nicole. “I’m not the same guy you knew in law school. Being in the army gave me a different perspective about life. And in my defense, most of those women I dated back then were more interested in my bank account than they were in me.”

  Ian nodded. “I’ll give you that, but I wanted you to know you can’t toy with Melody’s heart.”

  “She won’t go out with me anyway, so maybe it’s a moot point.”

  “You know.” Smiling, Ian rubbed a hand over his jawline. “We’re having a Super Bowl party, and Melody will be there. You’re welcome to come. Then you can get to know some of our group better, and maybe Melody will see you in a different light.”

  “Thanks for the invitation. I’ll be there.” Hudson extended his hand to Ian. “Thanks for seeing me, and I won’t forget what you’ve told me. Now I’ll let you get back to the important stuff.”

  “Reconnecting with an old friend is always important.” Ian shook Hudson’s hand.

  Hudson walked into the hallway and stood there a moment, trying to resist the urge to knock on Melody’s door. For now, he had to be satisfied that he’d seen her this morning on the drive over. Now he had to get to work.

  While Hudson walked across the quad to the construction site, he thought about his conversation with Ian and Lovie. People everywhere were trying to tell him what to do and how to act. Did he appear directionless to those around him? Was that why his father had planned to run his life?

  Hudson glanced over at the chapel and remembered Melody’s invitation to attend church there. Did God have a plan for him? Hudson wanted to break away from the family business and not have to answer to his father for everything. He hadn’t considered that his ideas might not be God’s chosen path.

  Although he’d gone to church with his family whenever he was home because his father had expected it, Hudson had to admit his faith wasn’t what it should be. He’d pretty much drifted through the whole church thing. Had he come in contact with Ian again for a reason? How did a person know God’s will for his life?

  Hudson shook the questions away. He had his own vision for where he wanted to be and what he wanted to do, and he was sticking to it.

  Chapter Six

  The sight of the red Ferrari parked in front of Ian and Annie’s house jumbled Melody’s insides. There was only one person that car could belong to. How had she guessed that Hudson was a Ferrari? She should have known he’d be in the mix when Annie had invited her over for a Super Bowl party, something she wasn’t that excited about.

  A little get-together with a few friends. Were Ian and Annie trying to act as matchmakers?

  Melody wondered how she should deal with Hudson. Why was he pursuing a poor girl from rural Georgia? Maybe she was a challenge he couldn’t resist. If she fell all over him, would he turn and run the other way as fast as he could? If she put that plan into action and it didn’t work, she could be in big trouble.

  Even though he’d told her that he wasn’t going to ask her for another date, his presence always put her on edge. He seemed to be around every corner on The Village campus—at the construction site, the administration building or at the cafeteria. His appeal had her running scared. She’d even considered packing her lunch and eating in her office, but she refused to let any man intimidate her into hiding.

  She couldn’t forget that in their interactions he’d been masquerading as a sedan with his down-home stories and good-old-boy persona, but in truth he was a sports car. There was only one thing she could do. She had to manufacture a smile and make the best of the evening. It couldn’t be all bad with other people to act as a buffer between Hudson and her.

  Melody took a deep breath as she made her way to the front door. She was thankful to have hung up her crutches a few days ago. Although she could feel a twinge of pain once in a while and she had to wear flats instead of heels, her ankle was nearly as good as new. Every time she felt a small ache, she thought of Hudson and the way he’d insisted on helping her that day. She didn’t want to think nice things about him because they undermined her resistance.

  She rang the doorbell. Annie opened the door. “Melody, come in.” Annie leaned a little closer. “Hudson’s here.”

  “Yeah, I figured that when I saw the Ferrari. Not too many of our acquaintances own one of those.”

  Annie laughed as she hung Melody’s jacket
in the coat closet. “Everyone’s in the den. While we’re waiting for the game to start, Hudson’s entertaining us with some video.”

  Melody’s nervousness increased but she tried to pretend he was any other guy, not someone who put her heart on a racetrack like one of his cars. She had to be friendly, but not too friendly. Walking a tightrope of emotions wouldn’t make for a great evening.

  When Melody entered the room, everyone was gathered around Hudson. Just as Annie had said, they were looking at something on the tablet he was holding. As she watched him, her heart bumped against her rib cage. If it could be possible, he was more handsome in a pair of blue jeans and a blue-and-white-plaid shirt than he was in a tuxedo or even the khakis and dress shirts he wore when he came to the campus.

  “Hey, everyone, Melody’s here.” Annie propelled Melody toward the group.

  Hudson looked up from the iPad. His intense scrutiny sent her heart into overdrive. She could handle this. No need to let his presence tie her in knots.

  Melody smiled as she raised her hand halfway and gave a little wave. “What are y’all looking at?”

  Kirsten pulled her into the group. “You’ve got to see this. Hudson skydives. So cool.”

  Melody tried to smile at Kirsten, who obviously had no idea that Melody wasn’t excited about Hudson’s skydiving or even the fact that he was here. “I’m not a fan.”

  Brady came up and put his arm around his fiancée’s shoulders as he looked at Melody. “You’d think Kirsten would say the same thing since she’s the woman who doesn’t like to ride on cable cars dangling above the ground, but here she is saying how cool skydiving is.”

  Kirsten gave him an irritated look. “I’ve never known anyone who has actually jumped from a plane. I didn’t say I was going to skydive. Hot-air balloon rides are as adventuresome as I want to get.”

  “I’m not sure I’d even like a balloon ride.” Melody grimaced.

  “Maybe you should see for yourself what we’re talking about.” Hudson grinned as he held out the iPad. “Take a look.”

  “Okay.” Melody figured everyone would think she was unsociable if she didn’t. She watched the video of Hudson jumping out of a plane, his parachute opening in a colorful display. After soaring over the forested hills in the Atlanta area, he made a pinpoint landing in an open field. She wanted to ask how he did it, but she decided not to engage him in conversation. He had enough attention from the others. Was she the only one who found the idea completely horrifying?