Susan stepped toward them. “The Conrick family history is filled with folks who have been eager to help those who are less fortunate. You should have Hudson tell you about them.”
Hudson frowned. “Mom, that would be a little over-the-top. Like, ‘Hey, look at us and all the good stuff we do.’”
Susan gave her son an indulgent smile. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“We won’t talk about it now. It’s time for Dad to open his presents.” Hudson picked up one of the gaily wrapped gifts.
“I’ll agree with that.” H.P. sat behind his desk as Hudson handed his dad the gift.
The younger children sprinted into the room and found seats on the floor while the rest of the family sat on the sofa, chairs and window seat. As H.P. ripped the paper from the packages or dug into a gift bag, Melody took in the simple items that brought a smile to his face, especially the handmade gifts from the children. Even those from the adults were simple things that were more sentimental than anything else, such as photos of his grandchildren or of family vacations that were set in special and unusual frames.
All this familial happiness made Melody realize that despite their wealth, the Conricks were like so many throughout the country. They loved each other, but they didn’t always agree. The love they shared brought them through the troubled times, even the disagreements.
When H.P. was done, Melody inquired about the location of the restroom and Susan gladly escorted her. After Melody was done there, she wandered back toward the study. As she passed down the hallway, she heard someone say her name. She stopped. Although she knew it wasn’t right to eavesdrop, she couldn’t help listening.
“What do you know about her?”
“Not much, but Hudson’s smitten.”
“He’s fallen for a gold digger before. Who’s to say she isn’t another one like Nicole? He’s always been a sucker for pretty blondes. And she’s very pretty.”
“Did you see the way she was buttering up Daddy by taking an interest in the family history? She had him eating out of her hand with that poor-little-me act about her granddaddy. Looks as if she’s trying to worm her way into the family.”
“Hudson cares about her, and you’re too critical. Give her a chance.”
“A chance to break Hudson’s heart?”
“It’s not our business.”
“I don’t care what you say. I’m making it my business. You can’t stop me.”
Melody wasn’t sure who was talking. The sisters tended to sound alike, especially since she didn’t know them that well. One of them seemed to be defending her while the other two were adamant that a poor girl from southern Georgia was surely after Hudson’s money. What could she do? The only wise thing right now was to retreat to the bathroom and hope the conversation would be over when she came back out. Or maybe they’d staged the conversation in hopes that she would hear it. Was that their plan?
Back in the beautifully appointed guest bath, Melody stared at herself in the mirror. The old hurts from her high school years stole back into her mind. It was the mean rich girls all over again. They were talking about her behind her back. They didn’t believe she was good enough for their brother. Tears welled in Melody’s eyes as she continued to look in the mirror. She couldn’t go back out there until she got her emotions under control. She wasn’t sure how she could push aside the anger, hurt and humiliation. If only they knew that Hudson’s money was one of the things that had kept her from falling for him the first time they met. She wouldn’t let them win. After wiping her tears, she refreshed her makeup. With her head held high, she made her way back to the study. When she entered the room, Hudson immediately came to her side.
He grinned down at her. “I thought you’d gotten lost.”
“I could have in this house. No telling where I might have ended up if I’d taken a wrong turn.”
“I would’ve come looking for you.”
“Trying to play my knight in shining armor again?”
“If you want to be my damsel in distress?”
“Not really. No more twisted ankles for me.”
“Then, you’ve got to learn to slow down.” He leaned a little closer. “And let me catch you.”
Melody’s heart tripped. He was flirting with her right here in front of his family. What would his sisters say? “I can’t let that happen.”
“You could. You should try it, and see how you like it.”
Melody was so tempted to do exactly that. She would show his sisters that she was good enough, better than good enough for their brother. Taking a calming breath, she tamped down her anger. That was no reason to pursue Hudson. She didn’t want this evening to end on a sour note, but how could it get better when his sisters’ hurtful words kept pushing their way back into her thoughts?
“I know the idea of letting me catch you can be overwhelming, but you could say something.” Hudson winked at her.
“I’m helping you keep your promise.”
Hudson pretended to wipe his brow. “Thanks for saving me.”
Melody laughed, thankful for something to blunt the hurt of his sisters’ unkind words. “Anytime.”
“All right, everyone, we’re headed back to the solarium.” H.P.’s booming voice gathered their attention. “It’s tradition time. One big game of Uno coming up.”
“My dad’s favorite game. We play it every year on his birthday.” Hudson put a hand to Melody’s back and guided her toward the door. “I’m making sure you don’t get lost.”
“I can find my way.”
“I’m helping you play it safe.”
She gave him an impish smile. “This coming from the man who likes to live dangerously?”
He shrugged. “What can I say? You’re influencing my behavior.”
If only that was true. Melody smiled but kept the thought to herself.
As the group sauntered back to the solarium, Elizabeth latched on to Hudson’s arm. “Hey, little brother. I need a word with you.” Elizabeth turned to Melody. “You don’t mind if I borrow him for a few minutes?”
Melody pasted on a smile. “He’s not mine to lend.”
“That’s a good one.” Elizabeth looked at Melody with a smile nearly as affected as her own, then steered Hudson away.
Melody stood there, not quite sure she was going to find much pleasure in the rest of the evening. But she would. She would not be intimidated. Straightening her shoulders, she entered the solarium, where H.P. and his sons-in-law readied the table for the game.
While Melody watched, Rebecca came over. “So has our family overwhelmed you yet?”
Melody wondered why Rebecca had sought her out. Was she going to tell her to leave Hudson alone? “Not really. I come from a large family myself. I grew up in a small town, and it seemed as though half the town was related to me.”
“That sounds like where our mom grew up.”
“Yes, she mentioned that when I was here to talk to her ladies’ missionary group.”
“Mom was very impressed with your presentation.”
“Thank you.” Melody didn’t know what to make of these compliments or Rebecca’s seemingly friendly nature.
“I know this isn’t any of my business, but I have to say it. Hudson is clearly captivated with you, and I think you should give my little brother a chance.”
Melody didn’t know what to say, especially after the earlier conversation she’d overheard. Was Rebecca the one who’d been defending her? “I don’t understand.”
“I shouldn’t be telling you this, but a few weeks ago Hudson asked me for advice about women. He didn’t mention any names, but now I believe he was asking because of you.”
As Melody listened to Rebecca, the hurtful conversation replayed itself in her mind. Nothing made sense. What would Rebecca say if she knew
Melody had heard them talking. One way to find out. “Are you sure your sisters would be happy if they knew you were saying this to me?”
“What do my sisters have to do with this?”
“I wasn’t meaning to listen, but I—”
“You heard us talking?”
Melody nodded.
Rebecca laid a hand on Melody’s arm. “I’m so sorry. Elizabeth and Julie are very protective of Hudson, especially Elizabeth. He says she’s like a second mother.”
“Maybe you don’t believe I’m a gold digger, but it doesn’t bode well for any relationship I might like to have with Hudson if two of his sisters do.”
“They’ll come around.”
Melody stared at Rebecca. Was that really true? And who was Nicole? Should she ask? Opposing thoughts danced through her mind like the lights beaming off the glass enclosure surrounding her. She had to know. “Who’s Nicole?”
“A woman who broke my brother’s heart, pretending to love him when all she wanted was a rich husband.”
“Oh.” Melody had no idea what to say. “I’m not sure how I feel about Hudson.”
“Think about giving him a chance. I promise you won’t be sorry.”
Melody wished she could be sure. Everything in her wanted to believe Rebecca, but she feared being reeled in only to be cut loose when she got too close. Was Hudson really waiting for her to make the first move, or would it be a replay of the mean girls’ ploy that still haunted her so many years later?
Throughout the remainder of the evening, Melody studied the people around her. Elizabeth and Julie preserved their masks of friendliness, but Melody knew the thoughts behind their facades. She’d come to believe Hudson had been right about his father. H.P. did like her, but would that translate into approving of Hudson’s interest in her? Likewise with Susan. Rebecca was the only one who was definitely in her corner.
As Hudson and Melody said their good-nights, she wondered whether she should act on his sister’s urging to give him a chance. Since Christopher’s death, she had wrapped her emotions in a cocoon, hoping to avoid more pain. But every time she interacted with Hudson, his kindness, sense of humor and dedication to The Village worked to unravel the protective barrier. Christopher would want her to be happy. He had always told her to reach for her dreams.
Did she have enough fortitude to tell Hudson that she wanted to go out with him again and find out what the future might hold? Would she finally be brave enough to put her fears behind her?
Chapter Ten
The headlights beamed into the darkness as Hudson drove down the blacktop road that led away from his parents’ house. He turned on the radio to fill the silence. Melody had said few words since she’d gotten into the car. He didn’t know whether to ask if something was wrong or keep quiet. After his conversation with Elizabeth, he feared she’d spoken with Melody, as well.
Anger at his sister stewed inside him until it was ready to bubble over. She had no evidence that Melody was after his money like Nicole, but nothing he’d said would convince his overbearing sister that Melody was the kindest, most generous and giving woman he’d ever known.
His anger cemented the notion that trying to convince his dad that Elizabeth should take over the company was a mistake. That meant he would become the company head. He’d been resisting the idea for years. Was he prepared to take on that task?
More than ever, he wanted to toss aside that stupid promise not to ask Melody for another date. But if he broke that promise, would she believe he could keep his word going forward? He was stuck between two rotten choices concerning Melody and his role with the company.
Why had he thought his presence alone would change Melody’s mind about going out with him? Had he been too confident that he could win her over just by being around her?
“You’re awfully quiet.” Hudson looked her way as he pulled his car to a stop at a traffic light. Had someone—Elizabeth to be exact—said something unkind to Melody?
“I was remembering how much your dad enjoyed that game of Uno.” Melody chuckled. “He was like a big kid.”
“Don’t let him fool you. It’s his competitive nature that brings on his game face. He’ll never let you see him sweat.”
“Are you competitive, too?”
“It depends on the event.” Competitive when trying to win Melody’s favor. Or was that actually true? Had he used that promise as an excuse not to go after what he wanted because he feared she might turn out like Nicole? Elizabeth and her accusations about Melody had made him angry, but what could he do about it? Some of the same doubts plagued him.
“Uno must not be the kind of event that brings out your competitive nature.”
Hudson shrugged as he pulled onto the highway. “We kind of let Dad win on his birthday.”
“Does he know this?”
“Maybe, but it’s all in good fun. And what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s just a game.”
“What about stuff that isn’t a game?”
Hudson frowned. “What are you getting at?”
“After meeting your family, I’m rethinking what I told you about letting Elizabeth run your family company.” Melody paused, but took a deep breath and continued before Hudson could respond. “I know you’d prefer to be out on your own, but it wouldn’t be right for you to take control, then hand the company over to your sister. It would be a deception.”
“Great minds think alike.”
“Are you saying you had the same thought?”
Hudson nodded. “As much as my dad grates on me, I wouldn’t want him to think I was betraying his trust.”
Melody hung her head. “I’m sorry I even suggested it. I feel terrible about it, but I wanted to help.”
Hudson’s heart thudded as he glanced at her downcast posture. He reached across the console and gently squeezed her arm. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. Sometimes a certain path looks good until you take a second look. I’ve taken several wrong turns in my life.”
She looked up. “Thanks for being so kind in light of my error in judgment.”
“Honestly, you don’t have anything to apologize for.” Hudson wanted so much to make her feel better, but he was at a loss. When it came to Melody, he couldn’t quite get it right. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t get that idiotic promise off his mind. He wanted to wish it away—go back in time and undo it. But he was stuck with it. He’d fallen into a trap of his own making.
Melody fell silent again as Hudson turned onto the road that led to her subdivision. What was she thinking? He was afraid to ask her what she thought of his family, especially if Elizabeth had cornered Melody and warned her away from him. If Elizabeth hadn’t talked to Melody, he would make things worse by mentioning it.
Hudson pulled into her driveway and turned off the engine, but he made no move to get out of the car. Was there any chance she would invite him in and extend the evening? So much wishful thinking plowed through his brain that it made his head hurt and his heart ache.
“Thanks for sharing my dad’s birthday. I liked having you there. It made the whole affair much brighter.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You gave everyone things to think about, but your presence made everything better.”
Melody stared at him in the dimly lit interior of the car. Licking her lips, she looked as though she wanted to say something, but uncertainty radiated from her eyes. “You’re too kind. I guess I’d better go in.”
“Sure. I’ll walk you to the door.” As Hudson jumped out of the car and raced around to open the car door for her, he wished he could come up with a reason to linger longer, but nothing came to mind. Maybe he should tell her he wasn’t going to keep his promise and see what she said. It coul
dn’t be any worse than waiting around for her to make a move.
When they reached her front porch, she already had her keys in her hand. Not a very promising sign for prolonging their time together. She unlocked the door and let it swing open as she turned back to him. He couldn’t read her expression as she stood there silhouetted against the light she’d left on inside. His heart thundered, and he swallowed hard. How he’d love to kiss her right now.
“I...” They both spoke at once, then laughed.
“Ladies first.”
She turned just enough for the light inside to expose the uncertainty still in her expression. “I’d like to talk to you about something if you have time.”
“My time is yours.”
“Good. Come in.”
“Sure.” Despite Melody’s invitation, her voice projected that same doubt he’d seen in her eyes. What did she want to talk about that made her so tentative? Whatever it was, it must not be good. He followed her into the house and stood there in her front hall, a sick feeling in his gut.
She gave him a reluctant smile. “You’re welcome to make yourself comfortable in the living room. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Her minute seemed like forever while he paced back and forth, his mind whirling with all kinds of trouble. Could something be wrong with his project? Surely not after she’d praised everything about it tonight. It couldn’t be about the road rally. That was going well, too. The only thing left was his biggest fear. Elizabeth. Maybe he’d been right and his sister had confronted Melody, and she wanted to discuss it. That would explain her hesitancy about this meeting.
“Would you like something to drink?”
Hudson stopped pacing at her return. He wanted to get this conversation over with. “No, thanks. I’ve already had enough to eat and drink tonight.”
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