Hudson saw her as a victim in all this, despite the fact that she practically threw herself at him. If he ever found out that she’d planned the entire thing, there's no telling what he would do. How was she ever going to pull this off without him figuring it out?
Annabelle's muscles tensed as she thought of a completely new problem. What if he expected her to sleep with him now that they were getting engaged? It may be a fake engagement, but if he decided he wanted to be with her, how could she turn him down and make it believable after the way she’d acted that first day?
Maybe if she pretended that his initial rebuff hurt her feelings, she could get away with it. Watching the palm trees and mansion estates pass by outside her window, she decided to take it one day at a time.
As the car turned down the private road to Cottonwood Plantation—the Montgomery’s estate—Annabelle once again stared in awe at the beauty of the property.
When she was pretending to research the article for Southern Style Magazine, she’d learned a lot about the plantation. There were actually three large houses on the property, two of which were moved from other areas of the state of Georgia many years ago. The “Big House,” as they called it, was the original plantation house, and it was also where Hudson lived now.
His mother spent most of her time at her house in Savannah, but when she came to visit the island, she stayed in the smallest of the three houses. They passed it as Annabelle watched from inside the limousine. From what the housekeeper told her, this house was actually the same house where Sue Ellen Montgomery grew up. She’d had it moved down here after her own father died back in the nineteen seventies.
Farther down the long, palm-lined driveway, another antebellum home peeked out through the oak trees hung with Spanish moss. Annabelle was unsure of the origin of this second home, but it was magnificent with its three stories and beautiful wrap-around porch. She knew that Hudson’s oldest brother, Jack Jr., called this large house his own when he was in town.
Annabelle couldn't help but wonder where Harlan lived.
He was an up-and-coming actor, fresh from a very successful TV series on HBO, so she doubted he spent much time here on the island anymore. He probably lived in Los Angeles most of the time, but something must have brought him home to the area four months ago when he showed up at Julia’s bar.
Annabelle hoped she’d have the chance to meet him and talk to him about Julia. She was going to do everything she could to find him before this whole thing blew up in her face.
Julia still didn't know that Annabelle was here trying to find him. She would probably be angry at Annabelle for meddling in her business, but once the baby came, she would be thanking her. Or at least that’s what Annabelle kept telling herself.
Even with all of her questions and doubts about the situation, Annabelle always kept one goal in mind: to find Harlan and convince him to take a paternity test. Once the family knew the baby was a Montgomery, and that Julia wasn’t just some tramp looking for make a few dollars, surely they would want her to be a part of their lives.
The limousine drove down another gravel road parallel to the Big House, and when it came to a stop Annabelle stared out at a beautiful little cottage. The outside was plastered with a mix of shell and concrete, and she knew from her time spent on St. Simon's Island as a child that houses covered with this mixture were often called tabby houses.
Raymond opened the door for her, and she climbed out of the car.
“Here we are, Ms. Day. This is the cottage where you'll be staying.”
“Thank you, Raymond. This is gorgeous.”
As she walked closer, she ran her hands across the rough shells embedded into the walls. It was truly beautiful, and even though Hudson had described it as being small, she figured it was at least twice as big as her apartment in the city.
Inside, she found that she had her own kitchen, a large bedroom with a private patio that overlooked the ocean, a huge bathroom with a whirlpool tub, and a living room with a cozy gas fireplace. Moving from her busy life as a low-level reporter in Atlanta to this charming tabby cottage by the sea was like a dream. She’d always wanted to live by the ocean.
None of this is real, she reminded herself.
Just as she was starting to feel better about her decision to come here, her eyes landed on a dress laid out on the bed. She walked over to admire the light chiffon fabric. It was the most beautiful color of yellow, like a slice of lemon meringue pie, and she ran her hand along its sheer length.
A note lay near the thin spaghetti straps, and Annabelle sat on the soft bed to read it.
Dear Annabelle,
Please join us for dinner at the Big House this evening at six thirty. I look forward to meeting you this evening. Accept this dress as my welcome gift. If you need anything else to help you settle in, don't hesitate to ask.
The note was signed by Hudson’s mother, Sue Ellen Montgomery. Annabelle was touched by the sweet gesture, even though she knew his family was well-informed about their phony engagement plan. Still, it was sweet of his mother to treat her as a welcome guest instead of a business partner.
Or worse.
Annabelle walked over to the full-length mirror and held the dress in front of her. The image of her own mother standing behind her in a mirror similar to this one came to her in a flash of memory that almost took her breath away. It was her thirteenth birthday party, and her mother had bought her a beautiful white dress to wear. That night was one of the last vivid memories she still had of her mother.
With a sigh, Annabelle threw the yellow dress back onto the bedspread and walked into the bathroom to splash her face with cold water. As tempting as it might become over the next few weeks to believe that she was being welcomed into a new family, the Montgomery’s were only being nice to her so she would help them with their important business deal.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if she were really in love with and engaged to a man whose mother showered her with gifts and tender words. No matter how good that might feel someday, Hudson Montgomery was never going to be that man.
She would do well to remind herself of that on a daily basis during the months to come.
Glancing at his watch, Hudson muttered a curse under his breath. He was running late for dinner. He could hear a small crowd beginning to gather in the next room, and although his mother would make a fine hostess, he wanted to be there to introduce her to Annabelle.
Damn. Just thinking her name sent a surge of desire through his body. Every time he walked within twenty feet of her, he felt the air between them crackle with energy. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since they’d parted, and already he missed being around her.
During his business meetings all morning, he’d found himself wishing he had postponed them and ridden down to Sea Island with her. They needed some time to get to know each other in case the press started digging into their relationship.
Oh, hell. Who was he trying to kid? This wasn't about the press. He wanted her. Plain and simple. From the first moment he laid eyes on her, he knew he had to have her. The photograph in The Informer only gave him a reason to get closer to her. Granted, the photograph had caused a few problems once Mr. Takahashi got wind of the ordeal, but luckily Jack was there to put out the fire before it got out of hand. Once Jack told the old man that Hudson and the lovely woman in the photo were in a very serious relationship and were talking about marriage, he had been pleased to hear that at least one of the Montgomery siblings was thinking of finally settling down.
An engagement was the perfect catalyst to sealing the deal, Hudson was sure of it. He was so close now to realizing his father's lifelong dream of expanding their family empire into the Asian market.
Time was slipping by these days with the stress of the acquisition consuming him, and he glanced at his watch again. Six twenty-five. He forced himself to lower his pen and set aside his papers for the evening. Annabelle should be arriving any moment.
; Hudson made his way down the hall quickly, but stopped short the moment he saw a slight flutter of yellow fabric. His body reacted instantly. When he turned the corner, he could feel her presence like a beacon calling out to him.
She was standing in the middle of a small group of people, looking beautiful in her soft yellow dress. Her silky blond hair was pulled up on one side with a daisy. She looked young and innocent, but the moment her eyes flickered to him, he recognized a flash of desire that suggested a naughty side as well. Maybe a quiet dinner for two would have been more appropriate on her first night here.
He couldn't take his eyes off of her.
“Oh, well, there you are, dear.” His mother crossed the room and kissed his cheek. Her cheerful voice carried throughout the entire room. “I was about to send your sister looking for you. After all, you are the host this evening. And we couldn't be more excited to finally meet your beautiful new friend.”
“Hello, Mother,” he said, walking into the dining room. “I see I'm too late to give the introductions.”
“Oh, nonsense,” she said with a wink toward Annabelle. “No formalities needed. We're all friends here tonight.”
Drawn to her, Hudson crossed the space between them and leaned down to kiss Annabelle on the cheek.
“You look stunning in yellow,” he whispered into her ear, feeling her tense at his closeness.
“I had no idea there would be so many people here this evening,” she whispered back. “I thought it was just going to be your family.”
“I didn't see any point in wasting time. Besides, it isn't everyday that my future fiancé moves in. I wanted to show you off.”
“Is there anything in particular I need to say or do? Honestly, I feel a little bit lost here.”
“Just follow my lead,” he said, taking her hand in his.
She smiled, and he felt it all the way down to his toes.
Reaching for a water glass on the nearby dinner table, he dinged a salad fork on the crystal to get everyone's attention.
“Good evening, everyone. Thank you all so much for coming tonight. I'd like to introduce someone very special to me.” He met her eyes and smiled, still holding tightly to her hand. “This is Annabelle Day, and as I’m sure you’ve all seen in the papers, we are dating. I’m excited to announce that, as of this afternoon, she is Sea Island's newest resident. I hope you'll all join me in welcoming her to our small piece of the world. Please enjoy your dinner, and thank you again for being here tonight.”
There was a rush of people wanting to say hello to his new girlfriend. He knew that this was only the beginning of the frenzy that would surround them all once the engagement was announced next weekend at the charity ball. Hudson was notoriously unattached, so naturally they were about to create quite the stir. At least, this time it would be positive gossip instead of harmful bachelor bashing.
Taking his place at the head of the table, he directed Annabelle to a seat by his side. The other guests followed suit and they were treated to a delicious meal.
Every time his eyes met hers, he felt a stirring of something he hadn't allowed himself to feel for a very long time. He had the sudden urge to reach out and touch her soft skin. The room full of people kept him from acting on his sudden desires, but each time he looked at her or heard the tinkling of her bright laughter, he became more aware of just how much he wanted her.
And he was amazed at how well she seemed to fit in with his family and friends. She had an easy way about her, as if she genuinely liked everyone she’d ever met.
He tried to make an effort to look away from her, but it suddenly occurred to him that he was acting exactly as he should be.
To anyone paying attention, he would simply seem to be head over heels in love with his new girlfriend. What could be wrong with that? It would make it all the more convincing when they announced their engagement.
Hudson let a mischievous smile tug at the corner of his lips as he contemplated a new idea. For months now, he had reined in the passionate side of his personality in order to focus on the family business. Getting engaged had been so far from his mind, he’d never really given it much thought in the past. He didn't exactly consider himself to be the settling down type. At least not yet.
But there just might be some advantages to having a fiancé in his current situation.
After all, who would accuse him of being a playboy if the only woman in his bed was his own fiancé?
The cool night air caressed her shoulders, and Annabelle inhaled the fresh scent of the ocean. It was so nice to get out of the house for a minute. She’d had no idea tonight was going to be a social event, and it made her uncomfortable to know that Hudson never thought to tell her ahead of time. Annabelle wasn’t used to other people making decisions for her, and she didn’t like having a lot of unspoken expectations put on her behavior.
Yes, she’d agreed to this charade, but she didn’t even know the rules yet.
Even the beautiful dress she was wearing suddenly felt like a manipulation. What looked like a thoughtful gift was actually a passive way of saying, Here, wear this and look the way I tell you to look tonight. Besides, maybe believing that Hudson’s mother was as ruthless as her son was much safer than feeling grateful and sentimental towards her.
Annabelle was here to get Julia into this family, not herself, so becoming attached to Hudson’s mother was like asking for a broken heart in the end. This whole thing was messy enough without letting her emotions get involved any more than they already were.
She made a mental note to corner Hudson as soon as she got the chance and ask him to explain exactly what was expected of her in the coming months.
She didn’t get much chance to talk to him at dinner, but afterward, when most of the guests had said their goodbyes, Hudson asked her to join his family by the pool for drinks. Sue Ellen handed her a mint julep, and she leaned in to smell the cool, fresh mint leaf. The smell reminded her of a mojito, but when she took a sip, the strong taste of bourbon surprised her, and she coughed. Behind her, she heard Hudson’s deep, full laughter.
“I take it you’ve never had a mint julep before?”
He was so close, she could feel the warmth of his body behind her. She leaned forward onto the railing overlooking the beach, desperate to get away from the tingles that ran up and down her spine. Hudson joined her, resting his hand on her lower back. The heat burned through the thin chiffon fabric of her dress and she pulled away.
Damn, why did a simple touch of his hand make her knees go weak? At dinner, she’d had to avoid his eyes, because every time she looked his way, he was staring at her with a smoldering look that told her he had more than a business deal on his mind. Annabelle wasn’t sure what he was up to, but she didn’t like the attraction she felt for him one bit. The only thing a man like Hudson Montgomery could offer her was a broken heart.
So why does my heart race every time he touches me?
She needed to put some space between them before she let her own body betray her. Luckily, Hudson’s sister Jilly approached them. Annabelle had only spoken to her once all evening, but she already liked her. As the youngest girl in the family, Jilly was somewhat of a tomboy. She was a real hands-on architect, and Annabelle thought about the latest photograph she’d seen of Jilly at the construction site of a new hotel the family was building in San Francisco. Jilly had been in full construction gear, looking completely in her element. Tonight she looked soft and feminine in a dark blue sun-dress.
“I hope we haven’t scared you off just yet,” Jilly said, taking a long sip of her drink.
Annabelle smiled when she noticed that Jilly was barefoot on the tiles, her heels probably discarded in the house hours ago. “Not yet,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to be put on the spot so quickly, though.”
“For what it’s worth, you did great,” Jilly said with a sweet smile. “Of course, this was nothing compared to next week.”
Annabelle tensed. “What do you mean?”
“Tonight was just close friends and family,” Jilly said. “It’s the press that can be real vultures sometimes, and when you guys announce that one of America’s golden boys is engaged, you’re going to be feel like a starlet on Oscar night.”
“Jilly, are you trying to scare my new girlfriend?” Hudson asked, putting his hand on Annabelle’s back again. She could feel the heat emanating from his touch in the humid night air. His presence pulled at her like a magnet.
“Of course not,” Jilly said, playfully swatting her brother’s shoulder. “She looks like the kind of woman who can stand on her own two feet.”
Annabelle watched the two interact and was amazed by the obvious love and respect they had for each other. She fully expected to arrive at Cottonwood to find the kind of wealthy, stuck-up family she watched on TV, constantly fighting over money or who gets to use the yacht next. Instead, she saw a normal family unit that genuinely cared for one another.
Well, normal except for the beachfront mansion and the helicopters and such.
So why had Hudson dismissed Julia so quickly when he learned she was carrying his brother’s child? It didn’t make any sense. Watching him now, it was difficult to imagine how he could possibly be the same person who had thrown Julia out of his house.
“Annabelle?” Hudson’s hand on her arm brought her out of her daze. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes,” she said, embarrassed that she let herself get so lost in her own thoughts. “I’m just a little tired from all of the attention and the drive down here.”
“Oh, Hudson, I told you it was too soon to have a dinner party,” Sue Ellen said, a worried look on her face. “We should have given Annabelle a night to get settled.”
“I didn’t see any point in waiting,” Hudson said. “I’ve learned the hard way that the tabloids are just looking for any chance to create a scandal. The sooner we go on record as a couple, the less opportunity they have to smear us. We want them telling this story our way with our terms.”
Hold Me Closer (Sea Island Brides Book 1) Page 5