Secret Hudson (A Finding Nolan Novel Book 2)

by K. S. Thomas

  “Had to call my ex.”

  And he had my full attention again. “I’m sorry?”

  He squeezed my hand gently and then led me over to sit with him on the couch in the main living area.

  “Yeah, I had to call Paul. Didn’t want to, trust me, but there was no one else.”

  Even while doing everything to avoid eye contact, I could sense him studying my reaction.

  “So, Paul is familiar with doing your job? Guess he must have spent a lot of time hanging out there, huh?” I tried to sound like I was joking, but it came out pathetic more than anything.

  “Not exactly. He and I ran the store together when my mother first opened it. He’s got a background in graphic arts and marketing, so he did our logo, all of our branding and advertising...anyway, when we split, he left the shop and started his own consulting firm. Which worked out perfectly for me. His flexible schedule is the reason I now get to be here with you.”

  The tender pressure in my palm reminded me to raise my head again. Hudson was smiling. Same way he had when he’d walked in. Somehow I couldn’t help but wonder if Paul had been privileged enough to see that same smile when he’d showed up to work at the store this morning.

  “Sounds like a great guy, this Paul. How come you two broke up?” Yeah, I was really doing it. Was going to press the issue. Make him tell me all the things that would linger in my brain and torture me at night, along with every other insecurity that came creeping out after twilight.

  Hudson ran his thumb across my cheek. “Paul is a great guy, but he wasn’t ready for the kind of relationship I’m looking for. He’s still got to figure some things out. Like how to be honest about who he is with his family and friends. After a while a guy gets tired of always being introduced as ‘my buddy’. You know?”

  I nodded. I understood. Too well. Because I’d heard the same complaint from Garrett.

  ***

  I wasn’t sure if it was the mention of Paul’s name or some other issue I was unaware of, but something was definitely making Royce uneasy. In case it was the Paul thing, which was likely, actually, I figured I’d be best off to just move the conversation along to something else in hopes of seeing that sexy grin of his return.

  “This place is suspiciously quiet. Where is everyone?”

  Royce cleared his throat. “Lunch. Ava’s on a mission to fatten up Derek, so she’s taking him on a tour of the burger joints around here. The other two went with them. I figured we could just order something in when you got here. Unless you’d rather go meet up with everyone for greasy fries and fake-beef burgers.”

  Considering the temperature outdoors was something I’d never felt outside of my freezer, I wasn’t at all opposed to staying in. Not to mention, spending time alone with Royce had pretty much dominated my thoughts since the last time I’d seen him.

  “Ordering in sounds perfect. What are our choices?”

  Royce stood up and I followed. “Also, why is Ava trying to fatten up Derek? Is he up for slaughter? The sacrificial band member for Thanksgiving? What?”

  Finally. He laughed. “No. We only do that for Halloween. And then we prefer to use a groupie or roadie. Depending on the moon.” He reached the kitchen and began to flip through a folder clearly marked with the hotel’s logo. “Truth is, Derek’s been pretty stressed lately and he’s losing weight because of it. Feeding him fried food is Ava’s way of being nurturing. Meanwhile, we have plenty of non-fried choices available to us. Here. Have a look.” He slid the menu across the counter to me.

  “Wow.” Judging by the prices, they’d be serving us gold plated food no matter what we ordered. “This may turn out to be the most expensive lunch I’ve ever eaten. Maybe we should go hit a burger joint. That’s really more my budget.”

  Royce grinned. “It’s weird, right? Ordering a twenty-five dollar side salad. Blows my fucking mind too. Even now. And I’ve had a lot of overpriced salads. But you learn to roll with it. Besides. This is your budget now. You’re supposed to be one with the band. Get the inside scoop. This is it. This is the strange and glorious world we live in.”

  I eyed the menu skeptically. “If you say so.” Twenty-four hours ago ordering a meal off of this menu would have meant having my power shut off, so it would take some serious effort to learn to roll with it. And what if I did? What if I got so used to spending money like it was straight from the monopoly set, I forgot what it meant to live in the real world. Well, my real world anyway. Because the truth was, two months from now, I’d be headed straight back there.

  I was still busy crunching the numbers for a cup of soup and a side of fries on my mental calculator when I felt a hand on mine. Royce was standing beside me. His carefree grin was gone and it was replaced with a serious, but kind smile that told me he knew exactly where I was coming from.

  “Let’s get a pizza.” He used his free hand to pick up the phone. “What’s your favorite?”

  Was it possible to fall for guy over something so trivial? Maybe it was. And maybe knowing exactly how to make a guy earning eleven bucks an hour at his mother’s art and coffee shop feel comfortable in his new life of luxury wasn’t so trivial after all.

  “You’re going to think it’s gross. Besides, I doubt they’ll even have it.” I closed the hotel menu and turned my palm up to hold his hand in mine.

  Royce cocked his brow at me curiously. “Why? What do you eat on your pizza? Something nasty like anchovies?”

  I laughed. “Close. Tuna.”

  He threw himself backwards dramatically. “What??”

  “It’s true. I like tuna on my pizza. Well, tuna and corn, to be specific. Hope this doesn’t change anything between us.”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure I can look at you the same way now.” He sounded uncomfortably serious for someone who had better have been fucking kidding.

  “Wow. We faltered at pizza already. And things seemed so promising.” I tapped my finger on the counter, waiting for the awkward ‘are we joking or are we not’ moment to morph into something else.

  “They really did. I better see for myself if anything is really different now.” I felt a tug at my hand as he brought me toward him, turning me to face him full on. “Yeah. Things have definitely changed. Before, I was able to remind myself to take my time. Take it slow.” He took a step toward me. “Now, I’m pretty sure that’ll be fucking impossible.” He’d barely finished speaking when his lips first grazed mine softly. Then, as soon as our mouths locked, something inside me began to stir. Something wild and untamed. Something I didn’t know I had within me, and whatever it was, I wasn’t sure setting it free would be safe for either of us in the long run. But it was too late.

  Royce’s tongue was rolling over mine. His arms were wrapped around me tightly and my hands were roaming his body like they were searching for buried fucking treasure. Except I wouldn’t need the X to find it.

  Chapter 9

  It wasn’t easy, but eventually I managed to find a local pizza place willing to throw some corn and tuna onto one of their pies. Then, to see the effort through to the end, I actually took a bite of Hudson’s weird-ass concoction myself.

  “And?” He was waiting and watching for my reaction. I’d expected to have to force it down, but much to my own shock...I liked it.

  “This is...not bad. Not bad at all.” I took a second bite. “So, you never told me how you came up with this combination anyway.”

  “You’re serious. You really like it?”

  Right around then I noticed he hadn’t had any yet. “Yeah. Why? Were you just fucking with me? Have you never actually had corn and tuna on your pizza?”

  He laughed, then reached for his own slice, leaning in to run his lips over mine before he sat back again. “Of course I’ve had it before. More times than I can count. My mother got me hooked on it way back in the day. Some German chick she used to hang with always made it this way. Don’t ask me how she came up with the idea to combine the three. I’m just glad she did.”

 
; I sighed internally. No need to jump to conclusions, Royce. Just because Ava has a mean streak doesn’t mean the whole world is out to get you.

  “So, what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?” Hudson was watching me and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d taken notice of the mental spazzfest I’d undergone in the last thirty seconds.

  “Not sure. Hang on.” I reached for my phone and scrolled down to the last text from Francis. She sent out daily messages containing our schedule for the day. Considering Ava was usually up my ass from morning to night, I didn’t tend to ever open them. Guess I’d have to start.

  “Okay. Alright, radio show, did that this morning. Phone interview, did that. Lunch. And then, here we go, we’ve got a meet and greet with fans set up for five this afternoon. Nothing after that until sound check and then of course, the show tonight.”

  Hudson was bent over my shoulder, reading along with me. “Who’s Francis?”

  “Ava’s assistant. Why?”

  He pulled out his own phone. “I’ve been getting messages and calls from her all week. I thought she had the wrong number.”

  “So you never answered her?”

  He shook his head, scanning the messages on his phone. “Guess that explains all the f-bombs.”

  I grinned. “No, that’s just Francis. She talks like that even when she’s not pissed. Although, you’re probably not her favorite person right now.”

  “Hey, look at that. I got a schedule, too.”

  “Oh good. Then you can keep track of where we’re supposed to be.”

  He smirked. “I wouldn’t count on me to get us anywhere.”

  “Why’s that?”

  He began to move toward me again, his hand reaching up around the curve of my neck, bringing me to him. “Because, the band’s schedule is the furthest thing from my mind right now.”

  All it took was one kiss from that man and I was prepared to blow off the rest of the day just to spend it engaging in what was definitely the hottest make out session of my entire life.

  Ten minutes later, the door flew open and everyone came crashing into the suite at once, leaving Hudson and I to scramble off of the couch and into more upright positions.

  “Well, well, well. Helloooo Hudson.” Angel was talking to him, but staring straight in my direction, his most ridiculing smirk coming right at me.

  “Hey, Angel.” Hudson was doing his best not to act flustered, but considering he was no longer wearing his shirt and was struggling to locate it, it was a weak performance at best.

  “No need to ask what you boys have been up to,” Ava said dryly as she strolled past the living room area, heading toward the kitchen with several take-out bags in hand.

  “Anyone else think it’s time we have a vote on what is, and is not, permitted on the common area furniture?” Blaise, of course. The only one who wasn’t getting in on the action was Derek, and I’m pretty sure the only reason he wasn’t, was because he was deep in conversation on his phone with someone else already.

  “Yeah, we can vote. Just remember, the end result will affect us all, and don’t think we don’t know what you and Ava do out here when you think everyone else is sleeping.” I caught Hudson glancing back at the couch, a noticeable trace of disgust lingering around the corners of his mouth. I could relate.

  “And we’re moving on to other topics.” Ava was back. “For starters, can anyone help Hudson find his shirt?”

  Holy fucking shit. Was every amazing moment in my life always going to be followed up with immediate humiliation?

  “Is this it?” Angel pulled the black bundle of cotton from the floor lamp near the TV and Hudson didn’t waste any time reaching for it. “Thanks.”

  “Great, now that all that hotness is covered up again - nice tat by the way - let’s have ourselves a little meeting so we can all get on the same page with what Hudson will be doing while he’s with us. Royce, I’m going to need you to listen extra carefully since you seem to have the wrong ideas about why I hired him.” She winked. Crazy bitch.

  Blaise and Angel came to sit down, Blaise making a dramatic loop around the couch to the get to the recliner.

  “I had my naked ass on that. Hudson was straddling me. There were cocks and balls everywhere.” Then I remembered the expression on Hudson’s face when Angel had first greeted him and we’d been busted, and I instantly regretted talking so much shit. I was about to set things straight when I heard him, “It’s true. Cocks. Balls. They were all over the place.”

  Blaise seemed to be fighting his gag reflexes temporarily, but I just grinned, reaching my hand back and twining my fingers with Hudson’s. This was different. And I totally dug it.

  Hudson and I lowered ourselves down onto the couch again, my hand still placed firmly in his, like it belonged there or something.

  Ava perched herself on the armrest next to me, placing her feet in my lap while Angel stretched out on the love seat since Derek was MIA for the time being.

  I nodded toward the door he’d disappeared through. “I see Derek’s getting plenty of use out of his new phone. I thought we agreed not to give Sammy that number.”

  “He caved.” Ava was staring down at her hands like she was checking out her manicure. Except she never got one, so that wasn’t it.

  Blaise snorted. “That’s such bullshit. It was you. You gave her the number.”

  She threw her hands up in a desperate defense. “I had to! Bitch was driving me crazy! She just kept calling me. All. The. Fucking. Time.”

  Angel shook his head, clicking his tongue at her. “Sad, Ava. Really sad.”

  “Oh, whatever. I was going to give her Francis’s number, but then I thought, none of us can afford for her to quit, so I had to hand the crazy back to Derek. He married her. This is his for better or worse.” Except we all knew she didn’t mean it. It was his for worse alright, but even without the vows, we were just as married to her as he was, so it was our ‘for worse’ as well.

  “So...not to interrupt, because I’m glad we’re no longer talking about my body parts and what I am and am not allowed to do with them in the common area, but I was actually really curious to hear more about what you want me to do while I’m here.” Hudson had raised his hand like he was in school. It was fucking adorable. And hilarious at the same time, because no one was ever that polite, and Ava’s resulting expression was priceless.

  “Thank you, Hudson. I’m so glad someone around here has the attention span to recall the things I say.” That wasn’t really anyone’s problem. It was more of a lack of interest in hearing them in the first place.

  Our little band meeting went on for almost an hour, during which Derek finally joined us and even participated with a boost in enthusiasm that was unusual as of late. By the end, we were all pretty clear on how things would be going down. Hudson would tag along on every gig, every interview, every everything. Then, during our downtime, it was up to his discretion to determine what was worthy of lens attention and what wasn’t. As far as the rest of us were concerned, Ava basically told us to suck it up and just deal with having a camera pointed at us twenty-four/seven for the next two months. Easy for her to say, she’d been very specific about this book being about the band only. According to her, no one would want to know about the manager. Even if she was boinking the lead singer. A shit ton of TMZ coverage would have suggested otherwise, but she was more comfortable with denial since it was more in tune with her desires to not be in pictures. Ever.

  By the time things were all settled and agreed upon, Darrel was pounding on the door to pick us up for our meet and greet. And I’d made my first mistake when I dropped Hudson’s hand from mine when Darrel entered.

  ***

  I felt Royce’s hand release mine the moment the door opened. Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe he’d just been startled by the loud knocking. Or maybe...maybe it was something more. Obviously, he was out in front of his friends, but I knew that publicly it was not common knowledge that the man wasn’t straight. Quite th
e contrary actually. Most of my female friends would have vied for his attention given the chance. If it hadn’t been for the way he’d smiled at me that first morning we met, and Ava’s comments, I wouldn’t have guessed any different. But, I sort of just assumed staying in the closet publicly was more of an omission than an outright façade. Were there really people in his immediate circle who didn’t know he was gay?

  It was automatic and completely undesired, but my mind instantly traveled back to Paul. I couldn’t do that again. I wouldn’t hide who I was or keep my feelings for someone a secret. It just wasn’t in me to be that way. And I had no intentions of changing that. Not even for Royce.

  Chapter 10

  The next few days practically flew by, and thanks to our insane schedule, the dumbass moment of panic I’d had when Darrel showed up, went by unaddressed and was swept under the proverbial rug along with so many other things I kept down there.

  It wasn’t until our last night on American soil that shit really hit the fan for the first time.

  “You were fucking amazing out there. I can’t wait to download the pictures from tonight. I know I got some incredible shots of you.”

  I was starting to think that walking into my dressing room after a show to find Hudson there waiting for me was the best part of my night.

  “Thanks. The energy out there was nuts. It’s a good thing we have a plane to catch. Judging by the crowd out there, we’re in for one hell of an after party. Ava’s gonna like having an easy out.” I peeled off my shirt and threw it in the open duffle bag on the floor.

  “Mm, I like this look.” His hands were gripping my hips, tugging me over to meet his.

  “Yeah?” I nipped at his bottom lip. We’d spent every night in the same bed together since he’d gotten here, but we’d both made the decision to hold off on actually having sex. Moments like these I couldn’t fucking remember what for.

  Then, the knock subsequent to the door being nearly broke down reminded me. We never had more than a few seconds of goddamn privacy.