by Maggie Way
“Maybe, but what if he lets his guard down and she hits on him again? That woman is like a vulture. I can tell. She’ll keep circling around until she finds prey.”
“Did he kiss her back?” Dezrah asked. She asked the question as if she already knew the answer.
“What does that matter?” Tonya asked.
“It matters a great deal.”
“It looked like he wanted nothing to do with her. She tried to kiss him, and he just pushed her off.” Tonya didn’t tell Dezrah, but she felt a little bit happy about how Hudson had shoved Carly away. Maybe she was overthinking it all.
“Then you have your answer.”
“He’s going to be there today.” Tonya sat down on Dezrah’s bed.
“Of course he’s going to be there. The McKnight gig was his special project, from what Austin tells me.”
“How do I face him? I mean, I pretty much came close to ending it.”
Dezrah stared down at her. “Do you want to end it?”
“No…I don’t know.”
“Figure it out. He deserves to know.”
Dezrah was right. Not that Tonya was going to make her cousin’s head big by telling her that, but at least Dezrah had a voice of reason to pull Tonya out of her emotional confusion.
Tonya didn’t take long getting dressed for the wedding. Babette, their favorite local dressmaker and clothing store owner, had created two dresses for both of them to wear to the wedding. Tonya’s dress was a light blue with white lace around the edges. Dezrah’s dress was a different fabric with a floral pattern but still had a lace trim.
Dressing up gave her some courage. At least she could figure out her crazy relationship with Hudson in style.
The trip to the church took a while since they had to steady the chocolate statue. It was a big church wedding with the reception to take place in tents in the back of the building.
At least the sun was shining, and there was no forecast of spring rains. Tonya didn’t know if she could take the weather working against them. Not on this day of all days.
Dezrah placed the last-minute touches on the volcano, making sure it popped out and looked like chocolate lava poured from the top opening and into the candied lava pool below. In the mood she was in lately, she hoped the bride kept her negative thoughts to herself, or the volcano could end up being part of the bride’s décor.
“That came out better than we planned,” Hudson said behind her.
She couldn’t turn to face him, or she would risk losing all the composure she worked so hard to build up.
“It did turn out well, didn’t it?” she asked.
“It’s only because of your mad baking skills,” he said.
She laughed at his words and felt relief at finding some humor in the day. “Mad baking skills? Is someone stuck in the nineties all of a sudden?”
“Don’t hate on the lingo. Hate the generation.”
This time, laughter came from her core. His joke wasn’t that funny, yet it was like her body needed the release.
“You’re so weird, Hudson,” she said, finally turning around.
“No Hud House this time either?” he asked. “I must be doing something right.”
“Trust me,” she said. “I’ll bring that nickname back when you do something to really deserve it.”
“Then I guess I better be on my best behavior.”
“I guess you should.”
He moved closer to her, but he took his time, as if he thought she’d scare off. She wasn’t going to make it easy for him. Not yet.
“I’ll start my road to redemption by saying how sorry I am. I never want Carly or anyone else to come between us like that. “
“I believe you.” Her fingers brushed against the fabric of her dress. She didn’t know what else to do with the itch in them that wanted to reach out to him. “You’re forgiven. I’m sorry, too.”
“What do you have to apologize for?”
He hovered so close to her that she could touch him, but she held back.
“I could have handled it better,” she said.
He nodded. “We both could have, but we’re here now, talking to each other. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Yeah. I think it is.”
“Can I ask you something else?”
“What?”
“Will you let me kiss you?”
She didn’t realize how much she needed him to kiss her until he asked her permission. The memory of all the times he’d kissed her flooded back, but she wanted the real thing.
“Please,” she said.
Hudson didn’t waste any time going to her and taking her into his arms. His lips were firm but soft when they finally met hers. Being back in his arms was like finding solace to the longing she’d been missing.
He held her so tight, but it was just the pressure she needed to be reminded of him and what he provided in his strength.
They could have kissed like that forever, all through the wedding and even the reception.
Someone’s throat cleared, and Tonya wished she and Hudson could disappear from sight.
“I’m glad to see you two worked things out,” Austin said, “but we have a problem.”
Hudson turned back to Austin so Tonya could see him, too.
“Don’t tell me the bride caught a glimpse of her sculpture,” Hudson said. “What? Does she have eagle vision now?”
“Wouldn’t surprise me one bit,” Tonya said.
“That may have been a blessing, considering,” Austin said.
“What’s wrong?” Hudson asked. He took Tonya’s hand so they were close enough to Austin to hear what else he had to say.
“The bride’s gone,” Austin said.
“Gone?” Tonya asked. “What do you mean she’s gone?”
“Apparently, she’s left her groom at the altar,” Austin said. “She’s a runaway now.”
Tonya couldn’t hold back the laughter that poured out of her. She had to wipe the tears that came from laughing so hard. “I’m sorry,” she said. “After everything that crazy woman put us through, I can’t do anything but see how funny this is.”
Hudson smiled, but he was staring at Austin. “I have a feeling he’s not done telling us everything.”
Austin sighed. “It’s her folks. Her father and mother refuse to tell the guests what’s happened. I think they’re mortified.”
“Karma’s a bitch in heels with a scary fist of fury,” Tonya said.
Hudson grinned at her. “Never heard that one before.”
“It’s a family saying,” she said. She turned back to Austin. “I don’t see how this is bad news for us.”
“If there’s no wedding, there’s no reception,” Austin said.
“No reception means there won’t be any guests out here to see the sculpture and order more custom chocolate pieces from us in the future,” Hudson said.
Austin nodded his head. “Exactly. Not that it’s a bad thing. Maybe these custom jobs aren’t for us.”
“Can’t they just tell everyone to come to the reception?” Tonya asked. “It’s not like that would be a total waste. Food and alcohol can make people forget almost anything.”
“Not as much as these people care about their reputation,” Austin said. “Dezrah is in there now trying to tell them that, but they won’t listen. Even the wedding planner’s going crazy.”
Tonya looked between Hudson and Austin. “What do you want us to do about it?” she asked.
Austin shrugged. “I have no clue. That’s why I came to find you two.”
Hudson stared down at Dezrah, and she saw a look in his eyes that she didn’t recognize.
“What if I had a crazy idea?” Hudson asked.
Dezrah felt like he was asking her the question more than Austin.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“What if we could find replacements for the bride and groom?” Hudson never let his eyes fall away from her.
“Do you have someone in
mind?” Dezrah asked.
He didn’t answer. His gaze speared through her until realization her. Her eyes felt like they’d taken on the shape of saucers. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I don’t take marriage lightly,” he said.
“I wouldn’t know that because we haven’t even discussed marriage or anything close to it,” she said. “You’re actually suggesting we hijack the bride and groom’s wedding?”
“No one else seems to be using it. Why not?” Hudson asked.
She placed her hands on his arms. “Hudson, forget acting weird. You’ve straight up lost it. Maybe we should go to the hospital or something.”
“You still don’t think I’m serious?” he asked. “Fine. Let me show you how serious I can be.” Without warning, he kneeled down in front of her.
Oh. My. God. He was not doing what she saw him doing. She looked up before looking back down. Yep. He was on one knee and staring up at her with those eyes that always seemed to haunt her, whether she was with him or not.
“Tonya Holten, you have the ability to make me absolutely insane. Sometimes you drive me so far up the wall, I don’t even know how to get back down.”
“If this is a proposal, you’re not sounding very convincing,” she said.
Hudson grabbed her hands in his. “Woman, let me finish.”
He was demanding all of a sudden, and she found that she kind of liked it. She wasn’t sure if she nodded or if he just took her silence as a sign to keep going.
“You’re also the only woman I can ever see waking up with for the rest of my life. I’ve been married before, but that wasn’t a marriage. It couldn’t be. I know that because I’ve never felt the way in my entire life that I do when you’re next to me. You can’t say that we barely know each other. Some people go years beside another person without truly knowing them, and I know you Tonya. Just like I think you really know me.”
“What’s going on?” Dezrah’s voice came through to Tonya, but she couldn’t look up at her cousin. Not when the man in front of her was making her heart feel like it would jump out of her chest and her knees buckle from what he was saying to her and how he was looking at her like she was the only living being in the world.
“Shhh.” Austin tried hushing Dezrah.
“Oh, my God. Is he—?”
“Dezrah, let the man finish,” Austin said.
“Sorry,” Dezrah whispered.
Of course, Dezrah echoed Tonya’s thoughts. They were different but alike in many ways, too. Almost like the man in front of her.
Hudson used his thumbs to rub the back of her hand. “I don’t have a ring to put on your finger right now, but I can give you something more lasting than a ring. I can give you a promise that no matter what, I’ll love fighting with you. Not because we’ll always argue, but because we have the ability to fight through anything together. I’m in love with you, Tonya, and that’s never going to change.”
Why was her face wet? Damn it. She was crying. This man who she’d thought was the worst person ever flipped the tables on her without her knowing how it happened so fast. Not only was he proposing, he said he loved her.
It was madness. It made no logical sense whatsoever. Yet, somehow he looked at her like he was making a promise that expanded beyond then and there. It was something indescribable that she could only feel. It didn’t matter the rationality. When she allowed thinking to drift away, only one thing remained: Hudson Smith.
“Say something,” Dezrah whispered.
Her cousin was not going to overtake this moment. Instead of responding first, she leaned over and kissed the man who’d become so branded on her body, mind, and heart. She allowed him to feel that in the way she kissed him before she released him.
“I love you, too,” Tonya said. She could sense her cousin shifting out the corner of her eye, waiting for her to answer the part she’d yet to respond to. “And I’ll marry you.”
The smile on his face overshadowed all the others she’d ever seen him give her. This one was fueled by joy, love, and something deeper that they could only share together.
Chapter Fourteen
Hudson
Hudson wasn’t crazy. He was just so in love with Tonya that he didn’t care about being sane. He woke up that morning ready to get Tonya back at all costs.
He was going to make sure Tonya knew that he was in love with her. It amazed him that he didn’t know it before he could tell her to keep her from running off the night before. The emotion snuck up on him and punched him in the gut. It was like nothing he’d ever felt for any other woman before.
He didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he didn’t care about the damn McKnight wedding or the prissy bastards in attendance. He knew she would be there to unveil the chocolate sculpture, and that was the moment he was going to use to tell her how he felt about her.
When the opportunity presented itself, he couldn’t help but take it as a sign. Sure, they wouldn’t be legally married just yet. There was paperwork and things to get done, and he also had to buy his woman the ring she deserved.
Until then, he’d settle for exchanging vows in a large church followed by a reception that was appreciated by people who could truly know what happened behind the scenes, everything that ensured things moved along without a hitch in wedding plans.
The McKnights weren’t thrilled with the idea, but it was better than them making an announcement to almost half the town of Bluehaven. He could see the look of surprise on the guests’ faces when he stood at the altar and waited for his bride.
They’d be the talk of the town for sure, but it didn’t matter. He planned on keeping Tonya locked up in a room somewhere for weeks at a time, whether it was his loft, her apartment, or somewhere different, he was going to see that he had her all to himself.
He spotted Carly on the bride’s side of the church, and he loved the look of shock that filled her face when he stood at the altar. Apparently, she was telling the truth, but that was the only time he even looked her way.
Tonya filled his vision, and that was the only sight he needed in front of him. The light blue dress she wore wasn’t a white wedding gown, but it was enough for him to still be awed as she walked down the aisle towards him.
Austin was beside Hudson as his best man, and Dezrah stood up for Tonya. He needed to make a mental note to do this again with all their family and friends present. By then, it would be official.
Even though this wasn’t the legal ceremony for them, it was just as real and certain as the pastor said the words for them. Hudson knew this one would be the most special time for them. It was theirs in every sense of the word. It would always be theirs.
“Hudson Smith,” the pastor said, “do you take this woman, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?”
It was weird how he hesitated the first time someone asked him that years ago. This was so unique. No doubt existed anywhere inside of his mind as he stared into Tonya’s brown eyes. She was his certainty.
“I do,” he said. He wished the man could hurry. He wanted to kiss his bride, but he had to be patient, something he was going to have to learn to get used to along the way. If Tonya was what he got for waiting, he’d wait for as long as he needed to.
“Tonya Holten,” the pastor continued, “do you take this man, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?”
“I do,” she said.
Two words never made Hudson so happy. How did he ever miss that light in her eyes, the one that told him everything would be fine as long as they depended on one another? He had been a fool for so long, but at least now he was her fool. He was her husband, and she was his wife.
What could possibly be better?
“You may now kiss the bride,” the pastor said.
He was mistaken
. There was always something better around the corner when it came to his Tonya. Kissing her was the sweetest part of it all.
Although he made every argument possible to convince his new bride they should skip the reception and go straight to the honeymoon part, she was adamant about going to it. After all, they worked hard on that chocolate volcano. Now, it was officially their chocolate volcano. When his woman had a point, she had a point.
They received praises for their chocolate work of art. When people asked if they were accepting new orders, he and Tonya adamantly said no. Austin was right. They didn’t need to change Gold & Smith Chocolates for anyone. It was fine the way it operated.
Now, instead of business, he had more important things to spend his time on. As they fed each other a piece of the chocolate that had started their journey together, he couldn’t be more thankful for the yummy ingredients that gave him Tonya.
Epilogue: Tonya
One Month Later
“This is madness,” Tonya said. Nerves filled her to her core, and she couldn’t shake them away. Even though Hudson’s arms were around her, she dreaded what was to come.
“You’re a risk-taker, baby,” Hudson said against her ear. “You married me, didn’t you?”
“What you’re asking me to do is a little different this time. Don’t you think?”
“It’s still a form of leaping.”
“This isn’t the metaphorical kind.” She looked over the edge. “You want me to actually jump off a cliff.”
“Zip lining is more like coasting than jumping,” he said. “Besides, I’m going to be with you the whole way through it.”
She looked up into the eyes that she’s gotten used to over the last few months. Ones she used to despise. Then the same eyes she fell in love with. The man she’d grown to love and could see spending their lives together. She trusted him even more than she did herself.
“Okay,” she finally said.
“I got you, Tonya,” he said.
“I know.” She took a deep breath as Hudson signaled the zip line operator.
“On three,” Hudson said. “One. Two. Three!”