Smitten

by Brooks, Gemma

  “Oh, don’t I know it,” she said. “I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s the apple of my eye.”

  My mom clutched her hands at her heart as she turned towards me. I couldn’t tell if she really meant those words or if she was trying to come off like she wasn’t a deadbeat mom for all those years. She could’ve been putting on an act for Hudson’s sake for all I knew. Our relationship was complicated and the scars ran deep, but I still loved her so much it hurt sometimes.

  “So how long are you two love birds in town for?” she asked.

  “Until tomorrow,” I said.

  “When did you get here?” she asked, confused.

  “This afternoon,” he answered.

  “Okay, so I’m confused,” my mom laughed. “Why are you leaving so soon?”

  I opened my mouth to tell her all about Luke and Piper and the betrayal, but I didn’t have the energy. I didn't want to rehash it again or experience an ounce of the pain I’d experienced just hours earlier.

  “Work,” Hudson said. “I have a work function tomorrow that I can’t miss. Last minute.”

  Hudson, once again, came to my rescue. I squeezed his hand to thank him.

  “Would you like something to drink, Hudson?” my mom offered. “I have beer, wine, and water. I might have some milk? I’ll have to check.”

  I glanced up at him and nonchalantly shook my head no. She just wanted an excuse to have a drink herself. She wasn’t going to run off to the kitchen and crack a beer without offering one to her guest. Even in her drunk state, she knew it wasn’t proper.

  “Thanks but no thanks,” he said. “We’ve got an early flight to catch in the morning. I can’t be having too much fun tonight.”

  Her face looked disappointed but she nodded politely. She was just itching for another drink and it was killing her.

  “We should probably get going,” I said, not wanting to stay for another moment in her smelly house. She was probably counting down the minutes until we were gone so she could have another drink.

  “Aw, so soon?” she pouted.

  “I’ll get a hold of you when we get back to L.A., Mom,” I said as I stood up and gave her a hug. “Sorry we can’t stay longer.”

  She stood up and hugged each of us, lingering a bit too long with Hudson. She treated him like family, which I’d appreciated, but she was also very over the top.

  We left the house, and I sniffed my shirt the moment we got back in my car.

  “What are you doing?” Hudson laughed.

  “You don’t think it reeked in there?” I asked.

  In his usual polite fashion, he didn’t answer.

  “You probably think I’m some low life scum now,” I said. “That’s the house I grew up in. And that’s how we lived.”

  Hudson snickered. “Brynn, give me more credit than that. The way your mother lives is not a reflection of who you are as a person. I’m not with you for your background or where you come from or who your parents are.”

  I realized then just how irrational I was being about the whole thing.

  “You’re an amazing person,” he said. “And I have a feeling you had to do a lot of growing up early. You probably raised yourself. And you know what? You did a damn fine job.”

  I took a deep breath. Hudson always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better.

  “Your mom needs help,” he said. “I don’t she can get that kind of help here in Rock River.”

  “Yeah, she does need help,” I huffed. “Try telling her that though.”

  “What if I offered to treat her to a luxury rehab facility?” he asked. “They’re all over California. They’re practically resorts. We could lure her out there and get her the help she needs.”

  “She can’t afford that, Hudson,” I said. “It’s a nice thought though.”

  “I don’t think you heard me correctly,” he said. “It’ll be my treat. I’ll do this for her. For you really.”

  “What if it didn’t work?” I asked. “And you’d spent all that money on her. I would feel awful. I couldn’t do that to you.”

  “I want to do this for you, Brynn,” he said as he took my hand. “Let me do this for you.”

  “It’s too kind of you,” I said. “Can I think about it?”

  He seemed frustrated with me.

  “What’s there to think about?” he asked. “I want to do this for you, and I want you to have the mom you deserve. She’s missing out on so much of your life, and you’re missing out on so much of her life. It shouldn’t be that way.”

  I knew I’d be stupid to turn down his offer.

  “Wouldn’t you like to have a little piece of home with you in L.A.?” he asked.

  Part of me wondered if he was just trying to eliminate any need for me to ever come back to Rock River. If my mom wasn’t here, I’d have no reason at all to come home.

  “Let me do this, please,” he pleaded. “If not for you and your mom, for my mom.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked.

  “She died of a heroin overdose when I was eighteen,” he said. “She spent every last dime I made as a child actor on her drug addiction. I was too young to know how to get her any kind of help. I’m the one who found her.”

  My heart broke on the spot for him. No wonder he had never talked about his family. I inwardly chided myself for thinking he had any type of ulterior motives.

  “Wow,” I said. “That must have been difficult for you.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “It feels like forever ago, but in some ways it feels like just yesterday.”

  “Okay,” I said. “You can help my mom.”

  I could only hope and pray that by getting my mom the help she needed, it would be closing an old wound of Hudson’s.

  “Thank you,” he said as he kissed the underside of my hand. “As soon as we get back to L.A., I’ll make some calls and handle all the arrangements. It’ll be your job to get her out there.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Now let’s get out of here before my mom wonders why we’ve been sitting in her driveway for the last ten minutes,” I giggled. “She probably thinks we’re making out or something.”

  CHAPTER 19

  The flight back to L.A. from Des Moines was long and arduous. I had barely flown at all in my life, and the last two months had been making it feel like such a chore. I didn’t know how Hudson got used to being such a jetsetter, but it was something I was going to have to get used to sooner or later.

  As we pulled into his driveway several long hours later, I just wanted to go inside and change into pajamas. I dreamt of collapsing on his silky soft bed and burying myself in his luxurious covers. Some mindless T.V. was in order, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I would be out cold.

  Hudson carried our bags in and sat them in the kitchen. He slipped his arms around my waist and spun me towards him. He wanted to get frisky, but I didn’t know how to tell him I didn’t have an ounce of energy left in me. The last two days had been draining.

  He kissed my neck and tickled my sides with his fingers as I brushed my hair out of the way. I wanted him, but I also wanted to go to bed. I couldn’t have both.

  As his lips nibbled my earlobes I had no other choice but to succumb to his desires, but as soon as I did there was a big splash outside in the pool area.

  “Did you hear that?” I asked as I popped my head up.

  “No,” he said as he continued leaving kisses up and down my collarbone.

  “It sounds like someone’s outside in your pool,” I said. “Is Flor working tonight?”

  “Ha,” he laughed. “She wouldn’t be in the pool. And no, she’s not working tonight.”

  “Can we go check it out?” I asked. His hands were busy but his mouth was even busier. His hands slipped under my top as he pinned me against the kitchen island with the weight of his hips against mine. “I’d hate for it to be paparazzi or something trying to take pictures of us.”

  He stepped back, sighed, and nodded.
“It’s not paparazzi, but if it makes you feel better, we’ll go check it out.”

  He pulled a giant flashlight from a drawer in the kitchen and headed out towards the sliding door towards the pool. At first he shined the light through the glass, hitting every angle around the patio and waterfall.

  The pool was lit up, but it was still plenty dark outside.

  “I don’t see anyone,” he said. “It was probably a bird or something. Now, where did we leave off?”

  He walked over to me with a mischievous look on his face and tugged me close by the band of my jeans.

  “Hudson,” I whined. “Let’s go outside and look. I swear I heard a big splash. It wasn’t a bird.”

  He grunted and stopped what he was doing. He spun around and slid the door open so he could step outside. As he clicked on his flashlight once again, I saw someone moving back by the grotto.

  “See!” I whispered as I pointed. “There!”

  He shined his light back towards the grotto.

  “Who’s there?” he yelled out. “Show yourself or I’m calling the police.”

  I clutched onto his arm, my fingernails digging into his flesh.

  “Brynn, there’s a Glock 42 in the top left drawer in the kitchen by the stove,” he said. “Bring it to me.”

  My heart raced. I’d never touched a gun in my life, and I didn’t even know he had one in the house. How come I’d never come across it before?

  I let go of his arm, albeit unwillingly, and trekked inside to grab the Glock.

  “Here,” I said as I handed it to him mere seconds later. I hated touching that thing. The cool metal of the handle gave me chills.

  “Who’s back there?” he yelled again. “You have two seconds to show yourself or I’m shooting.”

  I covered my face with my hands as the pit of my stomach churned. This was either going to be nothing or it was going to be something very bad, like something out of a horror movie.

  “You don’t have to shoot,” a woman’s voice giggled. “It’s just me, silly.”

  Out from the grotto emerged none other than Miss Ava Fox, string bikini barely covering her lady bits. Her body was incredible but her smile was evil. She emerged from the grotto as if she owned the place and had every right to be there.

  “What are you doing here, Ava?” Hudson demanded to know. “How’d you get in here?”

  “You gave me the code, remember?” she said. She was talking to him, but her eyes were on me, menacing me with every move.

  “I did no such thing and you know it,” he said. He rested his gun down on the table. “How’d you get in here?”

  “Don’t you remember that weekend during the reshoots?” she cooed. I came up to your hotel room, we drank a little. You couldn’t keep your hands off of me for two seconds. You told me you missed me.”

  I wanted to throw up. I wanted to run away. But for some reason, I was paralyzed. My feet were cemented to the patio floor.

  “You made love to me twice that night,” she continued. “Two amazing times. It was incredible.”

  She studied my face, and I knew right then and there that she was trying to get a reaction out of me. I refused to let her see me crack.

  “Get out of here, Ava,” I said. “You don’t belong here.”

  Hudson seemed simultaneously shocked and pleased that I was standing up to her.

  “Hudson,” Ava pouted. “Tell Miss Iowa USA here the truth about us. Tell her before you take this too far with her and break her poor little heart.”

  Hudson shook his head. “Stop it, Ava.”

  “She deserves to know about you,” she said. “And all your…ways.”

  “Ava,” Hudson seethed.

  “You don’t date someone for two years and not learn a thing or two about their deepest, darkest secrets,” Ava cooed. She began to walk out of the pool and towards us, like some siren emerging from the ocean.

  “What is she talking about?” I asked him.

  “Nothing,” he said. “She’s trying to scare you away from me, that’s all.”

  Ava tossed her head back and laughed maniacally.

  “Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” Ava said. “Hudson Smith has no secrets at all. Brynn, are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into with this one?”

  “Why are you still here?” I replied, ignoring her question. “You’re not wanted or welcome. Get out before we call the police.”

  “How do you like that ring he got you?” she asked. Her eyes glowed with malicious intent as she stared at my hand. “I bet he told you it really meant something, huh? How adorable. You two make me sick.”

  I clasped my ring and hid it from her sight, staring at Hudson and pleading silently for an explanation. How did she know about the ring he gave me?

  “One last time,” Hudson seethed. “Get out, Ava.”

  “I’m going to call the police if you don’t leave,” I added.

  She slinked on past Hudson, drawing her hand across his arm slowly in the process.

  “Hudson wouldn’t dare allow you to call the police,” she said as she locked her icy, blue eyes with mine. “He doesn’t need the negative publicity right now.”

  He closed his eyes and cringed as she let herself inside, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind her. We followed her and made sure she showed herself out.

  “What the fuck?” I said to Hudson the moment we made sure she was gone.

  “She must have climbed the gate,” he said. “I don’t know how else she would’ve gotten in here.”

  “She is insane,” I said as I noticed my entire body shaking. “Crazy. Psychotic.”

  Hudson nodded, his expression worrisome, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Ava was holding something over his head.

  ***

  I sat alone at the café table, anxiously awaiting Alec’s arrival. He was the closest thing I had to a friend in L.A., and we were almost becoming inseparable as of late. As usual, Alec was running behind and I was beginning to feel self-conscious sitting all by myself as tables of brunching ladies surrounded me.

  I missed Piper – the old Piper. Not the one who hooked up with my longtime crush the minute I’d left town. I missed the girl I could depend on and confide in; the blonde haired, freckle-faced, sassy little kindergartener who’d grow up to become my best friend. The one person who knew all my secrets, hopes, and dreams.

  I had no one in L.A. like her. I spent most of my time with Hudson, and when I wasn’t with Hudson I was usually by myself. Alec and I would meet up occasionally for some light shopping and a little light gossip, but it wasn’t like we were best friends. Not yet anyway. Still, he was all I had for friends out there.

  “Hey, girl,” he said as he sat down with a mischievous grin on his face. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “You’re super late,” I teased. “Like forty minutes.”

  “Oh, whatever,” he sassed. “Forty minutes is nothing in this town. Look at that traffic outside.”

  “Mm, hm,” I replied with one eye squinting. His face was different. Shinier. I couldn’t tell what he’d done. “You had some work done?”

  “Shh,” he said, putting his finger to his lips. “Yes. A little laser resurfacing. Is my face still red?”

  I nodded. “A little.”

  “Oh, geez,” he said as he rolled his eyes. “They said it would calm down by now. They’re such fucking liars.”

  “It’s really not that bad,” I lied. “It’ll go away soon I’m sure.”

  Our server spotted Alec and came up to take his drink order. He, of course, ordered a mimosa with extra champagne and light on the orange juice.

  “This place is fabulous,” he said as he stared around the room at the white-washed walls, crystal chandeliers and ridiculously huge flower arrangements. “How’d you hear about it?”

  “I read about it online somewhere I think,” I said. “Kind of sort of used Hudson’s name to get us a table.”

  “You’re so bad,” he said as he slapped my
hand. “I love it.”

  “Have you lost weight?” I asked. The Iowa girl inside me cringed for noticing. Back home, we usually didn’t care about stuff like that, but he was looking particularly gaunt that day.

  A proud smile crept across his face and he took a swill of his mimosa. “Why, yes. Thank you for noticing.”

  “What’s your secret?” I asked him.

  “It’s just that maple syrup cayenne pepper cleanse,” he said as he waved his hand like it was nothing. “And now I’m fucking starving and going to order a huge stack of blueberry pancakes, slather them in butter, and drench them in syrup. Don’t judge me.”

  I giggled. Alec always knew how to lighten the mood, which was something I needed then more than ever.

  “So what’s up with the last minute get together?” he asked as he rested his head on his hands and peered across the table at me. “Something’s not right. I can tell.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “So, Hudson and I got back from Iowa late last night,” I began. “And when we got inside the house, I heard something outside by the pool. We went to investigate, and it was Ava.”

  Alec’s jaw dropped and he flashed a half smile, clearly entertained by the story. He was practically begging for more. His eyes said it all.

  “Go on,” he prompted.

  “Hudson told her to get out, and of course she eventually left,” I said. “But not before spewing out a bunch of things to try to get in my head again.”

  Alec rolled his eyes.

  “What did she say?” he asked.

  “She claims they hooked up at his hotel room when they were on location a couple weeks ago,” I said.

  I wanted Alec to say that was ridiculous and Hudson would never do such a thing, but he offered no reassurance of any kind.

  “I know she says a lot of things,” I said. “And she’s probably all talk. But she mentioned the ring.”

  I reached down and spun the canary diamond eternity band on my right ring finger.

  “How’d she know about the ring?” I asked Alec.

  He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Beats me,” he said. “People talk. Maybe she heard about it from someone.”