‘Considering the speed with which you demolished it, I thought you might’ve appreciated my culinary skills.’
She punched him playfully on the arm. ‘I was hungry because I worked up an appetite last night.’
‘I guess I can take credit for that too.’
‘You certainly can.’
While he’d initially hated that she’d witnessed his confrontation with Rowan and seen the aftermath of how deeply it affected him, he’d been glad to have company last night. Karly had been the perfect distraction, and once they’d eaten the leftover noodles they’d fallen upon each other with renewed hunger.
She hadn’t asked about his dad, and he appreciated it. The last thing he’d felt like doing was rehashing the conversation with Rowan. Time enough for that after Karly left—he knew once he dropped her at her car, he wouldn’t be heading into the office. He’d turn the car around and go home, where he could dissect his father’s apology and rationale at length, alone.
‘My car’s over there,’ she said, pointing to the street running perpendicular to his office.
‘No worries.’ He indicated and turned into the street, pulling into the parking spot behind her car.
If she was surprised when he didn’t switch off the engine, she didn’t show it. But she shot him a curious glance as he looked in the rear-vision mirror towards his office.
‘You’re not going in?’
‘No. There’s nothing urgent that needs taking care of, so I’ll head home.’
‘Okay.’
But it wasn’t. Something was bugging her and when she couldn’t meet his eyes, he placed a finger under her chin and tipped it up gently. ‘What’s wrong?’
He expected her to fob him off, but when her gaze met his he didn’t understand her regret tinged with fear.
‘I have to tell you something. It’s why I came down here yesterday, so I could tell you face to face. But then you took me to the youth centre, and all that stuff happened with your dad, and it didn’t seem the right time.’
She was babbling, increasingly nervous, and nothing like the confident woman she presented to the world.
‘Tell me,’ he said, reaching out to squeeze her hand in reassurance. If anything, she looked even sadder when he touched her, adding to his perplexity.
‘There’s no easy way to say this.’ She blew out a breath. ‘I’m buying the agency from Pop. I’ve secured a loan from a friend. I can’t pass up this opportunity because it’s been my dream to own it since I first started working with Pop twelve years ago. I hope you understand …’
Hudson froze, his blood chilling.
She’d duped him.
Played up to him all week, asking for an extension on his Friday deadline, deliberately stalling him. Hell, she’d even seduced him, and like a sucker he’d fallen for it.
He thought they’d had something. That their fling had morphed into more, with the potential to explore a possible relationship once their business concluded.
What an idiot.
To think he’d fallen for her act … had mistaken every touch, every caress, every whispered word, to actually mean she cared about him as much as he did for her … he couldn’t believe he’d been fooled.
He never trusted easily. Guess he had his father to thank for that too. But for the first time ever he’d lowered his emotional barriers, opened his heart, and allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to take a chance on a relationship.
And she’d flung it back in his face.
‘Hudson, I’m sure you’ll find another agency to acquire—’
‘Go.’ He gripped the steering wheel and stared straight ahead, unable to look at her treacherous face for a second longer.
‘I didn’t expect this to happen—’
‘I said go!’