Vow of Devotion (Vow Series Book 4) Page 12

  He shrugs. “It’s the obvious choice. Hoof beats and zebras or whatever.”

  I snort. “Right. Were you in here all morning?”

  “Yeah. After I saw it, I didn’t walk away. Busied myself in here until you got here.”

  I nod. Thoughts race through my head and my eyes don’t stray from the box at my feet until Maddox arrives a half hour later. His black Charger rumbles to a stop at the curb.

  “Be right back.”

  Callan nods. His stance hasn’t changed since we entered the room. His feet are planted shoulder width apart and his arms are crossed over his chest. If this were a different situation, if I didn’t have everything riding on this, I’d find it funny that he takes guarding a damn cardboard box so seriously.

  Maddox peels himself out of his car, striding toward me with his usual confident manner. He’s been out of the military for years, but his stick-straight posture and purposeful gait show the military hasn’t left him.

  Tim, another of my crew and a genius with cabinetry, walks across the yard with a couple two-by-fours over his shoulder. He freezes when he spots Maddox, and the wooden boards tumble from his shoulder. A gust of wind ruffles Maddox’s suit coat, revealing his gun and badge.

  Maddox doesn’t miss the action. He stops midstride, his aviators trained on Tim. Tim picks up the two-by-fours and rushes across the yard and down the side of the house. Maddox turns his face back to me when he disappears and lifts his brow.

  What the fuck is happening here?

  “What do you need?”

  “Come on.” I gesture for him to follow me.

  “Callan,” Maddox greets when we reach the garage.

  Callan inclines his head but doesn’t move or try to greet him in any other way. Callan is out of his former life, but I think being around any cop is uncomfortable for him. Even if he now lives life on the right side of the law.

  I dip down, opening the box, and slide the top tile pieces out of the way. I twist my torso toward Maddox. He pushes his sunglasses up his face to rest on the top of his head and stares into the box.

  He crouches down next to me, taking a pen from the inside of his suit coat and using it to move the bags around.

  “Talk.”

  I take a deep breath and speak low. “I picked up this tile in Wimberley last night and delivered it here. When I dropped it off, I checked every piece to make sure they hadn’t broken on the ride over. That shit wasn’t in there. Callan called this morning and told me to get here.”

  Maddox’s spine straightens and his jaw hardens as he turns his gaze on Callan. “You found it?”

  Callan nods.

  “He watched the box until I arrived, making sure no one else saw,” I add. “I don’t know who did this or where the missing tile is.”

  “I’ll call one of my guys. I can’t do the report on this since it’s yours. The man that fumbled with the wood earlier, he looked scared when he saw my badge. What’s his name?”

  “David.”

  “He came into the garage a few minutes before you arrived, acted shady. Not sure this is him though. He looked too terrified to run this amount of snow.” Callan lets out a low whistle. “This shit takes steel balls.” Callan lets out a low whistle as runs his hand over his chest.

  Maddox nods. “Do you have cameras anywhere?”

  “No,” I say. “Internet isn’t connected out here yet, and it’s too much of a pain to store video on site.”

  “Let me make some calls. Keep this quiet for now. Don’t need to alert anyone. Are you two the only ones who touched the box?”

  “As far as we know, it’s just us and the guy I bought the tile from. I don’t know who boxes the tile, but the tile guy handed it to me, and I checked every damn piece. There weren’t any drugs in there.”

  Maddox steps away to make phone calls. “You can get back to work. I’ll stand guard now.”

  Callan’s lips twitch. “Sorry for assuming it was yours.”

  “Don’t be. I get it.” And I do. His past is riddled with people he can’t trust, people who do things like hide drugs underneath tile.

  Chapter 19

  Ava

  “Are we leaving, Mommy?”

  My shaking hands grip the steering wheel. There are two bags in the back of the car, one for Lilly’s sleepover at her friend’s house and one for me for my sleepover at Hudson’s. It will be our first night together.

  Lilly is jazzed for her sleepover.

  I’m terrified.

  It’s been so long for me. What if I forgot how to have sex? Is that possible? Can a person forget how to have sex?

  “Yes, sweetie. In just a minute.”

  Lilly is coming with me to Hudson’s this morning to help Callan move, and this afternoon, I’m going to drop her off at her friend’s house. Thank God she finally made a friend, but I’m still sitting on the edge of my seat with her moods, waiting for the moment she realizes we’re really never going back to San Antonio.

  Callan and Braelyn will be gone.

  It’ll just be Hudson, me, and a whole lot of flipping desire.

  Not that it would help if they were there. I haven’t met any of Hudson’s friends yet. We’ve been seeing each other for over a month, but it always happens at my house. I don’t want to pawn Lilly off on a babysitter all the time. And Lilly loves Hudson.

  So, not only am I nervous and anxious to spend the night with Hudson, but I’m also nervous to meet a couple of his friends. At least there will be movement all day, things to occupy my time and mind.

  Once I leave the parking lot, there’s no turning back. Hudson is going to be the first man to see me naked since I had Lilly. I know Hudson won’t pressure me tonight. I also know I won’t be able to last beside him in a bed all night long without touching him and kissing him. I know where this is going.

  I want it to go there.

  I need it go there.

  I take a deep breath and place my hand on the gearshift. “Ready, baby girl?”

  “Donuts!” she shouts.

  I grin. Of course, she’s most excited about our first stop. I’m picking up donuts and coffee for Hudson, Callan, Braelyn, Lilly, and me.

  After our pit stop at the donut store, we make our way to Hudson’s house. I’m surprised by the number of cars lining the street. Hudson is outside, directing me into the driveway. His faded jeans and t-shirt mold to his body. The shirt is tight across his chiseled chest. A building ache starts in my core as I stare at him anticipating tonight.

  He opens my door, grabs my face, and plants a too quick kiss on my lips. I miss his lips the moment they leave mine. “I missed you, bluebonnet.”

  My heart swells in my chest and the nerves wash away. “I missed you, too.” I glance at Lilly in the rearview, returning her crazy grin.

  “You’re a princess, Mommy. Princes always kiss the princess.”

  Relief steels through me with her acceptance of us kissing and being affectionate in front of her.

  Hudson helps me out of the car before moving to the back door to help Lilly from her booster seat. “Blueberry.” He kisses her cheek, which makes her giggle and her cheeks turn red. Lilly grabs his face, squishing his cheeks together, and lays a smacking one on his cheek.

  “I’m a princess, too. I got a kiss, too.”

  “Hudson isn’t a prince, sweetie.”

  “Look at his castle!”

  “Want to storm the castle?” Hudson asks her, laying another kiss on her cheek and tickling her sides. Contentment fills me from top to toe, a true, warm content feeling. Watching Hudson and Lilly together solidifies the desires to make this last. Hudson and I are so new and I’m still nervous, but I can’t deny the images of a life with Hudson. Kids, trips, grocery shopping. Anything. It’s too soon to admit that anywhere else besides my mind.

  Lilly’s bonded with Hudson quickly. She eats up the attention he gives her. I’ve never brought a man into her life, so this is completely new territory. I didn’t realize how much she was miss
ing out on.

  “We brought donuts,” she says.

  “Yeah?”

  She nods and jumps onto the driveway. Hudson turns back toward me, affection radiating from his eyes. “You didn’t have to do that, babe.”

  I return his grin. “I wanted to. There’s coffee, too. Lilly isn’t excited about that though.”

  “Why not?” He asks Lilly, one hand on his hip and the other on mine.

  “Blech.” She sticks out her tongue and scrunches her nose. “It’s gross. I got milk.”

  “Chocolate milk?”

  “Is there another kind?” Someone is full of sass today.

  Hudson laughs, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder. She yells and hits his back while laughing. “Hand me the coffee.”

  I hand him the carrier, then grab the donuts and follow him up his walkway to the front porch.

  I take in the house for the first time.

  It’s a monstrosity. Lilly wasn’t kidding, compared to the places we’ve lived, Hudson’s house is a castle. It’s the first time the difference in our incomes has been so in my face. It’s something I’ve known, something I’ve struggled with, but it’s never been so apparent.

  My cheeks fill with heat. How quaint he must think my apartment is, and it’s the nicest place I’ve ever lived. “Your house is gorgeous.”

  Dark gray stone is lined around the edges of the house and framing the entryway. The dark gray stone is a beautiful contrast against the warm, light gray stucco. The black double front door is tall with wrought iron over the glass. The sun spills into the large windows across the front of the house.

  “Thanks, bluebonnet. It’s the first one I designed myself. I bought the house that was on this lot, then bulldozed it to the ground and built something new in its place.”

  I smile. When Hudson says bulldozed it to the ground, I’m certain he was the one behind the wheel of that bulldozer and laughing the entire time.

  My eyes are on my feet as we step into the entryway.

  “Everyone, this is my bluebonnet and blueberry.”

  My head pops up at everyone.

  “Wow,” I breathe. “I don’t think I brought enough donuts.”

  Thirteen sets of eyes stare at our little group. I was expecting Callan and Braelyn.

  Not thirteen people, including two babies.

  “Uh,” I manage to sound out. “Hi.”

  “Ava, Lilly, this is everyone.” Hudson sweeps his arm out, indicating the people frozen in place.

  “Oh my God. She does exist,” whispers a blond woman.

  “I thought for sure he was lying,” a woman with a stunning mess of black curls and gorgeous dark skin says. “To keep his momma off his back.”

  “Did he pay you to be here?” asks a handsome, tall, blond man with green eyes.

  “Kiernan,” the blond woman hisses, then backhands his chest. As he rubs it, the tall Latino standing behind her laughs.

  “What?”

  “You just insinuated that she’s a . . .” Her eyes fall on Lilly. She turns back to the man she called Kiernan. “You know. A woman you pay . . .”

  “I meant an actress. Jesus, Harp. Really?” Kiernan focuses on me and steps forward from the mostly still frozen group. “Sorry about that.”

  Hudson smacks him on the back of the head. “I didn’t pay her.”

  “How else would you get someone as pretty as her?”

  I chuckle, which causes Lilly to giggle.

  “Oh my God. They’re going to make me melt. How adorable are they?” the curly-haired woman says.

  Hudson grins, his eyes crinkling in the corners, and meets my eyes. I raise my eyebrows, trying to hint he should do more introductions. Everyone isn’t cutting it. He nods and motions me closer.

  I walk to him, melting into his side with Lilly at my front.

  “That huge guy over there is James.” Hudson points to a really tall man, who is also broad and muscular. His eyes are gray and fiercely intense. The auburn-haired woman standing in front of him looks tiny in comparison. “The girl who’s too cute for his ogre-looking self is Tatum.”

  “Hi.” I wave lamely.

  “Call me Tate.” She grins. The big man behind her gives me the barest hint of a smile.

  “I think you figured out that’s Kiernan.”

  “Hey, beautiful,” he says, winking.

  “Don’t,” Hudson growls. He’s staring Kiernan down and the room goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Until James chuckles. Soon riotous laughter fills the room. Lilly joins in even though she doesn’t know what they’re laughing at.

  There’s a chorus of mutters and agreements that they never thought they would see the day Hudson found someone.

  Found someone.

  That phrase sounds serious and permanent. I wait for the doubt to creep in, but it doesn’t. My hand presses harder into Hudson’s back. I look up at him and find he’s already staring at me. He bends down, kissing my nose. “Pretty as a bluebonnet,” he whispers.

  Someone gasps.

  “They do that a lot,” Lilly says.

  I chuckle and turn back to Hudson’s friends, waiting to learn the rest of their names.

  “That’s Gabe and his wife, Valerie.” Hudson gestures to the curly-haired woman and her redheaded man.

  “Callan and his sister, Braelyn.” Both Callan and Braelyn have the most shockingly clear eyes I’ve ever seen, like crystals glowing against their tan skin. Braelyn waves. “The kid next to Braelyn is Corbin, her boyfriend.”

  “Not her boyfriend,” Callan grunts. Hudson’s told me Callan is incredibly protective of his little sister.

  Corbin and Braelyn look at each other and smile shyly. They may not be a couple right now, but I’d bet they’re heading that way.

  Next is a brunette couple. The gorgeous guy has a baby girl cuddled against his chest. “Liam, Savannah, and their daughter, Avery.”

  The final couple is also holding a baby, one I recognize from the park. The man is tall, dark, and insanely handsome. His wife suits him well. The blond hair and amber eyes combo on her is stunning. “That’s Roman, Harper, and their son, Caden, who you’ve met. Think you got all that?”

  I grin. “I’m a teacher. That was easy.” I point to each person as I go down the row. “James, Tate, Gabe, Valerie, Kiernan, Callan, Braelyn and her non-boyfriend, Corbin, Liam, Savannah, Avery, Roman, Harper, and Caden. Did you get it, Lilly?”

  She’s been armed with my memory. I’d be surprised if she didn’t know their names. “Yep,” she says, popping the p. “Can we have donuts now?”

  “I brought donuts, too.”

  I peer around Hudson at the new voice entering the house. Hudson tenses at my back.

  “Kevin.” Hudson’s tone is full of surprise. I remember him from a couple months ago, on our “friend” date, but from Hudson’s tone, the man wasn’t expected.

  “I overheard at the office that Callan was moving out. Thought I would surprise you and come by to help.”

  Hudson’s demeanor relaxes, the tension seeping from his muscles. “Thanks. We could use it. We haven’t even started yet.”

  Hudson points everyone toward the kitchen and the donuts but doesn’t follow the herd himself.

  I hang back, stopping to whisper into his ear. “Something wrong?”

  “What’s he doing here?”

  “It was nice of him to come.” Though it is a bit odd to show up unannounced and uninvited. But the guy seems like a harmless, if awkward puppy. It’s good of Hudson to let him stick around.

  “It’s just a little weird, right?” Hudson asks, echoing my inner thoughts. “I try to be nice to the guy, but when he shows up, it skeeves me out. I swear, I could go to Africa and he’d find a way to ‘coincidentally’ run into me.”

  I chuckle quietly. “Stop.”

  “I know.” Hudson kisses my nose. “I’ll be nice. He’ll be helpful, and bonus—he has a truck, so that’ll make things easier.”

  As we walk into the
nook off the kitchen, Kevin pulls out the two chairs on his right. “Saved y’all a spot.”

  “That was sweet of you,” I say, taking the seat next to Kevin so Hudson can have a day where no one brings up his job site. I’ll field it for him. I haven’t spent the past twenty years being badgered by Kevin. I can definitely handle him for a day.

  Later that afternoon, I’m reminded of when I moved into my apartment. I’m about to carry one of the final boxes downstairs and my arms and legs are jelly. I juggle and rearrange the box in my arms so I can walk sideways down the stairs.

  “Want some help with that?”

  Down the hall Kevin is exiting Hudson’s office. Why was he in there? We’re moving out Callan and Brae, not Hudson. My confusion must be written on my face though because he points with his thumb over his shoulder. “Dropping off a contract about a property I thought he might be interested in after Bluebonnet Trails is finished.”

  “Oh. Can you do me a favor? Don’t mention it to him today? He’s been stressed.”

  A twinge of guilt spreads through me, but Hudson has been looking forward to the weekend and leaving work behind for a few days.

  “My thoughts exactly. It’s why I just put it on his desk. I’ll shoot him an email later in the week.”

  “Thanks.”

  I bounce the box in my arms, hoping it doesn’t fall to the ground and crash like my casserole dishes did. Kevin comes rushing forward. “Here, let me help you.”

  Chapter 20

  Hudson

  With the whole group helping, we get Callan and Brae moved into their new place in pretty good time. I sold most of my furniture to Callan. He insisted on paying me for every piece, but on his next check, there will be a bonus in the exact amount he paid me.

  The big pieces of furniture were loaded into the trucks and SUVs that would fit them. Ava helped Brae pack her clothes with a little trick she used on her own recent move. The clothes were left on their hangers and stuffed into a trash bag with the hanger’s hooks poking through.