Page 28 of The Wedding Fake

The back door slid open and all eyes went up to Emily, who cocked an eyebrow. “Why is everyone looking at me?” she asked.

“Claire was looking for you,” Tess replied.

“Hey, Claire Bear,” she said with a grin. “I take it this is Hudson?”

My heart rate ticked up, but I met my sister at the bottom of the stairs, wrapping her in a hug. I hadn’t been totally honest with Emily about Hudson, but I was sure Em was the one person in the family who would support me regardless. She was also the only person in the family I knew for a fact disliked Grant the same way I did.

“This is Hudson,” I said unnecessarily, gesturing behind me to where Hudson stood, waiting.

“Nice to—” For a single moment Emily froze, her hand wavering in the air, but she quickly regained her poise, her arm straightening as she finished her sentence. “—meet you.”

I couldn’t remember any previous occasion when my older sister had short circuited, so I couldn’t guess as to what she was thinking. Did she know Hudson? I glanced back at him, noticing his eyebrow twitch as if he were trying to figure out what was wrong, but his friendly smile never wavered as he reached for her hand. “Nice to meet you. Claire speaks highly of you.” Emily nodded, but said nothing more, sitting down in front of the firepit and pulling out her phone. Hudson gave a disgruntled little nod before he sat, and although I was usually fiercely protective of my sister, I couldn’t blame him. Hudson didn’t appear to know Emily, and yet she, along with half of the family, had treated him like crap. It was embarrassing. I gave him an apologetic grimace, but he only shrugged a single shoulder and grinned good-naturedly.

A half hour later, as the wind shifted the smoke in my direction for the hundredth time, I was done. I stood, stretching my arms above my head. “I’m going up to bed,” I said. “You coming?” My eyes landed on Hudson, who hopped to his feet.

“Of course. It’s been a busy day. I’m beat,” he said, and although it had been a long and busy day, and although he had every right to be tired, his words came a little too quick and eager, and I had to smother a smile.

My heart raced as he closed the distance and I entwined our fingers to walk up to the room. I didn’t think we could conceivably have sex in my childhood bedroom feet away from the whole family, but damn if I wasn’t going to at least get my lips on the man some more.

“Are there events for tomorrow?” he asked as we climbed the stairs.

“Not that I know of. Thursday is a final fitting and dinner at the Duprees, Friday is the rehearsal dinner, Saturday is the wedding, and Sunday is the brunch before people go home,” I replied.

“Dinner at the Duprees. Can’t wait,” he said dryly, closing the door behind him as we entered the bedroom.

I chuckled, still walking, but he pulled me back toward him, catching me easily with both arms so that I was looking up into his dark eyes. “Are you sorry you came?” I asked quietly.

Hud shook his head slightly. “Sorry? No. This is a crazy way to get to know you, but I like you, Claire.”

I was embarrassed to admit how much I liked those words coming from his mouth, like I was fourteen and having my first date—and he was right, this was an insane first date—but when he cupped my face in one large palm and kissed me, the self-consciousness evaporated. I raked my hands through his hair, arching my body into his, and Hudson pulled me closer, deepening the kiss, his mouth hot on mine.

A knock came, loud and hard on the other side of the door, and Hudson, who’d been leaning against it, jumped, his head thunking solidly into mine in the process.

“Oof,” I grunted, my hands covering my face as I stumbled backward.

“Jesus. I’m sorry. Are you alright?” Hudson whispered, and I opened my eyes to see him edging closer, looking concerned as he reached for me.

The spot hurt like hell, and I instinctively took a step back, putting up one hand while I rubbed my forehead with the other. “I’m fine,” I muttered, and the knocking came again, this time harder.

“Claire?”

I sighed irritably, reaching for the doorknob. I hadn’t needed to hear the voice to know who was there. A lifetime of hearing that knock left me with no doubt who would be on the other side.

“I realized I forgot to give you towels,” Mom said cheerily. Glowering, I accepted the stack, not bothering to ask why they needed to be hand delivered instead of stacked up in the bathroom as they had been my entire life. “Your forehead is red,” Mom said, reaching for it.

I pulled away. “I’m fine, Mom. I bumped it. Thanks for the towels. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Love you,” she said, not moving away from the door.

Shifting the towels to one arm, I leaned in with the other, capturing my mother in a familiar embrace. “Love you, too. Good night.”

I shut the door behind me, looking back at Hudson where he now leaned against the dresser. “Clean towels,” I said, holding them up as I walked toward him.

His lips tilted up, but he looked positively stricken. “I’m so sorry. She surprised me,” he said as he ran a gentle thumb over my forehead.

I shook my head, setting a hand on his chest. “It stung a little, but you didn’t really hurt me.”

“I know, but I’m still sorry.” He pressed a featherlight kiss to my forehead, then along my brow to my cheekbone, working his way back to my mouth slowly, stopping only as another knock pounded at the door. This one was not as loud, but was far more persistent.