Page 12 of With This Ring

Aunt Trudy touched her chin, her gaze bouncing from Layla to Hudson and back again.

Layla’s hands balled into tight fists. “I don’t need your lectures or your advice. I’m a grown woman, and I’ve made my decision.” She pointed to the door. “Why don’t you just go back to New York City where you belong?” Then she turned and bounded up the stairs to her bedroom before slamming her door.

Silence filled the den. Hudson kneaded his forehead, a headache brewing behind his eyes. This might have gone even worse than expected.

Aunt Trudy sighed from across the room and took a seat on the sofa. “You know you have to let her grow up, Hud. She’s a young woman now, and she knows what she wants.”

“She’s not ready to get married.”

“How do you know that?”

He rubbed his eyes. “I helped raise her, remember?”

His aunt’s expression warmed. “And I raised you both.”

He sat down again and rested his hands on his lap. He should have known that lecturing her wasn’t going to work. After all, it hadn’t worked last week on the phone.

He didn’t want to lose his sister. He also wasn’t going to win this argument. As Layla’s older brother, he believed it was his duty to pay for her wedding—but he would have to make it clear he couldn’t support her choices in good conscience. Perhaps he could help her see the light before her wedding day and stop her from ruining her future.

He stood and started for the stairs.

“Where are you going?” his aunt called after him.

“To fix this.”

Outside his sister’s bedroom, Hudson knocked on the door and waited.

“What do you want?” Layla called from inside her room.

He leaned against the door. “Look, I don’t approve of this wedding.”

“You’ve made that crystal clear. Now go away.”

Hudson looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. As much as he hated to do this, he made the pledge: “But I’ll pay for it.”

There was a beat of silence before footsteps sounded. Then the door opened. “You will?”

He nodded.

Layla studied him. “Does that mean you’ve changed your mind and you’ll give us your blessing?”

He shook his head. “No. I think you’re rushing into this.”

“But you’ll pay for it anyway?” she asked. When he nodded again in response, she pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you.”

“Truce?” he asked.

“Truce.” She smiled, and relief filtered through him. “You’ll change your mind about my wedding, Hud. I know you will.”

I doubt that.

Layla took his arm and yanked him toward the stairs. “We have a coffee cake, and I’ll make your favorite coffee too.”

They made their way to the kitchen, where she brewed three cups of coffee in the Keurig. Soon the three of them were drinking coffee and eating cake together.

Hudson pulled out his phone and began making a to-do list for his aunt’s house, addingFind a local paint companyto the top.

“You’re working now?” Layla asked.