Love by Design: A Heartswell Harbour Romance by Mavis Williams

Author:Mavis Williams [Williams, Mavis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blissfully Writing Studio
Published: 2019-09-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“I think she likes it here.” Hudson nursed the coffee Robin had insisted on getting for him.

Auntie was deep in conversation with Mad Maddie, perched on a bar stool like she was born to it, sipping tea and animatedly discussing crochet patterns. Even Mel seemed to be drawn into her orbit. They could hear the undertone of his gravel voice interjecting comments when Auntie took a breath. Which wasn’t often.

Robin glanced at her watch.

“You have to get Izzy,” he said, slurring slightly.

“Soon.” Robin nodded. “She’s happy to have a play date with Gabe but babysitting my Great Aunt at a seedy bar was not really part of my plan for today.”

Neither was babysitting a soppy romantic, but here she was.

“You’re beautiful.”

“What?”

“You.” He pointed at her with a waving gesture that indicated her whole body. “Inside too. Beautiful.”

“Um.” She looked around the dim bar, catching the final strains of a country song on the speakers. Something about dirt roads and trucks. Hudson grinned at her from behind a glass of rum that had somehow reappeared in his hand. She reached over and replaced it with the coffee.

“You’re drunk,” she said gently.

“You’re still beautiful,” he said. “Now you say thank you.”

“I do?”

“Not yet. That’s for when I ask you to marry me.”

She laughed. He was adorable, even drunk.

He laughed with her, but she could see the sadness under his smile.

“What’s your plan?” She tapped her finger on the table to get Hudson’s attention. The coffee seemed to be helping, but he drifted in the blurry state of drinking where he really just needed to go somewhere and sleep it off. But apparently, all his doors were locked.

“My car?”

“Nope, bad choice.” She had already pocketed his keys and knew she was going to have to deliver him somewhere before the afternoon was over. He could probably walk to the office, but something stopped her from wanting to let him sleep in his desk chair. She could imagine the look on Mrs. Davies’ face.

“You’re going to have to face Delia,” she said. “She can’t just lock you out of your own home.”

“Common law,” he grumbled. “Lived together for a year. Pertty much like married.”

“Why did you stay?” It wasn’t fair to ask him personal questions when he was drunk, but she wanted to know.

“Expected.”

“Expected what?”

“She did. Expected to get married, have all the things.” He sat up and rolled his shoulders. “I thought it was what I should do, and my Dad likes her so he would be disappointed, and I guess I love her.”

“You guess?” She also knew it wasn’t fair to judge him for not knowing. She thought she had loved Izzy’s father, but she had been wrong.

“Supposed to.” He took another swig of coffee. “Supposed to love the beautiful angry woman, get married, have babies. I want all that.”

Robin sighed. She knew only too well how far the dream was from the reality.

“Now, need new locks,” he said.

“I think you need a new apartment,” she said. “And a new girlfriend.”

“Nope.” He shook his head.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.