“No.”
Hudson stared at her. Allie knew he was waiting for her to continue, to offer some sort of explanation, but she had no idea what had come over her in his office that night. How the hell was she supposed to explain it to him? Silence stretched between them until Hudson offered up a theory of his own.
“I see. So you make a habit of sliding underneath donors? Sharing is caring and all that. Hell of a motto, Alessandra. No wonder the project is ahead of schedule.”
Tears stung her eyes and she bit down on the inside of her cheek.
Don’t you dare let him see you cry.
“You’re right. A lot has changed in ten years. You’ve turned into a bitter asshole. Good-bye, Hudson.”
She made it all the way to the cab before the first tear fell.
Chapter Eight
Allie watched as Harper poked at her bowl of field greens. Rosebud had some of the best salads in the Loop, but the sight and smell of the gnocchi, ravioli, and cavatelli being served to the other tables always put Harper in a foul mood. Not to mention the fresh bread. When the man next to them dredged a slice through olive oil and cheese, Allie half expected her to reach over and grab it out of his hand.
“I don’t understand,” Harper said, turning away from the Italian feast one table over. “I eat rabbit food five days a week and barely lose a pound. Then one margarita and Bam! My thighs grow three inches.”
Allie fought back a laugh. “It might have more to do with the chips and salsa.”
“Mmm, I would kill for a basket of chips with a side of guac right now.” She was practically salivating. “Want to hit Blue Agave tonight?”
As much as Allie would have loved a night out at their favorite Mexican restaurant, the list of things she needed to get done was as long as her arm. Her mom was all over her about wedding plans and her projects at work were piling up faster than she could get to them. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to concentrate on much of anything. For the past few weeks she’d been in a fog, speaking and nodding at appropriate times, but never fully there. Harper had even caught her staring out the window, daydreaming. Twice!
It was all his fault. She’d been completely distracted ever since the night Hudson Chase strolled out of her past and into her life, turning the world as she knew it upside down. Until that night everything had been so clear, so black and white. She knew exactly who she was: Alessandra Sinclair, heir to the Ingram Media empire, director of fund-raising at Better Start, and fiancée of Julian Laurent, the man poised to take the reins of her family’s company.
But Hudson’s return had brought memories so vivid, ten years felt more like ten days. She found herself recalling every detail of the time they’d shared, from the first time he brushed his lips against hers to the moment she knew she was falling in love. But she also remembered the ride back to Chicago that August afternoon and the nights she’d spent crying herself to sleep. Had it really all been over some terrible misunderstanding?
Not that it mattered now. Hudson was Allie’s past. Julian was her future. They might not share the same blazing passion she felt when she was with Hudson, but it was safe. It was smart. And there was certainly nothing about being with Hudson Chase that was safe. Or smart. The feelings he’d awoken in her ten years ago had been like a wildfire, hot and all-consuming. But in the end she’d been burned and no high was worth that low. Calm and steady had suited her just fine since then, and that was exactly what she had with Julian. They were compatible, they were content.
Everything was exactly as it should be.
Then why couldn’t she get Hudson Chase out of her mind? She’d hoped his appalling behavior would have gotten him out of her system, but it had been almost two weeks since she’d left him standing in the middle of the zoo, and so far nothing had changed.
“Hel-lo, earth to Alessandra . . .”
Oh God, not again.
“So what do you say, girls’ night?”
Allie took her aggravation out on her lunch, stabbing a piece of grilled chicken with her fork. “I can’t.”
“Why not? Mr. Fancy Pants is out of town, isn’t he?”
She shot Harper a look, then nodded. “He left for New York today.”
“Then let’s go out. We haven’t been out for drinks since . . . well, since you got engaged.”
“I know, and I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Allie saw her friend raise a skeptical brow and quickly added the word “soon” to the end of her sentence. “But you wouldn’t believe the box my mother dropped off at my condo. Fabric swatches, pictures of floral arrangements, cake designs—”
Harper’s head snapped up from her salad. “Oh, count me in on the cake tasting.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and Allie noticed for the first time that her earrings didn’t match. For a moment Allie wondered if it had been an oversight until she realized they were both the same emerald-green as her ballerina flats. It was an odd combination paired with her navy print dress, but on Harper it worked.
“I’m not sure there will be time for a tasting. The note in the box said she needed my selections ‘immediately, if not sooner.’”
Harper’s phone vibrated on the table. “Shit,” she mumbled as she read the incoming text.
“What’s wrong?”
“One late package and you’d think the world was ending.” She reached for her bag. “And apparently I’m the only one in our office capable of tracking a blasted cardboard box. Must be why I get paid the big bucks.” She laughed at her own joke as she dug a twenty out of her wallet. “Sorry to rush off.”
“Don’t worry about it, I have my Kindle. I’ll just read a bit while I finish eating.”
“Kindle, eh?” She stood up, slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder. “Must be pretty juicy.”
Allie couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “No, just convenient.”
Palms out, Harper raised her hands in an expression of innocence. “Hey, no judgment here. Nothing wrong with a little smut.”
Allie’s breath caught. Hudson was suddenly standing behind Harper along with three other men. All four were dressed impeccably in dark, custom-tailored suits, but it was the sight of Hudson, in a light blue tie that perfectly matched his eyes, that made her mouth go dry.
“Ladies,” he said with a slight nod of his head. His smooth, deep voice startled Harper and she jumped. Within seconds her face was as red as her hair.
Hudson turned to his colleagues. “Everything sounds good. I’ll be in touch,” he said, effectively dismissing them before shifting his gaze to Allie. Her nipples hardened under the heat of his stare. Damn it. She crossed her arms over her ivory sheath dress, hoping he hadn’t noticed. Yeah, fat chance.
Harper looked back and forth between the two of them for a second. “Alrighty then, I guess I’ll see you back at the office.” She took a step behind Hudson and fanned herself in an exaggerated motion. He glanced over his shoulder and she stopped midfan, quickly turning the gesture into a wave and flashing him a broad smile before ducking out the door.
“What do you want, Hudson?” Allie asked the moment they were alone. “Was there some insult you forgot to hurl at me the other day?”
“Actually, Alessandra, I wanted to apologize.” He motioned to the empty chair. “May I?”
She nodded, completely caught off guard. An apology was not what she was expecting.
He took a seat, rubbing his hand over the stubble on his jaw. “Discussing the past triggered something.” His inner asshole. “Unsettled business, and I was looking to burn off my edge. Not to mention, I have a tendency to be too direct at times.”