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I looked away. He was probably right. Although I hated the small hole in my heart that could only be filled by Carson and our old friendship.

“Come on. Let’s get suited up. Lots of painting to do. With temps heading into the 80s we want to get going before it’s boiling.” Hudson held up overalls that looked straight out of an aliens movie, made of white gauze material that would supposedly protect us from paint splatters.

We got to work and the sun baked down. Dry heat, no breeze, not a cloud in sight. Perfect for painting, not so wonderful for the painters. The overalls proved hot as hell, and not in a good way.

It wasn’t long before I stripped down to my thinnest jogging shorts and a black sports bra, hoping to survive. Hudson went shirtless, too, with sun-kissed skin. Casual in khaki cargo shorts, his ball cap turned backward on his head, he walked out of my sexiest daydream, all hard ridges everywhere.

Not going to pretend at all that I didn't notice. He could put a lot of those pale New York City men working all day at their computers in the skyscrapers to shame. I also pretended not to notice the loaded and coy gazes he turned on me now and then as we talked.

“Whew. Hot day. Need a refill on your sweet tea?” I asked.

“Only if it comes with a pretty view.” He winked. When I took his glass off of his hands, he liberally looked me up and down.

“Flirty glance there.”

“Must be the paint fumes talking.” He smirked. “Just enjoying the perks of volunteering.”

I tossed an unused paintbrush at him. “You call this volunteering?”

He caught it with ease. “Sure. Volunteer gossip decoy. Volunteer porch whisperer. Anything else I could volunteer to do foryou?”

I shook my head, laughing at the way his voice deepened as I went to make a fresh batch of tea. “I'll let you know if I get any ideas.”

The afternoon wore on as we painted and reminisced about days gone by. He filled me in on several of the people we knew from school. And of course, he told me what his other brothers have been up to lately.

“Doc is the primary care physician at the local clinic. We tease him that if someone has a serious disease, a venereal disease, or a common cold, he knows all about it because everyone goes to him practically. Add to that Branson as police officer, and I supposed you could say the Goodson boys pretty much know everything about everyone in this town. But I am proud of them.” When he talks about the boys—all grown men now—it’s like he’s a proud father, his chest puffed out a little more, and rightly so, considering he basically helped Mama Goodson raise them all.

As he talked more, I admired the way his eyes lit up. I could just imagine him with his own children, how good he’d be, taking care of them and a wife like he always took care of everyone who meant something to him. His family was his life.

I envied their large brood. I’d never had that. Mom tried to be there for me and did her best, while dealing with her own grief. But without any other family around, things were tough.

I gazed upon Hudson with fresh eyes all of a sudden. Here was a loyal, hardworking, decent man. Okay a little grumpy at times. Vastly different from men I’d dated in New York. Which had been my problem all along. Whatever I was searching for in New York, I didn’t find it.

Yes. Hudson had grown into a fine man. One who knew how to deliver a kiss, without any intention behind it. What would it be like when he really meant it? When he really loved a woman and went all out for her?

Wait. Why was I thinking of him this way? I gave my head a shake and focused back on what he was saying.

“Once I leaned into Lawson being more artistic than Dawson, he seems to have found his path in life, even if it’s more of a creative lifestyle.”

I held in a giggle about their nicknames, Happy and Dopey. Dawson was the funny one of that family, always quick witted. Whereas Lawson was chill, very laid back, always finding his own rhythm with things.

“In fact, it was going to be a surprise to everyone in town, but I’ll tell you. On Saturday after our gathering at the cemetery, we’re going back to Java where Lawson will unveil his plans for a mural he’s going to paint on the building for Carson. It’ll memorialize that fateful town hall fire and honor both of our fathers and all the firefighters who are dedicated to serving this community.” He finished with a wistful stare. “I miss Dad sometimes.”

“Oh, Hudson. I do, too.” I paused mid stroke of the brush and fought back the lump in my throat, as if going through the night of the fire allover again, even though I was younger when it happened, and he was older. He’d had the chance to know hisfather better than I had mine. But loss was loss, and I knew the same deeper pain from the loss of my mother.

Our eyes met up across the porch with a sudden connection so strong, as if it reached across our past and time, and brought us closer together.

“Anyway…” he broke the silence first that stretched too long between us. “Then there is Grayson, the shy one.”

“Aw Grayson. He was always so bashful and sweet, with those cute dimples of his.” He and Carson were the babies of the guys. Grayson wouldn’t have gotten into half the trouble he did if not for Carson dragging him into it.

“Yep. I never thought he’d find his path in life, skipping from job to job, until he started working for this no-kill animal shelter right outside of town a couple of years ago. Turns out caring for animals is his thing. So, that’s it. All seven of us kids. Time had a way of making things work out for us.”

I huffed. “It’s more than time. You’re not giving yourself enough credit, Hudson. You had a hand in that, too.”

“You sound like Mama.”

“Everyone in Poppy Valley knows she’s a smart woman.” Her words came flooding back to me.Keep your eyes open, sweetheart. The right man might not be the one you thought you’d end up with.