Page 50 of Moody's Grumpy Holiday

“I’ll make extra to be on the safe side.” She pushed a pencil over her ear and cast a quizzical glance my way. “Do you have something on your mind, honey?”

I frowned. “Hudson never mentioned Christmas dinner.”

She looked surprised. “Oh. I don’t think he officially RSVP’d either. Damn, is he going to Colorado after all?”

“I’ll ask.”

I meant to,I really did.

The days got away from me and the nights were a perfect blend of sex and sweetness.

It should have been easy enough to interruptA Charlie Brown Christmasto inquire about my lover’s plans, but I was wary of interrupting the impromptu foot massage.

Okay…no, that wasn’t it. I sensed that mood again—a haunting of some sort, a cloud I hoped would blow away.

I gnawed my lower lip, wondering why Charlie Brown bothered with his terrible classmates and simultaneously wishing I could read Hudson’s mind and?—

“You should go home for Christmas,” I blurted.

Hudson furrowed his brow. “Huh?”

“Shoot, darn, dagnabbit. That was supposed to be a question. Are you going home for Christmas?”

“I wasn’t planning on it. I thought I told you that.”

Oh.

“I don’t think so.”

“Hmm. It’s always good to see my family, but it’s a hassle to travel during the holidays. Mom understands. I can use the ticket in January. I think she’s stubbornly hoping I’ll surprise her and?—”

“You should.”

Hudson froze. “Youwantme to go?”

“No, no. I’m simply aware that assuaging familial guilt goes a long way during the season of felicitations and goodwill toward men…and women.”

“Uh-huh.” He muted the sound on the television, shifting on his seat to eye me suspiciously. “What’s really going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Look at me, Moody.”

I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood. It was a futile attempt at keeping my gob shut, but it was worth a shot ’cause the moment I started blabbing, all kinds of embarrassing things were bound to pour out of me. Just wait.

“I can’t.”

“Moody…”

“Ugh! Fine.” And here we go. “I have very strong feelings for you.”

Hudson grinned. “Good.”

“As in…I think about you all the time. Morning, noon, night. I want to be with you, hear your voice, touch you…constantly. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, but you were engaged to someone. You were a month away from ‘I dos’ and there’s a possibility I’m your second-place prize.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your rebound,” I clarified. “Your boomerang affair before you return to the dating pool with aplomb!”