Page 38

Chapter thirty-seven

Hudson

Walking back out to my mom and sister, I keep Daphne’s hand in mine as we round the corner back to the dining table.

I clear my throat, my heart thudding just a little harder than usual. “So,” I start. Squeezing her hand gently, I turn back to my mom and sister. “There’s something we want to tell you.”

My mom sets down her glass, her expression shifting. My sister leans forward slightly, eyebrows raised.

This is it.

I take a breath and one more look at Daphne. “We’re having a baby.”

The silence stretches in the room, surrounding us in a way that makes me sweat.

“A baby?” Mom asks quietly.

“Yes,” Daphne says, shifting on her feet. “We wanted to tell you together because we really care about how you feel.”

My sister blinks, her mouth opening slightly before breaking into a wide grin. “Are you serious?” she asks, her tone jumping to one of excitement. “Like…you’re going to have a real baby?” Leaning back in her chair, she looks between the two of us.

I let out a light laugh. “Of course a real baby, you dufus.”

“Can I teach them to play soccer like me?”

“Counting on it, squirt,” I say.

Mom stands slowly, her chair scraping softly against the floor as she pushes it back. Her expression is unreadable for a moment, and I hold my breath. Then she steps toward Daphne, her arms opening with a warmth that makes my chest ache.

Daphne freezes for half a second, her eyes wide, as if she’s bracing herself for something else entirely. But when Mom wraps her in a hug, something shifts. Daphne exhales shakily, her shoulders relaxing as she leans into the embrace. Her arms rise slowly, almost hesitant, before she hugs Mom back with the kind of sincerity that makes me want to pull her closer myself.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Mom murmurs, her voice thick. She pulls back just enough to meet Daphne’s eyes, keeping her hands on her shoulders. “And how are you feeling? You must be feeling a lot.”

Daphne blinks quickly, her cheeks pink as she gives a small, tentative smile. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I… I was so worried about how you’d feel, actually.”

Mom tilts her head in confusion. “Why on earth would you be worried about my feelings, honey?”

Daphne glances at me, and I see that glimmer of fear in her eyes, so I step in, clearing my throat. “We told Daphne’s parents already,” I begin. “And…her dad’s my coach. When we met, we didn’t know that, and let’s just say, he didn’t take the news well.”

Mom’s frown deepens, her lips pressing together for a moment. I can see the understanding dawning in her expression, and I know exactly where her mind has gone. My mom’s parents weren’t happy when she got pregnant with me at nineteen, and even now, after years of strained civility, we only see them a couple of times a year. I know she remembers that pain. She knows exactly what Daphne’s going through.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Mom says, her voice quiet but full of empathy. “I know how that feels. It’s tough, and it’s unfair.”

She pulls Daphne into another hug, this one even tighter than before. When she lets go, she looks between the two of us, her gaze warm but serious. “It’s not ideal timing, because you’re both young, but let me tell you something: having a baby doesn’t mean your life ends. It means you face challenges earlier, yes, but it also means you learn how to adapt. You’ll find ways to overcome obstacles, and you’ll do it together. That little life you’re creating is going to bring so much love into this world.”

Daphne swallows hard, her lips pressing into a trembling smile. “Thank you,” she whispers.

Mom’s gaze flickers between us, and then, with the faintest lift of her eyebrows, she asks, “So…are you two, you know, together-together ?”

Rory giggles, reminding us that she’s sitting at the table still. “Of course they’re together. Look at the way Hudson goes all heart-eyes around her.”

Oh fuck. Thanks for that, little sis.

Daphne glances at me, her cheeks flushing even more as she bites back a smile. I can tell she’s unsure how to answer.

“We’re trying to take it one step at a time,” I say. “There’s a lot to figure out, but…we want to figure it out together.”

“That’s all you can do,” Mom replies, nodding to me and squeezing Daphne’s shoulder gently before letting her go. “It’s not about having all the answers right now. It’s about showing up for each other and for that baby. And from what I can see, you two have a pretty good foundation for that.”

Daphne’s eyes glimmer with gratitude. “That really means a lot.”

Mom reaches for my hand and gives it a quick, firm squeeze before turning back to her seat. “Alright,” she says, her tone brightening. “Now, let’s sit down, finish our lunch, and talk about what you two need and what I can do to help.”

***

Today has been amazing and a lot at the same time. My mom took the news incredibly well. I think we both were holding our breath to see how it would go, but I’ve never been more grateful for her.

Daphne and I are sitting on the couch together. She’s snuggled into my side and Love Island is on TV.

“Oh, that’s so annoying. He’s being so muggy,” Daphne says with her best—debatable, but I’ll never tell her—British accent.

I press my lips together, biting back laughter. The British Love Island has us both hopelessly hooked, but watching Daphne get so invested, that’s my favorite part. The dramatic eye rolls, the commentary, it’s better than what’s on screen some days.

“Alrighty, guys,” Mom says, walking around the corner, wearing a fancy black dress. “I’m going to be out tonight. Rory is staying over at Erin’s house. So you two have the house to yourselves.” She looks at me. “And no, I’m not telling you who I’m going to see. All you need to know is that the coffee guy is a very nice guy, and you’ll meet him when I say.”

I chuckle. “Yes, ma’am.”

Truth is, I haven’t seen Mom this happy in a while, and that settles something inside me. I have a good feeling about whoever coffee guy is too.

Daphne sits up, leaving a cool breeze in her wake, and I almost protest and pull her back to me. “You look beautiful, Marlie. I hope that guy knows what a knockout you are.”

Mom smiles, and it looks good on her. “Thank you, honey. Now you two have fun.”

When she leaves, Daphne immediately settles back beside me, wrapping me in her body heat, and I can’t complain at all. I wrap an arm around her, pulling her close again. Whatever’s on the TV is still playing, but I couldn’t tell you a single thing about it. My focus keeps drifting to the way Daphne fits perfectly against my side, the soft rise and fall of her breathing, the faint scent of her perfume.

She shifts slightly, adjusting the blanket we’re sharing, and the movement sends a shiver of awareness through me. I try to focus on the screen, but my mind keeps circling back to lunch, to my mom’s question, and the way Daphne looked at me. She shifts again, and this time I can’t stop myself from watching the way her lips curve when she smiles faintly at something on the screen. She’s so close, but it still doesn’t feel like enough.

Her eyes catch mine as she glances up. “What?”

I shake my head, my voice rougher than I mean it to be. “Can I ask you something?”

She nods, those blue eyes still locked onto mine.

I shift, turning so I can see her face better, needing her to really hear me. “Earlier, when Mom asked about us being together,” I start tentatively, “I need you to know that I didn’t want to put you on the spot. I wasn’t trying to ambush you.”

Her eyebrows knit, her lips parting as if she’s about to say something, but I keep going, the words pouring out before I lose my nerve.

“I know I can be...a bull sometimes,” I admit, letting out a small, self-deprecating laugh. “When I see something I want, I go for it, and I know I’ve told you that I want you. But I need you to understand, it’s not just physical for me. It’s not just about that.”

I reach for her hand, my thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles. “I want to know you, Daphne. All of you. I want to see every part of who you are, not just now but every version of you as we go. To be the one who has you, truly and completely.”

Her breath hitches as she searches my face. As her hand tightens slightly in mine, I feel her pulse quicken beneath my touch.

“You really mean that,” she breathes. It’s not a question but confirmation for her that it’s the truth.

Something changes in her expression, her walls, the ones she keeps so carefully built, crack just a little more, and she leans forward. Slowly at first, like she’s testing the space between us. Then, as if something inside her finally snaps, she closes the distance completely, pressing her lips to mine, just like the other day. And I love it.

It’s not cautious or hesitant; it’s full of everything we’ve been holding back. Relief, longing, and something deeper that neither of us has fully said out loud yet. Her hands slide up to cup my face as she moves to straddle my lap, my hand slipping to her waist to anchor her against me.

The world narrows to just this, her warmth, her taste, the way her breath catches against my lips, the way her hips move over me. My heart’s pounding a powerful beat, but it’s nothing compared to the rush I feel when she kisses me back with the same intensity.

Fuck, she feels so good.

“You know I’ve still got that hat of yours in my dorm. Do the rules still apply?” she whispers into my neck, making my skin explode in goosebumps.

“Uh,” I stutter, almost swallowing my tongue at her boldness.

“That I wear the hat, I ride the football player?” she purrs, like a seductress. The opposite of how she usually is around me, and I’m so fucking here for it.

“Y-yeah,” I manage as my brain scrambles to keep up. “That’s the one. That’s the rule.”

And then she leans closer, her lips brushing against my ear as she whispers three simple words that threaten to break me entirely.

“I want you.”