his humor popping up. “But I didn’t know that most of my life. I made my success on my own.” He paused while looking at his dirty work boots. Then he looked back up and gave her the same smile he’d given her on that plane. “And I like how I dress.”
“I can’t believe this is happening. This can’t be real,” she said. She looked back down at the papers she was still clutching.
“Have you spoken to your grandfather lately?” Hudson asked. He felt as if he were walking on eggshells, an unfamiliar feeling.
Her sadness and confusion seemed to vanish as she snapped her fiery gaze back to his face. The anger was back in full force. “Of course I’ve spoken to him. This morning, in fact, I live with him . . . right . . . over . . . there,” she said, pointing her finger toward a patch of trees.
The house was on the far southern end of the property, and the purchase agreement stated Hudson could purchase the property immediately, but Bruce had three months to get his business settled and move out. As the house was on the spot Hudson planned to make a community playground, it was out of the way, so he’d included an option for an additional three months if the man needed it. Bruce had said three was fine. But how could he not have told his granddaughter, who was living there, that they’d be moving soon?
“I’m sorry, Daisy, but this is final,” Hudson said, understanding her frustration. “You obviously need to talk to your grandfather.”
“Believe me, I’ll be having a chat with gramps. And don’t get too comfortable with this place, because the sale is getting reversed,” she threatened.
Hudson knew it was a done deal. There was no going back now. But there was no need for him to point that out. She’d have to accept what happened, but it might take her a little extra time. At least she had three months to find a new place to live. As angry as she was, that extra three months clause might get used. Hell, she’d made such an impression on him, he might let her stay there until the end of the project. At least then he’d know where to find her. Would he want to still see her in six months? He’d thought of her daily for the past month. Was that because she’d run from him or because she’d intrigued him? He honestly didn’t know the answer.
“Would you like me to come with you to talk to him?” Hudson asked. He wasn’t sure where in the hell that had come from. Maybe now that he’d found her, he didn’t want to lose sight of her again — at least not yet.
“I can talk to my grandfather on my own. He certainly has some explaining to do.”
“I think you do as well,” he said. He’d really like to hear all about her sneaking off in the middle of the night after the two of them had experienced one of the best nights of his life.
His words shocked her. He saw it in her face. She simply held out the papers to him and he took them. Then she smirked at him and took a step back, then another. He wondered if she’d say anything more.
“Why don’t you hold your breath and wait for me to explain everything,” she finally told him.
He smiled as she turned without another word and marched away as quickly as she’d appeared. Her backside was a pleasure to watch. She didn’t turn around again as she walked over to a bike he hadn’t noticed before. She mounted it and rode away in the direction of the hundred-year-old farmhouse on the edge of the property.
Hudson watched her until she was out of sight with no words spoken between him and his brother. He couldn’t erase the grin on his lips. She was a hell of a spitfire and he was very happy to see her again.
“Well, no project can be complete without a few bumps in the road,” Noah said as he walked up to Hudson with a raised brow. He was waiting for an explanation.
“She’s fantastic,” Hudson said, his eyes still glued to the place she’d disappeared through in the trees. “I think we might hear her yelling at her gramps all the way over here.”
“Do you think we need to call in backup for the poor man?” Noah asked with a chuckle.
“Nah, he can