Hudson (Anderson Billionaires #4) - Melody Anne Page 0,59

them, her own beer in hand.

“I know you do, sweet pea, but it’s also holding you back. We can’t hide from the world, neither one of us. You’re too young to do it, and I’m too old. I want to live out the rest of my life dancing and playing golf, not mowing lawns and cleaning gutters.”

“I’ve told you I’ll take care of all of the upkeep,” Daisy said, her tone pleading.

“And I’ve told you a young lady should be dating, laughing, running wild, and living her life, not taking care of a bunch of land or catering to her old grandfather,” he said, his voice firm yet loving at the same time.

She folded her arms over her chest, still managing to keep the bottle in her hand. She looked like a pouting teenager — one who most certainly wasn’t getting her way.

“I’m sorry I’ve caused tension,” Hudson said, thinking he’d rather be anywhere other than in the middle of them right then.

“You haven’t caused anything,” Bubby said. “We’ve had this argument before. But she’ll see I’m doing it out of love soon enough.” He paused, took a drink from his bottle, and zeroed his gaze in on Hudson. “What are your intentions with my granddaughter?”

Hudson hadn’t been expecting him to be quite so blunt right in front of Daisy, and he found himself shifting in his seat. He was now the one who felt like a teenager being grilled.

There was no way he was sharing his plans with Daisy’s grandfather, but it made him feel slightly guilty about all of the women he’d dated once or twice, taken to bed, and then walked away from. They were each someone’s granddaughter, someone’s sister, someone’s daughter. They were women who were loved, and he’d had zero qualms about taking what he needed from them. He’d reasoned they were taking just as much from him. That seemed like a flimsy excuse at the moment. If it was his daughter being treated the way he’d treated so many women, he’d have murder on his mind.

“There’s nothing between us, grams,” Daisy said with a sigh before he could form an answer. “Please don’t try to make it into something it isn’t.”

Hudson could’ve let it go at that, but he didn’t. He wasn’t sure why he said what he did next, but it just sort of flew out of him. “I plan on dating her,” he said. “A lot.”

He felt good getting the words off his chest. He leaned back and continued to sip his beer while Daisy gasped beside him. Bubby grinned.

“I wouldn’t mind that one little bit,” Bubby said. They gave each other a look of understanding. “But if you’re just planning on taking without giving, it would be best to move on your way.”

Hudson’s respect for this man grew. He obviously loved his granddaughter. Bubby reminded Hudson a lot of his Uncle Joseph. It was no wonder the two men were friends.

“I have no plans of doing that,” Hudson assured him. And now that he’d made that promise, he’d have to stick to his word.

“This isn’t the eighteenth century, and I’m not the dumb little female who needs a man to take care of her,” Daisy huffed. “I don’t appreciate this conversation and I don’t like feeling as if my fate is in anyone’s hands other than my own.”

“Well tough, because I love you, and I want what’s best for you,” Bubby said. He grinned at her and blew her a kiss before facing Hudson again. “And I have a feeling about you. I can see true integrity in your eyes. You have an honest face.”

“No one’s ever said that to me before, but I’ll do my best to keep your opinion of me the same,” Hudson said.

Daisy got up and stomped away, letting them know by her heavy footsteps that she wasn’t pleased with either of them. If this had been a hundred years ago, he might be asked for a cow and three sheep for the privilege of dating Bubby’s granddaughter. He might give that to the man anyway. The thought made his grin grow even wider. If Daisy heard his internal thoughts she might just stab him.

Hudson stayed out on the porch visiting with her grandfather for another hour. By the time he left, Daisy was nowhere to be found, but he was whistling as he climbed into his truck.

He might be biting off more than he’d been willing to chew just a few weeks ago, but he wasn’t