Hudson (Anderson Billionaires #4) - Melody Anne Page 0,93

Damien,” Joseph said. Hudson zeroed in on his uncle. Joseph looked pleased to see Damien, but with the way he was looking at him, Hudson could see there was something going on. Hudson wanted to know what that was. Joseph was one of the most open people Hudson had ever met, and the way he was looking at Damien made Hudson wonder if something was happening that none of them knew about.

“Good morning,” Damien said as he joined them at the table. “What caused this meeting to be called?” Damien got straight to the point. He was more like Crew than any of them.

“I’m glad you asked, Damien,” Joseph said. “I’ve planned an overnight trip for the seven of us. I’m not allowing you to make excuses. I understand you all have lives you’re involved in, but the minute we think family isn’t worth sacrificing for is the minute we’re lost.”

“When’s the trip?” Finn asked.

“It’s in three days. We’re leaving Friday morning and we’ll be back Saturday evening. My daughters-in-law are staying with Katherine, but one night is all I can stand to be away right now.”

“I don’t know if I can make that work,” Damien said.

“Tough, switch things around,” Joseph said, not giving an inch of wiggle room.

“Where are we going?” Brandon asked.

“I’m taking you camping,” Joseph said with a grin.

“Camping?” Crew scoffed as if that was absolutely absurd. “I think I’ll pass.”

“You don’t get to pass,” Joseph said, sending a steely-eyed gaze his nephew’s way. Crew sat back with his arms folded, looking like a little boy who’d just been grounded.

“I think it’ll be a blast,” Noah said. “I haven’t been camping in forever.”

“You would think it’d be fun,” Hudson said. “Where’s this camping place?”

“We’re going to a place you used to go with your mother. I think it’ll be good for you boys to think about your past, and to share some of it with your brother. He missed out on growing up with you, and he missed out on knowing your mother, which is a crime. So, let’s give him a small piece of his history.”

Hudson instantly closed up. He shook his head. “I don’t need to relive the past,” he insisted. “Mom was great, beyond great, but camping and bonding about the good old days sounds about as much fun as watching paint dry.”

“It’s better than kicking puppies,” Brandon said. “I like to camp as long as I can fish.”

“There’ll be plenty of fishing,” Joseph said.

“I don’t think I can make it,” Hudson said. A trip down memory lane truly wasn’t his idea of a good time.

“Make it happen, Hudson,” Joseph said, pinning him down with a glare.

A couple of the brothers grumbled, but all of them, even Crew, agreed to the trip . . . all but Hudson. He finally stood and began walking to the door. There was no point in arguing further. He simply wouldn’t go.

“Hudson, be at my house at seven on the dot Friday morning,” Joseph called to him as he reached the door.

Hudson didn’t say anything as he walked away. He wasn’t going. He was an adult and he wasn’t going to be bossed around by his uncle, even if he did have mad respect for the man he wished he would’ve known while growing up. He pushed that thought away. There was no use in looking back at the past, or trying to change what had happened. What happened, happened, and what came afterward was a choice.

It was time to find Daisy. It didn’t matter how much time they spent together, he still wanted more. He was finding he simply couldn’t get enough of her. He just wanted to focus on the here and now. Tomorrow would come no matter what. But today was a day to celebrate. No past, no future, no worries. He liked that mantra.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Daisy grinned at Hudson as he held the door open for her. “It’s been forever since I’ve kissed you,” he said as he pulled her against him and kissed her breathless right there in his doorway.

“It’s only been a few hours,” she told him with a giggle and a blush.

“See? Way too long,” he said. He took her hand and pulled her inside, kicking the door shut behind them.

She followed him to the kitchen where he had a glass of wine waiting. “Ah, you knew exactly what I needed,” she said as she sat on the barstool and picked up her glass. Hudson pulled out containers of Chinese food and