to me. “So, you gonna do that thing I like tomorrow night?”
Cal deserved everything he got.
“Which one, babe? The spanking thing or the—”
Cal slapped the table with his hands. “Lalalalalala. Okay, you two sickos win. Shut up.”
Hudson wrinkled his nose, looking playful and adorable, and then winked at me. And despite everything we were going through, I would never pass up the chance to see him light up and relax—even if a whole country separated us.
“Okay, well, I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow. Come by my place after you see Jack. Your three pussies have missed you. I’ll be the bald one on the bed.”
Cal gagged. It was awesome and so worth it.
“You know you’re the only pussy I want.”
“Okay, enough. Wrap it up, you two,” Cal begged. “I’m going to be sick.”
Hudson laughed. “Hey, that reminds me. Can you do me a favor and drop my truck off at the airport? I’m barely going to make it home in time to see Jack before bedtime. It will save me a trip so I can hurry up and get back to you.”
“Sure. Anything that gets you home faster,” I said, looking at his face on my screen and wondering how many more times we’d be doing that very same thing in the future.
“Thanks, babe.” He placed a kiss to his fingers and then to the lens. “See you tomorrow.”
“Bye, Hud.” I reluctantly hung up.
Cal shook his head as I put my phone back on the table. “Can I just say something? Like, just put it out there?”
I shrugged and took another drink. “You never needed my permission before. Knock yourself out.”
“Why in the fuck are you letting Lauren do this? I mean, I get why Hudson is trying to be fair and prevent Jack from feeling the hurt of a dysfunctional home like the one he had growing up. But you? Why haven’t you gone over there and fought for him? Fought for you both?” He glared at me as if I were a stranger and not his little sister. “The Alexis Lawson I know doesn’t take shit. Especially from Lauren Rafferty of all people, who right now has her head so far up her ass that she can’t see how this will tear all of us apart.”
It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about it. I bit my lip—just like I’d been biting my tongue—then rolled my eyes and took another drink.
“It just doesn’t make any sense, Lex. This shit isn’t fair to anyone but Mark, and I have milk at home that’s older than their relationship.”
I stared over his shoulder because I didn’t have an answer to his questions. I agreed with him wholeheartedly, but I had no idea how to fix this.
“Why are you being such a coward?” Cal pressed on. “That’s not the Lex we all love. It’s damn sure not the one Hudson is in love with.” He slapped the table again. “Hey, Joan of Arc, look at me. Why are you being a martyr instead of fighting for what you want?”
I glared at him, hating how helpless I felt about it all. “I’m the girlfriend. She’s the mother of his child. If I wade into the middle of this, I’m going to be the bad guy. What happens if I make things worse for Hudson?”
“Worse? What’s worse? He’s leaving the only home he has ever known. The only family that has ever given a shit about him. He’s starting a new branch of Hud Construction, so rushed and unthought out that he could possibly fuck it all up and lose big time out there. And you, Lex. He’s losing you.”
I swallowed my rage after having it all thrown in my face like that. “Cal, she doesn’t have to listen to me.”
“Do you love Hudson? Like building-a-life, starting-a-family-of-your-own, being-a-second-mother-to-Jack, and finally-being-happy love him? Or are you just gonna do nothing and hide like you always do when shit gets tough?”
“Hey!” I yelled, and my voice cracked as I pounded on the table. “Shut the hell up. I love him, okay? Yes, like forever. Yes, like I want him to be the father of my children, and there’s nothing more that I want than to be a bigger part of Jack’s life. A life with him is all I’ll ever fucking want, so you can shove your nosy ass questions up your…” I paused because I’d already said ass, but damn it, I was pissed. So I finished instead with, “Up your dick hole.”
He grinned.