“Dammit. I warned Elise the drink had a lot of alcohol in it.”

  Finley nodded. “Elise told us. Anna said she couldn’t taste the alcohol. I don’t think she meant to get so wasted.”

  Anna snorted in her sleep and turned her nose toward the couch. “Yummy.”

  “I can’t get her home by myself. I was thinking about bringing her back to the estate, but—”

  “Joey and Matty are home,” I finished.

  Finley nodded. “I don’t know what to do here. I wanted tonight to be a fun night out for her.”

  “Did something happen?”

  “No, not anything bad. But for her to get this drunk tells me she either doesn’t let go often or is a lightweight. Maybe both.”

  “Probably both.” I looked at Anna as she smiled in her sleep. Her light brown hair was more red against the dark brown of my couch. She had a few streaks of gray through it. Even with that, she looked younger in sleep. Peaceful. Like she wasn’t carrying the weight of the world she usually had on her back.

  “By the time I realized how bad she was, everyone else had left. And I can’t really call Trent to come help since George is already asleep.”

  “I’ll help you get her home.”

  Finley cupped her boobs. “Soon. I need to pump.”

  “Jesus, I don’t need to know that. Or see it.”

  “Then we either need to leave right now or you need to handle this yourself because I’m about to pop.”

  “Good God, Finley. Just go. I’ll get her home. I’ll get in touch with Joey so he knows I’m coming into the apartment.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Are you really giving me a choice?”

  She gave me one of her regretful smiles and shrugged. “It really wasn’t my intention to get her this drunk. I just wanted her to have fun. She doesn’t relax often. She’s worked for me for six months and I’ve never once heard about her going out or dating or doing anything that’s just fun.”

  “Maybe her version of fun is just different than yours.”

  “Maybe. But I think she’s forgotten how to have fun.” Finley winced and grabbed her boobs again. “Ooh, I really need to go. Are you sure you’re okay getting her home?”

  “Yes, I got it. Just please don’t get breastmilk all over the bar.”

  Finley laughed and rushed forward. She hugged me, not too close, and said, “I won’t. Thank you.”

  “Hey, are you okay to drive?”

  She nodded when she got to the door. “No drinks for me. It goes to the breastmilk so I just had water tonight. And food.”

  “Okay, good. Be careful driving home.”

  “I will. Thanks, Hud.”

  Finley was gone, and Anna was sleeping on my couch. What the hell did I agree to?

  I drew a breath and knew the only option was to get it over with. I grabbed my phone and pulled up Joey’s number. He was likely asleep, but I didn’t want him to worry when I let myself into his home.

  Hudson: Your mom is at O’Kelley’s and had a bit too much to drink. I’m leaving in a minute to bring her home. You don’t have to get up, but I wanted to warn you since I’ll be entering your home so you don’t worry about who’s there.

  Before I could tuck my phone away, it buzzed with a thumb’s up reply.

  “Guess he’s not worried,” I said aloud.

  I looked at the woman who’d been in too many of my fantasies lately. She wasn’t smiling anymore. Her mouth had fallen open, and she was drooling on my couch.

  “Glad it’s leather.”

  I crouched in front of her and brushed the hair from her face. She was beautiful, and so much easier to be attracted to when she wasn’t pissed off and yelling at me about something.

  “Anna? Can you wake up for me? I’m going to take you home.”

  She groaned but didn’t wake up.

  “If you won’t get up, I’m going to have to carry you.”

  Another groan.

  I blew out a breath and did what I told myself I’d never do again. I put my hands on Anna Charlotte.

  Her hair was soft when it brushed across my wrist. I pushed down the desire to run my fingers through it and looped my arm under her neck. Halfway there.

  She was wearing pants, thank God. I lifted her head slightly, laughing when she snored loudly at the change of position. It was clear she was not going to wake up and walk to my truck, so I slid my other hand under her knees.

  She sighed and turned toward me, resting her hand on my chest. It had been a long time since I’d had a woman in my arms like that. The few I’d slept with since Hillary were not women I spent extra time holding. We fucked and fled.

  With Anna, I wanted to sit on the couch and hold her for a while. Smell her hair and watch her sleep. The realization punched me in the gut and sliced through me, almost bringing me to my knees.

  I gave myself a moment, just one, to indulge in the feel of her pressed against me. I didn’t know what it was about her that drew me in, but it was there. Begging me to take more than I was going to take. Not just now, but ever.

  I exhaled slowly, then lifted her weight from the couch. She wasn’t tiny or light. She was full of plush curves and a sassy mouth. But only one of the two was out tonight.

  I stood, adjusting my grip on her so I knew she would be safe while I walked to my truck. Of course, that was when I realized I should have asked Jonathan or Charlie to help clear a path for me to get out of the bar.

  The walk through the back hallway was tight since I had to turn sideways so I didn’t knock Anna’s head against the wall. Charlie came out of the bathroom before I made it into the bar and saw Anna passed out in my arms and jumped into action.

  “You sure you want to go out the front, boss? Everyone will see.”

  “I couldn’t make it through the backdoor. Not holding her and pushing it open. This was my only choice.”

  “I’ll help you. Let’s go out the back.”

  “Thanks.”

  He led the way, holding the door for me to get out onto the River Walk. He knew where I parked my truck and led the way there, opening the passenger door and helping me get Anna situated with a seatbelt on before closing the door.

  “Can you get her home okay?” Charlie asked.

  I nodded. “All good. I already let Joey know I’d be bringing her home.”

  “What happened to her friends?”

  “They didn’t realize how much she had to drink. Finley asked me to help, but she had to go so I said I’d get Anna home.”

  “You’re a good man, boss.”

  I snorted. “We’ll see if she agrees.”

  Charlie laughed. “Well, I think you are.”

  “Thanks. And thanks for your help.”

  He nodded and turned to go back to O’Kelley’s. The kitchen was closing soon, but I knew he’d talk to Jonathan and they’d make sure everything was taken care of until I got back.

  I’d been to Anna’s neighborhood before but not to her apartment. I knew which one it was from Joey’s employment paperwork, but it still took me a few minutes to find the right building.

  There was a parking space not far from the door, but it was tight, so I passed it for one a little farther away with an open spot next to it. I pocketed my keys and opened Anna’s door. She was sleeping soundly, not moving except to breathe.

  Thankfully, I realized I needed her keys to get into her apartment. I didn’t like going through her things, but it was the only option. Her keys were attached to a keyring that said Romance readers do it between the covers. I snorted a laugh. She must have gotten it from Finley.

  I unbuckled Anna’s seatbelt and lifted her into my arms again. I marched up to the door of the building, relieved and annoyed when I was able to nudge it open with my foot. I took the steps up to her unit and carefully adjusted her so I could unlock the door without having to set her down.

  The lights were on inside. I walked into a living room with a couch that was threadbare and lumpy. There was a small TV on a tiny stand across the room. To the left was a kitchen that had definitely seen better days.

  “Hey,” Joey said, walking out from the hallway that must have led to the bedrooms.

  “Hey. Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  He shook his head. “I was up. Is she okay?” His gaze was locked on his mom and full of worry.

  I nodded. “Yeah, she’ll be fine. She had too much to drink, so she’ll have a killer headache, of course.”

  “Is that all? Is she going to be sick or anything? Is she going to die?”

  “No. Nothing like that. She’s fine. I take it she doesn’t drink much?”

  He shook his head again. He looked younger than the kid who worked for me. Even though he was only sixteen, I saw him as much older and wiser. Stronger. More mature. But tonight he was just a boy worried about his mom.

  “She’ll be okay. It happens to everyone. If she was awake, I’d have her drink some water and take a few aspirins or something. It’ll be harder on her tomorrow without them, but she’ll be fine.”

  “Does she need a trashcan or something?”

  “You can get her something and put it next to her bed. Where does she sleep?”

  He pointed to the lumpy couch, and my heart skipped a beat.

  Jesus. When Joey started working for me, he said he needed the money, but this was a whole new level. Anna slept on a couch that was probably older than her sons. In the living room. Fucking hell.

  “Okay,” I said, knowing it wasn’t Joey’s fault that they were in the situation they were in. It wasn’t Anna’s either. It was shitty luck and a douchebag ex who left her with a mountain of debt. According to James and Finley, at least.

  I set Anna down on the couch, and she moaned softly. Not the good kind of moan, but the kind that said she wasn’t okay.

  “Are you going to be okay with her?” I asked Joey.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. What should I do?”

  I sighed and accepted that I was going to be sleeping there, too. “Go grab a trashcan for her. Do you have any water bottles?”

  He shook his head.

  “Okay, get the trashcan. I’ll grab some water. If that’s okay.”

  Joey nodded and went back down the hall.

  I filled a plastic cup with water from the sink and set it on the table near the couch. I pulled Anna’s shoes off and turned when I heard Joey coming back.

  He set the trashcan next to the couch, then looked up at me. “Now what?”

  “Now, you go to bed. I’m going to sleep in that chair over there and keep an eye on your mom.”

  “You are?”

  I nodded. “Yep. Get some sleep. You have school tomorrow, right?”

  “Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I have a test.”

  “Then you need to rest. Do you set an alarm, or do you need me to wake you up in the morning?”

  “Nah, I set an alarm. And I’ll get Matty up before I leave.”

  “Okay. I’ll fix breakfast when I hear you up.”

  He nodded sharply. “Thanks. For, um, staying.”

  “You’re welcome. Go sleep, kid.”

  He nodded and went back into the room he’d come out of earlier.

  I locked the front door and checked on Anna once more, then covered her with a blanket and found one for myself. I sat in the chair across the room and accepted I wasn’t going to get any sleep. And not because it was the most uncomfortable chair on the planet but because I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful woman sleeping across the room from me.

  And I didn’t want to.

  7

  Anna

  I stretched as I started to wake up. My stomach rolled. Ooh. That wasn’t good. I slowed my movements and evaluated how I felt.

  Stomach flipped. Head throbbed. I heard voices, soft ones. The boys must be up.

  A door closed quietly, then there was silence. Joey getting in the shower. Good. He was taking care of himself. Which meant I could rest a few more minutes before I had to start making breakfast and let my stomach settle from…whatever.

  I drifted back to sleep and prayed the pounding in my head stopped. I was in and out of sleep for a little while. The bathroom door opened again, then the bedroom door closed. I needed to get up soon. It didn’t matter how upset my stomach was or why my head was pounding. I had to take care of my boys.

  I inhaled deep and…stopped. I smelled…breakfast?

  I kept my eyes shut and tried to figure out what was going on. The scratchy, lumpy fabric beneath me was definitely from my couch, aka my bed, but nothing else about what was going on felt normal.

  Shit.

  My eyes flew open as the last memory from last night rushed back in. Another glass of that drink Hudson made. The one Elise said had more alcohol in it than expected. Dancing. Pool. Flirting with a random guy.

  I tried to pull up more memories from after that, but it was a blank. I couldn’t remember how I got home. It was a relief to be home, but the in between part bothered me. I shouldn’t have had so much to drink. I should have known better. I couldn’t remember that last time I had anything to drink. At all. It wasn’t something I was willing to spend my limited income on, and seeing my mom drink herself to unconsciousness growing up made me less than a fan of drinking in general. One of the many reasons I didn’t like Joey working in a bar, but we definitely needed the money.

  “Morning,” Joey said, dragging his feet out of his room toward the kitchen.

  I followed him with my gaze. I thought he was in the kitchen making breakfast. If he wasn’t, then who was?

  “Hey, Hudson,” Joey said a second later, answering my question.

  “Morning, Joey. Eggs good for you? I made pancakes, too. And there’s bacon and sausage.”

  “Really? Awesome.”

  I pushed myself off the couch on weak knees and knew the way my stomach rolled was no longer because of the excessive amount of alcohol I had to drink last night and all because of the man in my home.

  “What are you doing here?” I breathed when I stepped into the kitchen and finally saw him standing at the rickety oven that barely worked on a good day.

  He looked up at me and glanced down the length of my body before returning his gaze to the stove. “Morning. I figured you’d be hungry when you got up. I made coffee. And there’s toast to go with everything else if you can only handle that.”

  “Why are you here?”

  He glanced my way again, then cast his gaze toward Joey.

  Oh, fuck. Did I sleep with him? Did I bring him back to my home with my boys sleeping in the next room, and now he’s playing house and making us breakfast?

  “No,” Hudson said firmly, as if he could read my mind. “Finley didn’t realize how much you’d had to drink until everyone had left. She asked me to help get you home.”

  “And you stayed?”

  “I didn’t think it was a good idea for you to be alone. I slept on the chair.”

  I chewed the inside of my lip. Tears stung my eyes. I couldn’t remember any of that. I didn’t remember everyone leaving. I didn’t remember leaving. And I definitely didn’t remember Hudson Grant helping me home.

  “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “I’m fine,” I snapped.

  He nodded, ignoring me and my attitude. “Joey, you want more eggs?”

  “Yeah,” Joey said, getting up from the table and leaving his phone there. Something he rarely did. “Thanks, Hudson.”

  “You’re welcome. There’s plenty more. Enough for your brother, too. You said he’ll be out in about twenty minutes?”

  “Yeah. Thanks.”

  Joey carried his plate back to the table and dove in again.

  I finally realized the volume of food in my tiny kitchen. More than I would normally be able to fit in here, let alone could afford to have. “Where did all of this come from?”

  “I went to the store an hour ago,” Hudson said. He didn’t look at me.

  “Why?”

  “Because I didn’t want to use up whatever you had here. In case you had planned to use it for other meals.”

  “I…This is a lot of food.”

  “I told Joey I’d fix breakfast this morning. He said he has a test. I figured a good breakfast was best.”

  My throat was thick, tight. Like I was having an allergic reaction to something. It was hard to breathe.

  I mumbled something about being right back and raced down the hall to the tiny bathroom. Tiny bathroom in a tiny apartment with a tiny kitchen. And Hudson Grant looking all big and bad and like none of it bothered him in the least.

  I sank onto the toilet seat and sucked in heaving, drugging breaths. The tightness in my throat eased. But everything else stayed. He took me home. He made sure I was safe. He was in my apartment and cooking breakfast for my family.

  He was the last person I wanted to rely on for anything. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t know him, but I didn’t trust him. He was like Trent, but beloved instead of just worshipped. Trent MacKellar was always seen as someone bigger than the rest of us. He had money and no worries, as far as anyone was concerned. He was untouchable.

  Working for Finley and getting to know Trent, I learned a lot about him. I no longer saw him as untouchable, but he was still the richest person I knew. Times twenty. At least. Which meant he was better than me in every single way.

  But where Trent had more money than anyone in town, Hudson had more fans than anyone in town. Women talked about him in the grocery store. They stared at him at O’Kelley’s. They dared each other to flirt with him or go home with him or just get his attention.

  And the women weren’t the only ones who wanted to be near Hudson Grant. The men did, too. They wanted to be his friend. To get his advice. To be near him.

  He wasn’t loved because of what he could do for others, like Trent was. Hudson was loved because of who he was. The women who came into Book Boyfriends Unlimited wanted books about men like Hudson. Most eligible bachelors. Wounded in a way that would make them appreciate the women in their lives. Men who would treat a woman like a queen.

  I wanted nothing to do with him. I wasn’t interested in a relationship, and I definitely didn’t want one with a man every other woman wanted. I had enough shit to deal with in my life.

 

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