Love, Tussles, and Takedowns by Violet Duke Read Free Book Online Page B

who would choose to hang out with her toddler sister and wobbler cousins on the weekends, not to mention a bunch of random grade school kids currently lining up to push her on the tire swing toward their makeshift “bowling pins.”
    “Alright, who’s up first?”
    Two little preschoolers bounced forward like eager bunnies while Skylar made a theatric show of securing her grip on the rope like a trapeze artist.
    “When I say go, you two give her a nice big push now.” All the parents of the gaggle of kids had gathered around as well to watch, indulgent smiles alit. “Okay, 1 – 2 – 3 – GO! ” All the kids squealed as the two “bowlers” gave Skylar a mighty shove on the rope and watched as she swung toward the big plastic logs they’d arranged as the “pins.”
    There was a collective, “ Oooh ,” and a raucous symphony of cheering as Skylar put an extra fancy flare on her return swing back and picked up the 7-10 split via the very tip of an outstretched hand, along with the last-second Hail Mary launch of her flip flops.
    Judges’ ruling?
    Totally allowed.
    Arms up in triumph along with the kids, she gave them all hi-fives just as she saw Hudson standing at the edge of the crowd, shaking his head and smiling at her.
    “Okay kids, I gotta get going. My friend is here.” At the musical collection of, “Awwws,” she chuckled and waved over a few parents to take over her little ringmaster role before heading over to Hudson.
    “You could’ve bowled a few more rounds with the kids,” he told her, smiling ear to ear.
    “Nah, that’s okay. I usually just get them all riled up and then send them back to their parents.” She beamed as she watched the kids and parents cheer through a strike. “This was one of my more successful games.” Turning back to check out his empty hands, she frowned. “They didn’t have any cool toys you could get?”
    “I actually didn’t make it to the toy store,” he replied with an amused chuckle.
    “What happened?”
    “The entire town decided to stop me for an interrogation the minute you stepped into the shop.”
    What? Hands on hips, she scanned the streets to see if she could find any usual suspects. She stopped counting at ten. “Hudson, I’m so sorry. They’re a little…nosy.”
    “They worry about you. It’s cute. And it’s no big deal. I can swing by the toy shop on my way back home after breakfast.”
    At the reminder that he’d be gone in a few hours, Lia fell silent, surprised at her level of disappointment over a man she’d just met leaving town.
    When she felt Hudson’s hand grip her elbow gently, she looked down and blinked.
    They were about to step off a curb. How’d she miss that? He ensured she’d make that harrowing journey off the four-inch landing with a warm palm that sensitized her back, and she barely concealed the ripple of awareness in her breathing.
    Okay, so maybe she wasn’t so surprised over her level of disappointment. He affected her like no other man ever had. Not even her husband.
    Automatically, her fingers went up to her throat to spin the rings on her necklace.
    Hudson’s eyes followed the movement, but instead of commenting, he asked instead, “Hey, so what’s the deal with all these people walking around town eating bowls of cereal?”
     
     
     
    WHEN THAT SMILE he was starting to get addicted to lit up Lia’s face once again, Hudson felt another tug in his chest. Legitimate question aside, he’d hated seeing her eyes dim as she’d toyed with the wedding bands dangling from the thin gold chain she wore around her neck.
    From her marriage.
    For once, his trademark patience was practically nonexistent. He wanted to learn all there was to know about her.
    Well, as much as he could before he left.
    Because he was leaving, he reminded himself for the third time this morning.
    “Want to get that breakfast now?” he asked.
    She lit up again and re-navigated them to a Cajun and Creole food booth.
    Reminder number four