Hudson glanced at him sharply with a worried look that softened quickly into a pink-cheeked smile.
“Hey. That’s cool. We had a short thing that didn’t work out, but we’re friends now. You’re a lucky man.”
“TMI, Eli?” Hudson snorted and shook his head.
“I knew he wasn’t a virgin when I met him. That’s not a thing. Neither was I.” In fact, Jack was a bona fide horndog.
Eli laughed. “Oh, Hudson. You be careful of this one; he’s funny.” Someone called Eli’s name. “That’s my date. Gotta run. Welcome home, Hudson. Let’s do brunch. Call me.”
“You know it.” Hudson watched Eli go, then turned those blue eyes back on him. “You just said we were together. In public. To a dork.”
“I did.” Mackey knew. Sid knew. All the rest of the team knew. What did he care about some dork?
“Is it weird that over the last couple of weeks I’ve started to wonder who this amazing man is that I’ve been spending time with?” Hudson moved a little closer. “It’s not a version of you that I know very well.”
“What do you mean?” And did they have to talk about this here where it was loud and busy?
Hudson shrugged. “Nothing. Never mind. How’s your beer? That’s a frosty glass.”
“It’s cold and beer. Therefore, it’s good.” He was developing a massive headache.
“Good.” Hudson gulped half of his glass of beer in one go. “How are your horses doing? Have you heard?”
“They’re being assholes, but that’s to be expected. Ghost is bored.” He rolled his eyes. “But they’re all getting along together.”
Against everyone else, of course…
“That’s good. Ghost wants to work?”
“He loves it. You can’t force a critter to be as good as my guys are if they’re unwilling.” They wanted a job. They needed a job.
Hudson nodded. “Where did you say the next event was?”
“Nebraska. It’s the farthest east I go.” Usually Harker Kendall and Jimbo worked the East Coast.
“Nebraska. I don’t think I’ve ever been. I’m not sure it’s a place I need to go, either.” Hudson chuckled. He could see it but barely heard it over the music and general din of conversation.
He finished his beer and leaned in. “Darlin’, this is loud. Can we go somewhere I can hear you?”
“Oh. Sure. I just thought… sure.” Hudson finished off his beer with another long gulp and set the empty glass down. “We can go.”
“Sorry, but I can’t hear myself think.” And he had Hudson here to talk to.
Hudson pointed toward the door. “After you.”
Hopefully Hudson wasn’t pissed, but if he was, well, too fucking bad. He had been at loud honkytonks, sure, but he’d been trolling for ass, not trying to… be with someone.
They stepped out onto the sidewalk, which was busy but much quieter. The air had cooled off now that the sun was down, and it was a beautiful night.
“We’re this way.” Hudson turned and headed toward the traffic light on the corner.
“Are you pissed, man?” Jack didn’t want to have a fight. Not really.
Hudson slowed down and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yes and no? I don’t know. You hated that place, huh?”
“It was just loud, darlin’, and my head was fixin’ to split open. I’m here withyou, you know?”
“I know. That’s where I hang out when—becauseI can’t be with you, so…” Hudson shrugged.