I wanted to believe him. But did he not see just how quickly Enzo had gone overboard in choking Pablo?
“Pablo deserved that,” Hudson said, and I was beginning to wonder if I was truly that easy to read. Did I have a thought bubble over my head? “Pablo’s on something. High as a kite.”
“Wait, really? How could you tell?”
“Pupils blown and stupidly honest.”
Right. Wow. “Well, I suppose he did more than meditate in the pool house.”
“Bella has horrible taste in men.”
“Bella, huh?” I stared at him with curiosity. “I’ve never heard anyone call her that.”
The side of his lip hitched as if fighting a smile, but instead, he shrugged.
“You know,” I began, unable to stop myself, “my brother-in-law was the only one to call my sister Talia. And now they’re married. Maybe—”
“That’s a bit of a stretch,” he interrupted, smiling now. “And no, she’s too young for me.” He slid a finger beneath his chin. “Don’t have a death wish, either.”
“Fair enough.” I peeked back through the french doors into the dining room, but it was empty now. Maybe the guys had gone after Isabella to apologize? I doubted it was to stop Pablo from leaving. “How’d you meet the Costa family?”
“I moved from Texas to New York when I was sixteen. I met Constantine in high school, and we became friends.”
“You’re the same age?” It was hard for me to imagine Hudson over forty, but then I remembered the brief timeline Enzo had provided, so I supposed it made sense.
“Yeah. Over-the-hill. Officially,” he said with an easygoing smile.
“And you were close to Bianca, too?” I regretted the question immediately, since his lips flatlined, and he faced the water and white-knuckled the railing.
“Yeah, we were friends. The last memory I have of her was trying to get me to come to her monthly book club meeting. Pretty sure she was really trying to set me up with someone there.”
I thought back to Hudson’s bar, remembering all the books in his office. “Right, you’re a reader, too.”
He nodded without looking at me. “I should’ve just gone to her book club. Made her happy, you know? Instead, I now have to remember disappointing her as my last memory. How fucking depressing is that?”
I wasn’t sure what to do right now, but it didn’t seem appropriate to pat his back or hug him. So I whispered, “Try and focus on the good memories instead.” Wow, was that the best I could do?
My list of things I sucked at was growing. Couldn’t draw. Write. Act. Or talk poignantly.
I’m a good mom, I tried to remind myself. But was I a failure at that, too?
“Yeah, sure. Good memories. I’ll think about those,” he remarked flatly.
And damn, I knew that tone of voice. Cold and detached. Friendly Hudson was now gone, and I had the feeling the man Enzo had warned me to stay away from six years ago because he could only “fuck just to fuck” was about to show his face.
“I better check on them.” He gave me a tight nod, then bailed, leaving me alone on the balcony, and I rolled my eyes at how not-smooth I could be in conversations.
I shivered as the mild September breeze blew my hair in front of my face, and I swiped my palms up and down my arms over my sleeves to warm up.
“I’m sorry about that.” I flinched at the deep voice behind me, then slowly turned to face Enzo. He skimmed my cheek with the back of his hand.
“How’s Isabella?”
“Pablo left. He broke up with her, and now Izzy’s in her room refusing to speak to any of us.” He shook his head. “I can’t be sorry about it, though. He was a fucking idiot.”
“She just needs time and space. She’ll be okay.”
“Hope so.” He set his other hand at my hip. “Are you mad at me?”
“For going caveman on the guy?”
A slight smile tugged at his lips. “Is that what it’s called?” He grabbed my ass and squeezed. “I think I’m just a bit tense.”
“Oh, you don’t say?” I slipped my hands between us and set them on his chest. “I’m guessing dinner is canceled?”
“Unless you’re hungry, I was thinking we could talk before I go.”
I blinked in confusion, pulling away at his words. “Where are you going?”
“Let’s go to my old room.” He offered his hand, and I hesitantly accepted it, allowing the heat from his body to warm me up as we walked the length of the balcony to get to the bedroom.