Hudson

by Melody Anne

  Daisy knew she was even more passionate because her emotions were all over the place, but that didn’t take anything away from the cause. This building mattered, just like all of the others did. Every single time she was defeated she wanted to quit. The last time in Australia was the worst, but she was trying to build herself back up. This was her school and she’d fight to the death for it.

  “How are we making a difference if we keep losing?” Darla asked. She was in no way mocking her best friend, just pointing out the obvious.

  “Because someone out there is watching. Someone is noticing. We might lose some of our history and heritage, but maybe it’ll give courage to others, and if we save even one building, it’s worth it,” Daisy told her. She had to remind herself of that a lot lately. She’d even decided her first attempt at a book was going to be based on this school, this community, and this land that was getting engulfed by Seattle. There were so many more small towns than huge cities in the country and she needed to find a voice for them, for the historic lands that had created this beautiful land so many called home.

  Daisy was the only child of an only child. Her grandfather had raised her mother alone as he’d lost her grandmother when her mother, Lucille, was a pre-teen. Her mother had gone away on a mission to Brazil and there she’d met Daisy’s father, Elton. They’d fallen madly in love and Daisy had been born exactly one year from the day they’d met.

  Their wedding had been on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere with a small local group they’d been helping. They’d had a mission in life to serve. Having a child hadn’t been in the plans, and though Daisy knew they’d loved her, she’d also known from an early age that they didn’t have time for her.

  They’d traveled the world for their causes, and she’d been raised by her grandfather. When she was ten years old, her gramps had told her that her parents wouldn’t come home again. They’d died in a plane crash in the Amazons. She’d cried, of course, but she was used to them not being there.

  She’d been trying her entire childhood to make them want to stay with her, and after their deaths she’d made it her mission to honor them by being a warrior for causes. And she’d never given up on that plan. She’d quit a million times, but then she’d come to her senses within a few days. She was doing what was right.

  “I think people are watching, but I’m beginning to believe they don’t care,” Darla told her.

  The generator that had been echoing all morning shut down, gaining the attention of both girls. The shouting stopped, and the men moved away from the front of the building as they gathered together far enough away that they couldn’t hear them.

  “What do you think is happening?” Daisy asked.

  “I have no idea, but I don’t like it,” Darla responded, reaching for Daisy’s hand and squeezing. “Maybe they’ve grown impatient and are moving on to the murder phase of their mission now.”

  “They won’t demolish this building with us tied to it,” Daisy repeated.

  “I don’t understand why the cops haven’t shown up yet,” Darla said. “They’re normally here by now.”

  “A lot of the local cops went to this school too. Maybe they don’t want to see it torn down,” Daisy said with hope. “We might win this one.”

  Even though she was saying the words, she didn’t believe it was going to happen.

  The men stayed where they were for at least fifteen minutes, and then the girls watched as a large black SUV pulled up to the front of the school, the windows dark, making it impossible to see inside.

  “This doesn’t look good. Maybe it’s the FBI this time. Maybe they’re going to lock us away, never to be found again,” Darla said.

  “They can’t do that. Maybe we didn’t catch the national news, but there’s a local anchor over there filming. They wouldn’t take us away as long as there are witnesses,” Daisy said. Though she wasn’t a hundred percent sure of that. Who would really care about two local girls who caused a heck of a lot of ruckus?

  A man stepped from the limo who looked vaguely familiar to Daisy. She’d seen him somewhere but she couldn’t quite place him. Darla gasped, her eyes growing wide. Then the news anchor, who’d seemed bored the entire morning and was probably ticked she’d been sent to cover this story, sat up, losing all interest in her nails, which had seemed to fascinate her for the past hour. She shouted to her cameraman, and he stood to attention, his camera focused on the giant of a man with a thick head of white hair, a neatly trimmed white beard, and a suit Daisy was sure cost more than most people’s cars.

  “You do realize who that is, don’t you?” Darla asked in a hushed whisper as the man looked at the two of them, not yet moving in their direction.

  “He looks really familiar, but I’m not quite placing him,” Daisy said.

  “You have got to follow at least one social media platform,” Darla said in moral outrage. “And pick up a magazine once in a while, and not National Geographic or Save the Planet, or whatever other boring crap you read when you aren’t writing articles for them.”

  “I have Instagram,” Daisy pointed out with a smug look.

  “Yeah, but you only follow like five organizations and they have nothing to do with anything good,” Darla told her. “Boring!”

  “It’s not boring to know what’s happening in our world — and it certainly isn’t boring to write those articles. Although you don’t believe me, our planet weeps every time we abuse it, so I like to know how to be a better person. I’m not willing to give up air conditioning, but I can be smart and have open windows and walk or bike instead of driving each chance I get. Did you know that if every person simply drove one percent less in their lifetime, we’d have a huge impact on greenhouse gas emissions?”

  “Oh, no, we’re not going there,” Darla said. But she knew it was too late.

  “I’m serious, Darla. Just taking three days a month off from driving would save one hundred ten million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is basically the same as taking nearly thirty coal-fired power plants offline for an entire year. Not only is it good for the environment, but if you walked or biked those days, you’d get valuable exercise. So it’s a win, win.”

  “Okay, okay,” Darla said with a laugh. “I’ll pick three days a month to ride my bike if you’ll please stop lecturing me.”

  “They have to be days you’d normally drive, not days you’d stay home anyway or it doesn’t count,” Daisy insisted.

  “My work is five miles from my house,” Darla said.

  “That’s a great bike ride.”

  “Ugh, you’re going to follow up on this, aren’t you?” Darla asked, knowing her best friend very well.

  “Of course I am. I love you and want you to live forever. We’ll go biking together. You can get one of those carts to hook to your bike so you can grocery shop and everything. Those carts aren’t just for kids. They can hold dogs, groceries, and so much more.”

  “I’d better get a bike. Can I at least drive to pick it up?”

  “I suppose so,” Daisy said, laughing. She could easily get on her soapbox. But if she made changes in the world one person at a time, then she could have an actual impact on the rest of the planet.

  “Okay, let’s save the rest of your lecture for later. Because the man moving forward is Joseph Anderson. I have no idea what he’s doing here, but if he’s the owner of this property, we’re getting evicted whether we want to or not,” Darla said.

  “Joseph Anderson?” Daisy said as she swallowed . . . hard. “Oh . . . my . . . gosh! Joseph Anderson.” Yep, they were pretty much screwed. That didn’t mean Daisy was giving up without a fight. The cameras were on, and she’d make the most powerful man in Washington look really bad as he had them escorted off the premises. At least there was a chance it would then make national news, and maybe more people would stand up for the next building.

  The negative side of hearing his name was it made her think of another Anderson she couldn’t stop thinking about. When would t
hat stop? She hoped very soon. But since Joseph was right before them she didn’t get long to dwell on thoughts of Hudson Anderson, who was probably living it up right now in California. She actually didn’t know where he’d been heading after leaving San Francisco and never would because she’d snuck away from his fantastic hotel room like a thief in the night.

  “Good morning, ladies,” Joseph said as he moved up the steps, stopping a few feet from them. They had a chain wrapped around the handle of the double doors and over their waists, keeping their hands free to move.

  “Good morning,” Darla said, obviously star struck.

  Daisy said nothing. Joseph’s eyes zeroed in on her, and it was a bit unnerving to have his full attention. She could imagine what it would feel like to be making a deal with this man. He didn’t appear to be someone who was ever denied what he wanted.

  “I haven’t seen you since you were about ten, Daisy,” he said, shocking her.

  “It’s been a very long time,” she said, straining her memories, but coming up at a loss for when she’d seen him last. It had been long enough she hadn’t recognized him.

  “I was at your parents’ funeral, so I understand you not remembering. I had darker hair back then,” he said with a sad smile. “That was a terrible time for you and your grandfather, and I was heartbroken for you both.” Just the mention of her parents had tears welling in her eyes. She strained her mind again but didn’t remember Joseph being at the funeral, but she didn’t remember much from that day. She’d either been clutching her gramps’s hand or looking at the ground.

  “Gramps often talks about you, but as my friend here pointed out, I don’t keep up on social media channels so I haven’t seen your picture in a very long time,” she told him.

  “Your grandfather’s a very good man,” Joseph told her. “You’ve grown up. It’s shocking how time seems to slip away.”

  “What are you doing here?” Daisy asked. She wasn’t allowing his friendship with her grandfather to soften her heart. She loved her grandfather more than any other person on the planet, and she’d do anything for him, but she wasn’t going to back down to his friend just because Joseph Anderson owned half of the state of Washington and thought he was entitled to even more of it.

  “I like a person who’s direct,” Joseph said. “Why don’t you two unchain yourselves and we can sit and have a chat?”

  “No way,” Daisy said emphatically. “The second we move, they’re going to knock this building down.”

  “No, they won’t. I’ve called in a favor to the judge,” Joseph said.

  She eyed him suspiciously, and he laughed before pulling out a piece of paper and handing it over. She took five minutes reading it twice, then turned a triumphant smile Darla’s way.

  “We have a stay,” she said, so excited she couldn’t stop her tears from spilling over. “They’re happy tears,” she said on a little sob as she reached for Darla and hugged her. “We have time to save the school.”

  Darla looked from Daisy to Joseph, and then back again, her eyes wide, her mouth opened in an O of surprise.

  “How?” Darla finally asked.

  “I respect those who fight for what they believe in. And I happen to agree with you about this school,” Joseph said.

  Daisy’s fingers shook as she pulled out the key to unlock the chains. It took three times as long as it should have with how bad her trembles were.

  “You don’t know what this means to me,” Daisy said once she was free. Without a second thought, she stepped forward and threw her arms around Joseph, giving him a hug that he returned with enthusiasm. “I thought you were coming to rip us away. Thank you for caring.”

  Now that the tears had begun, she couldn’t seem to get them to stop. Darla waited for the hug to end and Daisy to step back from Joseph.

  “We appreciate this, sir,” Darla said as the three of them moved down the steps of the building. “But what comes next?”

  Joseph smiled at both of them. “You keep fighting. I simply gave you some time to figure it all out,” Joseph said.

  The construction crew wouldn’t meet their gazes as they packed up their stuff and began leaving the site. She saw a lot of frowns, and those who’d been crude and rude earlier stayed away. They knew the reputation of Joseph Anderson, and Daisy was sure they didn’t want his wrath focused on them. Daisy had no desire to punish anyone. She just wanted to save the school.

  “Mr. Anderson, can we ask a few questions?” the eager young anchor asked as she rushed forward.

  “As long as it pertains to this cause,” Joseph said.

  The reporter was practically drooling. She obviously didn’t normally get to interview men like him. “Joseph Anderson doesn’t shy away from cameras, he just doesn’t often do interviews,” Darla whispered in Daisy’s ear.

  “What’s brought you here today?” the reporter asked.

  Joseph smiled. “My very good friend’s granddaughter wants to save this historic school. I’m trying to lend a hand. She’s done all of the hard work. I’m simply the backup,” Joseph said.

  The reporter didn’t even glance at Daisy. She wasn’t important enough in the young woman’s mind. Daisy didn’t mind. She’d been dismissed a lot but found it was often easier to work in the shadows than in the full light of day.

  Joseph only allowed a few more questions, and then they walked away. He stepped up to his car where a man opened the back door.

  “Thank you again, sir. I appreciate your help. I think we’ll now get to save this school,” Daisy said.

  “I think I’ll be seeing you save the entire world, Daisy,” Joseph said with a proud smile.

  “I’m not that ambitious, but I think if we all step up and save one thing at a time, we truly can make a difference,” she told him.

  “I think you’re absolutely right, Daisy. I’ll be seeing you soon,” he said. And just as easily as he’d come in, he was gone.

  “Well, it was a black SUV instead of a white horse, but he did ride in and save the day,” Darla said with a grin.

  “That’s for sure.” Daisy looked at her watch and noted it was only ten in the morning. “I don’t care if it’s not even noon. I could use a drink.”

  “I’m with you on that. Let’s go have a spiked coffee and several donuts before we go bike shopping,” Darla said as she put her arm through Daisy’s and led her to her hybrid car.

  “That sounds like a plan,” Daisy said.

  Her tears were dry now, and she was already making plans for what she could accomplish next. The world was her oyster and she was ready to search for pearls. She’d get over Hudson Anderson one cause at a time. By the end of it all, she’d find herself again, and that was a priceless gift.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hudson stood at a long metal table next to a huge construction trailer. His plans were laid out before him and he wore a grin he hadn’t been able to remove since he’d signed the papers three days before, giving him ownership of this fine piece of land.

  The deal had improved his mood considerably. He hadn’t gotten the woman he’d met the month before off his mind, but at least he had his job to focus on. Women came and went — a dream job was rare. If he kept telling himself that, he was convinced Daisy would be a long-lost memory in no time at all.

  Miracles could happen.

  Hudson had owned his construction company for ten years, and it hadn’t been an easy road for him. His heart might be covered in armor when it came to women, but it was completely exposed when it came to the love of his craft. He’d worked his tail off to gain a reputation for excellent work, on-time performance, and a respectful crew. He was proud he’d done all of this before learning he was one of those Andersons. He’d built it from the ground up without a handout from his mega wealthy family members.

  He’d gotten his first job at fourteen, working for a small construction firm, sweating all day gathering garbage and watching the men do their jobs. He’d spotted ways he’d run his own business someday .
. . and ways he absolutely wouldn’t.

  Hudson had never compromised his values for a job. And now, it was paying off. The community he was building would be his. He hadn’t been hired for the job only to collect a large paycheck and move on to the next task. Nope. This job was his from beginning to the end. Once completed, he’d make money and have a say in how it operated.

  He pushed forward on his career path and diversified into other arenas. He had enough money to retire if he wanted. But Hudson could never sit still. If he wasn’t dreaming, building, and working hard, he’d be lost. He wanted to diversify, but he never wanted to settle for a life of leisure. He wanted to create things that would last beyond his lifetime.

  This property his uncle had given him the inside scoop on was everything he’d ever dreamed of and so much more. It was one hundred acres of waterfront land with trees throughout. And it was flat. It had a perfectly beautiful layout. He looked across the vast acres and could practically see the finished buildings rising tall.

  “What to start with first?” he wondered aloud. He didn’t like progressing from breaking ground to a finished project. He enjoyed picking his favorite part of the project and beginning right there, inspired to make it even better. He didn’t need to go in order, he needed to go with a vision.

  “You want to start with the heart of it all,” Noah said as he looked down at the plans he’d worked on for months. “Working with you on this project was a pain in the ass. I’ve never had a more difficult client,” his brother added.

  Noah was an architect and damn good at what he did. He’d not only designed the fantastic veterans center they’d recently completed, but he was sought after around the world. He’d risen just as Hudson had, as each of the brothers had, from the ground up, and they’d each become the best in their field. They’d earned their positions in life because they’d never settled for less and never expected anything to be handed to them.