Smitten

by Brooks, Gemma

  “You and that stubborn attitude of yours,” he said. He laughed, but I could tell he was frustrated. “Let me paint a picture for you.”

  “Okay,” I said as I placed my hands on my hips and waited for his wordsmithing to begin.

  “I’m getting on that plane tomorrow morning and never coming back,” he said. “How does that make you feel?”

  “Sad,” I said. “Disappointed that you couldn’t stay. Disappointed that it’s all over.”

  “And what remains of your life once I’m gone?” he asked. “What’s your life going to be like? Are you going to run back to Luke, beg him to forgive you, and spend the rest of your life trying to make it up to him? Hoping he finally admits his true feelings?”

  He had a point.

  “Or are you going to kick yourself and wish that you’d hopped on that plane with me?” he asked. I glanced up into his eyes, and I knew right then and there that he was committed to trying to make this work.

  “I’m not asking you to marry me, Brynn,” he said. “I’m not saying you can never go home. If you hate L.A., if you grow sick of me, I’ll put you on the first plane back home. Swear.”

  It did sound rather appealing when he put it that way. What did I have to lose?

  “Come with me, Brynn,” he said, my name spilling off his tongue like butter once again. I felt my knees grow weak at the thought of actually having a relationship with Hudson Smith. I wasn’t even sure I was going to get to see him again before he left, and suddenly he was asking me to fly away with him.

  “Fine,” I said. “You win. You get me.”

  His eyes lit up like the Fourth of July as he squeezed me tight.

  “Go home,” he said. “Pack your bags. I’ll pick you up in the morning around eight. Get plenty of rest tonight, tie up your loose ends, do what you need. Tomorrow is going to be amazing.”

  He leaned down and kissed my mouth again, lingering for a few seconds, before pulling himself away from me. He turned on the gravel and walked back towards his hotel. The sight of Hudson Smith walking away and knowing that I was going home with him tomorrow felt so surreal.

  My heart raced as the reality of what I’d just agreed to set in. It was already after nine. I needed to pack. I needed to tell my mother what was going on. I needed to quit my job.

  I fished around on the floorboards of my car for some paper and pulled a pen from my purse. I scribbled a hasty resignation, signed and dated it, and ran back to slip it under the back door of the diner.

  Back home, I ditched the bubble bath routine in lieu of a quick, hot shower and dug my suitcase out from the back of my closet. I hadn’t used it in years, not since our senior trip to Minneapolis five years ago.

  I ransacked my closet and dresser drawers like a crazy person, pulling out only my best items. I didn’t have a lot of clothes, especially not compared to most girls my age, but I had a good foundation of jeans and t-shirts and sneakers.

  I wondered how I was going to fit in out there and if Hudson would soon realize that his little country girl wasn’t such hot stuff in the city next to the all the pretty models and actresses who could dress to the nines.

  I forced myself to stop overthinking it as I finished packing my clothes. If I continued to fill myself with self-doubt, I knew I’d never get on that plane in the morning.

  Once I was all packed, I called Piper.

  “I think you should know that I’m getting on a plan tomorrow,” I said.

  “What?!” she yelled.

  “I’m going to L.A. with Hudson, and I don’t know when I’ll be back,” I said. “We’re going to see if this thing could work between us. It was his idea.”

  Piper was quiet on the other end.

  “Piper?” I asked. “Still there.”

  “Yep,” she said.

  “Don’t be mad at me, please,” I begged. “I’ll be back. We can talk or text every day.”

  She was still quiet.

  “You think I’m making a mistake, don’t you,” I said.

  “Uh-huh,” she replied.

  “If I’m making a mistake then I’m making a mistake,” I said. “It’d be a mistake not to go. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering what would’ve happened. And if it doesn’t work out, then I’ll have one hell of a story to tell my grandkids someday.”

  “Are you going to tell Luke?” she asked. I wondered what was up with her being so protective of Luke lately.

  “No?” I said. “Why would I? I don’t owe him anything. Not after the way he’s been treating me lately.”

  “I just didn’t know if you were going to or not,” she said. “That’s all.”

  “I’ll get a hold of you once I get settled, okay?” I said. “I have to run over to my mom’s and talk to her. She hasn’t been answering her phone lately. She’s probably passed out drunk. You know how she is.”

  “Alright,” Piper said as she hung up.

  As I drove to my mom’s little house on the south side of town, I didn’t know what to expect. She worked long days at the factory in the next town over, and at night she’d come home and drink until she passed out. We weren’t that close, but I couldn’t leave town without telling her.

  I walked into the back door. Instantly the smell of stale kitty litter filled my nostrils, and I couldn’t help but notice the myriad of beer cans and empty alcohol bottles lining the kitchen counter.

  “Mom?” I called out.

  No one answered, but I could hear the T.V. blaring from the living room.

  “Mom,” I said as I found her passed out on the couch, half covered with a ratty blanket.

  Her eyes opened just a tinge before she smacked her lips and sat up.

  “Oh, hey,” she said. “What time is it?”

  “It’s late,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

  “What’s going on?” she asked. She was still very much out of it.

  “I’m leaving town for a bit,” I said. “I just wanted to say bye and let you know what’s going on. You’ll need to find someone else to help feed your cats and water your flowers for a while. Can you do that?”

  She nodded, her eyes still droopy, as she stared ahead at the T.V. screen.

  “Mom,” I said, growing frustrated with her lack of comprehension and alertness. “Do you understand what I just said?”

  She nodded and smacked her lips. Her hair stuck up all over the place and soon she laid herself back down and closed her eyes. She didn’t even ask where I was going or who I was going with. There was no way she’d remember this the next day.

  I rifled through her filthy kitchen until I came across a notepad. I scribbled a quick note telling her where I was going and that I didn’t know when I’d be back. I wrote down my number for her, just in case she lost her phone, and hung the note to her refrigerator with a magnet.

  Lingering in the doorway for a bit, I stared at my mother. She was just a shell of her former self. She married her high school sweetheart, my father, who had passed early and left her a widow with a small child. She never remarried because she was too busy working to support the two of us. Her days were filled with hard labor at the factory, and as I got older and more self-sufficient, her nights were filled with alcohol and the occasional tranquilizer or sleeping pill. We’d lost our closeness years ago, but she was still my mother and I still loved her more than anything.

  I left her house quietly and zoomed back over to my apartment, all the while wondering if maybe I should tell Luke I was leaving.

  I sat in my quiet living room, fingers scrolling through all my contacts in my phone and hovering over his name. It was late, I knew, but I knew he’d answer if I called him. In the back of my mind, I almost wanted to give him one more chance to change this situation. I wanted to see if he’d fight for me. I wanted to see if he’d beg me not to go or admit that he felt something for me. I didn’t expect any of it, but his lack of caring would be the final sign I needed. Leaving Rock River and flying to L.A. with Hudson was the scariest thing I
’d ever done in my life. I needed to know I was making the right decision.

  My thumb pressed his name on my screen and it began ringing. It was a little past eleven, and I didn’t expect him to answer, especially not after what we’d just been through, but I was taking my chances regardless.

  “Hello,” he said in a groggy voice. I’d clearly woken him up. “Brynn. What do you want?”

  “Hey,” I said softly. “Sorry to call you so late.”

  He sighed loudly into the phone, and I could hear the creaking of his bed as he rolled over.

  “I just wanted you to know I was leaving town tomorrow,” I said.

  “Leaving town?” he replied. “Like a vacation or something?”

  “No,” I said. “I’m going to L.A. for a while.”

  He was quiet, and part of me wondered if I was really just rubbing salt onto his wound.

  “I wasn’t calling to upset you or anything,” I said.

  “Why would I be upset?” he huffed. He was pretending not to care, but I didn’t buy it.

  “I just wanted you to hear it from me,” I said. “You know how Rock River is with rumors and stuff.”

  “Alright,” he sighed. He said nothing beyond that. He wasn’t going to fight for me. He didn’t care that I was running off with some ridiculously handsome movie star. It was exactly the confirmation I needed from him.

  “Goodbye, Luke,” I said.

  “Yep,” he said before hanging up.

  I threw my phone on the couch and sunk down. I had my answer. He didn’t want to fight for me. Everything was pointing towards Hudson, and I had no excuses to stay in Rock River a minute longer than I had to.

  CHAPTER 6

  My alarm went off early Thursday morning. The second I came to, I felt like I wanted to throw up. My stomach twirled and twisted. I’d only ever been on an airplane once in my life before, and I still couldn’t believe I was leaving town with Hudson in a couple short hours.

  I showered and threw on a pair of jeans and a tank top. It was warm out in L.A., at least according to the Internet weather websites. I slipped on a pair of sparkly sandals and threw my long, dark hair back into a low bun. I patted on some tinted moisturizer, creamy blush, and mascara, followed by a slick or two of pink lip balm.

  I popped in a pair of green peridot earrings. They were birthstone earrings my father had gifted me on my eighth birthday, and I always kept them safe. I wore them whenever I was nervous or scared about something, and they instantly made me feel better.

  I tried to eat a big breakfast, but my appetite was virtually nonexistent. I’d heard airplane food was crap, and I didn’t want to deal with a rumbling tummy when we were several thousand feet up in the air.

  I thought about my apartment and what I was going to do with it while I was gone. It hadn’t even occurred to me until then. I emptied out the milk and perishables and cleaned out the refrigerator, taking a couple bags worth of stuff out to the dumpsters. I set my thermostat to a reasonable, energy saving setting, and went around and unplugged as many electronics as I could. I honestly had no idea when I’d be returning, but at least I could leave knowing my apartment, my safe haven, was going to be fine without me.

  I rolled my suitcase to the door then perched myself onto my couch, watching out the window for Hudson to pull up. I wasn’t sure what he was going to be driving, as he hadn’t had a car that entire week, and suddenly I began to panic. I realized, too, that I didn’t even have his phone number.

  What was I doing? My mind started to race. I didn’t really even know him that well, and I was giving up everything I knew for some good sex and a little bit of attention and ego stroking?

  Before I could talk myself out of it, a black Town Car pulled up and honked. Hudson climbed out of the back seat and stretched his legs, looking up towards my apartment building. I realized he probably didn’t know which unit was mine, so I grabbed my bag, locked up, and hurried down as fast as I could.

  The second I emerged from the building, his face lit up. The driver came from around the side of the car and took my suitcase, hoisting it into the popped trunk.

  “You ready, Brynn?” Hudson asked as he reached his hand out and led me to the car.

  I nodded. The whooshing of my heart pulsed in my ears, and I thought for a second I would pass out from the excitement and nervousness that coursed through my body, but I didn’t. I slid into the backseat, across the buttery black leather, and took a deep breath.

  “Don’t be so nervous,” he said as he climbed in next to me and took my hand. “I don’t know about you, but I’m excited.”

  “I am too,” I said. I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe, like someone was sitting on my chest.

  The driver pulled away from my apartment, and I forced myself to look away. It didn’t help that I could still see the building growing smaller and smaller in the distance through his rearview mirror.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Hudson laughed as he squeezed my hand. “I can’t wait to show you L.A.”

  I forced a smile, but on the inside I was beginning to have a nervous breakdown. I felt like I was going to die.

  “Brynn,” he said as he nuzzled up to my ear and whispered my name. He placed his full lips against the side of my neck, kissing it softly, and then turned my face towards his. His lips landed on mine and my anxiety began to melt away a little bit at a time. I needed that. I needed that reminder of why I was doing this. Hudson was amazing and so tuned into me. “You’re in good hands.”

  “I know,” I replied between kisses.

  He pulled away and reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a brown prescription bottle.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Xanax,” he said. “Take one.”

  “Oh, it’s okay,” I said. “I don’t like to take medicine. I barely ever take Tylenol.”

  Hudson rolled his eyes. “Brynn, it’s harmless. It’ll calm you down. I take it for flying.”

  I watched as he popped a tiny pill into his mouth and dry-swallowed it.

  “I guess if you’re taking one, then I will too,” I said. I needed something to calm me down.

  He handed me a tiny pill, which I thoroughly examined before placing it on the back of my tongue and dry swallowed.

  “It should kick in for you soon,” he said as he squeezed my hand. “And you can have another before we board the plane if you need.”

  “I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” I said as I watched the miles and miles of cornfields pass us by. We were at least a couple hours from the Des Moines International Airport.

  “You’re going to love it,” he said. “I promise you, Brynn. You won’t regret this.”

  Within a short half hour, the Xanax had kicked in and I hadn’t a care in the world. I felt mellow and happy, and any thoughts about life back in Rock River floated away the instant they appeared. My body felt like Jell-O as I cuddled up to Hudson in the back of the Town Car.

  I closed my eyes, and by the time I awoke, the driver was dropping us off at the airport.

  Wiping the drool off the corner of my mouth and praying to God that I wasn’t snoring, I exited the car. The driver pulled out bags out of the trunk and Hudson gave him a very generous tip.

  “Ready?” he asked. His adventurous spirit was nothing short of contagious, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was making some sort of mistake. I was excited, of course, but it didn’t feel real.

  We headed inside to check in, and within minutes, the check in area seemed to grow louder and louder as the locals figured out who was waiting in line right next to them like some ordinary chump.

  “How can you ignore all of this?” I whispered into his ear. I glanced around and it felt like all eyes were on him.

  He smiled. “I’m used to it.”

  “Excuse me,” a girl, not much older than eighteen, approached us. “Are – are you Hudson Smith?”

  Her eyes were sparkling as she smiled from ear to ear.

&n
bsp; “I am,” he said with a friendly smile.

  “C-can I get your autograph?” she asked coyly.

  “Sure,” he said as he pulled a pen from his pocket.

  The girl fished around awkwardly for something to write on, but all she had was the envelope from her boarding pass.

  “Here you go,” she said with a nervous giggle. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

  Within minutes, a line had formed, but it wasn’t for checking in. People were lining up to meet Hudson. It all happened so fast, and soon I realized we were out of our little Rock River bubble. This was what it was going to be like from now on.

  As Hudson politely signed autographs and hugged fans, I began to second guess everything. I was a simple girl. I lived a simple life. I wasn’t sure I was cut out for all of the stuff Hudson had to deal with on a daily basis. I felt my throat swell as I struggled to breathe. I needed another one of those magic pills he gave me earlier.

  “I’m going to run to the restroom,” I said as I pulled his arm. I thought about running off.

  “Brynn, wait,” he said as he spun around and reached for my arm. “We’re next in line. We need to get checked in.”

  There was definitely no getting out of this now.

  “Okay,” I said as I replanted my feet firmly behind him.

  “Alright, everyone,” he said as we were motioned to move ahead. “I’ve got to get checked in now.”

  The mob let out a collective sigh as people walked away, camera phones still snapping a gazillion photos.

  We got ourselves checked in and headed to security. Because of Hudson’s celebrity status, we were given a VIP pass to cut in line and get through security quicker. It was probably more for their benefit than ours, since he was making a stir everywhere he went.

  “Didn’t think I’d need any kind of special security in Iowa,” he laughed as we were escorted through a special security lane and rushed through.

  “It’s not every day people like you come around,” I reminded him.

  We made it through security and headed towards our gate. It wasn’t hard to find since there were only three terminals in the entire airport.