Falling for Hudson (Marlowe series Book 2)

by Bishop, Alexandria

  His brow furrows and he answers the call, “Hello?”

  The room is silent as we wait and we can only hear the answers on Flynn’s end. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

  Jax is bouncing around like a little kid and asks, “What? What? What?”

  “Excuse me for a minute.” He pulls the phone back and looks at Jax and says, “Will you shut the fuck up for five minutes? I’m talking to Oliver. I’ll let you all in on it in a minute.”

  Pulling the phone back to his ear, he asks, “When?” And then, “You’re fucking kidding me, right? There’s no way. Okay. I’ll let the guys know and we’ll be there as soon as we can. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  See him tomorrow? Is Oliver coming here? Doesn’t he have family shit to do? Or are we supposed to be going to Portland? Flynn hangs up the phone and I think Jax waits approximately five seconds before jumping on him. “What the fuck is going on? What did Oliver say? Why are you seeing him tomorrow? Are we seeing him tomorrow?”

  Turning around, Flynn has a death glare that pretty much shuts Jax up. “Give me five fucking minutes to explain and you’ll know everything that is going on. I can’t damn well answer your questions if you keep throwing them at me. Got it?”

  Jax plasters a giant grin on his face and pulls his fingers across his lips. Yeah right, like he could ever zip his lips.

  “Okay, so like you already know, that was Oliver. He’s got the four of us booked on a flight to LA in the morning. Apparently, while we’ve been dealing with shit drama and trying throw our EP together, he’s been working miracles. I guess there’s some big benefit concert in LA on Christmas Eve and he got us on the line-up.”

  That causes shouts from all of us. A fucking concert in L.A. There’s no way we could’ve done something like that on our own.

  “That’s not all. Dudes, we’re fucking playing Vegas for New Year’s.”

  At that point he can’t stop the chaos that erupts in the room. Screw getting all of the details. That’s what our flight will be for tomorrow. Oliver hasn’t been with us that long, but he is fucking moving mountains. And fucking fast. You can’t fake the kind of exposure we’ll be getting this week.

  Fucking ridiculous.

  Insane.

  “I think we should call it a night. I know I need to go tell Ashtyn the good news, and Jax needs to get his beauty sleep because four a.m. is going to come bright and early.”

  We all laugh at Jax’s expense but head off in our separate ways. L.A. on Christmas Eve and Vegas on New Year’s. This is insane. I rush up to my room to tell Chloe the good news, but when I get there I remember she’s gone. She isn’t here for me to share this with. Lying down on my bed, I throw on “Medicine” by Sunset Sons. I wish Chloe were my Katie. My medicine.

  Chapter 23

  Chloe

  I hate when you wake up and don’t remember the night before. I know I drink too much, but it always feels so much better to just numb myself rather than feel anything at all. I peek my eyes open and panic sets in. I have no idea where I am, but fortunately I’m alone in this giant bed. Slowly, I raise my body as the room starts spinning around me. I peel back the sheet that’s clutched against me and let out a sigh of relief. I’m not naked, but I’m only wearing an oversized t-shirt and panties. My head is screaming at me and I notice a bottle of ibuprofen and a glass of water on the nightstand next to me. I contemplate taking it, but since I don’t know where the fuck I am, I pass.

  Next to the pills is a piece of paper with my name at the top. I grab it and unfold it to find Ashtyn’s familiar handwriting.

  Chloe,

  I’m not sure how much you remember from last night, but just in case you couldn’t remember anything I figured it would be a good idea to leave you a note. You’re sleeping in Flynn’s bed right now and I left the water and ibuprofen for you. There’s also a brand new phone for you to replace the one that was apparently shattered. Come find me when you’re ready.

  Love you

  Ashtyn

  I crumple up the note but swallow the pills and chug the water right along with it. I still get that lump-in-your-throat feeling after taking any pills, and I try to swallow it back down. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and they scream at me in pain as soon as I put any pressure on them. Glancing down, I see cuts up and down my legs.

  What the fuck?

  I spot my bag near the foot of the bed. I scrounge up a pair of yoga pants and a hoodie and go on a hunt for Ashtyn. Flynn’s house isn’t too large, not like Hudson’s, so it doesn’t take me long to find the two of them sitting at his kitchen table and quietly talking. Most likely about me, but I don’t care. I’m a fucking mess right now.

  Ashtyn whips her head up when I come in and grimaces. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

  “Like I got hit by a fucking bus.”

  She gets up and pours another cup of coffee and places it on the kitchen table. Assuming it’s for me, I take a seat in front of it and take a sip of the bitter beverage. No doubt I cringe as it hits my throat, because Ashtyn says, “Sorry. I know you usually like it a lot sweeter. I can get you some sugar.” I wave her off. No use in making her go to extra trouble after everything she’s already done for me. “So what do you remember from last night?”

  I knew this was coming, but I guess I didn’t expect it to start off my morning. Maybe I’ve gotten my body so used to alcohol lately that it doesn’t affect me the same way as it used to. I close my eyes and I seem to remember every damn one of yesterday’s horrible events. I cringe slightly at that thought. Opening my eyes, I look up at Ashtyn and say, “I remember everything.” I turn to Flynn. “I’m sorry for what I said last night. Or what I accused you of. I know you would never do something like that ever.”

  He sadly nods his head and says, “You weren’t in the right mindset last night. But thank you for apologizing.”

  I turn back to Ashtyn and ask her the inevitable. “So, what’s next?”

  “After you finish your cup of coffee, we’re going home. And you don’t have any say in that.”

  I nod my head and take my precious time savoring the horrible cup of coffee sitting in front of me.

  ***

  Being back at Ashtyn’s house has been strange to say the least. Everyone has been walking on eggshells around me like I’m going to crack. Shit, I wish someone would be real around me. Yeah, I feel like shit and I’m broken in two, but the way everyone is acting is making me feel a million times worse. Why can’t everyone just act normal? I’ve been pacing the room since I got back to her house, and I feel like I’m going to start climbing the fucking walls. I’m suffocating and I don’t know how I’m supposed to just stay here. I can’t. I throw on my Uggs and a hoodie and head downstairs to leave.

  “Chloe, honey. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  I stop in my tracks, cringing at what this conversation will be about. I have a pretty good idea since I’ve been MIA for the past few months, and there’s no way she hasn’t noticed. I turn around, and Ashtyn’s mom motions for me to follow her into the kitchen. I drag my feet behind me and take a seat at the breakfast bar next to her. She’s sipping on a mug of coffee. After a few sips, she places it down in front of her and turns her attention toward me. “You’re mother was my best friend and I miss her every single day. I don’t understand why this happened, but I have to believe it happened for a reason. We don’t have to know what that reason is today, but I’d like to think we’ll figure it all out one day. That’s not the point of why I want to talk to you though.”

  “It isn’t?”

  She picks up her mug and takes another sip before placing it back on the counter. With a shake of her head, she says, “No. Even though things have been hard for me, they’ve been tremendously harder for you. And I don’t have to see you to know that; I just know it. I know you haven’t been staying here since you left the hospital.” I open my mouth, but she lifts her hand and shakes her head. “There’s no reason for excuses right now, a
nd I’m not upset with you. I could imagine it hurt worse to be around us and I get that. But things are going to be different now.”

  “How so?”

  “For starters, you live here. If your mom had known you were shacking up with your boyfriend she’d have fried me up. Don’t get me wrong. I know Hudson is a sweet boy, but that needs to stop. You need to focus on yourself right now, and I intend to help you with that.”

  “What makes you think I was staying with Hudson? It could have been Jax.”

  “Just because I’m a mom doesn’t mean I’m blind. Jax is a nice boy, a little wild, but he’s nice. I also know you’re not in love with him. Even if you were out of it in the hospital, I saw the way you looked at Jax and the way you looked at Hudson.”

  “And how was that?”

  She smiles and replies, “The same way Ashtyn looks at Flynn.”

  If only she knew how much things have changed. I wish I could look at Hudson that way, but I don’t think that will ever happen again. There’s too much pain and anger between the two of us, and I’m not sure either one of us can be forgiven. “So how are you going to help me?”

  “I want you to talk to someone.”

  I cock my head to the side and ask, “Aren’t we talking right now?”

  “No, I mean a professional.”

  “What, like a therapist? Where some person with too many degrees can make me lie on a couch and spill my guts while they silently judge me? No thank you,” I say as I get up and start to walk away from this ridiculous conversation.

  “You sound just like your mom right now.” That stops me and I turn around and look at her. Really look at her. I see a bit of the sadness that I’ve been feeling lately through her own eyes.

  “Well, she was a smart lady.”

  Nodding her head, she says, “She was, but I think she would agree with me on this. Holding in all of your anger and sadness is not helping you right now, and talking to someone will help.”

  “I don’t like it. But I don’t have a choice, do I?”

  She gets a big smile on her face and says, “No, you don’t.”

  Dryly, I say, “Well, when you put it that way. I’m so excited.”

  “And you have your father’s sarcasm.”

  I laugh because it’s true. If there’s one thing Mom always hated, it was the sarcastic conversations Dad and I could have together. She would get so frustrated and we would laugh our asses off. Of course she would always end up laughing right along with us. That’s just how we were. No, our lives weren’t perfect, but they were pretty damn close. I had a good life and I recognize that. It fucking sucks to realize it only now that it’s gone. Life can be a real bitch like that sometimes. You only truly appreciate things once you no longer have them. I give Ashtyn’s mom a hug before leaving the kitchen.

  I start heading back upstairs when I hear hushed voices coming from Ashtyn’s bedroom. Her bedroom door is wide open, so if they wanted to keep whatever they’re talking about a secret, they should have done a better job. Pausing just outside her door, I eavesdrop on their conversation.

  “So what happened, Ashtyn?” Abbie asks her.

  I hear sniffles and a pause before Ashtyn asks, “Did you not talk to Jude yet?”

  Pausing slightly and in a hesitant tone, she answers, “No, he was supposed to come by later today. We were going to go Christmas shopping.”

  More sniffles, and Ashtyn replies, “Well, you should expect a text at some point today. He won’t be coming over.”

  What the hell is going on? Ashtyn is breaking down and I’m guessing this is something band related because that would be the only explanation for why Ashtyn is talking to Abbie about Jude. Of course, whatever it is, they didn’t feel the need to include me in this little conversation.

  “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

  Ashtyn is full-blown sobbing now, and the majority of her words are muffled by her sobs, but I clearly hear her say, “They left us.”

  I can’t even be bothered to eavesdrop anymore before I take the few steps to storm into her room. Both girls look up at me, shocked. Ashtyn’s face is drenched with tears and Abbie just looks confused. I guess I’m not the only one here not in on whatever Ashtyn is talking about. “What’s going on? Who left who?”

  Ashtyn continues sobbing and I’m starting to get pissed off. I open my mouth to say something when Abbie holds up her phone. I guess she was texting Jude. “It looks like they’re heading down to L.A . for a concert. I’m not sure what’s going on, but they aren’t leaving us, just leaving for a bit.”

  I’ve heard enough. I storm out of there and head back to my room for my phone. One of them calls my name behind me, but I don’t stop until I’m back in my room and have shut the door behind me. Picking up my phone, I send off a quick text to Jax.

  Me: Were you planning on telling me that you were leaving?

  Jax: Shit has been crazy, Chloe. Sorry.

  Me: So are you not talking to me either?

  He starts to write something back but then the three blinking dots disappear. I sit there staring daggers at my phone for five minutes. When he doesn’t respond to me, I call him instead. “Getting a little impatient now?” he asks on a chuckle.

  I don’t have time for his playfulness right now. “Don’t give me that. Are you mad at me?”

  “Of course I’m not mad at you. I just didn’t know what you wanted to do about this whole situation. I figured it would be best to lie low for a bit. Until everything blows over.”

  What the fuck is he even talking about? “Lie low for a bit? You make it sound like we have something to hide.”

  I can just picture him running his hands through his hair and tugging on the ends when he says, “We didn’t have sex, Chloe, but we came pretty damn close to it.”

  “So? Hudson did have sex,” I add as I start pacing my room. I don’t see how what we almost did even compares to what Hudson did to me. Did to us.

  “Are you so sure of that?”

  Is he kidding me right now? “What are you talking about? You were there. Why else would a random drunk girl answer his phone in the middle of the night and let me know that he was in the shower?”

  He lets out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know, Chloe.” He pauses before continuing. “Maybe there’s a perfectly good reason for it? I can’t believe my brother would cheat on you.”

  “Yeah, well, you were all for it the other night.”

  “Fuck, Chloe. I’m an asshole and I was thinking with my dick.”

  “There’s more to it than that and you know it, Jax.” He can’t honestly think there’s nothing more between us. I’ve felt it and I know he feels it too.

  “Yeah, maybe. But you’re Hudson’s girl, not mine.”

  I don’t even believe my own words when I say, “But I could be.”

  “You don’t mean that. We’ve gone over this. I’m way too screwed up for that and it would never work out between us anyway.”

  “Yeah, I know. Why the fuck did I have to let my heart get involved? I never do that, Jax, and this right here is why I don’t.”

  “I get it, babe. I do. That’s why I refuse to ever let my heart get involved again.”

  I let out a harsh laugh. “We’re both just a couple of fucking cynics. Love sucks and all of that bullshit.”

  “Fuck love.”

  “I second that one.” I pause and let the silence surround me for a moment. “So you’re leaving?”

  “Yeah.” He sighs. “We’re heading down to L.A. for a benefit concert. There was a last minute opening, so we’re heading out tomorrow. We’ll be playing a show there for Christmas Eve and then off to Vegas to play a New Year’s Eve show.”

  “That’s amazing,” I say as I ungracefully flop onto my bed.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty fucking stoked right now.” I can hear the smile in his voice as he talks about their amazing news. If there’s one thing that stands true for all of the guys in the band, it’s their equal lov
e and passion for the band.

  I angrily laugh into my phone. “At least one of us will have a fucking merry Christmas and happy New Year.”

  “Don’t be like that. I’ll work on Hudson. You’ll get your guy back. Trust me. Have a little faith.”

  “And if I don’t want him back?” I’m fucking lying to myself if I say I don’t want him back, because that’s the complete opposite of what I want. But if he did cheat on me, what does that say about me? Am I just going to be one of those girls who are always the victim? I’m not sure how I feel about that.

  “I know you, Chloe. You do want him and you’ll get him back.”

  “What did I ever do to deserve a guy like you?”

  “Fuck if I know. But you’re stuck with me. I gotta go pack, babe, but trust everything will turn out okay.”

  “I’ll let you do that for the both of us. I’m all out of trust for the time being. Go pack, I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Try to be happy. Bye, Chloe.”

  I hang up and toss my phone on the bed. This fucking sucks.

  Chapter 24

  Hudson

  This whole trip is starting out shitty. Everyone, myself included, is so fucking mopey it’s not even funny. Flynn misses Ashtyn, I’m all screwed up over Chloe, Jude is silent as always, but he’s missing Abbie, and well, I’m not sure what to say about Jax. Erin’s on the plane with us, so I can’t tell if they’re going to rip each other apart or rip each other’s clothes off. Possibly a little bit of both. If it’s the latter, I hope they at least have the decency to join the mile-high club in the back. Apparently there is a bedroom back there.

  When Flynn talked to his dad about this weekend, he made sure to have his company jet waiting for us at the airport. I guess it pays to know people in high places, like having a dad who owns one of the most successful record labels, for one. We didn’t sign a contract with his label, but apparently we still get access to the perks, which I am just fine with. One of the perks includes a very busty flight attendant who is trying her damnedest to join the club with anyone aboard. It’s pathetic, so much so that not even Jax is biting. Although he might just to spite Erin, which would actually be pretty funny to see go down.