Remind Me

by Ann Marie Walker

  Every muscle in Allie’s body tensed as she wondered exactly how much her mother had seen. The balcony wall would have shielded Hudson’s hand from view. And her wrap had been across her lap. Had she caught a glimpse of them behind the curtain? Oh God. Allie thought she might be sick.

  “Honestly, it was nothing short of a miracle Elizabeth didn’t see the way you were looking at that man last night.”

  All she saw was a few heated glances? Allie would have exhaled in relief if it weren’t for her mother’s piercing stare.

  “I won’t be humiliated by your indiscretions, Alessandra.”

  The waiter eased toward their table. Victoria gave him a tight smile and asked for the check before turning her attention back to Allie. “I think this will be a lovely location for cocktails, don’t you agree?”

  Allie’s brow knit together. “Cocktails?”

  Her mother gave a small nod and took another sip of tea. “Yes, before the reception. They clear the couches and chairs out of the way and bring in a few high-top tables. Of course we’ll have them draped in silk, dress them up with votives and fresh flowers. The catering manager suggested a pasta bar or a carving station, but I went with passed hors d’oeuvres. Silver trays and white gloves are so much more elegant than a line forming in the corner. This is the Drake, not the Sizzler, for heaven’s sake.”

  Victoria continued to describe her vision of the perfect wedding reception. Staring straight ahead, Allie noticed she had a clear view of the doors to the ballroom in the distance. The words “Gold Coast Room” seemed to float over her mother’s head as she covered everything from the height of the centerpieces to the size of the dance floor. Every detail had been carefully planned, right down to the location of their meeting.

  Allie listened without really hearing, somehow managing to nod at the appropriate moments. She rubbed her palms on the velvet couch. Where the hell was the waiter with that check?

  She made her escape as soon as the bill was paid, practically running down the stairs. The gust of fresh air was a welcome relief until she looked across the street at the entrance to the Palmolive building. Her chest tightened. She had to end things with Hudson. Postponing the inevitable was getting them nowhere, and it was only going to be harder the more time she spent with him. And now that her mother was suspicious. . . .

  “Taxi?” the doorman asked.

  “Yes, please.” Her phone pinged with a text and she looked down at the screen.

  It was from Hudson. Cleared my schedule. Early dinner at my place?

  Only four thirty and Hudson was willing to ditch work. For her. She glanced up at his building. Was he already there, waiting?

  “Ma’am?”

  She turned to find the doorman holding open a taxi door.

  “Still want the cab?”

  Allie looked back at her phone and quickly typed a reply. Can’t. Lots of work. Call you later.

  Without looking up, she pressed Send and ducked into the cab.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  “Drink this. You look like you need it.” Hudson offered Allie a squat glass. She shook her head and continued her pacing from the fireplace to the couch, looping back for a scenic route along the windows. “Then I need it, because I have a feeling I’m not going to like whatever it is you have to say.”

  “I can’t keep running over here with my toothbrush and a pair of panties in my purse.”

  “I’d offer you a drawer, but that’s not the issue, is it?” When there was nothing but silence, he continued. “This is when you tell me what’s really going on.” Hudson took a long drink from his glass, his throat working on a swallow. He tracked her movements, willing to go all in that this had something to do with the horseshit text she sent him about having to work late. “Spill it.”

  She stopped by the fireplace. “I can’t do this anymore.”

  “You don’t get to decide that.” He tossed back the rest of his scotch, leaned over, and set the glass down on the coffee table a little harder than intended. “Not this time.”

  “My mother summoned me to the Drake today, Hudson. Apparently she saw us at the CSO and felt the need to discuss it over tea and scones.”

  “I see.”

  “She’s going to be watching my every move.”

  Any trace of levity drained from Hudson’s face. Victoria Sinclair was taking up more space in the room than he was. Fuck that, she saturated it. “Your mother’s playing games within games, Alessandra.”

  Allie’s face clouded over and she turned toward the fire.

  Hudson stepped closer. His tone softened as he slipped a finger under her chin, turning her head to meet his gaze. “You have the power to take control of your life.”

  The simple words lingered between them, and as the weight of them settled, he realized he needed to pull Allie out of the eye of the shit storm. She was ready to run, he could see it on her face. Hell, she already had one foot out the door. But words were not going to be enough. He was going to have to show her, make her see that what she wanted was standing right in front of her. “Go away with me this weekend. Just the two of us.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t just disappear for the weekend.”

  “You’re not falling off the face of the earth, and there is cell reception . . . in most places. Unless you think your mom is tracking your phone; then I’ll see that it finds a new home at the bottom of the lake.”

  Allie laughed. “I don’t think cell phone destruction will be necessary. Not that she wouldn’t track me if she could, but the woman barely manages a text message.”

  “What do you say?” With his eyes he traced the delicate little crease that wrinkled her brow. The one she got when she was weighed down with uncertainty, confined by the pressure of indecision, or rankly pissed off.

  “I don’t know.” Allied chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s Thursday night, where would we even go on such short notice?”

  “I have a little place a couple hours from here on Lake Geneva. It’s beautiful this time of year when the leaves have all turned. We can go out on the lake or we can stay in so I can kiss every inch of your perfect body.” He flashed a grin. “Besides, I miss my bike.”

  “Finally saved up enough to buy that motorcycle you wanted?” she teased.

  “Managed to scrape a few bucks together. And I can’t wait to take you on it.” He dragged his mouth down her throat, leaving a trail of featherlight kisses in his wake. “There’s an idea.”

  Allie tilted her head to the side. “It does sound tempting.”

  “It’s settled, then.” He lifted his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Now how about that drink?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Hudson strolled around the breakfast bar, then yanked open the door of the wine fridge. The majority of his collection was stored downstairs, but he always had a few bottles on hand in the kitchen. He’d just pulled a California chardonnay from the rack when the phone rang. He set the bottle on the granite counter and snatched the receiver from the cradle. “Chase.”

  As Allie approached, Hudson did a tight 180 while running a hand through his hair. “Send him up.” He hung up the phone and cursed under his breath before turning back to face her.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  His jaw tightened. “My brother.”

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  “Nick’s here?” The last time Allie saw Hudson’s little brother he was all of twelve years old. Crooked grin, mop of unruly hair, and big brown eyes filled with hero worship for his older brother. Allie smiled. She couldn’t wait to see him again.

  “Yeah, but now is not the time for a reunion.” Hudson moved quickly toward Allie and cupped her elbow. “I need you to wait in my room.”

  “What?” Allie frowned. “Why do I need to wait in there? It’s just your brother.” True, she’d just had a meltdown over her mother seeing them at the CSO, but this was different. This was Nick. He’d kept their secret ten years ago. She certainly wasn’t w
orried about him blowing their cover now.

  “You have to trust me on this one, Allie.” Hudson’s strides were long and measured as he directed her down the hallway toward his bedroom. Everything about his demeanor had changed since the doorman’s call. Tension rolled off him in waves. When they reached the door to his room she heard the penthouse elevator ping softly in the distance. “Stay here,” he said. “This shouldn’t take long.”

  He turned to leave, pulling the door shut behind him.

  What the hell was that all about? Hudson had hustled her out of the room so quickly. Allie’s heart sank. Was that how she made him feel? Like she was ashamed to be seen with him? It couldn’t have been further from the truth. Under normal circumstances she’d have been proud to be on his arm. But her situation was far from normal. The panic she’d felt earlier had nothing to do with who he was, or where he’d come from. Somehow she had to make him see that.

  Allie sighed heavily, resigned to the fact there was nothing she could do at the moment but wait. Might as well get ready for bed. She hadn’t planned on spending the night but after Nick’s unexpected arrival and Hudson’s bizarre reaction, there was no way she was leaving. Not with so many unanswered questions.

  She grabbed a T-shirt from Hudson’s dresser and headed for the master bathroom to change and brush her teeth. A new toothbrush lay in the drawer next to Hudson’s. She unwrapped it, smiling at the gesture. Underneath that tough exterior was a sweet, considerate man. Of course he would hate that description if he heard it. Just picturing the look on his face made her laugh with a mouthful of toothpaste, but it was true. She’d seen his softer side more times than she could count, although it had never been more evident than in the way he treated Nick.

  Hudson had always been so good with his kid brother. He was patient, putting up with the incessant barrage of questions only a twelve-year-old could conjure. He was protective, always making sure Nick was home before curfew. And he was kind, letting Nick hang around the two of them despite constantly teasing Hudson about having a “giiiiiiiirlfriend.”

  So what had changed? Why was he insisting she stay in his room? Allie spit and rinsed her mouth, mulling the questions over in her head as she dried her face with a towel. Curiosity eventually got the better of her and she slipped quietly out of Hudson’s room.

  When she reached the end of the hallway, she heard a voice she assumed was Nick’s. “You gotta help me, man.”

  “What the hell do you keep looking at?”

  “Your elevator. Does that fucking thing close?”

  “Private elevator, Nicky. Here, drink this.” The exasperation in Hudson’s voice was tangible, and although she couldn’t see him, she could picture a deep furrow between his brows. “How many days have you been up this time?”

  “Can’t fucking sleep. I haven’t even been home.”

  “Why not? Did you blow your goddamn rent again?” Hudson was practically shouting. “Stop looking at the motherfucking elevator and sit the fuck down.”

  Allie poked her head around the corner and stole a glance at the two brothers. Hudson had his back to her, obscuring her view of Nick, who had apparently listened to his brother and sat the fuck down. Hudson ran a hand through his hair and moved toward the window, giving Allie her first glimpse of Nick. She had to cover her mouth to stifle a gasp.

  Of course he looked different—he was older now, twenty-two, maybe twenty-three—she’d expected that. But what she hadn’t expected was to find him so disheveled and agitated. He was tapping his heel, his leg bouncing at a manic pace as he fidgeted with a water bottle. Cap off. Cap on. And even from a distance she could see how badly he was sweating. Cap back off. Nick skipped the plastic cap across the coffee table and took a long drink. When he’d drained the bottle, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

  Hudson turned to face his brother and Allie was struck by the overwhelming family resemblance. She’d never really noticed it when they were young, but despite Nick’s current condition, he looked so much like his older brother. Same jawline and nose, same dark wavy hair—although Nick’s was considerably longer and, from the looks of it, hadn’t been washed in a few days. Their most distinguishable feature, though, was their eyes. Hudson’s were a clear blue while Nick’s were a deep brown. Allie’s chest tightened as she focused her attention on Nick’s dark circled eyes. Once so warm and full of life, his eyes were now vacant as they darted anxiously around the room.

  “They’re after me. Bastard’s probably got my place on watch.”

  “Look, you’re crashing and not making any sense,” Hudson said, but Nick didn’t appear to be listening. All his attention was focused on scraping the label from his water bottle. Without warning he jumped up and began pacing like a caged animal. When he was within arm’s reach, Hudson snagged him by the collar. “Come on, you can sleep it off downstairs or in the theater, take your pick.”

  Nick shrugged out of his hold. Hudson stared at him for a long moment and then shook his head as he turned away. Allie ducked back around the corner, afraid she was about to be discovered. She was inching toward the master bedroom when Nick’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

  “You’re not listening to me!” he yelled.

  “Hearing you loud and clear. What kind of money are we talking about?”

  There was a lengthy pause, and when Nick finally spoke, his voice had grown quiet. “A shit ton.”

  “How much, Nick?”

  Nick muttered a few words she couldn’t hear.

  “Fuck!” Hudson exploded. “How could you be so stupid?

  Allie flinched at the sound of a fist pounding into a hard surface.

  “I didn’t mean for shit to get real. I swear, Hudson, this is the—”

  “Don’t you dare finish that fucking sentence.”

  A cabinet opened in the kitchen. Glasses clinked. A bottle was set down with a thud. And then nothing but an uncomfortable silence.

  When Hudson finally spoke, Allie could tell he’d used the time to reign in his temper. His voice was level though his words were still razor-sharp. “You’re going to listen to me carefully, because the terms of this deal are non-negotiable. I’ll bail you out one last time, but you’re checking into rehab. Tomorrow. Consider it repayment.”

  “I got this, bro. Don’t need rehab.”

  “There’s only one right answer here, Nick.”

  Nick mumbled his reply, and the next thing Allie heard was the sound of Hudson’s footsteps on the living room floor. Shit! She scampered down the hall and was sitting cross-legged on the bed when he entered the room.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Fine.” Hudson strode through the room without so much as a glance in her direction. His face was taut with tension as he stripped his watch from his wrist and tossed it on top of the dresser. Pockets were next. He emptied them, carelessly dumping his wallet, change, and cell phone into a pile. When he was done he yanked open a drawer and grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms before disappearing into the bathroom.

  Clearly he wasn’t fine.

  Allie crawled up the bed and slipped under the covers. Exhaling, she leaned back against the headboard, crossed her arms, and waited. When Hudson emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, his clothes had changed but not his mood.

  He threw back the duvet and stretched out on the bed with his forearm resting over his eyes. Allie lowered herself to the pillow next to him, watching the heavy rise and fall of his chest. After a while it became clear Hudson wasn’t going to say anything about his brother’s late night arrival. It was up to Allie to address the elephant in the room.

  She took a deep breath and confessed. “I was listening.”

  Hudson lifted his arm and stared at her, his expression unreadable. “Were you now?”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry. You were just so upset . . .” Allie fumbled with excuses as Hudson dropped his arm back over his face, offering no reaction or further explanation. “I had no idea.”

  “Wh
at? That my brother is a drug addict?” There was a quiet resignation in his voice and she couldn’t help but wonder if it was the first time he’d ever admitted it to himself, let alone said the words out loud.

  “How long has he been using?”

  Hudson scrubbed a hand down his face. “Nick had a hard time.” There was an overwhelming sadness in his eyes, and for an instant something else, something darker. “Especially after Mom died.”

  Their mom died? This was news to her.

  It was a while before Hudson spoke again and when he did his voice had softened to barely a whisper. “Nick’s the one who found her.” His eyes drifted shut. “He was still trying to wake her up when I got there, shaking her, shouting her name.”

  Allie’s throat tightened at the thought of the moppet-haired boy she once knew clinging to his dead mother. Her eyes welled up as she imagined how scared he must have been. No little boy should have to bury his mom, let alone discover her lifeless body.

  A muscle in Hudson’s jaw flexed. “This is all standard operating procedure for Nick—showing up late at night, asking for money—but tonight was the worst I’ve ever seen him.” He drew an unsteady breath. “If he keeps going the way he is, he’ll end up just like she did, overdosing on God knows what. Shit, I can’t . . .” Hudson’s voice trailed off and his body tensed. A moment later he cleared his throat, and when he continued it was with a steely determination. The CEO was back, handling the issue. “I need to get him some help.”

  “Did he take the deal, agree to rehab?” she asked. Her voice was thick with unshed tears.

  “He said he’d go.” Hudson didn’t sound completely convinced.

  “We should cancel our trip. You need to focus on Nick right now.”

  “No, I’ll take him in the morning, then swing by and pick you up. Can you leave at lunchtime?”

  “That should be fine.” Allie studied his face, trying hard to gauge his expression. “Are you sure?”