Page 88 of Hudson
“Dave did say he was going to have another agent come in to help since Creed will be out a while, and Rawley is still going to have to take it easy.”
“Another agent?”
“Yeah, the department does that sometimes. It’s how Killian ended up here. He stayed though.”
“Well, you’ll get some help then.” Blair kissed his lips.
He headed out to the truck for another load of boxes, and she turned back to her plants, already figuring out where the next one would go.
He stood at the tailgate for a moment in the quiet afternoon, looking back at the house. There was a basket planter above the kitchen sink and probably six more where that came from still waiting to be hung. The windowsills were going to disappear under greenery. The place was going to look completely different by the time she was done with it.
He grabbed a box and headed back inside. He made three more trips before the bed was empty. He set the last box on the kitchen table and put the kettle on for her, then stood in the quiet kitchen listening to Blair moving around in the bedroom, the sound of drawers opening and closing, the particulardomestic rhythm of someone making a space their own.
He looked around. There was already a plant on top of the refrigerator he was certain hadn’t been there ten minutes ago. Two more sat on the kitchen table waiting to be placed. A small succulent had appeared on the windowsill above the sink next to the one she’d hung earlier. He shook his head. His phone buzzed. Rawley.
He stepped out onto the back porch and answered. “You’re supposed to be resting.”
“I’m sitting down.” Rawley’s voice was stronger than it had been two weeks ago. “Skylar made me promise not to stand up more than necessary. I’m honoring that from the couch.” A pause. “Blair get moved in alright?”
“She’s down the hall. The kitchen already looks like a greenhouse.”
Rawley laughed, which turned into a brief hiss Hud could hear through the phone. “Good. You needed something living in that house besides you.”
“That’s what she said.”
“Smart woman.”
“Don’t tell her that. She’s already insufferable.” Hud leaned against the porch rail and looked out at the ranch. The early evening light fell long and amber across the pasture, the grass lush and green, the hills beyond the fence line dressed in wildflowers. “You ready for Monday?”
“Been ready for weeks. Dave’s the one making me wait.” A pause. “How’s it feel? Having her there?”
Hud considered it. “Right,” he said finally. “It feels right.”
“Good.” Rawley’s voice was quiet and genuine. “That’s how it’s supposed to feel.”
They talked for a few more minutes, easy conversation between two men who didn’t need to say much to say enough. Before he hung up Rawley said, “Tell Blair we said hello. Skylar wants to have you both over soon.”
“We’ll be there.”
He stood on the porch a while after he hung up, his phone in his hand. The ranch stretched out around him in every direction, open and quiet and entirely his.
Not entirely his anymore.
He heard the door behind him and Blair came out with two mugs, handing him one without a word and leaning against the rail beside him. She’d changed into worn jeans and a T-shirt, her hair pulled back loosely, and she looked out at the pasture the way he had, easy and unhurried, like she’d been doing it for years.
“Rawley called,” he said.
“How is he?”
“Good. Ready to come back.” Hud wrapped both hands around the mug. “Skylar wants to have us over.”
“I’d like that.” She was quiet for a moment, her eyes moving across the pasture to the hills beyond. “Hud. This place.”
“What about it?”
“It’s beautiful.” She said it simply, like it had just settled over her. “I knew it was but standing out here like this.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how you ever leave it.”
“It’s easier when there’s nothing to come home to.” He glanced at her. “That’s not a problem anymore.”
