Page 39 of Kate & Hudson

Me

Hi. Just wanted to say Thank You for yesterday.

His response is delayed by a few minutes, but at least he responded.

Hudson

There you are. You’re welcome. How are you doing today? Any better?

Me

Yeah. I usually only fall apart on the anniversary of the fire, birthdays, and holidays. But I’m good the rest of the year. LOL.

Hudson

I know what you mean. Holidays are hard sometimes for me and my mom.

I don’t know what to say to that, so I don’t answer. Then the three dots pop up and I see he’s sending another text, so I wait.

Hudson

I have shift tomorrow, but how about we have lunch or dinner on Wednesday?

Me

Can’t Wednesday. I have a large order of supplies being delivered and then I have kickball practice.

Hudson

Kickball? As in the game we played in school?

Me

Yeah. Grace found out that HH has a league and talked me into joining. Our first practice is Wednesday evening.

Hudson

Cool. Okay, what about Thursday? Lunch or dinner? Your choice.

I stare at my phone and am contemplating what to say. Grace would tell me to go for it. Actually, she already has, but do I? Is this a date or is it just friends? It has to be just as friends. A guy like him doesn’t date a girl like me. Okay, so we’re just friends.

I nod to myself. Great. Friends. I can do a lunch with a friend because dinner would be less friend-like. Lunch it is.

Hudson

You still there?

Me

LOL, yeah. Sorry. I was just checking my calendar. Yeah, let’s have a friendly lunch on Thursday. Where do you suggest we go?

I lie right through my teeth about checking my calendar. The only thing I have on Thursday are a bunch of interviews for staff at the shop. Chloe has demanded I hire more people because we’re both tired. And she’s not wrong. Even Grace mentioned it the other day. So, I caved and put an ad online for help.

Hudson

How about Conchy Joe’s? You eat seafood, right?

Me