The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 3

  Okay, deep breath. None of this is a biggie, right?

  Oh, who am I kidding? Of course, it’s a big deal—though, if I’m honest, my issue is more with his good looks than anything else. I have a feeling that if I don’t pay attention, Hudson can be a distraction for me—even if I just stare at him all day long. Which definitely wouldn’t be a hardship. I’m already getting distracted just thinking about him. Giving myself a mental shake, I snap out of this moment, realizing I’ve been staring at the two of them like a total moron.

  “Uh...what?”

  Two big thumbs up for me. Surely, no one knows how to make a first impression like I do. Between the flying dough and the rest of my behavior, he probably thinks I’m a total nutcase.

  I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath, begging for my brain to please let us get through this day without any further embarrassments.

  “You look a little pale there.” Hannah lets go of Hudson and walks over to me. I try to put on a small smile, but I’m not sure I succeed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to throw you under the bus like that. I just have this weird rule that I don’t tell anyone what my family does for a living until they meet them.”

  She looks sincere, yet at the same time, I spot a hint of a mischievous glint in her eyes. At this point, I can only hope she isn’t up to something.

  Shaking my head at her, I feel a little guilty for worrying her. Because let’s face it: her family, her rules. “No, no, you’re fine. I was just surprised, that’s all.”

  Both Hannah and Hudson wear identical frowns. It doesn’t seem like I’ve convinced either one of them. Even Mira—who’s been oddly quiet in Hudson’s arms—looks at me like she can see straight through my lie.

  I let out a little sigh, rearranging things on the counter so my hands have something to do. “Well, under those circumstances, we should definitely move out. I’m sure the last thing you need right now is two extra guests in the house, especially when they’re strangers and one of them is a loud baby.” I glance at Hudson, only to look away again quickly.

  Taking advantage of other people bugs me, even if they only mean well. I think I declined Hannah’s offer to temporarily live with her for a little while about fifty times before she finally wore me down. I don’t want to be in anyone’s debt—or way—unless I absolutely have to.

  Hudson is still frowning when I peek up at him through my lashes. There’s no denying the irresistible vibe that surrounds him, and I’m sure there aren’t a lot of people who refuse him anything—probably more so the opposite. Usually, I don’t have any issues telling people no, but for some reason, I already feel like Hudson will test me more than anyone else has ever done before.

  What if I can’t handle it?

  The last year has been an absolute nightmare, and I’m so glad I’ve finally started to slowly get back on my feet. The last thing I need is some sort of scandal involving this super popular rockstar, especially when he taunts me in his workout gear like this morning. I’m not a robot. I’m sure even I can’t resist that forever.

  “No, Charlie, please don’t.” The way he says my name, gentle yet with a certain resolve, makes me lift up my head to look at him. His voice is melodic and very alluring, and I wonder if it’s a natural quality or one he’s acquired over the years.

  But I’m totally getting ahead of myself here.

  When he takes a few steps toward me, I realize, much to my horror, why Mirabelle has been so quiet. That little bugger is happily sucking on Hudson’s T-shirt, and I’m not sure if he hasn’t noticed it yet or if he just doesn’t care.

  Just when I decide to mention something about little Miss Slobber-mouth, Hudson beats me to it. “This issue is completely my fault, and I take the blame. I should’ve called to announce my plans, at least to Grandma, so she knew I was going to come back. You’re a guest, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I’ll just grab a few things and move into a hotel. It’s no problem at all.”

  This time I gape at him, baffled. Absolutely floored. I cannot believe what he just offered. I shake both my head and my finger in front of me for emphasis. “Don’t be ridiculous, Hudson. You’re not going anywhere. This is your house, and you don’t have to tell anyone you’re coming home. And just for the record, you’re not making me uncomfortable at all.”

  Gosh, I’m such a liar. From the way the corners of his mouth twitch, he might already know that too.

  Fantastic. I’ve always sucked at hiding my emotions.

  Hannah looks back and forth between Hudson and me, quietly chuckling to herself. “Stop that nonsense, you two. You’re both staying here. This house is big enough for all of us. Charlie, you can look for a place once the bakery is open. The last thing you need right now is even more stress. I want to have you close, so I can help you with Mira as much as I can.”

  She’s got a point. There’s no way I can get the bakery opened in just a few months without her help.

  I sigh in defeat. “I know, you’re right. At least let me pay rent or something. I definitely can’t stay here for free.”

  “I like her, Grandma.” Hudson chuckles, looking adoringly at Hannah. “You always know the best people.” His dimples pop again, and I’m biting the inside of my cheek before I do anything stupid like...sigh—or worse, ask to be the new leader of his fan club.

  I’m afraid either would be rather telling.

  Hannah gives me a big smile that I return easily. “Charlie is one of the very best.”

  My heart swells from her statement, but that’s only short-lived when I realize both of their gazes are on me, openly studying me. Since I’ve never been a big fan of being scrutinized by others, I quickly grow uncomfortable, relieved when they finally snap out of it.

  I decide to push the rent topic again at a later time. Right now, other matters are more urgent—such as Mirabelle’s sucking noises that become louder by the second. I flinch a little when I look at the big, wet stain on Hudson’s T-shirt she’s been working on this whole time. His gaze follows mine, and I’m mortified. “I’m so sorry about that. I should’ve warned you that she puts everything in her mouth right now, especially when she’s hungry. Let me feed her quick, and then I can wash your shirt.”

  Hudson doesn’t say anything, and I turn to Hannah. “And then I’ll start those cupcakes I promised you.” Maybe focusing on baking will help me feel more like myself again.

  She grins at me. “Sounds perfect. Let me take a quick shower, and then I can help you.”

  I silently watch her leave the kitchen, trying to swallow away the nerves that bubbled up the second I realized she’s going to leave me alone with Hudson—Mira doesn’t really count yet.

  Despite the fact that I’m not into the whole celebrity world at all, even I’ve heard of Hudson Mitchell and know he’s a big deal.

  There’s no reason to be nervous. I mean, Mira has been sucking on his T-shirt, for goodness’ sake. If that isn’t the ultimate test of a prissy person, I don’t know what is. Let’s just pretend he’s a normal guy—albeit a very attractive one.

  Most importantly, he’s not Sebastian. That unwelcome thought brings me back to reality faster than anything else ever could. Rationally, I know not all guys are bad, I just need to remind myself of that. Plus, he’s Hannah’s grandson, so he at least deserves the benefit of the doubt right now.

  After taking a moment for another silent pep talk, I close the distance between me and my newly acquired—and very temporary—celebrity roommate, so I can take Mirabelle from him.

  When I start to hold out my arms for her, Hudson shakes his head. “I can feed her if you want.”

  “Really?” This man keeps catching me off guard. Surprised by his offer, my arms are still halfway up in the air. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know. But I really don’t mind, I promise.” He shrugs before turning to look at Mira, who’s so delighted by all the attention that she starts hitting her little fist on his chest. “I mean, look at her. I might e
ven be willing to change a diaper for this cutie. It’s okay though, if you don’t want me to, I get it. No hard feelings.”

  Oh dang, this beautiful man. His words and actions hit me right in the rib cage.

  There really aren’t a lot of things that are more heart-melting—and also incredibly sexy—than a man and a baby. Match made in heaven right there. And who am I to deny the handsome rockstar what he wants—at least with this simple request of feeding Mira.

  Willing to give him a chance, I nod. “All right. If you really don’t mind. But don’t complain about your shirt later on.”

  “My shirt?” His eyebrows draw together.

  Looking at his confused expression, I can’t hold back a quiet chuckle. “Maybe you’ll be fine. We’ll see. On the other hand, Mira has already done a job of getting you messy anyway.”

  He only shrugs. “It’s just a shirt.”

  Interesting. “Do you want me to put her in the highchair?”

  “No, I’ve got it.” He looks over to the big dining room table where Mira’s chair is pushed against the wall. “Or maybe you can do it quickly?”

  The pleading look on his face is adorable, and I can’t help but smile. “Of course.”

  I take Mira from his arms, cuddling her to my chest, since it’s one of my favorite things to do. She faintly smells of Hudson even after such a short time, and I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t just take a deep whiff. No one should smell this good—woodsy with a hint of fruit. It’s a very masculine and rather memorable scent I’m sure I’ll start to recognize from now on.

  “Sweetie pie, your new friend Hudson is gonna feed you some yummy food now, okay? Be good for him, will ya?” I buckle Mira into her chair while she keeps patting my cheeks with her little hands. After giving her a quick kiss and a toy to keep her occupied for another moment, I turn around to walk back to the kitchen to get her food. I stop short when Hudson stands only a few feet away, watching me intently with those chocolate-colored eyes of his. “Thanks again for helping.”

  “Don’t mention it. I like kids, so I really don’t mind.” He smiles at me, one dimple popping out—almost daring me to look away. I briefly wonder if he has issues being under a microscope too, but then I remember he’s probably used to people staring at him all day long.

  I finally snap out of my daze when he walks around me to pull a chair out from the table, so he can sit in front of Mirabelle.

  Almost on autopilot, I go back into the kitchen and start whipping up Mira’s meal—a small portion of oatmeal mixed with some mashed banana, and a few little pieces of soft pear for those little fingers to pick up.

  The two of them are playing with some blocks when I walk over, but the second Mira sees me, the toys are forgotten and her focus is completely on me—more importantly—her food. She wiggles her arms and legs as much as the highchair allows. There’s no doubt this girl likes to eat. She’s squealing, already trying to reach the bowl and plate that I put on the wooden dining table next to Hudson.

  “What is that?” He wrinkles his nose and points at the bowl.

  His obvious distaste makes me laugh. “It’s just oatmeal and banana.”

  He keeps eyeing the mixture suspiciously. “Huh. It doesn’t look like someone should be eating it.”

  I had the exact same thought at first. “Well, that’s most baby food for you. But you’ll see, she absolutely loves it. It’s actually not half bad,” I reassure him and head back to get started on those cupcakes. I hope the coconut cupcakes with frosted coconut frosting will taste half as good as they sound, because yummy.

  “Very yummy indeed.” The quiet murmur comes from across the room, and when I look up, Hudson’s eyes are on me.

  Did I just say that out loud? What is it with me today? My gaze is still locked with Hudson’s, and there’s something in his look I can’t quite decipher. Before I can try to figure it out, though, my attention briefly flicks over to Mirabelle. The alarm bells go off in my head, my eyes going wide as I gasp.

  “Watch out.” I try to warn Hudson, but it’s already too late.

  For the second time in the past few hours, I break out into laughter so high it almost harmonizes with Mirabelle’s little giggles. I might even sound like a dying hyena, but I honestly couldn’t care less at this point. “You might not believe me right now, but I really am sorry.” I clutch my stomach and try to get a few more words out, gasping like I just ran a marathon. “I should’ve given you better instructions when I set her loose on you.”

  After another round of laughter, I finally get a grip on myself. Wiping the corners of my eyes, I carefully open them to take in the crime scene in front of me. My restraint is tested the second I lay eyes on him again, but by some miracle, I manage to stifle my laughter this time.

  Most of it, at least.

  Hudson is covered in oatmeal. The brown goop is dripping off his hair and face, all the way down onto his shirt and pants. There isn’t a lot of visible space left that’s unharmed and free of the sticky goo.

  He looks back and forth between Mira and me and shakes his head slowly. “You girls should come with a warning.”

  “I’m so sorry. I forgot to tell you that she can get quite impatient if you don’t shove food into her mouth fast enough.” I feel more than just a little bad about everything that’s happened to him today—and it isn’t even noon yet.

  We might have to move to a hotel, after all. I’m sure not everyone wants to share a house with a messy pair like Mira and me. I sigh and step closer, so I can start cleaning up the mess.

  “Please don’t get mad at Mira, though. She’s just a little baby.” Bile rises in my throat when I remember the way Sebastian blamed this precious little baby for everything that went wrong. I swore to myself I’d do whatever it took to shelter Mira from anything similar happening again.

  Getting protective in this moment might seem a bit odd, but I’ve seen people get worked up over way less than some spilled oatmeal.

  A lot of people have a sad tendency to blame others for just about anything that goes wrong.

  “Hey.” Hudson touches my arm for a second to get my attention, and the unexpected contact startles me. “Of course it’s not her fault, please relax. Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s all good.” His tone is soothing and his touch gentle.

  My chest deflates as I exhale loudly, and his eyes are still on me when I look up. They are such a beautiful mixture of dark honey and chocolate tones, blending together perfectly. Dark, long eyelashes surround them, and I can’t help but marvel at them for a moment.

  Once I snap out of my trance, I’m relieved to see he seems genuine. If I’m honest, I don’t think I really expected him to react badly. My reaction was more of an automated reply, like I want to make sure people know what’s acceptable and what isn’t before anything happens. Hudson’s presence has been nothing but relaxing from the first moment—just like it was with Hannah.

  I still feel Hudson’s eyes on me, but I choose to ignore him. Instead, I make quick work of cleaning up the mess, or at least as fast as I can since cleaning up oatmeal is a total pain in the butt. Hudson wordlessly takes the extra paper towels I hand him, just as Hannah comes back downstairs.

  She stops abruptly when she walks into the kitchen. “What’s going on?” When she sees us in all of our messy glory, she immediately doubles over in laughter. Pointing at me, she’s still trying to get her laughter under control. “You didn’t tell him about our little Miss Impatience, did you?”

  I shake my head in chagrin, feeling heat seeping into my cheeks.

  “Oops.” Hannah shrugs her shoulders and we all laugh, even Hudson.

  After a quick face wash in the kitchen sink—and despite his current state of messiness—Hudson keeps feeding Mirabelle the rest of the food she didn’t manage to splatter all over him. I’m more than just a little surprised and keep shooting glances in their direction because not everyone would be in such good spirits after the morning he’s had.

  No, no
, no. Don’t do it.

  My brain is alerting me, knowing full well that if I don’t watch out, I’ll be having hearts in my eyes before I know it. That’s the last thing I need right now. But since I’ll probably see a lot of him over the next few weeks, I might as well enjoy the scenery, right? Nothing wrong with that—not at all.

  As long as it’s just looking.

  Hannah sits down on the other side of the table, opposite Hudson. “How long are you planning on staying home this time?” She taps her fingernails on the table and doesn’t look at her grandson, making it pretty obvious she’s trying to act nonchalantly.

  I’m sure if she can’t fool me, she can’t fool her own family either.

  Hudson’s quiet for a moment and looks down at the table. When he lifts his head again, the expression on his face has changed. Gone is the carefree, happy guy I just met. In its place is someone more closed-off, with eyebrows drawn together so tightly, I’m afraid it might leave a permanent crease on his face.

  The corners of his mouth lift in a weak smile. The curiosity burns inside me, wondering what’s going on with him. After the way Hannah just acted, she seems to know something is up too, or at least suspects it.

  His shoulders lift once before he focuses back on putting more pear pieces on Mira’s tray. “Not sure yet. Probably a few weeks, maybe a few months.”

  “I see.” Hannah rubs her fingertips together, studying him openly. She’s not trying to hide her scrutiny, and I’m actually a little surprised she doesn’t ask him straight out what’s going on. Instead, she gives him a wide smile. “Actually, I’m glad you’ll be here for a while. It’s been too long since you stayed with us for more than just a few days. It’s perfect.”

  Wait, what? That definitely wasn’t the reaction I expected.

  His eyes narrow. “Why?” The suspicion in his voice is so evident I have to suppress the urge to chime in and ask her the same question while also high-fiving Hudson.

  The wariness in my chest only grows when Hannah looks like the cat that ate the canary. “Well, I just thought you could help Charlie with the bakery.” The words come out of her mouth faster than usual, but her tone stays casual like she’s talking about the weather.