Looking for You (Oh Captain, My Captain #1) by Lindsay Paige, Mary Smith

everything.”
    “I don’t like where this is going,” she interrupts quietly.
    “Ellie doesn’t follow sports at all, so she doesn’t know who I am. Our relationship has been completely normal and balanced. I knew that if I told her, everything would change. Not to mention that she thinks we’re overpaid and misuse the spotlight we are given. So, I let her assume that I’m an architect and I know I have to tell her, but I don’t know how.”
    “Hudson,” my mother sighs. “If you’re waiting for the perfect moment, it’s never going to come. You shouldn’t have let her think that about your job. The longer you wait the worst it will be. Hockey is a part of you, Hudson. You shouldn’t hide that. I’m not going to tell you what you should have done because that part has already happened and there’s nothing we can do to change it. I think you need to remember what you love most about hockey, introduce it to her, and share that part of you with her. If she cares for you, she will eventually be able to forgive you. However, you need to tell Ellie and soon before she finds out from someone other than you.”
    I run my hand through my hair. “She’s going to hate me.”
    “Probably for a little while, yes. If it’s meant to be, it will be. I love you, Hudsy, and if I can help in anyway, just call me.”
    “Thanks, Mom. I love you too.”
     
     

Chapter Fourteen
    Ellie
     
    We decide to have lunch together, and she hasn’t said anything since I told her that Hudson bought my dress. Lacey just sips on her glass of water.
    “What’s wrong, Lace?” I ask her.
    She dramatically huffs, sitting her glass of water down. “I have to sleep with a guy just to get dinner. But this guy buys you a designer dress and hasn’t even copped a feel from you yet. I mean, he’s like Prince-Freakin-Charming.” She picks up her fork and pokes at her food.
    I’m not sure what to say. Is Lacey upset because Hudson got the dress for me? I don’t want her to be upset. She’s my best friend. “I didn’t tell you to have you mad at me.” I look down at the food on my plate.
    “What? I’m not mad, Els. Why would you think that?”
    “Because of what you just said.”
    She rolls her eye. “Ellie, come on, you know me way better than that. I love you. I’m actually very glad that you found someone that likes you for you. Besides, if anyone deserves to be spoiled, it’s you. Does he have a brother? Or cousin? Someone you could hook me up with?” She smiles at me.
    I shake my head. “Um, I talked to Hudson about meeting you. He texted me this morning and said that we could do it next week?”
    “You know I’ll make time to meet Prince-Freakin-Charming.” She smiles at me.
    I giggle at her. As we finish our lunch, we talk about some mutual clients that we have and the ins and outs of our jobs.
    “So, what are you doing tonight?” Lacey asks.
    “Hudson is coming over, since he is going to be gone pretty much the rest of this week.”
    “Where is he going?”
    “Out of town for work.”
    “He seems to travel a lot to be an architect.”
    I shrug. I have no clue how much an architect travels.
    “What kind of project is he working on?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Lacey just shakes her head at me. I know that she cares about stuff like that, but I just care about being with Hudson.
    “I meant to ask you what his place is like. Where does he live in Portland?”
    “I’ve never been to his place. I don’t know where he lives.”
    She looks confused. “You’ve never been to his place.”
    I shake my head. “He likes mine, because it’s not in the city.”
    Lacey sits silent for a moment, lost in thought. “I think he’s married,” she finally states.
    “What?” I yell so loud that people actually turn and look at me. ‘What?” I say a little bit softer.
    “Think about it: he ‘travels’ a lot, you don’t go to his place, and he never takes you out. He has to be married.”
    “Hang on,” I put my