Hudson’s lips parted as if Jinx surprised him. He looked almost puzzled. While Jinx looked on, Hudson tossed the notebook aside and grabbed his phone. “After you agreed to marry me before I left for my tour, I changed your contact name.” He unlocked his phone and turned it Jinx’s way so he could see his contact name: My Forever.
Jinx’s gaze shot to Hudson’s. It was like Jinx had been shown a sign. They had been meant to meet and fall in love. Jinx swiped at his eyes as more tears slipped out. He didn’t understand how he could lose so much and gain so much on the same day. Yet here he was. Sad and happy. At the bottom and the top. No one had prepared him for this. At the end of the day, he loved Hudson too much to be anything other than the man Hudson believed him to be.
“I can’t wait to be your husband.”
For a moment, Hudson stared down at Jinx with his heart hidden behind a closed expression. When he finally spoke, his voice had a harsh note. “Then you’re a fool, but I’m so goddamn happy for it.”
If that didn’t sum up their entire relationship, then nothing did. Fool or not, he would love Hudson until his dying breath. Jinx didn’t know any other way to be. He had to focus on them now, because if he knew nothing else, he knew he couldn’t make Rocky come back. Jinx wasn’t strong enough to hold on to two men. He didn’t know why he had let himself believe he could be. Rocky had been the one holding the three of them together. Now Rocky was done. Jinx had to get back to reality. His life was with Hudson. He wouldn’t fail him.
Nine
Hudson tried. He really did. All his calls and texts to Rocky went unanswered. One day, he woke up and accepted they were done. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment reality set in. It was more of a slow acknowledgment of the truth. He was too much work for Rocky. His episode had been more than Rocky could handle. Hudson understood. He had driven away many people over the years. This one hurt more than the rest, except maybe his parents. That had been a hard loss. It seemed like everyone he loved the most left the easiest, except Jinx. All Jinx wanted was to be loved in return. That was something Hudson wouldn’t fail at doing.
Hudson watched Jinx chew on the side of his nail while looking through brochures. Everything about Jinx turned Hudson on, but Jinx made Hudson’s dick a lot harder today with his sexy outfit. His short shorts and ragged tank top might not be anything special. They seemed to fit his body in all the right ways. Hudson couldn’t stop eyeing his sexy legs and ass.
Jinx looked up and caught Hudson ogling him. He smacked Hudson with the brochure. “This is serious business. You have to help me decide.”
Hudson shook his head. “I absolutely do not have to do that. This one thing is your decision. I don’t have anyone other than Tito to invite to a wedding. So, like I said, you need to be the one to choose. Big wedding, small wedding, or eloping are all fine with me. As long as we’re married at the end of the ceremony, let’s do what you want.”
Jinx’s shoulders fell. “I mean, I don’t really have much of anyone to invite either. Spencer and Zayn are the only ones who matter enough to invite them. All this shit looks stressful.” He held up a brochure. “Chapels.” He held up a catalog. “Invitations and tablecloths.” Jinx let the stack of papers fall to the floor. “There’s so much shit to plan.”
A laugh vibrated in Hudson’s throat. “You called planning a wedding shit twice in one rant. I have a feeling we should elope.”
“Thank you,” Jinx said, sounding like a weight lifted from his chest. “I didn’t want to be the one to say it, but I agree. Let’s just go to Vegas or Aspen or wherever people go to get married. That way, we don’t have to plan or wait or make nice with people who don’t give a shit about us anyhow.”
Hudson couldn’t stop smiling. There was nothing he wanted more than to call Jinx his husband. He wanted to be settled into their new life and titles. That way, if he ever lost his battle against his mind, Jinx would get everything Hudson owned. Hudson wanted him to be set.
“With that settled, where do you want to honeymoon?”
With a loud groan, Jinx threw himself backwards across the couch in full dramatics. Hudson laughed as he stole his chance to pounce. He swapped between tickling Jinx and kissing him. Laughter filled the room, giving Hudson hope and light where there used to be none.
“Hey, Jinx. Cooper is here to see you.”
Hudson scrambled away and helped Jinx sit up before looking Tito’s way. “I finally get to meet the infamous Cooper.” Jinx had told Hudson all about the teen and his antics.
A blond head poked around Tito’s body, making Hudson realize the tiny teen was hidden by Tito’s large frame.
“Hi. Holy shit. It really is Hudson Vincent.”
Hudson tried not to laugh. Cooper’s reaction was a familiar one, but Hudson wasn’t used to hearing it inside his home.
“Yay. It’s Cooper,” Jinx said, bounding to his feet. He crossed the room and pulled Cooper from his hiding spot. They were close to the same size, except Cooper looked malnourished. Jinx hugged him before dragging him across the room to sit with them. Hudson noticed Tito didn’t leave them alone. He found it odd that Tito felt he needed to stay to protect Hudson from Jinx’s friend.
“You left me,” Cooper said the moment he was settled.
Jinx’s shoulders fell. “I’m so sorry. Things got kind of
