Uniting the Souls (Souls of Chicago #6)(10)

Startled by the direction my thoughts had taken, I jumped to my feet and thrust my hand out for Hudson to shake, welcoming him to the staff. I knew my words and actions had been abrupt, but I needed to end the meeting and get them out of my office. Hudson had slid his large hand around my own and I’d felt the same sharp surge of electricity that I’d felt the last time we’d touched and I pulled back, cursing my body and my thoughts for betraying me. How could I be feeling these things and why were my reactions the same for both of the men standing in front of me?

I’d tried my best to dive back into my work and had been somewhat successful until the sound of the kids had distracted me. After that, it had been a lost cause. No matter how hard I tried to shut them out, my thoughts always returned to Isaac and Hudson and those damn images of the three of us together that refused to give me peace.

I rubbed at my tired eyes and glanced at my watch, surprised to see how late it had gotten. As I’d been sitting there, lost in my thoughts, the hours had slowly drifted away. With a sigh, I shut off my computer and pushed my chair from my desk. My back ached from sitting hunched over my desk for too long and I decided that a run was what I needed to ease the tension in my body and to clear my head.

Grabbing my car keys and the beat-up leather briefcase that went everywhere with me, I made my way down the hallway, relieved when I saw the light off in Isaac’s office which told me that he’d already left for the evening. I found myself wondering where he lived, what his home looked like and if it was as warm and cheerful as the man who lived there.

I drove to my house quickly and changed into my running gear then set off out the door, trying to ignore the empty look of the place with its stark white walls and minimal furniture and noting the difference between my place and what I had envisioned Isaac’s home to look like.

I ran for nearly an hour, letting everything else go as I concentrated on the steady thumping of my feet as they hit the pavement. I’d always loved running and found it very therapeutic when my mind got too full of stuff. Feeling more centered, I returned home and took a quick shower, scrubbing the sweat from my body and letting the hot water relax my tired muscles.

I finished my shower and began toweling off as I tried to remember if I had anything in my kitchen to eat, but then a yawn hit me and I decided I didn’t have the energy to mess with cooking. I brushed my teeth then walked to my room and pulled the covers back from the bed. I climbed between the sheets without bothering to put anything on and reached for my phone, putting it on the charger and setting the alarm for six a.m.

Then, I reached for the framed photo I kept next to my bed and pulled it towards me. I settled against the pillows as my finger traced the figure in the picture. I said a few words, as I did every night, and then laid the photo next to me on the pillow and turned on my side to face it as I drifted off to sleep.





I stared out the window, my favorite song playing through my earbuds, as I rode the train to work. My mind began to wander and I wasn’t surprised at all with where it ended up. It was the same place my thoughts always went these days—Matt and Hudson.

My mind had been swirling ever since Hudson had shown up at the center, looking to volunteer. I was confident that his working there would be a good thing for the kids, but I’d wondered what it would mean for Matt and me. Hudson had boldly stated that he wanted us both to know he was single, but what did that mean? He’d shown interest in both of us, but did he want to date each of us before choosing which one he liked best?

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. On one hand, I was very flattered that he would show any interest in me at all. After all, Hudson was a gorgeous, intelligent, and successful doctor; what could someone like me possibly have to offer him? On the other hand, I didn’t particularly like the idea of him and Matt going off together. The question was, was it because I wanted Hudson for myself or because of my feelings for Matt? The whole thing was very confusing and I never seemed to be able to come up with an answer.

Hudson had been working at the center for a couple of weeks and already he was having a positive impact on those around him. The kids were wary of him when we first introduced him to the group and told them that he was there to offer counseling. Most of them shied away from adults in general, but particularly those who wanted to pry into their pasts. I understood their reluctance to talk about it. Sometimes it was just easier to push the painful things that had happened out of your mind and try to move on.

I’d found myself observing Hudson as he interacted with the kids and I’d been amazed at his gentle, laid-back attitude. Instead of scheduling times to meet with each teen, he’d simply hung a dry-erase calendar on his office door, giving them the choice of when or if they wanted to talk with him.

Hudson seemed happy enough just hanging out with them, offering to help with their homework and playing basketball with them in the center’s gymnasium. He joked around with them and I found myself smiling when I’d hear his boisterous laugh ringing out. It didn’t take long before the kids were teasing him back and I noticed as names slowly began to appear on his calendar.

The kids weren’t the only ones being affected by Hudson’s presence though. I’d caught Matt staring at the handsome man on several occasions when he didn’t know I was watching. At first his looks were as wary as the kids’ and I knew that he was watching how things unfolded, making sure he’d made the right decision for the teens in his care. As he saw them opening up to Hudson, the look in Matt’s eyes began to change to one of appreciation.