Not saying a word when I set the song to repeat, Liesl sat next to me and pulled me to her shoulder.

“Liesl, I don’t care anymore,” I sobbed into her shirt. “Even if I shouldn’t be with him, I can’t live without him. He makes me feel better about me. I don’t care anymore about what he did in the past. I only care that he’s around in my future.”

She rocked me back and forth. “No one’s telling you what you should or shouldn’t do here. Either way, you got my support.”

“Good, because I think I’m going to give him another chance.” I wasn’t quite sure what that chance would be yet—dinner? A date? Lots of dates?

That was a decision for tomorrow.

* * *

Though I didn’t have a lot to pack up from the penthouse, I wanted to get started on it early enough in the day that we’d be long gone before Hudson arrived home from work. Getting Liesl anywhere before noon, however, proved difficult.

“Maybe I could join you later,” she said, burying her head in her pillow at my first attempt to drag her out of bed.

“But I need you the whole time,” I whined. “Please?”

The pleading worked, but she tried again to get out of going as we were getting in the cab. Then at The Bowery, she suggested that she make a coffee run and join me later.

“There’s a beautiful Keurig inside. Best coffee ever. I’ll make you as many mugs as you want.” Maybe Liesl wasn’t really big on packing.

“Fine.”

It was much easier to go inside the building with Liesl along. As we went up in the elevator, I wrapped my arm around hers, grateful for the support. Though I hadn’t been living there for two weeks, moving out was big. It reeked of finality. And with my recent decision to let Hudson back in my life in some way, I wasn’t quite looking for finality. I needed Liesl to talk me out of anything stupid.

Like deciding to leave my stuff there and not move out.

When the door opened to the apartment, I waited for Liesl to step out first. She didn’t move so I went ahead of her. I turned around and put my hand on the side to keep the elevator open. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Uh…” her eyes grew wide. Then she pushed my arm out of the door and pressed a button on the call panel. “Don’t hate me!” she called as the doors shut.

What the fuck? I heaved a frustrated air of breath out of my lungs and closed my eyes. Either Liesl had somewhere else she wanted to be or she had something up her sleeve. And if it was the latter, there was no doubt Hudson was involved.

Might as well find out what was up.

I opened my eyes and peered around the corner of the foyer toward the living area. It was empty. Not just empty as in no Hudson, but empty as in no furniture. None. I wandered into the room to be sure I wasn’t going crazy.

Well, if I were going crazy, the delusion I was having was of an apartment with no furniture. I glanced at the dining room. Also empty. Strangely, the place didn’t feel any more cold and lonely than it had when I’d been there the last time. But the emptiness put me off. I couldn’t understand what it meant. Was my stuff gone as well?

I backtracked and pushed the door open to the library. This room was only mostly empty. The sofa and desk and all the rest of the furniture were gone, but the shelves still contained all my books and movies. The books I’d pulled that Celia had marked were gone from the floor, but several boxes were stacked against the wall.

I walked toward the stack, intending to peek in and see if the books were there, but it was sealed.

“Those are new books.”

Ah, there he is.

I turned slightly to find Hudson leaning in the doorframe. Again he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Dammit, he hadn’t even planned on going to work if he was dressed like that. And he looked extra yummy. Somehow he had arranged that as well, I was sure of it.

He nodded again at the box I was still touching. “They’re for you. To replace the ones that had been damaged.”

“Oh,” I said. Then I frowned.

“What is it?”

“I have nowhere to put all these.” I hadn’t intended to take them. They were beautiful and I loved them, but in New York City, that many books were a luxury.

He sighed softly and I could tell the rejection of his gift hurt, no matter what the reason. But all he said was, “I’ll keep them for as long as you want me to.”

“Thank you.” I caught myself scanning his body. It was impossible not to. He was so good-looking, and I missed him so much. Though I’d planned my move on a day that he wouldn’t be around, I was happy to see him. Elated, actually.

I wondered if he could see that in my smile. “I didn’t expect you to be here.” I’m so glad you are.

“You didn’t say I couldn’t be.”

“It was implied,” I teased.

He caught my eyes with his. “You don’t seem that horribly pissed to see me.”

God, the butterflies were stirring in my belly. Not the tug of fixation that used to make me act crazy, but the twitters I felt only with Hudson. It had confused me when I first felt it those months ago, but now I recognized it for what it was—a combination of nerves and excitement and attraction and anticipation. It was such a gloriously delicious feeling.

Surprisingly, it eclipsed the still fresh wounds from his betrayal.

Still, I was scared. And I didn’t know what he was up to. His stuff was gone from the apartment. I didn’t like what that had to mean. What did it mean? “Where is everything?”

His lips drew tight. “Your stuff is still all here.”

“But where’s your stuff?”

With another deep breath, he threw his eyes to the window then brought them back to me. “I can’t live here without you, Alayna.”

“So you’re moving out?” I didn’t know how I felt about that.

Strike that, I did know. I didn’t like it. At all. The penthouse was where our real relationship had taken place. I hated the idea of someone else being in our space.

And Hudson moving out because I wasn’t there—that meant he didn’t really believe I’d ever be back.

I was too late. He was giving up on me.

But his next words tossed everything up in the air again. “Actually, I hope I’m moving in.”

The twists and turns of this interaction had me flustered and on edge. I had to call an emotional timeout before I broke down. “H, you confuse me enough without you trying to be confusing. Could you say something I can understand?”

“I confuse you?” His eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

“Is this a surprise?”

He shrugged.

“So you’re moving in?” I prompted. Dammit, why did he have to be so difficult?

Seeming to sense I was on my last nerve, he answered. “One day. I hope.” He rubbed his lips together—ah, I missed those sweet lips. “But for now, I want you to live here.”

“What?” One day a proposal, another live in my million dollar penthouse without me. The man certainly knew how to keep me on my toes.

He also had no idea what I really wanted or needed from him.

Hudson’s expression grew serious again. “I can’t live here without you, precious.” His words were soft and low, but I could hear him clearly. “But I don’t want to sell it, because I love being here with you. Someday, you and I will be here again. While I’m waiting for you—scratch that—while I’m groveling for your forgiveness, it’s a shame to let it sit empty. You and Liesl should move in.”

“I can’t accept that, H.” My eyes felt watery. But at least he’d said he wasn’t giving up on me.

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” He sighed, giving up much more easily than was characteristic. “Then it will have to sit.”

I bit back the urge to say we could live here together and offered instead, “You could rent it out.”

His brows rose. “I could rent it out to you.”

I laughed.

“Best rent in town—only cost you a weekly dinner with the landlord.”

“Stop it.” I was still smiling.

“Biweekly then. I’m not above bargaining.”

“Hudson.” He had no idea that he already had me sold. Not on moving in, but on the dates.

“Fine, monthly. I’ll take whatever scraps you’re willing to give me.” He studied me. “You’re considering giving me scraps now, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.” How did he read me so easily? And why was it so easy to be with him when he’d hurt me so deeply?

The question scared me, so I skirted the issue. “Seriously, though, where’s all your stuff? Did you get another place?” All his furniture wouldn’t fit in the loft.

He shook his head. “I gave it all to a charity fundraiser.”

“Lifestyles of the rich and famous.” Though I couldn’t say I’d miss any of it. It was beautiful furniture, but Celia had chosen it all. I was quite happy with the thought of the less fortunate benefitting from it.

It seemed Hudson felt the same. “I wasn’t attached to any of it.” He straightened and walked into the room, gesturing to the empty space. “This entire apartment was perfectly designed to my tastes and style, but it never felt like a home.” He stopped a couple feet from me. “Not until you, Alayna. You made it come alive. The things that were here—they were chosen for me by someone I want completely removed from my life. Right now, the things here are the only things that made this house a place I’d want to live. Your things. You.”

“I…” My throat was too tight to speak.

“And when I move back in, we can refurnish this place from scratch. Together. You and I.”

I took in a shuddering breath. “You’re so sure that one day I’ll take you back.” The outlook was getting better and better.

“I’m hopeful.” He smiled mischievously. “Would you like to see how hopeful I am?”