Falling For the Millionaire Read online

  “Mr. C., you should listen to your son. Ms. Elizabeth is one smart lady.” Sarah turned back to the stove.

  A frown knitting his brow, H.P. glanced at her. Hudson held his breath, waiting for his father to boom out his disapproval. Instead, he set down his spoon and eyed Hudson. “You can’t use these women to persuade me to turn things over to Elizabeth. You’re a Conrick son, and you will run the company when I retire. However, I’ll let you see what you can do with the construction division, but I’ll reevaluate things in six months.”

  “Thanks, Dad. You won’t be disappointed.” Frustrated that he couldn’t change his father’s mind, Hudson had to make do with whatever opportunity he was offered for now.

  * * *

  “The bid from Conrick Construction wins my vote.”

  Melody’s heart sank as Bob Franklin, chairman of the board for The Village, voiced his opinion. After their detailed discussion of each bid, how could she disagree with the three men who sat around the table with her?

  “What do you think, Melody?” Ian raised his eyebrows as he looked her way.

  Melody sighed. “I concur. They’ve given us the best bid.”

  “It’s a good choice.” Adam nodded. “I was impressed when Mr. Conrick and Mr. Duncan came out to view the building. I believe we’ll be happy with this choice.”

  A murmur of agreement went around the table as Melody resigned herself to working with Hudson. She’d prayed that God would lead the group to make the wisest decision, even if it meant hiring Hudson’s company. She hoped he would honor her wishes and not push for another date, especially now that they would be associates on this project. As the head of Conrick Construction, how much would Hudson be involved with the day-to-day activities? She could hope not much, but something told her the chances were slim.

  “Looks as though you have a phone call to make, Melody.” Adam stood and pushed in his chair.

  She grabbed her satchel from the floor. “After we have a signed contract bond, I’ll send an email to everyone with a full report.”

  “Good job today.” Bob Franklin shook hands with everyone, then accompanied Melody to the door and opened it for her. “I’ll be looking for that report. Thanks.”

  She nodded and slipped down the hall to her office. Once inside, she leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. Now she had to call Hudson. With a heavy sigh, she made her way across the room and plopped onto her chair as she put her satchel on the desk. She extracted her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she came to his name.

  She stared at the screen, willing herself to dial the number, but she couldn’t do it yet. Instead, she bowed her head. She needed strength in order to make this call and not come across in a negative manner. This project was important to a lot of women who needed a safe place, and she couldn’t let personal feelings jeopardize it in any way. Lord, please give me wisdom where Hudson Conrick is concerned. Please provide me peace for this situation. Let me have a loving heart for all concerned.

  Taking a deep breath, Melody tapped the screen. The phone began to ring while her heart raced.

  “Hudson Conrick.”

  His deep voice made Melody’s heart beat even faster. “Hello, Mr. Conrick. This is Melody Hammond from The Village. I’m calling to let you know that we’ve decided to award Conrick Construction the contract for the women’s shelter.”

  “That’s great news! I’m looking forward to working with you on this very worthy project.”

  Melody wished she could say, “me, too,” but it would be a lie. “Ian has prepared a contract bond for you or a representative from the company to sign.”

  “When would be a good time for me to meet with you?”

  “Contact Ian. He’s in charge of contracts.”

  “I will.”

  “When do you plan to start the work?” Melody wanted to prepare herself for Hudson’s presence on campus.

  “I hope to sign the contract today, and we’ll get started as soon as the permits are in place.”

  “Good. So we’ll talk after everything’s ready.” Melody ended the call, already eager for him to finish, so she wouldn’t have to deal with him. But this was her project and she would see it through. She’d already spent a sleepless night thinking about today’s decision. Now it was done.

  She walked to the window and stared out at the quad. The sun glinted off the water cascading in the fountain. Bare-branched trees lifted their limbs into the blue sky. The mild winter weather reminded her of the night she’d gone out with Hudson. She couldn’t deny that she’d enjoyed the evening. It would be so easy to accept another date with him, but she couldn’t let herself get tangled up with a man who liked to take chances, or a wealthy man who used his money and influence to get what he wanted.

  Hudson was every bit that person.

  But she knew she wasn’t being fair to him. She couldn’t go into the project with a negative attitude. Prayer. That was what she needed again. It had helped her through the phone conversation. It would help her again while she worked with him.

  Lord, help me to see Hudson through Your eyes and not my own. Help us to have a good working relationship so this project can move forward in a way that is pleasing to You.

  When she raised her head, she tried to analyze why she was on pins and needles. The answer wasn’t hard to find. Hudson represented a temptation she wasn’t sure she could resist, despite her fears. She would be strong and determined. She wouldn’t succumb to his appeals no matter how attractive. Now she had things to do and didn’t have time to worry about Hudson’s presence on campus.

  An hour later, completely absorbed in her paperwork, Melody jumped when a knock sounded on the door. “Come in.”

  Ian poked his head around the door. “I need a witness while Hudson signs the papers.”

  “Sure.” Melody moved with deliberate slowness as she prepared to meet Hudson. When she walked into Ian’s office, her calm preparation fled. Hudson’s handsome face and lazy smile made her pulse thunder just like the night of their date.

  “Hello, Melody.”

  She took a deep breath. “You got here quickly.”

  “Would I be in trouble if I told you I was in a hurry to see you?”

  “You would probably be better off if you told me you were in a hurry to sign the contract bond.”

  His smile spread into a grin. “That, too.”

  Not daring to look at Ian, Melody headed toward her desk and wondered what he thought of Hudson’s comments. “Okay. I’m ready to witness.”

  Hudson looked so at ease, and she was tied in knots for no reason at all—at least, any reason that made sense. Why was she letting him make her so nervous?

  In a matter of minutes he’d put his signature on the front page and initialed the remaining ones. She signed, and Ian put his notary seal on the document.

  “We’re official.” Ian shook hands with Hudson. “Congratulations again.”

  Ian pulled his cell phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. “It’s almost time for lunch. Join me, and we can discuss the Valentine banquet.”

  “Sounds good.” Hudson glanced in her direction. “You’ll be coming, too, won’t you?”

  Melody let the invitation roll through her mind. She would look bad if she declined. She couldn’t avoid interacting with Hudson in the days to come, so she might as well get used to having him around. Thankfully today Ian would act as a buffer. “Certainly. Let me get my purse and jacket in my office.”

  As Melody met the two men in the hallway, she said another prayer for peace of mind. When she looked up, Hudson was smiling at her as if he knew this lunch meeting wasn’t to her liking. Or was that her imagination? The future was going to be filled with a lot of prayer if today was any indication. “I’m ready.”

  Hudson fell into step bes
ide her as she headed for the door. “Are you a runner?”

  “No. Why do you ask?” She scooted through the door he held open.

  “You’re always in a hurry.” He gave her a wry smile.

  “I’m usually racing from one part of the campus to another. So I tend to walk fast.”

  “Yeah, I can hardly keep up with her.” Ian chuckled. “Lovie’s nicknamed her the Roadrunner.”

  “Do you like hiking?” Hudson asked.

  “I’ve never hiked.”

  “You should try it.”

  “No time. We’ve got a women’s shelter to build.” Melody wondered whether Hudson was trying to draw her into some group activity that she couldn’t bow out of gracefully. She kept hearing his words. I won’t press you anymore tonight, but you haven’t heard the last of me, Ms. Hammond. He was true to his word. Could she be true to hers? Hudson pointed toward the fountain as they walked by it. “What’s the deal with the green water and balloons?”

  “We have a sponsor for the fountain today.” Melody stopped and looked up at the purple balloons waving in the breeze.

  “What does that mean?” Hudson asked.

  “Last year when The Village was in financial distress, we decided to offer people the opportunity to make a donation in order to decorate the fountain for a special occasion.” Melody started walking again. “Today’s sponsor is Brady Hewitt. You met him at the fund-raiser. He’s engaged to Adam’s daughter, Kirsten.”

  Hudson nodded. “I remember them.”

  “It’s his grandmother’s birthday. She’s a resident in the assisted living facility, and she loves green and lavender.”

  Opening the door to the senior center, Ian eyed Hudson. “You should get to know Brady. You two have a few things in common. He was in the army and is a big car buff.”

  “Yeah, good to know another army guy. I could arrange a guys’ night out—maybe a Hawks game.”

  Ian nodded. “I could go for that.”

  Melody took in the men’s conversation with interest. Ian treated Hudson like any other guy he knew—not like someone who came from wealth and privilege. She ought to take a lesson from her friend and remember that God looked at the heart, not on the outward appearance or one’s bank account.

  “So I could sponsor this fountain if I wanted to?” Hudson looked her way, a twinkle in his eyes, as they made their way to the registration desk.

  “Sure. Make a donation and one of the maintenance staff will decorate the fountain per your instructions.” Melody refused to speculate about Hudson’s thoughts. “You have something in mind?”

  “I might. I’ll think about it.”

  After the threesome signed in, they made their way through the cafeteria line, the two guys talking about cars and sports. When they reached the table, Hudson set his tray down, then pulled out a chair for her and helped her out of her jacket. Was he working to impress her? No. She already knew the answer.

  He was a gentleman. She’d seen the evidence during their date. He didn’t have to impress anyone. When he walked into a room, people took notice. The cafeteria ladies couldn’t wait to serve him. Even the senior ladies smiled at him as he went by. Well, he could bask in the admiration of those other women. He didn’t need hers.

  “When do you plan to start the work?” Ian put his plate on the table.

  “Carter’s working on the permits.” Hudson turned to Melody. “Would you like me to give thanks?”

  “Go ahead.” Melody bowed her head.

  As soon as he finished the prayer, he looked up at her. “I’d like to have you show me that construction entrance before I leave if you have time.”

  “I can do that after lunch.” Melody wasn’t sure she was dressed for the trek to their emergency gate, but she would make the best of it. She wished she could push the job off on Ian, but he had a client coming after lunch.

  “Great. If you have time, you could show me the rest of the campus, too.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Ian took a bite of his burger.

  “One campus tour coming right up.” Melody produced another smile that she was sure didn’t disguise her displeasure at Ian’s suggestion. Was he trying to push Hudson and her together? The answer was obvious. She should be used to this scenario by now. For the past two years, everyone on campus had been trying to match her up with every single guy they encountered. She thought if she agreed to these dates that people would quit finding them for her, but things had only gotten worse.

  “Great.” Hudson smiled. “I’m eager to get this project started. We’re using a lot of veterans on the crew. Too many of them get out of the service and can’t find good-paying jobs. So I want to help.”

  “How were you able to arrange this when you’ve been out of the country?” Ian asked.

  “The construction division of Conrick Industries has always been where my heart lies. I’ve kept in touch with Carter, especially when I became aware of guys and gals coming home and not being able to find decent wages. I wanted him to hire as many of them as he could. It’s been a bonus for both of us.”

  Melody digested Hudson’s statement. He sounded more and more like a regular guy instead of an heir to a multimillion-dollar fortune. Had she been looking at him with a jaundiced eye? Yeah, but she’d seen how folks with money could pretend to be your friend, then stab you in the back. Her prior experiences made her wary, but she knew she shouldn’t paint Hudson with the same broad brush.

  Throughout the rest of the meal, the men fell into a discussion about Hudson’s plans to take over Conrick Construction. Would she see him out in a hard hat, or would he sit back in a cushy office and give orders? Instinct told her he wouldn’t be sitting behind a desk. When Hudson glanced her way, she didn’t have to guess why he’d insisted she come along. He wanted her to know his plans.

  She did. She would meet him coming and going for the foreseeable future. And he wasn’t about to let her forget that date he wanted.

  Chapter Four

  Hudson joined Ian as he cleared his dishes from the table. “We got sidetracked talking about other things and never did discuss what I can do for the Valentine banquet.”

  Nodding, Ian chuckled. “We certainly did. Stop by my office after your tour, and we’ll talk about it. I should be through with my client by then.”

  “Thanks. I will.” They shook hands, then Hudson turned to Melody as Ian headed toward the door. “Ready?”

  Melody gazed up at him, her face an emotionless mask. He liked it better when he could read her expression. Her quietness during lunch signaled her reluctance for this task. What could he do to put her at ease?

  She waved her arm in a sweeping gesture. “Since you’ve seen the senior center, women’s shelter and the administration offices, where would you like to start?”

  “I’ll let you lead the way.” Hudson motioned for her to go ahead.

  She grabbed her jacket and folded it over her arm. “I hope you’re ready for some walking. We’re going to cover a lot of territory.”

  “And at a fast clip.”

  She turned to him with an annoyed look. “If you want a tour, you must keep up with the tour guide.”

  “Do I dare call you Ms. Roadrunner?” Hudson chuckled.

  “Not if you want a tour.” Melody pressed her lips together, but she couldn’t hold back the smile that put a tiny curve on her pretty mouth.

  “Okay, I’ll behave.”

  “We’ll start with the nursing home down this corridor.” Melody forged ahead.

  Smiling to himself, Hudson hurried to match her steps. She made quick work of the nursing home tour as she introduced him to several nurses and aides and reintroduced him to Brady Hewitt and Kirsten Bailey.

  She then raced by the women’s shelter until they came to two cul-de-sacs where a dozen mod
est houses sat. “These are our children’s homes. Each one has room for six children and their house parents. On the weekends, it’s not unusual to see kids running all over the quad while they play some kind of ball game. They often visit the residents in our senior center. The older folks love that, and the kids do, too.”

  “I’m sure they do. Every kid needs an older person as a friend.” Their talk triggered memories of his maternal grandparents, Memaw and Papaw, and Sunday afternoons at their house—the fun and love—the big lawn where they’d played games. He shook the recollections away. He had to concentrate on one Melody Hammond and what she had to say.

  “That’s the beauty of this place. The kids have built-in grandparents. We definitely encourage it.” Melody hurried ahead but stopped when she reached the fountain. “This is one of my favorite spots on campus.”

  “I can see why. The sound of the water is joyful like the events these decorations celebrate.” Hudson tugged on one of the cords tying a balloon to the fountain, making it bob up and down.

  Melody gave him a curious glance. “That’s something I wouldn’t expect to hear from you.”

  Hudson shrugged. “Why? I can be a sentimental guy.”

  “Somehow that doesn’t fit a man who likes to race cars and jump out of planes.” She didn’t wait for his response but pointed toward the far end of the quad. “My other favorite spot is the Chapel Church.”

  “I can guess which building that is. That’s one impressive steeple. Does it have a bell?”

  “It does.” Melody gave him an impish grin. “If you’re really good, I’ll take you up and let you look at it. There’s a marvelous view of the campus from up there.”

  “What exactly constitutes really good?” Hudson raised his eyebrows.

  She crossed her arms and stared at him. “Not asking the tour guide questions she can’t answer.”

  Hudson laughed. “I’ll try not to.”

  “Good. Then, you’ll see something lots of folks never see.”