𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕠𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕌𝕤

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪 | ʜᴜʀʀɪᴄᴀɴᴇ

Hudson

As I pulled into the driveway of Jerry Romano's repair shop, my heart pounded in my chest like a drumbeat, and the nervous rhythm wouldn't let up.

The neatly wrapped plant pot sat in the passenger seat, looking harmless enough, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into a lion's den. I took a deep breath, grabbed the ceramic pot, and stepped out of the car.

The sun was blazing down, making the air feel heavy and thick. Colton had told me not to worry, that everything would be fine, but now that I was here, standing on the threshold of Jerry's imposing shop... I wasn't so sure.

I knocked on the side office where he always worked, the sound echoing in the quiet of the early morning. Moments later, the office door swung open, and there he was-towering and stern, smelling like grease, his tattooed arms already dirty despite probably having gotten to work only an hour ago.

His presence was immediately intimidating.

His sharp eyes flicked down to the plant pot in my hands, then back up to meet mine.

"Hudson," he greeted me with a nod, his tone neutral, giving nothing away.

"Mr. Romano, hi," I stammered, holding up the plant pot like a peace offering. "I, uh, brought this for you. It's a small token of appreciation... and, um, a gesture to show that I'm serious about Colton. It's for your shop."

Jerry's gaze shifted back to the pot, his expression unreadable.

He stepped aside, motioning for me to come in.

I swallowed hard and entered, the cool air inside the office doing little to calm my nerves.

The office was as imposing as the man himself-tasteful, but with a distinct sense of order and control... I placed the large plant pot on a table, trying to ignore the way my hands trembled slightly. I had done hard things, I'd been brave plenty of times already thanks to Colton, but this was still hard for me to do without wanting to run in the other direction with my tail between my legs.

Before I could say anything else, Chuck appeared from the adjacent room, wiping his hands off on a rag. He gave me a tight nod, and I offered a weak smile in return.

"What's this?" Jerry finally spoke, his voice cutting through the silence as he eyed the plant pot with mild curiosity.

"It's a collection of succulents," I explained, trying to sound confident. "I researched the best ones that would thrive in your shop environment-something low maintenance but with a bit of character... Some of these are rare, too. I thought it might brighten up your space."

Jerry raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting from the pot to me. "And you thought this would... what, impress me?"

My mouth went dry. "No, sir, I-"

Jerry waved a hand, cutting me off. "I don't need impressing, Hudson. What I need is to know that my son is making smart decisions."

The words hung in the air, heavy and uncomfortable. I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. What could I say that wouldn't make things worse?

Chuck cleared his throat, stepping forward into the office and throwing the rag over his shoulder. "Hey, Jerry, it's just a plant. Don't read too much into it."

Jerry shot him a glare. "I'm not reading into anything, Chuck. I'm stating a fact."

There was an awkward silence, one that felt like it stretched on forever. My stomach churned, and I wished more than anything that I could disappear into thin air.