Hudson nodded. “She said she thinks that you have ... feelings.” He took a deep breath. “For me,” he concluded.

He watched as the color drained from Ben’s face. Ben scratched his forehead. “Why would she ...” He wasn’t looking at Hudson. “Why would she say something like that?” He seemed to be speaking to himself.

“I told her it was ridiculous,” Hudson said.

Ben finally looked at him. His face was blank, as if, not knowing how to respond, his muscles had simply frozen in place. He seemed to be waiting for Hudson to continue.

“But maybe it isn’t,” said Hudson.

Ben played with the papers on his desk, saying nothing.

“Ben,” Hudson said, and Ben stopped fiddling with the papers. He looked at Hudson. “Do you understand what I’m saying?” Hudson asked him.

“Not entirely, no,” Ben said. “But I think I have some idea.”

“At first I thought she was just trying to make me angry,” Hudson said. “I didn’t want her to do the same thing to you, so I left. I figured all she wanted was for me to be out of the way. I certainly never thought that you might ...” He stopped again. No matter how he ended the sentence, he knew it was going to put Ben in an even more awkward position. Instead he asked, “Are you all right?”

Ben nodded. “She said that?” he asked again.

“She did,” Hudson confirmed. “And I’m not sure she was wrong.”

“I can’t talk about this right now,” Ben said suddenly. “I have a meeting. I have to prepare. I ...” He looked at Hudson with an expression of such total confusion that Hudson stood up. He leaned across the desk and put his hand on Ben’s.

Ben pulled away. Hudson, startled, stepped back. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“We can talk about this later,” said Ben.

“All right,” Hudson said. “How about tonight? I could come over.”

“That would be fine,” Ben said mechanically.

“I’ll come by around seven,” said Hudson, and Ben nodded. Hudson waited, then asked, “You’re sure you’re all right?”

“I’m sure,” Ben answered. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Hudson left his office, shutting the door behind him. As he walked out, he passed Angela coming in the opposite direction. “You’d better not have distracted him,” she said reprovingly. “I need him fully functioning this afternoon.”

“Good luck with that,” Hudson said under his breath, replying afterward with, “You know he’ll come through.”

As he walked back toward Cannery Row, he felt none of the relief he’d hoped to get from talking to Ben. Instead, he felt even more anxious. From Ben’s reaction, he guessed that the idea that there might be something between them had come as a total shock. Clearly, it had never occurred to him. Or, if it had, he had already dismissed it as an impossibility.