Chapter 7
Seven
“Good shift today, sugar. I appreciate you taking over for Dawn again.” Jessie’s mom smiled as she opened the pie display and began shuffling around what was currently available.
“I feel like we can just figure on one of her kiddos being down for the count this entire winter, Dolly.”
Adrienne had a point, but Jessie still cringed. She couldn’t imagine how stressed Dawn was with her kids constantly being sick.
“It’s fine, Ma. I don’t mind covering for her where I can. I’m just glad it’s not a class night.”
“I won’t let you fall behind in those! That degree is going to be your ticket to taking this place to the next level once I leave. Or, at the very least, keeping it running.”
Jessie wanted to sit in the corner and scream, but the pride in her mom’s eyes had her smiling as she grabbed the last of the dirty plates and walked them back into the kitchen.
“Here, let me take those,” Duke said. “I’ve only got a few more minutes until I’m all done here anyway.”
“Thanks.”
Jessie grabbed another bucket of silverware that needed to be rolled in napkins before she could call it a night.
“How many more weeks of night classes do you have?” Dolly asked as she came back out into the diner. Jessie heaved the container up onto the counter top before she plopped into a tall chair.
“They just started back up, Mom. I think ten, and then there is the final week where all the projects are due.”
“And it’s three classes a week, right? You need all those nights off?”
There was the guilt, flooding through her veins right on schedule. She wasn’t even interested in the classes. But Jessie knew it was better to have the degree when she took over the diner, and that was all really important to her parents. “I’m sorry. I know it’s going to be a stretch.”
“Actually, the Murray twins were in here this afternoon asking for hours. They’re seniors this year, can you believe it?
Saving up for a car to head off to college with in the fall.
I told them I’d look at the schedule.” Dolly’s eyes dropped to the paper in front of her on the counter.
“But if you’re going to be off all those nights, I don’t know who I’m going to schedule them with. ”
“I’ll take the closing shift, Dolly.” Adrienne smiled as she continued to fold silverware into napkins at the counter.
“What?” Jessie scoffed. “Since when do you like closing shifts?”
“Eh, I’d rather have my mornings free.” She shrugged. “I kind of like being a night owl. Besides, I’m seeing a new guy and he doesn’t get off work until late at night, so he can come pick me up.”
“Well, that’s that then,” Dolly laughed. “This college degree is a big deal, Jessica. I’m so proud of you. You know all of us are.”
Jessie turned, waving a set of cutlery at her friend. “Don’t think I’m just going to let that ‘boyfriend’ comment fly by under the radar. I know I’ve been busy, but I need the details. Right. Now.”
Hawk watched Jessie from the sidewalk. Probably a little creepy—he fully admitted—which is why he wouldn’t delay his entrance for too long.
But he couldn’t help himself. There was just this raw gut feeling that she would mask how she was feeling the second he walked in.
He needed a glimpse at the real Jessie for a moment.
Then he’d know how to step up. How to help.
It’d been like that for days. She wouldn’t say yes to a date, and he got it.
She was exhausted and working so fucking hard when she should be resting, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get creative with spending time with her.
Closing shift at Dolly’s was quickly becoming his favorite time of the day. Well, night, actually.
She sprayed some cleaner on the table in front of her and started swiping large circles over the top with the cleaning rag in her hand.
Her face was still so damn pale, and the way her body sagged screamed of her exhaustion.
Not waiting another second, Hawk strolled up to the door and into the diner.
“Hey.” Jessie smiled as he walked up to her. “What are you—”
Hawk took the bottle and cloth out of her hands and smiled as he pressed a kiss into her hair. “Hey, mama,” he whispered. “Go sit and enjoy the show.”
“Hawk.”
“I saw you glancing out the window waiting for me. Go. I’ll take care of all this now. Tell me about your day.” He smiled over his shoulder. “How did you feel? Did you remember to eat small meals?”
She crossed her arms and huffed as she sank down in the booth. “How could I not with all those texts from you?”
“Oh, so you did see them?”
He saw the lightest hint of pink dust her cheeks. “I did. I’m sorry I didn’t reply. It was busy.”
He nodded, spritzing the cleaner over the dirty booth. God, how the hell did people let ketchup get all over the place while they ate and never think to wipe it up before leaving?
“How was your nausea?”
She shrugged her shoulders. And he knew what that meant without her even having to say it out loud.
“Did you get sick today?”
“Yeah.” Her lip went between her teeth and her eyes drifted out the front window of the diner. “Lach asked me if I wanted fried fish for lunch. It didn’t go well.”
“Shit,” he cringed.
“I kind of spilled the baby beans to him.”
Hawk stopped wiping down the table. He tossed the rag down next to the cleaner and made his way over to her. It only took a second to sit down in the chair, pulling hers out and turning it, so that they were sitting knee to knee.
“Are you okay? I know you didn’t want to tell anyone yet.”
She nodded, her fingers coming up to massage her temple. “I love all my brothers, but Lach and I have always been the closest. Growing up, he was the one brother I could count on not to tattle on me. And I never ratted him out either.”
Hawk sat back. “So, Lach knows now.”
“But he doesn’t know…” She went back to nibbling on her lip.
“What?”
“That you’re… that it’s yours. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me saying anything yet, and I didn’t want him doing anything silly, like trying to defend my honor.”
Hawk stood, grabbing the cleaning cloth before tossing it over his shoulder as he rested his hip against the nearest booth. “Jess, I’m fucking thrilled that the baby is mine. Don’t doubt that for a second. Tell Lach. Tell your whole family. I’m ready to shout it out in front of the whole town.”
She wrapped her arms around her stomach and groaned. “God, no.”
He smiled, turning back to the table to clean. “I know you’re not ready for that. All I’m saying is, I am. Whenever you are. So tell whoever you need to, or don’t. It’s all good.”
She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the table top as her head fell into her hands. “I’m being a brat over everything.”
“You’re not being a brat. You’re exhausted and you don’t feel good. You’re allowed to be frustrated with that.”
She smiled. “I knew you’d say something sweet.”
And fuck, if her admitting that didn’t make him feel like he was floating in the clouds. But his next thought brought him right back down to Earth. “Were you sick again? After you told your brother?”
“No. I made sure I snacked on a few of the crackers I shoved in my pocket this morning before I came here.”
His chest rumbled at that. A few fucking crackers. That wasn’t enough. Hawk reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. She was sick in the morning, but only after the thought of food triggered it. Maybe there was something there?
“What are you doing?” Her question brought him out of his head.
“I’m writing down everything to see if we can identify a pattern. Certain foods that you absolutely can’t tolerate. Or smells. If it’s a certain time of day you feel bad. We’ll get to the bottom of it and figure it out. We can come up with a plan to mitigate all the things that trigger it.”
Jessie nodded, her hand resting over her stomach. “I can’t wait to just feel hungry again.”
“Is there anything that sounds good to you? Something that you think about eating that doesn’t make you feel nauseous?”
Her eyes glazed over and she licked her lips. “It’s silly.”
“Tell me.”
“Dressing.”
“Like ranch? Or Thousand Island?” He’d never heard of someone craving salad dressing during their pregnancies, but it probably wasn’t the craziest request out there.
“No,” she smiled. “Thanksgiving dressing. All the cornbread soaked in butter and herbs. My mom’s is always so warm and salty and really crisp on the top but soft on the inside. Oh god. Yeah. That sounds incredible. And I’ve been thinking about her making it for me for days.”
“Maybe that’s a sign we should tell her about the baby. So she can help take care of you.”
Jessie shook her head. “I want to get through my appointment first.”
He understood. The bottle sprayed more cleaner out as he squeezed the lever. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”
“Absolutely not. It’s going to be quick. I’ll tell you if they say anything about the baby, but I think I’ll probably have to schedule another appointment to count as my first official prenatal one.”
“And then we’ll tell your family.”
She cringed, and the doubts he’d been shoving to the back of his mind came tumbling out of his mouth.
“Jess… I’m all in. But if I’m not what you want,” he swallowed roughly as he stood up straight to look her right in her eyes, “then I need you to tell me straight up, okay? I will still be here for you and the baby, but I won’t hold on to the hope that romantic things are also going to happen for us. ”
She stood, closing the distance between them in two steps.
Her hand reached over and laid softly on top of his.
“That’s not at all what I’m saying, or why I’m delaying telling my family.
It’s just… as sweet and lovely as my mom is, my dad is very old school.
He’ll be upset that I’m pregnant and not married. ”
“There a solution to that—”
“Don’t you dare ask.” There was no bite to her tone and her eyes sparkled mischievously. “You Montgomery Defense men think everything can be solved with a marriage proposal.”
“It can,” he grumbled under his breath.
“Well, I would like to back up about ten steps if we could. The baby makes that difficult.”
“Ten steps, huh?”
Her eyes dropped to their connected hands. “I just want to be sure I’m not trapping you into something you don’t want.”
“Trapping me?” This woman was a breath away from owning his heart forever and she thought she was trapping him. His free hand moved up to cup her face. “Jessie, in what world—”
“You have your life together. You’re established. Someone people look up to in the community. You’re safe, and good, and…” Her cheeks suddenly flushed and she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Are you okay?” His hand moved to collect the hair off the back of her neck. Hawk blew air across her skin, watching as it pebbled where he touched. “Do you feel sick?”
“No. I’m fine.”
Ah. He understood now. “So what were you going to say that caused you to overheat?”
“We don’t have to talk about that.”
His thumb found the underside of her chin, tipping it so he was looking directly in her eyes.
“Were you about to say I’m sexy?”
She scoffed. “I don’t think that needs to be said out loud.”
“Hunky?”
“Hawk…”
“The catch of a century with my strikingly handsome good looks and rugged strength.”
“Obviously, all those things apply without me even having to voice them,” she laughed.
“But what if I want to hear those words come out of your mouth, Pretty Girl?”
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes and he laughed. “You’re safe, and good, and I’ve never been so attracted to anyone in my life. But—”
“Nope. No ‘but’. Because you aren’t trapping me. I’m right where I want to be. Right where I’ve wanted to be for a long time now. And I’d like the chance to show you that, before your belly swells with the baby I put in there.” Hawk’s hand hovered above her belly. “May I?”
He waited, his breath caught in his chest as Jessie took a few steps back, sitting down so her hips moved forward slightly as she nodded.
And then he was finally doing what he’d been thinking of doing nonstop since she told him about the pregnancy.
His whole hand fit right in the space between her hips. Right where their baby was growing.
“I want to date you.”
Jessie sighed. “I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I feel up to that. By the time the days are done, I’m exhausted. I just want to take my clothes off and crawl into bed.”
He nodded, his hand still firmly on her belly.
“I know. But hear me out. I was thinking just more moments like this. Diner dates. I can stop in on your breaks, too, or walk you back from Lachlan’s shop when it gets warmer out?
Maybe there are some nights you could stay over at my place so I can take care of you, if you feel comfortable with that.
Because you, clothes off and in my bed, sounds like the perfect date. ”
Her hand pressed over his and she nodded, a smile budding on her rose-petal lips. “I think I’d really like that. Maybe Thursday… after my appointment? I already told Mom I need that day off. I’m supposed to rest after.”
He was just about to answer when bright lights flashed across the diner. A car pulled in, their high beams staying on, illuminating the booth that Jessie and Hawk were sitting in.
What the hell?
Hawk got to his feet, crossing his arms as he tried to see past the light. Just as he moved towards the door to see what was going on, the car reversed out of the parking spot and took off down Ford Avenue.
“That was so weird. Did you see who it was?” Jessie asked as he made his way back to the table.
“Couldn’t see anything past their lights. Maybe it was just someone who needed to do a u-turn but was checking their directions or something?”
“Yeah, probably,” Jessie yawned, her hand coming up to rub at her eyes before landing back on her belly.
“What do you say I finish up here and we get you out to the ranch? You’re looking like a light breeze could tip you over.”
She nodded. “Bed does sound really nice right now.”
“Good girl. It’ll only take me a couple more minutes to finish up here. Put your feet up and close your eyes if you want to.” Hawk leaned over, pressing a kiss to Jessie’s cheek before lowering his face to her midsection. “Don’t worry, baby. Operation ‘Woo Your Mama’ has officially commenced.”