Chapter 29
Twenty-Nine
“Hey, Phoenix, you got a second?” Sebastian leaned in the doorway of his office, shocking the hell out of him.
“Yeah, Cap. I didn’t realize you were back from Montana.”
“Landed last night. I had to see Emma and Addie first.”
“Of course.” Hawk nodded, pointing to the chair across from his desk. “Sit. What’s going on?”
“We just got the official offer in. Trident II has been given a green light. The investors loved the Montana site.”
“That’s incredible! Congratulations.”
Sebastian nodded, his hand scratching at the scruffy beard filling in on his chin.
“I still have you as the point of contact on this project. It’s career-making, Hawk. Something you’ve been working towards for a long time, I know.”
“I don’t want it, Cap.” He hadn’t hesitated. Anything that was going to take him away from Texas wasn’t worth it anymore. His life was there. His family. Jessie wanted to raise their babies on the ranch, and he wouldn’t deny her that. Ever.
Sebastian smiled. “I figured that was what you were going to say, but I had to ask. Who do you think is right for your replacement?”
Another thing he didn’t even have to think about. “Wings. He knows the simulator as well as I do, and he’s a fantastic instructor. Besides, he’s been taking Lacy and the girls back to Montana every few months. I think out of any of us, he’d have the easiest time setting up a home base there.”
“Goldfinch Falls was his idea. He’d probably be able to stay on his family’s ranch. And you’re right, Nash is great in the simulator and classroom. I’ll float the idea by him.”
Sebastian stood, buttoning his suit jacket as he turned to walk out of Hawk’s office.
“Hey, Cap?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I actually be the one to run it by him?” Hawk asked.
Sebastian’s face was devoid of emotion, but his eyes flashed with understanding. “Yeah, that’s fine. Tell him I’ll be back in the office at the end of the week, and I’ll need his answer by then.”
Hawk nodded, then stood from behind his desk, grabbed the plans that where rolled in a tube under his desk, and headed for the conference room.
Hawk bounced up and down on the dirt road that led from the main barn on the Ford’s ranch back to the small shed where Jessie had taken him to meet her goat all those weeks ago.
She wasn’t going to be there, no. He’d double checked that she was busy with Lach—who had made it clear that Dakota wouldn’t be around and that he was pissed at everything that went down at Davney’s—before kissing her goodbye and mentioning he’d be working the rest of the afternoon, in and out of meetings.
That wasn’t exactly a lie, but he knew Jessie would be expecting those meetings to be at Montgomery Defense. She certainly would not be expecting him to be on his way to meet with her dad.
Daniel Ford was standing tall, staring at Hawk’s truck as he parked. Hawk nodded, reaching out his hand as he approached Jessie’s dad.
“Daniel.”
“Hawk.”
“I’m sorry it’s taken me a while to come back out here. The way family dinner went a few months back, well, I’m not proud of my part in all that.”
Daniel’s eyes went wide. “Didn’t think you’d back down from standing up for my girl.”
“Oh, I’m not. Don’t misunderstand. I’ll stand up for my girls every single time. And I will not apologize for always putting them first. They deserve respect, Dan. Especially from their family.”
Danny nodded. “I was wrong. That night. The things I said. I was upset that someone was on my property meaning to hurt my family, and I didn’t protect her. I didn’t protect my wife, or my boys, either. I lashed out like an idiot, and you and Dolly were right to put me in my place.”
Lucky trotted to the edge of the fenced in area and bleated loudly.
“I’m as stubborn as that damn goat.”
Hawk nodded. “You apologized to her. She wants to move forward, and that means I do too. As long as you can move forward too.”
“No, son. I can’t.”
Hawk’s stomach fell. Fuck. He wanted to do the right thing by Jessie. But if Danny was going to fight him the whole time…
“You see, we can’t move on until I apologize to you. Dolly’s been telling me how good you are for our girl. How well you take care of her. How much she means to you. And I know all the good you’ve done for this community. I lost sight of that when it came to Jessie and I’m not proud of that.”
His chest warmed. Leave it to Dolly to come in clutch for him. “I love your daughter, Daniel. I think I have since the first time I laid eyes on her. I meant what I said about her being my family.”
“Now that she’s having your baby.”
Hawk shook his head. “Even if she wasn’t, I’d still be here to ask you the same question.”
Danny’s eyebrows shot up to his forehead. “And what question is that?”
“I’d been hoping…” Hawk cleared his throat. “That with clearing the air between us, you’d be open to giving me your permission.”
“Permission for what, exactly?”
“To make Jessie my family. Officially.” He ran his hand up behind his neck and squeezed.
“I’m not asking her today. She’d probably rain down a whooping on me if I did.
But I’m not saying I don’t want to. I’m waiting for her.
To feel ready. Like I said, I’ve been ready for a long time for this step. ”
Danny chuckled. “I guess what everyone in town's been telling me is true.”
“What’s that?”
“When you Montgomery Defense boys decided on a woman, that’s it. There ain’t no doubt in your hearts.”
Hawk smiled. “Sure seems to be the way it is.”
“Well, good. I like knowing you’re ready for that commitment, and you’re not going to leave my baby girl, or yours, all on their own.”
“Never. I mean it. Even if she decides she just wants to co-parent. It’ll kill me, but I’ll always be there for them.”
Jessie’s dad nodded. “You’ve got my apologies, Hawk. And my blessing.”
The knot in his chest loosened. “Thank you.” Hawk held out his hand again to Danny, giving him a firm shake. “I know it will mean a lot to Jessie when the time comes to have your blessing.”
“Just make sure you ask her up at the springs. The private ones we keep just for the family.”
“Oh yeah?” Hawk’s brows furrowed as he looked into the woods where Danny was pointing.
“Jess has talked about getting engaged up there since she was a little girl. There’s a tree that damn near blew out of the ground in a big storm when she was maybe five or six.
Ended up growing in a giant arch. Her mom and I have listened to her talk about how romantic it would be…
gosh… probably a hundred thousand times over the years. ”
“You have a minute to walk me up there so I can see exactly what I’m working with?”
Danny smiled. “Sure thing. Just gotta finish up with these old goats. Grab a bucket and start pouring out their supper.”
“You got it.” Hawk smiled as he grabbed one of the stainless steel buckets and shoveled out some pellets from the back of Danny’s tractor. “Oh, there was one more thing I wanted to ask you about…”