Chapter Nine
“Do you want to talk about it?” Connor asked.
Hawk groaned, rubbing at his head, then he pulled himself out from under the truck. “Talk about what?”
“Whatever has you so distracted you hit your head on the underside of the truck. We’ve been working on this bad boy for a long time, you and I. You’re also my son, and I know when your head is not in the game. So talk.”
“There’s not a lot to talk about.”
Connor laughed. “You know, you were a terrible liar when you were eighteen and you’re just as bad of a liar now. Your ‘tells’ are all the same, son.”
Hawk sighed and he tapped on the edge of the truck and then looked toward his dad. “How soon do you think it is to know you’re in love?”
“Love?”
“Yeah, I mean, do you have to wait a couple of years, a few weeks, or is there an acceptable time limit?”
Connor started to laugh and Hawk looked at his father in confusion.
“I don’t know what love is like for everyone else, but I glanced at your mother, and I knew within a second she was going to be my wife.”
“A second?”
“Yeah.”
He frowned. “Don’t you think that is a little ... absurd? You didn’t even know the woman. You just looked at her, and was it because she was the prettiest girl in the room?” he asked.
Connor sighed. “No, it was in her eyes. I think you can have a woman look pretty or not, but the eyes, they’re the tell.
They say they’re the key to the soul or something like that.
Your mom had kind eyes and also, when I looked at her, she had this smile on her lips, and I just was smitten, because I knew no matter what, I wanted to see that smile for the rest of my life. ”
This did not help. Hawk went back under the truck, and he was so confused he didn’t even know what he was looking at. Nothing made any sense to him.
He didn’t get to stay under the truck for long, as he was pulled out from under it, and then he looked up at his father.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I don’t think there is much of anything to talk about right now,” Hawk said.
“You’re in love.”
He stared at his dad and didn’t know what to say. Did he lie? Tell him the truth? He didn’t know what to do.
“Okay, so, you’re not sure, or you’re embarrassed. How about this, tell me how you would feel if you woke up and Katie wasn’t there?”
He frowned.
“Just roll with me on this. You’re a stubborn ass and you could be when you were a teenager as well.”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t want to even think of Katie not being there.”
“That means you have feelings for her.”
He didn’t need his dad to do this. “Look, Dad, I already know how I feel about her.”
“You’re distracted and we’re going to have to work through this at your pace.
I don’t need the truck, but you do. Sarah said you didn’t like any other car, and you have always had a thing for this truck.
So, we’re going to work through this and get to the source of the problem.
How would you feel if another man swooped in and swept her off her feet? ”
Hawk growled and got to his feet, because he was not about to have this conversation with him while he was on his back.
“I don’t like it, okay? I can’t stand it.
I don’t even want to think about that. Fuck.
” He tried not to curse in front of his parents, but he didn’t like the punch to the gut at the thought of Katie with anyone else.
He threw the wrench onto the table as he put his hands on the edge, and he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“I love her,” Hawk said. “I love her so much and I don’t want to lose her.”
“And you’re afraid you will?”
“All I’ve known is working. Just focusing on a job. I’ve never been in a single relationship. I don’t know what Katie needs.” He stepped back and pressed his fingers against his eyes. “What if I’m not good enough for her? I’m not like Adam.”
“Well, that is your first mistake.”
“Going after my friend’s girl?”
“No, comparing yourself to him. You should never do that.”
“Come on, Dad.”
“Katie wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t compare you to him.”
Hawk sighed. “I’m not good enough.”
Connor laughed. “You know, all your life you have put yourself down. When you did that science fair project when you were ten, or whatever age you were. It was that volcano. You refused to let me help you, because you wanted to take full responsibility for it, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t want anyone to tell me that whatever grade I got was yours.” He shrugged.
“And you didn’t fail, but I remember that morning, you said it wasn’t going to work, and you came home, and you won that thing.”
“What’s your point?” Hawk asked.
“It’s time for you to start believing in yourself, son. You have built a successful company.”
“Dad, I gave myself a heart attack.”
Connor laughed. “Son, anyone who works like that is going to give themselves a heart attack. You’re not supposed to be flooded with that much stress.” He sighed. “You deserve to have the life you want. What you can’t do is go back to what you were doing, because that will kill you.”
He dropped his head. “I don’t want to go back, and I feel guilty about that.”
“Why?”
“Because I set it up. I started it.”
“And you’re still going to work at it.”
“Actually, I’ve been talking to a couple of investors.
They’re good guys, family guys, and they have come to me several times over the years, wanting to buy my company.
I’ve always told them no. This time, I had a meeting with them.
Just from the kitchen. We’ve been talking and I’ve spoken to my lawyer, and they want to buy my company.
It’s a good deal and it keeps my employees. ”
“Wow,” his dad said. “You’re sure that is what you want to do?”
“I don’t miss it.” He sighed. “As crazy as this sounds, I love being in Hope. I love getting up every day and walking through town, greeting everyone, and I never thought I would enjoy that, but I do. I like standing in line and having people tell me about their day. I love going to Palmer’s Gifts and seeing Katie smile, especially when she sees I waited in line for her favorite fall coffee.
I love it all. I never thought I would say that. ”
“But you did.”
“But I did, and I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to lose any of it,” Hawk said. “I want to be a father and a husband, and I want to help out with these events and live my life.”
Connor moved toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Then what are you waiting for?”
“What if Katie doesn’t feel the same way?”
“I bet she does.”
Hawk was so damn nervous.
He didn’t know the first thing about being a husband or a father. He did know how to work hard.
“You can do anything you put your mind to,” Connor said. “All you’ve got to do is believe in yourself.”
****
Katie glanced down at the stick, and that wave of sickness flooded her.
This was not good. Two pregnancy tests had read the same thing.
She was pregnant, expecting Hawk’s baby.
She had promised herself that when the time came to have a baby or if she suspected she was pregnant, she would only need one test. It wouldn’t take two or a dozen.
So far, she’d taken two tests, and now as she looked down at both of them, she doubted them.
Would it hurt taking a third or a fourth?
Maybe she could go back to the pharmacy and get a couple more. She had to wonder how many people knew she’d purchased a pregnancy test. A small town meant that everyone knew your business. She was shocked her phone wasn’t ringing with her mother hearing the news.
Those tests could not be right. It was a stupid little stick.
Then, there was the morning sickness that dry toast helped to alleviate.
That was another warning sign. Not to mention the tender breasts, and when she pulled on her jeans this morning, for the first time in a long time, they wouldn’t fasten. Her waistline was thickening.
She shoved the pregnancy tests into the bucket, left the bathroom, and stepped out into the main floor of her shop. She quickly moved to the door and flicked the CLOSED sign to OPEN. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait around for distractions, as people wandered through the door.
Several people just admired. She had learned to be polite, and to watch them without them knowing, just in case they wanted advice. She didn’t want to push anyone into a sale, but she also didn’t want to appear rude. It was hard work being a small business owner.
She stood behind the counter, sipping her tea, because coffee was suddenly not good.
Unfortunately, Hawk kept bringing her favorite cup of coffee, only it was making her feel sick.
She would take a sip and try not to gag on it.
She couldn’t believe her life had come to this. Faking being happy with coffee.
She and Hawk hadn’t been able to spend much time together in the past week. The mayor wanted his input, and not just that, several shops wanted it as well. He was in much need as they approached the Halloween season, and she was not going to be greedy, because the town looked incredible.
Some kind of magazine had heard what was happening, and they wanted to do a small piece. She also knew Hawk was in the process of selling his company. He didn’t have to leave town, as his lawyer was helping with all the finer details. Everything was going so smoothly.
She was torn.
Pregnant.
She was finally pregnant with Hawk’s child, and she didn’t even know if he wanted kids. He had talked about building a life here in Hope, but they hadn’t gotten back to that conversation as they had been so busy.
By the end of the day, she was not happy with the results of the pregnancy tests, so after she closed up shop, she went to the pharmacy and got a few more tests.
Betsy, the woman behind the counter, told her they were reliable tests and only one was needed.
Katie knew that, but she didn’t trust it. What if it was wrong?
Arriving home, she didn’t go to the kitchen, but up to the bathroom and took another two tests. Same results.
“Great, I’ve done exactly what I said I wouldn’t.” She groaned and pouted. This sucked.
She was tempted to take the other tests, but that was pointless, and she threw them in the drawer.
Betsy was right. The four tests she had already taken were positive.
She had to deal with the fact she was pregnant.
Putting a hand on her swollen stomach, she wondered what Hawk was going to make of this.
Would he be happy? Upset? Angry? A baby was a big deal.
He finally seemed happy in Hope, what if her pregnancy chased him away?
This was an absolute disaster. When she became pregnant, she always expected to be happy, and she was happy—delightfully, deliriously happy. But there was also a little fear.
What the hell had she done?
Stepping out of her bathroom, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She went to the fridge, only to look inside, and it was like her mind went blank. What was she supposed to cook? There were chicken and cheese and lots of vegetables, but nothing seemed appealing.
I’m pregnant.
I’m going to have Hawk’s baby.
How did that happen?
She knew how it happened. The sex they had been having. Lots and lots of sex.
Just as she was about to reach for the chicken, there was a knock at her door. She closed the fridge and made her way to the front door, not checking who it was as she opened it. Hawk was on the other side. She looked at him and knew she had to tell him.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, walking toward her and then spinning her around, kicking the front door closed. In the next second, his mouth was on hers.
All her fears went right out the window, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back. She let out a little moan and whimpered as he kissed her back.
He grabbed her ass, and she had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist. They were moving, and it wasn’t long before he had taken her to the bedroom.
“Do you have any idea how hard it was not seeing you all day?” he asked. He dropped her onto the bed, and then she gasped as he grabbed the lapels of her dress and tugged it open.
Buttons flew everywhere and she gasped, smiling up at him. She had no choice but to wear a dress today, because her jeans wouldn’t fit. Some of her dresses were also starting to get a little tight.
He growled as he looked down at her.
“You drive me crazy.” And then he started to kiss down her body, going from her lips down to her neck, but he didn’t stop. When he got to her breasts, he flicked the open catch of her bra, and her large breasts spilled out, and his lips were on them, sucking on her nipples, taking them in turns.
She cried out, arching up against him. They were so sensitive and each touch set her aflame. The pleasure went straight to her core.
The arousal went to the next level, and when he stopped, she didn’t think she was going to be able to handle much more.
He kissed down her body, and when he got to the apex of her thighs, he tugged her panties down, and they were gone, flying across the room.
She gripped the blanket beneath her, tightening her grip, and whimpering his name as he touched her clit, sucking the hard bud into his mouth, and making her cry out.
He slid his hands beneath her ass and held her as if she were an offering.
His tongue was so damn wicked and there was no way she was going to be able to stop the pleasure as it consumed her.
Over and over, he flicked over the bud, going back and forth, and then taking it into his mouth, using his teeth.
She didn’t think she was going to stand it, and then she screamed his name, as he hurtled her over the edge into an orgasm that made her forget everything.
Hawk was not in a patient mood, as he moved between her thighs, and even before her orgasm had finished, he slid inside her.
He took hold of her hands, pressing them to the bed, then he started to make love.
He was slow at first, tender, making her feel every inch of him as he sunk within her, and then he started to move faster.
The desperation flowed between the two of them.
He took her lips, kissing her as he started to slow down. Then he sped up, and she didn’t think she would be able to handle it. The pleasure was so intense. He stopped kissing her lips, and then leaned down, taking each one of her nipples, which had her pussy tightening around his cock.
He drove into her harder, and then pushed her to the bed, holding onto her shoulders as he drove into her again and again. There was no stopping it. They came together in a hit of heat that took them both by surprise. She couldn’t stop it.
When he collapsed on top of her, she relished the weight of him. She wrapped her arms around him as they panted.
She was still pregnant. But she couldn’t tell him. Not yet. This was too damn good to spoil.