Hawk

by Zoe Hart

  “How does he not know Hawk has his dog?” I frowned. Still, I knew the rules and Kate wouldn’t tell.

  “Sounds like a family problem. Gimme just a minute. Put him on hold and I’ll talk to him as soon as I finish this.” She gestured to her last bite of sandwich. “You’d think I’d be thinner. I barely get to eat.” She rolled her eyes.

  Leslie nodded and backed out of the room. I frowned. “You’re not going to tell, right?”

  “I can’t. That would break privacy practices. We did our job. We checked the dogs. We checked their chips. And we contacted the owner. He claimed his dog. This isn’t on us.” Kate stood up and cleared her spot at the table, throwing out her food and grabbing her water. “I’ve lost my appetite anyway.” She shook her head at me and disappeared into her office.

  We didn’t have a chance to talk again for several hours. Every Friday there was an onslaught of people who worried that something was wrong with their dog that couldn’t wait until Monday. I completely understood. Over the last few days, I’d grown so attached to Bishop, I’d have done anything to ensure his wellbeing.

  Kate took one look at my worried face while I helped her hold a Bernese Mountain Dog for a blood test. When she was finished, she murmured, “I didn’t tell him. He’s angry. This might not be over yet. And we could lose the contract, but I won’t violate the law to please him.”

  I nodded. I didn’t know what to say. Right then, I was worried about so many things that I could barely think straight. That’s when Leslie peeked in and gave me the look. I knew it well. So did Kate.

  Kate motioned to the front. “Your brother is here with Lark. You should go. I can hold the place together for the last fifteen minutes.”

  “Thank you!” I grinned. I couldn’t help it. I always felt this way when I knew Lark was waiting on me.

  I rushed to grab my purse and log out. By the time I’d reached the front, Hawk was standing there too. “What’s the occasion?” I asked as I strode over to greet them.

  “I’m leaving.” Braxton announced. “I have plans. I don’t know what they are yet, but they’re going to be awesome.” He hugged Lark. “See you, squirt.” Then he shook hands with Hawk and gave me a squeeze before he left.

  “Well, I thought I’d take my two best girls to dinner. We just survived our first week together.” Hawk scooped up Lark and set her on his hip. “Pick a place, Lark. What do you like?”

  Lark clasped her hands around his neck. “Tacos? Can we get tacos tonight?”

  “You got it, little bird.”

  We ate out at this little Mexican restaurant I’d never tried before. After we were done, we returned to the house in time to get Lark to bed. “Can you read to me, Hawk?” she asked.

  He looked at me to get my approval. I nodded, my heart racing. Hawk whispered in my ear, “I was afraid I was stealing your job.”

  “Nah, but I’m definitely going to come in and listen too. Also…voices. Have you mastered voices?”

  “I’ll have you know I played with action figures for years. I think I can handle voices.” He wrapped an arm around my waist. “Shall we?” He nodded towards the bedroom.

  Soon we were all crowded onto the bottom bunk. I loved the coziness of all being together in such a small space. And I thought my heart would burst as I watched him reading to his daughter. He was right. His voices were on point.

  “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff…”

  Lark giggled.

  “Hey, I’m trying to be scary,” Hawk teased. “Am I not Big Bad Wolfy enough for you?” He tickled her and she giggled some more.

  “No. You’re very scary.” Lark looked at me and made an exaggerated wink, which was pretty much the only way she could do it.

  Half an hour and three books later, Hawk and I had finished tucking her in. We were about to leave when she called out. “Wait! Can Bishop stay with me?”

  “That’s up to Hawk,” I replied.

  Hawk looked at Bishop. “Want to stay?” he asked the dog. Bishop hopped up onto the end of the bed. “Well, okay then.”

  Once downstairs, we settled in on the couch, opposite corners. And I turned to face him, my legs stretched out onto his lap. Unlike the other days of the week, Hawk didn’t reach for the remote. “You okay?” I asked. My brow furrowed. He was staring at me and I had no idea what was going on in his head.

  “I was just thinking…about you…and Lark.” He reached out and began to massage my foot.

  “What are you thinking?” My heart was in my throat. Was this the moment he asked about her birthday and did the math to figure out she was his? I still hadn’t figured out when to tell him. This was such a monumental experience that I didn’t want to do it lightly. I had to know that he wasn’t going to deny her, wasn’t going to hurt her. In some ways, I felt we were practically there. In others, I felt like I didn’t know him at all.

  “I guess I want to know what I missed. I want to know how you ended up at the cottage. I want to know what you’ve been doing. Not guys. I don’t want to know about that.” Hawk held up his hands and shook his head. “I’d like to pretend I’m the only guy in your life and that you pined for me every day.” He winked.

  He had no idea that his joke was actually the truth. I swallowed hard. “Okay, so…after I found out I was pregnant, all my plans changed.”

  “You were going to be a veterinarian,” Hawk commented. “I remember.”

  I sank lower on the sofa. “Yeah. I was, but I couldn’t anymore. I was one semester from being a veterinary tech. That was better money than any other job I was qualified to do. So, I finished my associate’s. Then I worked right up until the day I had Lark.” I snickered. “I worked in labor on a Friday, then drove myself to the hospital.”

  “Oh my God. Are you serious?” He reached out and squeezed my hand.

  “Yeah. Peyton was there for the birth. She was my coach. She’s the godmother. Braxton is the godfather. So, I have to live at least fourteen more years. They can’t raise my child.” I chuckled.

  “At least tell me that the delivery was painless. You had an epidural and it was all smooth sailing.” He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb.

  “I wish.” I shook my head at the memory. “I worked my full shift, remember?” I waited until he nodded before continuing. “So, I was too far along for an epidural.” I shrugged like it was no big deal. In truth, I’d sworn this would be my only child. I cursed like a sailor. I whimpered when I thought I couldn’t go on anymore.

  Peyton turned on the television to distract me. Hawk was on the news giving the journalist a tour of the training facility in Texas. That was as close as I came to knowing where he was since he’d left. He was going to be leaving for Afghanistan as soon as they graduated.

  The journalist offered him an opportunity to give a shout out to anyone back home. He looked into the camera. “Anyone?”

  The journalist nodded. “Yes. Is there someone special?”

  “Yes. And she has no idea how special. She’s amazing and beautiful. And someday, we’ll be together again. I promise.”

  At that, I wept. He was in love with someone. And I was truly on my own.

  “Push,” Peyton urged. “You can do this.”

  I didn’t believe her. I was broken. I had never been in such pain in all my life. And I still hadn’t picked a name. Somehow, I channeled all that rage, that fear, and shoved my baby out into the cold, dark night. I took one look at her. She wasn’t beautiful. Her head was misshapen. Her nose was all squished. Her eyes were huge and dark. She reminded me of the baby birds a breeder had brought in last week.

  There would be a birth certificate to fill out. I couldn’t give her Hawk’s last name, not without proof of paternity. And I couldn’t prove paternity without telling him. The best I could do would be to drop clues. So, I named her Lark.

  Hawk shook his head. “I’m sorry you went through all of this alone, but you don’t have to be alone anymore, Taryn. You have me.”

  I frowned.
“I don’t though. I mean…we live together for now, but this is…for now. We’re not…a couple.”

  Leaning toward me, he murmured, “We could be. I want to be. I know it has only been a week, but I feel close to you. We fit. We always have. That’s how we ended up together that first night.” He cupped my cheek. “I thought we were meant to be. That’s why I took the picture of you. That’s why I could never stop thinking of you.”

  I froze. “That night. On the news…”

  His head tilted and I knew he’d forgotten the interview. “I was on the news?”

  “Yes. You and Bishop. Training before Afghanistan.” I was struggling to jog his memory without giving away how important his answers were to me.

  “Oh, that interview.” Hawk smiled. “You saw it?”

  I nodded. “I did.”

  “Then you heard what I said about you,” he murmured.

  “Me?” I blinked a few times. “That was about me?”

  “Everything since the moment we met has been about you, Taryn. You don’t even know.” He blew out a breath.

  “I really don’t. Explain it to me, please.” I thought my heart would pound out of my chest while I waited for him to share.

  He pulled me onto his lap, and I sucked in a breath. “We met for the first time on graduation night. And I believe that no matter what happens, we’ll always find our way back to each other.”

  “Oh, do you, now?” I smiled. His words echoed in my ears.

  “Yeah, I do.” He kissed me, one hand knotted in my hair, his other arm around my waist. His lips covered mine, and soon our tongues were dancing.

  I forgot everything before that. I didn’t want to think about what was to come. I wanted to live in this moment with him forever.

  When he finally pulled back, he murmured, “I don’t want to test it. I don’t want to lose you to find out if fate sticks you in my path again. I’m not quite that foolish.” Hawk smiled at me, his face inches from mine. “Stay with me, Taryn. Be my girl. Let me be your man.”

  “It’s not just about me anymore, Hawk,” I reminded him.

  “I know, but our relationship is the foundation of our family. If we’re good, then we have something to build on. If we’re not, we’ve got nothing.” He rubbed his nose against mine. “Are we good, Taryn?”

  The answer I gave would change everything. Still, I wanted this. How long had I hoped that we’d see each other again, that he’d get to know his daughter? All the years since. “Yes, I’d like us to be.”

  He smiled, slow and sure. Then he nodded. “Me too. Let’s be a family with Lark.”

  13

  Hawk

  We’d had a breakthrough. I could feel it.

  The rest of the weekend was spent together, movie night with Lark, playing on the beach with Lark and Bishop, and romancing the woman of my dreams. Taryn was so much more than I’d ever known, than I ever expected. She was more than I deserved, with her calm demeanor, her openness, her honesty. The qualities I valued most seemed to come naturally to her. None of this was how I’d been raised. My parents were cold, closed off, and often lied to my face. She had no idea how much I valued her.

  I suppose that I worried she’d be freaked out if she knew how deep my feelings ran. After all, my whole life I’d been taught that money was the goal, not love, not family. With Taryn, I could have what I’d always wanted, a loving family I wanted to spend time with. As far as I was concerned, I already had Lark, no matter who could claim biologically. I wanted her to be mine. Working for my father simply meant that I had the money covered too. And I’d need every dollar if I was going to support my new family.

  On Friday night, I’d realized how much Taryn still wanted to become a veterinarian. I understood why she hadn’t been able to finish school. And while I couldn’t change the past, I could ensure that she had the ability to finish now. One way or another. I could help her. That’s why I decided to do the one thing I really hated doing. I made an appointment to see my father. Yes, that’s how our family works. We don’t drop in. We schedule dinners, events, and even discussions.

  Monday, from my new desk in the military research department, I called his personal assistant to find a time we could meet. To my surprise, he wanted to have lunch with me in two hours. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t have an appetite by then, but I was willing to play along.

  I made my way up to his office on the top floor of the building. The place was designed to impress and possibly intimidate with the high-end finishes and a gatekeeper at the huge reception desk. I’d practically grown up here, and even I had to wait to gain entrance. His personal assistant let him know I was there, and when he gave her permission, she showed me in.

  “Hawkins,” my father murmured with a nod in my general direction. “What can I do for you?”

  For a second, I froze. Then I cleared my throat. He wasn’t always this direct. “Well, I wanted to make plans for my future and much of that is affected by my position here.”

  He smirked and pursed his lips. “Already checking on payday, are we? You’ve been here a week.” Slowly, my father pushed his chair back and stood. “Fine. Let’s go talk about it over food. Where would you like to eat? I normally just go to the club.”

  The club had been part of my life probably since birth. I’d spent more time there than at the lake house or our estate. “That sounds nice. I’d like that. Thank you.”

  In truth, I wasn’t exactly interested in the pay so much as the contract I’d never had to sign. Everything was taken care of, the woman running HR announced when I tried to inquire. After all, I was family. And if I wanted details, I needed to speak with my father. So here I was. Trying to speak to him. And, as usual, I was damned if I asked, and damned if I didn’t.

  The driver was called and met us out front. We sank into the backseats, the soft leather groaning slightly as we settled in for the ride. I knew I wouldn’t have long to enjoy the quiet. My father would want to start our conversation as soon as possible. As usual, he didn’t disappoint.

  “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been busy this week. We’ve had a setback with one of our security projects. And it might mean some contract issues and a possible change in partnerships.” He frowned at me.

  I nodded, unsure of how I was supposed to respond. “I’m sorry to hear that. And I don’t mean to cause you further problems, but we never discussed my contract prior to the start of work a week ago.”

  My father’s head tilted. “In my defense, I had no idea you were moving out so suddenly. I imagined we’d have all weekend to catch up and go over the logistics of being part of the family business.”

  “I can see that,” I agreed. “I just needed some space. I’ve been deployed and I don’t want to be around a lot of people right now. It’s hard adjusting to civilian life after the Marines.” I glanced out the window and noticed we’d soon be turning down the road to the club. “So, if we could run some numbers. I just need to know what kind of lifestyle I can afford.” I shrugged and tried to downplay it, but my plans for the future rode on this, the ability to fund Taryn’s dream. I wanted to surprise her. She deserved that and so much more.

  “Well, most people start at seventy-five thousand, but you bring more to the table, and you’re family. You’ll be earning one hundred thousand dollars a year.” He smiled as he watched me try to keep my poker face in place. “I can see that’s satisfactory.”

  “Yes, sir. More than. Thank you.” I paused. “And what, exactly, will I be doing to earn this?” My job so far had seemed nondescript. I had been sitting at a desk without much of anything to do thus far. I was bored to tears. And all I could think was that I really would rather be hanging out with Bishop and Lark while Taryn worked.

  “What are you supposed to do? Anything I tell you.” My father shrugged. “That’s all you need to know for now.”

  I hated the ominous sound of that. My father’s demands could be challenging. I’d seen him in action plenty of times at business dinners.


  “After all,” he began, “I’m in charge of your inheritance until you turn twenty-five, which means I’ll be getting nearly two years of work out of you before you get the money and get lazy.”

  I tilted my head. “Weren’t there other clauses that would cause the money to be released to me sooner?” I watched him because I already knew the answer.

  “Yes, but I don’t see how you could get a bachelor’s degree sooner, so I didn’t mention it.”

  The limo pulled up in front of the club. The valet opened the door and he stepped out first. “Good to see you again, Mr. McKenzie,” the man greeted him.

  My father responded by clapping him on the shoulder. Then he turned to watch me emerge.

  I followed him in and when we were seated at the table, I opened the menu and murmured, “I forgot to tell you, I have my bachelor’s degree in economics and finance. My focus for my MBA is entrepreneurship.”

  He choked on his water. When he finally stopped coughing, his eyes narrowed. “How?”

  The man never believed me, which I was absolutely accustomed to. At some point, however, he was going to learn to stop underestimating me. Soon enough, he’d have proof. I’d ordered a sealed transcript from the college to be added to my HR file. Until then, I’d merely have to accept this was a question I’d answer repeatedly until it arrived.

  “Well, I graduated from high school with thirty-six credits after taking AP classes my junior and senior years of school. I started taking online college courses that year I was in the dog training program. Thanks to being in the military, they let me use the GI Bill to cover the cost of tuition and books.” I took a deep breath. “In the military, during the dog training, I didn’t have much to do. I was all nose to the grindstone, like you’d taught me. So, I took full semesters of classes, even during the summer. By the time I was deployed, I had all of three semesters left to take. And that’s what I did while I was in Afghanistan.”

  I pulled out my phone and showed him a picture of me with a cap and gown over my camos, standing in the desert. I’d ordered the graduation gear thinking they’d never catch up with me in a foreign country. I was wrong. And so the sergeant threw a mini-graduation for me. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he asked what I planned to do next. I told him I’d work on my MBA while I finish my contract.