Page 17

“Baby girl, I need your help,” Martha says as she rushes towards me.

I lift the mop into the bucket, causing the water to swoosh over the side, but I don’t care. I’m beat, my body aches, and I have to work at the bar tonight, so I know my day is nowhere near being over.

“These damn young people these days,” she complains as she approaches me, “they have no gumption on what it takes to be responsible.” She’s shaking her head. “Always calling in sick. Thinking their union will be there. Thinking they’re unstoppable. Un-fireable–”

“Martha,” I cut her off.

“Yes?”

“What do you need help with? I’m off in twenty, and I can’t stay late tonight. I’m at the bar later.”

“That’s right.” She taps the side of her head. “I forgot. I’m short staffed, can you come with me. It should only take a minute.” She turns back around and continues on her way, knowing full well that I’m going to follow her.

She doesn’t slow until she gets to the door I’m more than familiar with, Rose’s room. Since the day Loa caught me in there, I haven’t stepped foot inside. I don’t need any of the administration giving me trouble, and she seems like the problem starting type. None of that is worth me losing my job.

“Martha. What’s this about?”

“Oh, baby girl, you have no idea,” she says with a smile. She pushes the door open but doesn’t go inside. She nods her head to the side wagging her eyebrows. I smile and shake my head. The woman is finally losing her marbles. I take a hesitant step over the threshold, and my heart stops.

Hawking is sitting in a chair next to Rose’s bed, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, watching her sleep. When I feel Martha’s hand squeeze my shoulder, I yelp in surprise, letting him know that he has company.

Turning his head, his eyes widen as he takes me in. “Tessa?” he whispers my name as he slowly gets up. My heart slams against my chest. The boy turned into a young man I once knew has now turned into a man. He still has the same pretty-boy features that I fell in love with all those years ago only now slightly hardened. His face, that he once wore cleanly shaven now has a dusting of facial hair along his jawline and around his mouth. His cap is turned around with the flat bill facing the back. His ears are adorned with small silver gauges.

His eyes study me as if he’s not sure I’m real. He’s to me in three strides, and before I have a chance, I’m in his arms. His hand glides around the nape of my neck, slightly tugging at my hair. All at once I’m hit with the scents of leather, Irish Spring, and…home.

I freeze.

“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he mumbles. His voice sounds far off under the whooshing of the blood that’s currently pumping through my ears.

When he notices that my body has gone rigid, he pulls away and holds his hands up. His dark eyebrows draw together while his bright blue eyes roam over my face. I take a step away from him.

“Tessa? Hey…” He makes a step towards me, trying to erase the distance that I put between us. When I put up my hands in protest, he stops trying to advance.

I take a shuddering breath and give him a small smile. “Hi, Hawk.”

Hawk

I shouldn’t be shocked.

I knew she was here. I knew there was a chance that I’d run into her. See her. But knowing and actually seeing are entirely two different things. Tessa Reese, the one who literally got away, is standing in front of me. She is still so fucking beautiful, she takes my breath away.

“Tessa?” Hearing her name roll off my lips seems foreign. Other than that one time I had mentioned my feelings I had for her to Sin, I haven’t spoken her name in seven years. I think the last time I said it, I was sitting next to her hospital bed, begging for her to wake up. I didn’t know that visit would be the last time I would see her.

Until now.

I try to regain my composure as I stand from my chair. Her eyes blink in rapid flutters like she’s trying to determine if I’m real or not. Without another thought, I move my ass and haul my girl into my arms. As soon as I feel my fingers weave through her hair, I’m fucking home.

“Fuck I missed you,” I say more for myself than for her.

When I don’t feel her wrap her arms around me in return, I know something isn’t right. Pulling back, she has a look of pure terror on her face. The pinkness of her cheeks is gone, and it looks as though she’s finding it hard to breathe. She retreats from my arms and takes a step back.

“Tessa? Hey…” When I step forward, she throws up her arms to stop me from coming any closer. What the fuck? Why the hell is she frightened of me?

She drops her hands when she’s confident that I’m not moving then she gets me a closed-lip smile, one that I don’t recognize. “Hi, Hawk.” The sound of her voice makes my stomach drop. There were so many things that I loved about Tessa Reese when we were younger, number one being her fucking voice…

“Don’t be a pansy ass, Hawk.” Sin picks up a rock from the empty lot and chucks it at my head, barely grazing my hat.

“Why the hell would I be a pansy ass? It’s called supporting friends. Besides, Sienna asked me to go with her. You think your dad is going to allow her to go without you or your brother? I mean, if you’re mad because Sienna asked me to go and not you, be my guest. Take your sister.”