Page 55 of His for the Holiday

25

HAWK

Winnie had a fire in her soul that I really enjoyed seeing and getting to know. The little girl was as firm in her beliefs as Sutton had been at her age and just as funny and loyal too. I could see why my nephews had become such fast friends with her.

When we arrived at her school, she surprised me by throwing her arms around my waist, giving me a quick hug and grinning up at me. “You can’t come to my class, but I might ask my teacher if you can visit one day.”

I laughed, returned her hug, and touched a palm to my chest like I was injured. “That’s cold, Win. You’re not even going to let me see the chairs? I bet I’d know just by looking at one whether it could take my weight.”

She giggled, shaking her head, and walked backward away from me. “They’re for first graders. Bye, Hawk! Thanks for walking me.”

Spinning around, she grabbed the straps of her backpack at her shoulders and raced to catch up with the rest of the kids converging at the entry doors. I chuckled and watched until she was swallowed up by the crowd before turning to leave—and I ran smack into Emery.

Her eyebrows arched as she looked at me, a slight smile on her lips and one of her hands pressed to her hip. “You have some explaining to do, mister.”

“Where are the boys?” I asked cautiously, glancing around but not seeing them.

Emery chuckled. “They’re waiting for Winnie inside. When we got here, they wanted to come grab her but it looked like you two were having a moment, so I told them to go ahead. Why are you walking Sutton’s child to school, Hawk?”

I fell into step beside her as she spun to go home. “I spent the night with Sutton. Winnie was with her grandparents. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried about Winnie,” she said softly, sliding her hands into the pockets of her coat and glancing up at me. “I am worried about Sutton, though. I don’t want her to get hurt again. What happened to giving her some space?”

“Yeah, that didn’t work, but I wouldn’t dream of hurting her. I’ve done it once and neither of us have forgiven me for it yet. I’m definitely not going down that road again.”

Doubt clouded my sister’s blue eyes as they held mine. “I wish I could believe that.”

I stopped walking and turned to face her on the trail that led from the school to our neighborhood and downtown. The sky was gray today, the clouds heavy and ominous, stretching from the horizon over the water and as far as the eye could see.

All around us, the trees were either bare or completely covered in fall colors. Leaves carpeted the path we were standing on. I could feel winter in the air, and it was exhilarating. One of the things I’d missed most about home had been the seasons. I inhaled deeply, wondering how best to explain to my sister that I was committed to all this.

To them. To Dad’s business. To the town. To Sutton and Winnie. I didn’t blame her for doubting me, but I was getting tired of it.

I noticed the dark smudges under her eyes and the obviously unbrushed hair she’d thrown into a bun just to walk the boys to school, and I suddenly realized that Sutton wasn’t the only person in my life who needed time to learn how to trust me again.

In the years I’d been gone, I’d made a much bigger mess of things than I’d realized, but I was determined to make up for it. Even though a part of me wanted to rage at her for constantly needing me to convince her of one thing or another, I shoved away that instinct and simply held her gaze.

“You can believe it, Emery. When these leaves turn green again, I’m still going to be here and then when the green starts turning orange next year, maybe you’ll finally start admitting that you can rely on me. Because I’ll have spent a whole year proving it to you.”

“What happened to only moving back part-time?”

“I’ll have to commute for a while,” I conceded. “At least at first, but my plan is to be based here and to go to LA only when I really need to. I’m going to help you with dad, and with the boys, and you won’t have to worry about the business.”

A slow smile spread on her lips and a soft light went on in her eyes. “That sounds really good. Let’s do it. Let’s talk to Dad.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Yeah?”

“Yes.” The smile kept spreading wider and she let out a long, relieved breath. “I know he’s not going to like it, but we need this. All of us, and that includes you, it seems. I’m done trying to protect everyone from you. I’m not sure I need to do it anymore, but Hawk?”

I grinned. “If I leave again, you’ll hunt me down and kick me?”

“In the balls,” she warned playfully, wagging a finger and narrowing her eyes at me. “So hard, you’ll be bruised for the rest of your life.”

I laughed, wrapped my arms around her shoulders, and pulled her in for a giant hug. “You got it. I’m going to hold you to it, even. If I don’t keep my promises, I know you’ll hold me accountable.”

“You bet.” She hugged me back, seeming a hundred pounds lighter. We broke apart and walked home together.

“Can I make you some coffee?” she asked, unbuttoning her coat as we walked into the house. “I want to hear more about you and Sutton, the 2.0 version.”