I hugged him and could only shrug in return. He certainly did read people well. “Okay, then off with you and let me get my computer set up before I go. Do your homework.”
Mark gave me a half wave as he left the office. He’d never been a problem and always gotten good grades. The last thing I had to do was remind him about his homework.
Letty tapped on my door with word that the picnic would be ready in an hour. I took the opportunity to go upstairs, shower and change my clothes. I still smelled a bit like the birthing. I brushed my hair and tied it back in a ponytail. I looked out the window and saw that Brandon was just leaving, and Lily was waving goodbye with a huge smile on her face. I realized he’d been there over an hour and wondered about his being away from his law office for that length of time. It wouldn’t bother me a bit if they hit it off. It was about time Brandon found himself a wife, especially if he still wanted to have a family.
I was soon armed with a giant basket filled with food and decided to ride my golf cart up to Hawk’s rather than the car. It was only next door, even if it was about a half mile down the road from where our house sat. I pulled in to his drive and realized then that he had fenced and gated his property. I don’t know why I never noticed this before. Had he just done this? Since he was west of us, I didn’t pass his place on my way into town.
I pulled out my cell and realized I had no phone number for him. I called Worth, and he was in with a patient and couldn’t be disturbed. Then I thought to look for a number for Liane and this I found with no problem.
“Liane, this is Auggie. I’m sitting outside Hawk’s house with a surprise picnic, and he’s got his whole place gated. I had no idea. I don’t have a phone number for him. Can you give it to me?”
“Auggie, I can do better than that. He’s right here. Hang on.”
Hawk came on the line. “Hello?”
“Hawk, I’m sitting outside your house. I brought a picnic with me and thought we could spend some time together — just you and me. I thought to surprise you but the surprise is on me. I can’t get in.”
“You should call first, Mother.”
My heart sank at his harsh tone. “I only live next door, and I would certainly knock. You mean to tell me your own mother has to get permission to see her son?”
“There was a time when the roles were reversed, as I recall.”
The bitterness in his voice cut me to the core. I didn’t even know what to say. I was confused at first and then became angry. “May I at least have your phone number then? So I can call in the future.”
There was a long pause at the other end and then he gave it to me, but I heard the immense reluctance in his voice.
“Thank you. I don’t understand, Hawk, I really don’t. I wanted to talk with you, I think we need to go over some things from the past and get them out. It can’t be kept bottled up inside forever.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re my son and I love you. I want us to be a complete family, not split apart like this. We need to be there for one another.”
“You’ve already got two other kids to take care of you in your old age.”
“Hawk! How can you say such things?” I began to cry. I tried not to but just couldn’t help myself. The tears were backed up and needed to flow. “Okay, have it your way, but I’m going to leave this picnic outside the gate. When you come home, it will be waiting for you. There’s nothing that has to be immediately refrigerated — it will keep here for at least a couple of hours.”
He said nothing more, and then there was silence. My phone returned to its background screen, and I realized he’d hung up. Heartbroken, I clambered off the golf cart and put the massive basket on the pavement, just outside his unbreachable gate. I climbed back into the cart and started down the road, continuing to cry as I drove. At one point I became terribly angry and decided to go back to get the food. Why should I give in and support his resentment? I turned around, and that’s when my heart really broke.
Hawk and Liane were standing outside the gate, picking up the food. They’d both been right there in the house the whole time I was locked outside.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Hawk
“You’re mad at me,” I said to Liane as I picked up the heavy picnic basket, but she wasn’t listening, she was watching my mother driving the golf cart away. I turned to follow her gaze and froze when Mother stopped, turning to look back at us.
“She’s hurting, Hawk,” Liane murmured, holding her stomach as if she felt ill herself.
“Not my problem.” The words were harsh and I immediately knew I didn’t mean them. Well, not completely. Not as much as I once did. Seeing Mother the other day had been like applying ointment on an open wound. The wound was still raw, it still hurt, but the infection appeared to have stopped spreading.
Liane turned on me, her hands fisted on her hips. “It absolutely is your problem because it’s also mine. And I’m telling you this minute, that I won’t be put in the middle like that again. It was despicable that you couldn’t give her five minutes of your time. Do you remember the look on her face when she saw you? The devastation? You have no idea what she’s gone through and you… you…” She whirled and headed up the hill.
“Wait,” I called after her and tossed the picnic basket in the back bucket of the ATV. It roared to life and I chased after her. When I pulled beside her, I shut it off. “Come on, hop on.”
“No, I’m perfectly fine walking, thank you very much.” She had never sounded more British to me than she did in that moment.
“Liane, come on. Don’t be ridiculous.”
That was the wrong thing to say, I quickly learned.
“Ridiculous? I’m being ridiculous?” Her eyes had hell’s fire behind them. “Let’s define ridiculous, shall we? Ridiculous is making assumptions about people’s feelings and thinking you know what they’re going through. Ridiculous is hiding out behind a gated fence when what you really want, deeply want, is to be included in a family. Ridiculous is—”
“Fighting on the side of a hill when we could be fighting in a climate controlled home.” I was careful to keep laughter from my tone even though she was truly adorable.
She growled at me. Growled! Then turned and headed up the hill again.
“Come on. Get on. I promise we’ll talk about it more when we get inside.”
I waited for her to come to her senses, to stop and get on. Nope. She was practically jogging up the damn hill. I exhaled, but didn’t start the ATV right away. Damn. Her ass looked fucking amazing.
“And stop staring at my butt,” she yelled back at me.