She nodded. “I’ll do that.”
With a pleased smile, the man bowed slightly. “I can’t wait to see the changes you’ll make.”
As he strolled away, she stared at the card.
“Everything good?” Hawk’s rasping voice settled her. When he put a steadying arm around her, she leaned against his side.
“I might have a job at McNally’s as their grounds manager,” she said faintly.
With a finger, he tipped the card to read it. “Biese is a good guy.”
She tilted her gaze up. “You knew this was coming?”
“Nope. Back in June, he asked about you.” Hawk hesitated. “I passed him to Frankie. Figured she’d know how much to tell him.”
In June? Hawk had barely known her at all. But he’d still been looking out for her. She leaned her head against his chest. “I love you.”
Bending, he planted a kiss on her lips, then lingered and—
“Mama.” Aric’s high voice interrupted them.
In jeans, bright red sneakers, and a new dinosaur shirt, he charged across the lawn, and she almost cheered. Her exuberant boy was back.
“What’s up, honey bear?” She bent for a happy hug.
“Come ‘n’ see my room.” He took her hand and announced importantly, “My art is there.”
“Oh, well, we better check it out, then.” She grinned and saw Hawk doing the same.
Since the summer daycare program had given Aric friends and a familiarity with classroom-type activities, he’d taken to preschool like a champ.
With her boy pulling on her left hand, Hawk’s arm around her, and a new job on the horizon, Kit felt as if she was glowing with happiness.
At a table near the playground, Caz watched Regan climbing the equipment with her buddies, Delaney and Niko. Gryff lay nearby, having decided the girl needed his furry protection more than Bull or Frankie.
People were stopping to talk with Caz and checking how the Hermitage people were doing after the battle last weekend.
He’d noticed JJ and her volunteer soldiers getting congratulatory pats on the back. Caz approved. Heroes should be celebrated. And the way the town had embraced JJ as their own meant more to her than they’d ever know.
On a small stage near the soccer field, Principal Eugene Jones had extended his welcome to the townsfolk and was finishing with the time-honored naming of anyone who’d done anything for the new school or the celebration.
“Again, thank you for your help and for coming today.” Jones raised his voice slightly. “Now, I know we’d all like to have some music while we’re eating and socializing. As it happens, we have our police chief and his brothers here with their families, and that means some incredible music, if we can get them to sing.”
Caz eyed the stage and realized two violins, several guitars, and his own drum set were there, almost hidden in the back.
“A la verga,” he said under his breath.
“Get on up there, boy,” Dante called from the next table over. Beside him, Lillian wore a smug smile.
Definitely what the fuck. Dante must have raided Mako’s cabin for their musical instruments while the tricky Brit kept Kit and Aric busy in the garden.
“What do you say, folks?” Principal Jones asked. “Give a yell if you want them to play.”
A hearty cheer meant Caz and the others wouldn’t escape playing a set. Not that he minded. Playing for an enthusiastic crowd was like being plugged into a battery.
“C’mon, Papá.” Regan ran over and pulled him to his feet. On the way, she snagged JJ too.
“I’m on duty,” JJ objected.
Coming up beside her, Gabe set his hand on her shoulder and gave a small push toward the stage. “Officer, if I have to sing, so do you.”
Audrey sniggered. “What he said. Get moving, Officer.”
Smiling, Caz gave JJ a quick kiss. “Princesa, it wouldn’t be the same without you. You would not want to disappoint us or your town, would you?”
Although her eyes narrowed at his manipulation, she let Regan lead her forward. Because his woman had the biggest heart in the world.
As Caz stepped onto the stage, he smiled when he saw Hawk carrying Aric with Kit beside him. The hawk loved music—and didn’t care if anyone was listening or not.
With Frankie beside him, Bull joined them. Gryff jumped up and lay down at Frankie’s feet.
After tuning up, everyone turned to Gabe for directions.
“I wasn’t expecting this, but at least we know the perfect song.” Gabe grinned. “ ‘Be True to Your School’.”
They laughed—because for the last couple of weeks, they’d played the Beach Boys’ song to get the kids in the mood for classes.
Caz tucked Aric between his knees to help drum—the boy had skills—and led off with a quick drumroll. A nod told his family when to jump in.
It wasn’t long before the crowd was singing along in rowdy enthusiasm.
Caz smiled in contentment, feeling as if he was nestled in the heart of his family and his town.
They’d finished their set onstage with “Turn! Turn! Turn!” a cover by The Byrds Hawk had always loved.
“To everything there is a season.”
In the past, the tune had left him in a melancholy mood, but not today. Not with Aric dragging him and Kit off to greet people and then to check out the food.
The kid was always hungry.
And seasons could change for the better.
“A time of war, a time of peace.”
On Wednesday, they’d shopped and set up Aric’s new room. The next day, Kit and Aric had moved into Hawk’s house—their house, now. Although they didn’t own much, everyone at the Hermitage had helped, Bull had fired up the grill, and the rest of the evening became a celebration.
He’d worried about Aric’s reaction needlessly. The boy seemed to have expected them to live together, and he loved getting his own “just like Regan’s!” room.
The first night, he’d snuck into the master bedroom as if to check that Hawk and Kit were where they belonged, then had slept peacefully in his room since.
Hawk frowned. It did seem a mite unfair that he had Kit in his bed, and Aric was alone downstairs.
Will she kill me if I buy the boy a dog?
“See?” Aric called, giving Hawk’s hand another tug. “There’s stuff to eat.” He pointed to the tables filled with potluck foods. Around the grounds, people were sitting at picnic tables or on blankets on the ground.
“Yo, Hawk.” Over at a grill, Guzman waved a spatula. He and Tucker’d taken charge of grilling salmon. With a few others, Knox, Chevy, and Erica were staffing the hamburger and hot dog grills.
After getting plates of food, Hawk led his small crew over to where the family had pushed together a couple of picnic tables.
“Over here, Aric.” Regan patted the empty spot beside her and pointed to two more spaces for Kit and Hawk.
As Aric climbed onto the bench, Kit grinned at Hawk. “I guess we’re sitting here.”
“Not going to argue with her.” He set Aric’s plate in front of him, his own plate next to it. “The two of them could take us.”
Kit laughed.
“Hermitage people, may we join you?”