After the breakfast with Bull and Frankie, Hawk’d been tense, feeling like he’d fuck everything up for the kid. But Aric hadn’t suddenly changed into a spoiled brat—he was the same loveable kid he’d always been. Nothing there to set Hawk off into acting like an asshole.

It’d be all right.

He turned to Kit. “After this, we head home.” He waited for an argument.

She tipped her head back against the seat. “I should argue, oh, bossy one, but I’m too tired. Agreed.”

Hell. “Sorry.” When she looked confused, he clarified, “About ordering you around.”

“I know I can disagree, and you won’t get upset. That’s what matters to me.” She leaned over the center console, kissed his cheek—like the touch of a butterfly—and slid out of the pickup.

Leaving him trying to re-assemble his heart.

As she and Aric disappeared into the restaurant, he frowned. About half a dozen of the restaurant staff had helped in the rescue. Since most walked to work, they wouldn’t have cars to stash their plants in, and there wasn’t room for the flowers inside the restaurant.

He studied the thick posts that supported the overhanging roof of the one-story building. There was heavy-duty rope in his cargo box.

After attaching his rope between two posts, he hung the pots there. The line of flowering plants looked good. Colorful and shit.

Felix popped out of the restaurant, followed by Kit and Aric.

“Holy handbaskets, girl.” Felix stared at the flowers. “Those are incredible. And I get one?”

“Absolutely.” Kit beamed at Hawk. “What a great idea. Now they can just pick them up on the way home.”

“Yeah.” Movement caught his attention.

Milo and Orion, two of his carpenter hires, were walking down the sidewalk on Sweetgale toward the roadhouse. Must be their lunch break.

“Hawk.” Kit patted his chest to get his attention. “Aric and I are going back inside, but we’ll be done in just a few minutes.”

She had a hand on him, so it was probably all right to touch back. He ran his fingers through her hair, stroking it back from her face. “I’ll be here.”

“I know,” she whispered.

Her wide brown eyes were more beautiful than any he’d ever seen. Was it because they were always so warm?

She looked down at her son. “Let’s go thank Raymond now.”

As they headed inside, Hawk watched, then scowled at Felix’s wide grin.

“Oops, my bad.” The server took a step back. “Would you happen to have carpenter tape in your pickup?”

Hawk gave an affirmative grunt and fetched it.

As he was handing the roll over, Milo and Orion strolled up to the roadhouse.

“Hawk.” Milo gave him a chin-lift.

“Hey, boss,” Orion said, then grinned at Felix. “Yo, cutie. What’s going on?”