So Hawk was instructing them on how to keep their food safe. She had to smile at the way he was standing, his back to the helicopter. Probably so no bear could sneak up on him.

Or… When his gaze met hers, she realized he’d positioned himself so he wouldn’t lose sight of her in her rambles around the clearing.

It took her a second to blink away the burn from her eyes, and then she smiled at him. Thank you.

His eyes crinkled, and he continued talking to the men.

On her next lap, the cook called, “Ma’am.” When she walked over, he gave her a quiet smile and handed her a big mug of coffee. “Hawk said you use creamer and a couple teaspoons of sugar.”

“That’s perfect, thank you.” Hawk remembered how she liked her coffee. The knowledge made her feel funny inside.

“It’s good to see him with a nice woman.”

Oh, boy, she might need to process that statement for a while. “You know him? Are you from Rescue?”

“That town of his? Nah, we were both deployed in Afghanistan.” His mouth flattened, then he shook his head, much as she did when reminding herself to stay in the present. “The Night Stalkers—they’re hell of incredible. You know about them, ma’am?”

“It’s Kit. And no, I don’t.” That was the name on the beret Hawk had let Aric hold to prove he’d return. Just the name was ominous. “Who are they?”

“They’re Special Ops pilots, and their helicopters are seriously hi-tech. They flew us in, provided close air support when we needed it. Did recon sometimes. Always in the thick of it.”

Her skin went cold. “That sounds awfully dangerous.”

“Hell, yeah. The bastards saved my ass more than once. Hawk was one of the best.” The man smiled. “It’s nice to see him here, making himself a good life.”

The grim note in his voice told her he was still working on that good life.

The past wasn’t easy to escape, was it, but they all coped as best they could. Hawk played his violin. She grew flowers. This man was here fishing.

“I think he’d say the same about you,” she said quietly, then grinned. “Well, he would if you could get him to use that many words.”

Ruston’s guffaw joined with Kit’s clear laughter and caught Hawk’s attention. She didn’t laugh nearly enough.

Turning, he saw the burly Marine Raider grinning down at her.

“Don’t often hear Ruston laugh like that,” Foreman muttered. “Your woman’s got a way about her.”

Hawk nodded—she did—and then continued his instructions.

Once they’d learned how to keep their food safe, he checked the sky. “Time to go. There’s fog coming in.”