“Who is it?”
“The Cartel from Colombia, I believe they are teaming up with someone in the United States, and want to set up something around here.”
“I didn’t know those men would have tried to strong-arm me. They didn’t know I used to be a frogman, and I can take care of them myself,” Dad said.
“Can we prove it was the cartel who did this? Why are they in Copper Cove, Mississippi?”
“I haven’t had a chance to look into it yet. Do me a favor and don’t be a hero; let the law handle this,” Julia said, watching me carefully.
“Can you tell me why you have always hated me?” I asked. Then I felt like an idiot when I heard my Dad chuckle.
“I don’t hate you, Hawk. Why in the world would you think that?”
“Because I asked you out three times in high school and you wouldn’t go out with me. You never even talked to me.”
“Don’t you think you had enough girlfriends in high school, without adding me to that list?” I watched as she turned on her heel and walked to her vehicle.
“Are you still hung up on Julia?” Dad asked.
I looked at my dad. “Why would you think I was ever hung up on her?”
“Because you used to climb to the top of that tree in the back and watch her as she rode her horse.”
This time, I chuckled. “Yeah, she has always been my secret crush.”
“Not a secret, your mom and I always knew you had a crush on her.”
“Did she ever marry anyone?”
“No, she was engaged once, but she broke it off a week before the wedding,” Dad said. “I’m starving. What about you?”
115
Julia
God, he's more handsome than the last time I saw him. I wiped my chin to check if I was drooling. He must work out every day. Stop it, Julia! Stop thinking about Hawk Jensen; you're acting like the same sophomore you were years ago when you thought you were madly in love with him. That scar on his face made him more gorgeous.
“Why are you sitting out here in the car? It’s like an oven out here.” My mom said, knocking on my window.
I opened the door and stepped out into the muggy Mississippi heat. I have always loved our town, and I won’t allow the cartel to destroy it.I’m glad Hawk is only here on vacation, not moving back.
“Sorry, Mom, I was daydreaming.”
“What in the world would you be daydreaming about in this heat? Do you think Jasper will be okay over there alone?”
“Hawk is there with him now. He’ll make sure no one comes around his dad,” I said.
“Hawk is there, so that’s why you were daydreaming.”
“Mom…” I never got to finish.
“Who was daydreaming?” My sister, Sydney, asked, walking around the side of the house with a towel wrapped around her. I could see she had just gotten out of the pool.
“Julia was daydreaming because Hawk is home visiting his dad.”
“Mom, that’s not why I was daydreaming. If you want to know, I was thinking about how I would bring those men in who jumped Jasper,” I lied.
I saw the look that passed between my sister and my mom. No matter what I said, they would know it was because of Hawk. I had the biggest crush on him. Ever since I was six, the dog pushed me into the pond. Hawk was eight, and he jumped in and saved me.
