“I’m great.I am truly sorry about what happened,” she said.Even though she didn’t care about his success, she had felt exceedingly sorry for him because she didn’t wish ill on anyone, even an old bully.
“Uh, yeah, it’s fine.”
“Your mom came into the shop and told me about it.Is everything okay?”
He chuckled.“I guess everything will have to be, but it’s not going to be the same, is it?I’m back home.”
“Yeah, you hated Hope.”
“I don’t hate it here,” Hawk said.
She smiled.There were many times growing up when he’d yell at the teacher that the town sucked and he was destined for better things.
“Well, I’ve got to get going.Nice to see you, Hawk,” she said.
He looked good, too damn good.If it hadn’t been for his mother telling her he had a heart attack a few months ago, she wouldn’t have believed it.Also, the fact he had actually come back to town.His black hair now had a few hints of grey, but it made him look more mature, more distinguished.He’d always been a good-looking guy, even back in high school, and he’d known it.
She didn’t say anything else and walked past him, heading to her car.She was going to her parents’ tonight, and she knew her mother would probably already hear about her run-in with Hawk Masters.
There were so many times she would see him nudge someone in the hallway, flex his muscles, and then shout something like, “You’ve been Mastered!”
It was so corny, but people loved it.He’d also do some odd grunt or something like that.Again, he’d been a real asshole.
Sliding into her car, she closed the door and turned over the ignition, gripping the steering wheel.
She still wore her wedding band, even after the last seven years.From time to time, she took it off, since Adam had told her to forget about him and move on.At thirty-five, she had moved on, but that didn’t mean she wanted to forget about being married.There was no law that said once you lost your husband, you had to take off his wedding band.There wasn’t much she had left of him.
She had done everything he had asked in the last seven years.He’d demanded she empty the house, move out, and find somewhere new.That all of his stuff had to be donated or given away.The only things she could keep were the shop and her ring.It was the first time in all her life she had felt her husband was truly cruel.Adam hadn’t told her this in person.No, it had come in a letter, delivered to her one week after the funeral.
He’d put the plan in motion, that if she didn’t do as he requested, his lawyer would take over and handle everything.She couldn’t stand for someone being paid to go through Adam’s stuff and pack up their house, so she had done it all.It had hurt.The truth was, it had been one of the most painful experiences of her life.But it had helped.
She didn’t hate Adam.She loved him and she missed him.
If he’d known Hawk was back in town, she knew he would have been excited to see him.Adam had been an admirer of Hawk’s.While some of their peers wanted Hawk to fail, Adam had been the complete opposite.She, herself, didn’t care.She had been happy.
Happy, in love, and married.Other than when Adam had brought him up, she didn’t even think about Hawk Masters.
