“Do you want to go and grab lunch?”Hawk asked.
It was on the tip of her tongue to decline, but something warmed her.She didn’t know what it was, but it was a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“Yeah, I’d love to.”She glanced back at the shop.
“We can go to the diner, or if you want, we can eat here,” he said.
“It’s fine.I can close for lunch.I usually do.I’ll just grab my bag.”
She stepped behind the counter, opened the locked cupboard, and grabbed her bag.She didn’t have a staff room, as between her and Adam there hadn’t been a need.She’d been able to manage on her own.
She walked out of the shop and locked the door, flipping the sign indicating she had gone for her lunch break.She walked side by side with Hawk, a little shocked that she was walking with him at all.
Several people stopped them, shook hands with Hawk, and offered her a smile.They were not used to seeing Hawk, and she got that.His mother had warned them all that he did have a heart attack.
They arrived at the diner, and it was pretty busy.A mixture of locals and tourists, but they were able to find a small table in the back.Hawk allowed her to slide into her side, and then he took the seat opposite her.They didn’t even have chance to grab their menus before Valerie, one of the waitresses, was there to take their orders.Katie visited the diner quite often, so she asked for the house special.Hawk did the same.
“Some things never change,” Hawk said.
Katie smiled.“Are you hating being back here?”
“Nah, I don’t hate it.It’s actually good.”
“Good?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s nice to know that some things don’t change.It’s comforting.”
“A lot has changed in Hope, you just have to have been here the whole time to know.”
“Like what?”he asked.
She told him all about the football team.How they nearly went all State, at least she thought that was what they would do.She was not a big football fan, so wasn’t entirely sure on the lingo.
There was the chili competition that had been introduced.Not to mention the pie-tasting festival.
“It sounds exciting.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.At first, she thought Hawk was mocking her, but looking into his eyes, she saw he genuinely meant it.
