Ronan was right…Eli would say yes. And I was using Dom as an excuse…the only one really standing in the way of me finally getting everything I’d ever wanted was me.
But that was going to change.
Chapter 4
Ronan
“Hey,”I said to Hawke as I reached out to shake his hand. I was surprised to find him waiting in the hospital lobby for me.
“Hey,” he responded as he shifted nervously.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
Hawke nodded. “Seth said you were meeting him at 11 so I was hoping I could catch you before then.”
“Yeah, sure,” I said as I began walking towards the parking garage. “You mind giving me a ride and Seth can bring me back? We can talk on the way?”
Another nod and then Hawke fell in step next to me. He didn’t even speak once we were on the road so I told him to head towards Queen Anne. “You’re having lunch in Queen Anne?” Hawke asked.
Queen Anne was a suburb north of the city. It was the same neighborhood Hawke and Tate had recently bought a house in and that was one of the many reasons for today’s appointment. “Seth and I are looking at a house there. It’s actually just a few streets over from your place.”
“Wow, really?” Hawke asked in surprise. “I knew you guys were thinking about moving to the city, but figured you’d end up downtown so you could be closer to work.”
“Yeah, well, some things have changed in the last few days.”
At Hawke’s questioning look, I said, “Seth and I are looking into becoming foster parents for a couple of kids who don’t have anyone.”
Hawke actually pulled the car over to the side of the road and put it in park before turning to look at me. “Holy shit. Are you fucking with me?”
I smiled and shook my head.
“Why the hell am I just hearing about this now?” he asked.
“It’s not a sure thing yet. Seth and I are still completing the process to become certified. If we get approved, we can get the kids in another week or so, but we want to lock down a house that’s closer to the city. This house we’re looking at is empty and if we like it, the realtor says the owner will let us rent it for the couple of weeks it takes to arrange the closing.”
“What are the kids like?”
I felt my stomach clench. Seth and I had met the two children a few days earlier after we’d spent the better part of a day talking about whether we really wanted to pursue taking them in. I hadn’t been at all surprised to find out that Seth would take a leave of absence from work to stay with the kids during the day if we got them. He’d been adamant that he could find someone to take over his responsibilities at the office and I’d known right then that Seth had found his purpose. He’d never been as passionate about his work as he’d been about giving these kids a better life. But I’d also known after we’d met the little girl and her brother that nothing about taking them in would be easy. They were as attached to one another as Seth had said they were and they hadn’t wanted to interact with us at all. The only hint that there was even the possibility of making it work was when the little boy had fixated on Seth with his eyes until Seth had taken out his phone and handed it to him. He hadn’t left his sister’s side and she hadn’t released her hold on him, but when the boy had gotten some kind of message on the phone that he couldn’t get past, he’d carefully handed it to Seth expectantly so Seth could fix it before giving it back.
“The girl is around eight, maybe nine and the boy is two orthree. The authorities have no idea who they are or where they came from. The girl is deaf and neither of the kids speak, not even to each other…at least not that anyone’s heard. They don’t know if they even know how.”
“Fuck,” Hawke muttered and then he got the car moving.
“Zane is their advocate and says that because of the girl being deaf and possibly mute, he was having trouble finding a foster family to take them both together.”
Hawke shook his head. “Wow, that’s rough. If there’s something Tate and I can do to help…”
“We’ll let you know,” I interjected. After a moment of silence, I said, “What did you want to talk to me about?”
“I…I have a favor to ask,” Hawke began, but he wouldn’t look at me. I knew asking for anything wasn’t the norm for Hawke. Despite the support Seth and I had given him and Tate during Matty’s treatment, Hawke was still a proud man and he wanted to be the one to take care of his family.
“We lost our wedding venue and I’m having trouble finding a new one. Tate and I are thinking of postponing-”
“Have it at our house,” I cut in.
Hawke glanced at me and smiled and I realized that had probably been the question he’d been working up to. “We can clear out the sunroom at the back of the house. You’ll still have the view of the water and mountains and there’s enough room for everyone…”
“You wouldn’t mind?” Hawke asked as he kept his eyes on the road. “Everything else is taken care of…the catering, the flowers…”
