Sweet Spot (24 page)

She didn’t ask how he knew that or got access to Jesse’s medical records. What did it matter? What was important was her sister was okay. She’d managed to find a place for herself, which was all Nicole could have asked for.

“Thank you so much for this,” she said, hugging the file close to her chest.

“You’re welcome. Mr. Hawkins has prepaid for quarterly reports. Would you like me to deliver them to you directly?”

Nicole nodded.

The man excused himself and left.

She looked at the clock and saw it was still early in the afternoon. Hawk would be at the high school, practicing for the play-offs.

She thought about the flowers, the house, and most important, the report on Jesse. Hawk had more than proved he knew her and understood what was important to her.

She grabbed her car keys and hurried out of the bakery.

Fifteen minutes later she walked toward the football field. Hawk stood with his players, a clipboard in his hands. He blew his whistle and the guys formed two lines.

She moved to the side of the field, prepared to wait until he could take a break, but when Hawk looked up and saw her, he literally dropped everything onto the grass and started toward her. Nicole hurried toward him and they met by the fence.

“I’m sorry,” she said, while at the same time he said, “I screwed up.”

“You didn’t,” she told him.

“I shouldn’t have proposed like that. I didn’t get it. We had to talk because I ran off when you told me about the baby. It’s not that I don’t want more kids. I was just surprised.”

She stared into his dark eyes, telling herself the love burning there had to be good news. “Are you sure? You said before you didn’t want another family.”

“That was because of Brittany. This is different. I love you, Nicole. I want to have kids with you. I want to love you forever. I want us to be together. I want to make you happy.”

“You do.”

“I haven’t, but I will.”

She put her hands on his shoulders. “You found Jesse for me.”

“I wanted to show you how much you mattered to me. I knew you were torn up about what to do. It was a risk. You could have been mad.”

“She’s okay. Did he tell you? She’s okay. I needed to know that.”

Hawk cupped her jaw and kissed her. “God, I love you. Do you believe me? I love you, Nicole. Not just because you’re beautiful or great in bed. But because you get in my face and tell me the truth. You never back down. You’re loyal and tough and soft and giving. I never want to spend another night apart from you. I love you and I want to marry you.”

The words washed over her like a warm, healing rain. “I love you, too.”

He stared at her, hope bright and alive in his gaze. “Are you sure?”

“Very sure. I think I’ve been in love with you from the first minute you walked into my bakery. You were just so damned hot.”

“I know.”

She laughed. “You have the biggest ego of anyone I know.”

He leaned close. “That’s not all that’s big.”

She leaned against him and he held her tight. Held her as if he would never let her go.

“We have complications,” she said. “I don’t think Raoul and Brittany should be living under the same roof.”

“I’m not waiting to marry you. Unless you want me to.”

She eyed him. “So I’m in charge?”

He looked uncomfortable, but nodded.

She grinned. “You’re so lying.”

“You can try to be in charge. Maybe I’ll like it.”

That made her laugh again.

“I’m never letting you go,” he told her. “We’ll figure it out.”

Then he kissed her. A long, slow, sexy kiss that made her blood heat and her toes curl. Somewhere in the background, she heard the hoots and applause from the players.

“Ignore them,” Hawk murmured against her mouth. “Let ’em get their own girl.”

SWEET SPOT

Copyright © 2008 by Susan Macias Redmond

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