Page 54 of Replay

His mom’s eyes dance with humor and she nods at both of us. “We love Italian. If you both don’t mind, let's just head there.”

I start to follow them until Hawke takes my hand in his, leading me toward his truck. “We’ll meet you there.”

With my hand in his, I follow while he asks me about the box seats and we talk about his game. Once we’re on the road, I tell him what I have wanted to all day.

“It was nice to be here today. Seeing your family again went better than I thought it might. I missed them while we were apart. Your mom was so sweet, hugging me and I can’t believe how grown Falcon is now.” I smile at him and find he’s already watching me.

“I’m glad Momma and Falcon were able to be here. I haven’t seen them since everything went down. I’m honestly surprised my grandfather let them leave the estate,” he says, his jaw clenching, eyes turning hard.

I squeeze the hand of his that he settled on my knee. “They both seem happy and they’re so proud of you.”

Hawke grips my leg tighter. “I had everyone I care about most in the world in that box today. Looking up to see you all there meant so much to me. But knowing you’re there, Em, that means the world. I can’t wait to see you up there in every home box anytime I have a game.”

My lips turn up, but his words steal my breath. I don’t know how to respond when he talks so casually about the future. I know Hawke is destined to be drafted, that he’ll play in the NFL. I’ve known it since we were kids. Now that the future is looming closer, I don’t really know where that leaves me. He makes comments about our future, about wanting me there when he lives out his dream in the NFL, but we haven’t really talked about what that looks like. I still have two more years of college before I graduate.

Silence descends and my body grows more rigid the longer it stretches on. I don’t want Hawke to be disappointed in me; I’m just not sure what there is to say.

“Em—-”

“It's on the left,” I cut him off and point to the turn to the restaurant.

Hawke sighs and makes the turn. His momma and Falcon are already parked and heading in while we find our own spot to park. Once Hawke turns the engine off, I go to open my door, but his hand on my arm stops me.

“You know what has never done us any favors before?”

I glance over at him, my brow raised. “What?”

“Miscommunication. When we don’t speak and we don’t share what we really mean, that's when we mess up. I refuse to fuck up any more time with you, Emmarys. I already lost too much.”

I swallow back the emotions clogging my throat. “I feel like we’ve both voiced what we want, but we haven’t actually talked about the logistics of how we’ll make these things work. And to be honest, Hawke, it feels like a fairy tale dream to me. One I’m scared I’ll wake up from and you won’t want me anymore.”

He growls and reaches across the center counsel to take my face between his hands. “This is not a dream. A fairy tale maybe, but only the kind where we live happily ever after. Let's go inside, eat with my family then when they leave we can talk. I want it all out now. I need to know you’re with me because I’m never fucking letting you go regardless.”

“What's the point of talking about it then, if I don’t get a say,” I huff, taking off my seat belt and pulling out of his grip.

“Emmarys,” Hawke says my name sternly, but I already have my door open and am out of the car.

In the next instant, his doors slam, and before I can take another step away from the truck my body is caged in against the side. Six foot four inches of pure, male hardness is pressed against me. Hawke still smells faintly like grass under the scent of his clean soap he uses in the shower. His fingers grab my chin and force my eyes up to his.

“You do get a say. You get a say in which color towels for the bathroom, or if we should rent or buy our first year. I want you with me, Emmarys. Wherever I end up, I need you there.”

His words make heat spread across my chest despite the chill in the air. Small flakes of snow are starting to fall and getting caught in Hawke’s hair. “After dinner. We’ll talk after dinner.”

He smiles and it’s one of those smiles that gives him that almost boyish charm. The smile that is so different from thewicked grins he gives when he’s between my thighs or when he’s telling me how he’ll never let me go. I love both of his looks: the intensity in his icy green eyes and the softness in them while he looks at me.

Hawke drops a kiss to my lips and takes my hand in his. “Bet on it.”

We walk together into the restaurant and find the table easily. Our meal is spent chatting about Falcon’s experience at Texas University, about how his mom’s part-time job at a local boutique is going as well as the charities she runs. No one mentions Hawke’s grandfather and for now it's probably best. I hope that someday they can take steps to have a healthier relationship, but I won’t pressure Hawke to do so. The food is good, the discussion is entertaining and when it's time to have dessert, I realize that I’m sad Hawke’s family is leaving tomorrow already. If Hawke has any feelings about it, he doesn’t let them show. He’s the loving brother and son and they all make me feel like I’m a part of this family. I like that. I want it forever.

Hawke stands when they need to leave and I do too. I hug his momma and his brother and I watch as they hug and make plans to meet up over the holiday season.

“Will we see you then, Emma?” Falcon turns to me.

I meet Hawke’s gaze and he reaches for me. “We’ll both be there, Fal.”

His momma beams while the boys do their usual fist bump and half hug. Hawke’s arm slides around my waist, and we watch them leave. He leans down and runs his lips over my temple.

“I said we should talk after they left, but now all I want is to take you home.”

---