Page 44 of Leading Conviction
“Right.” Hawk blew a harsh breath. “Your dad worked hard. He was good at his job, too. He saved my ass a million times.”
“My dad saved your life?” Tommy asked with a big, toothy grin.
“Hell yeah, he did. Too many times to count. Your dad was a hero, little man. I wouldn’t be here without him.”
A few seconds passed before Tommy’s voice cracked again. “Mom said he loved me. But I think she’s just saying that. I don’t know if he even knew about me. Do you… do you think he would’ve liked me?”
A small sob broke at the end of Tommy’s question and Hawk cleared the space between them in half a second. The boy swiped his face angrily, like his own emotions offended him. Hawk rested both hand and glove on his shoulders and met his eyes.
“Hey, little man, it’s okay.” The kid shook his head hard, but Hawk tightened his grip on the boy’s shoulder. “Tommy, listen to me. Whatever you’re feeling right now? It’s okay, alright?”
He bent low to meet watery blue eyes. The kid’s lips were flattened in a thin line, but they vibrated with emotion Hawk could feel rolling off of him in waves.
“I just wish I’d met him,” he whispered so softly that Hawk almost couldn’t hear him, but his whole body ached from the impact of his words.
“I know,” he said simply. “But Tommy, I meant what I said downstairs. Your dad? Helovedyou. He would’ve given the world to know you, I have no doubt in my mind he did. Never ever forget he loved you, okay?”
At Tommy’s tiny nod, Hawk pulled him into a bear hug. Small arms embraced him back instantly. Hawk’s heart stuttered in his chest as the kid trembled silently in his hold.
He let Tommy pull away first. When the boy finally let go, he rubbed his blue eyes, so vivid now with the red rims around the edges.
“Don’t tell my mom, okay? I don’t want her to know I got upset.”
Hawk frowned. “She loves you too, little man, and she’s tough as nails. She can handle whatever you’re feeling, alright? You don’t have to hide from her. And you don’t have to hide those feelings from me either. I miss your dad, too.” As soon as he said it, an idea crossed his mind. “Hey, it’s good to talk about how you’re feeling, you know that, right?”
Tommy gave his noncommittal shrug, but Hawk kept going. “So if I ever need to talk about your dad, is it alright if I come talk to you? It’ll feel good to get it off my chest. Maybe cry a little.”
Tommy’s brow rose. “Youcry?”
“Absolutely. Crying helps me make sure I feel all my sad emotions so I can feel all my happy ones, too. You can’t feel your happiest if you’re afraid to feel your saddest.”
The kid frowned before nodding resolutely. “Yeah, okay. Can I, um, can I come talk to you, too? Whenever I’m sad?”
Hawk resisted the urge to fist-pump. “Of course you can. Come talk to me anytime, with whatever you’re feeling. You remind me of your dad, you know? It feels like I’m able to talk to him again when I talk to you.”
His tan cheeks, rosy from the sun and tears, rounded as he smiled a big, toothy grin. “Yeah, okay. I can do that.”
Hawk returned the smile as he placed the ball from his glove into Tommy’s and walked backward across the hot roof. Thankfully, the summer sun might’ve been direct, but the open air and breeze above the building were a godsend. Without that breeze, they’d never be able to barbecue on the grill or hang out up there. It was also why they had the rooftop helipad, to easily lift the Little Bird they’d “permanently borrowed” from the government a few years ago.
Once Hawk got into place, Tommy called out to him, “Hey, stay there and I’ll go all the way to the end of the roof! Then I’m gonna throw it as hard as I can!”
“Alright, let’s see what you got, little man.” Hawk hit the glove and waited as Tommy ran toward the end of the warehouse.
The rooftop was sparse, but for the helipad, large round turbine vents, a large AC unit, a toolbox on wheels, a huge tool shed near the roof stairwell and a grill. The rest was wide open space, with surrounding guard walls at chest height.
Theoretically, the height would make it easier for his team to hide behind and attack any intruders on the ground. They hadn’t had any before Vlad bombed the facility months ago, or after. But they could never be too cautious, especially since the General and Vlad were still out in the world, presumably ready to strike at any moment.
“Stop there!” Hawk called out, making Tommy halt about three-quarters of the way across the roof. “Give it your best shot!”
Despite the fact there was no way for Tommy to fall off the side of the roof thanks to the guard walls, having him too far away still made Hawk anxious for some reason.
“Okay! Here I go!” Tommy yelled before pulling back and throwing his whole body behind the ball.
Hawk watched with widening eyes as the ball sailed through the air, quickly realizing he’d misjudged Tommy’s abilities.
“Damn, little man! You’ve got one hell of an arm!” Hawk shuffled, then backpedaled faster and faster before he finally reached up. When he found the ball in the bright sky, he used the mitt’s webbing to filter out some of the sun and guide the ball in, just as a small familiar voice squeaked behind him.
He collided with the newcomer and as soon as he caught the ball, he turned around to catch her, too. He wrapped his arm around Hannah’s waist and tugged her curvy body flush against his before he accidentally bulldozed her into the stairwell. He caught himself at the last second by slapping his gloved hand beside the rooftop door. The position was useful for balance, but it ended with him caging her against the wall with his bare hand resting on her lower back.
