Page 38 of Long Past Dawn
“No, he’s been lonely for a long time,” Heaven corrected, a small smile tilting her lips upward. “Things are looking up for Beau now, though. He’s a partner in the ranch he’s put his blood, sweat, and tears into and has a new place to live with someone who cares about him.”
I waved my hands wildly. “No, we aren’t like living together living together,” I insisted. “Beau has his room, and I’ve got mine.”
She laughed with abandon. “Tell me, how often are you in those rooms together alone?”
“That’s none of your business,” I said haughtily.
Heaven burst out laughing, bending over at the waist in a dramatic flair of ridiculousness. When she sat up, she was grinning. “I’m thrilled for you, Dawn. I am. I’m having fun with you, but secretly my insides are all mushy.”
“It’s not a secret if you come right out and tell me.”
Heaven chuckled and gave me a finger gun. “True enough, but I want you to know that Blaze and I will do anything to keep that smile on both of your faces. In fact, I came to deliver an invitation to dinner tonight. We’re eating with Blaze’s parents at the ranch.”
I waved my hand at my neck in the cut motion. “Tonight is a special time for family, Heaven. It’s been years since Blaze has seen his parents.”
“Beau is going to be there,” she said before I could take a breath.
“Beau is family,” I reminded her. “He’s as much their son as Blaze is. I think he’s terribly torn up about how things went down there when he was a teenager, too. He probably wants to sit and visit with them tonight without extra people around. Especially taking the anniversary of his mom’s death into account. He needs them more than me right now.”
Heaven cocked her head in confusion. “What do you mean when he was a teenager?”
“I don’t think I should answer that question. It feels wrong to talk about Beau when he isn’t here,” I answered, biting my lip in regret.
“Blaze told me his parents wanted to adopt Beau.”
“Did he tell you why they didn’t?” I asked, pushing the soup away from me.
She made the so-so hand in the air. “That it was Beau who didn’t want to do it.”
I didn’t want to talk about this behind Beau’s back, but at the same time, I knew I had to. There would be no peace from this woman until I explained the situation. “He wanted to, but if he agreed to the adoption, then he had to give up his mom’s last name. He probably could have hyphenated his name, but he was a kid and didn’t understand its intricacies. Anyway, in his mind, the Hanson name was all he had left of his mom. Now, all these years later, he understands how untrue that is.”
Heaven leaned back in the chair and eyed me. “He’s approaching this anniversary of her death from a lot of different directions, isn’t he?”
“North, south, east, and west,” I agreed. “It’s one of the reasons I’m letting him direct things between us. I’m afraid if I push too hard in one direction, he’ll run to the other.”
“Understandable,” she agreed, blowing out a breath. “You really don’t want to come tonight?”
“I want to come, but only ifheasks me to come. I know you asked me to come, and if he and I weren’t,” I motioned around and finally dropped my hand in frustration, “what we are, I would come to support you. Since he’s family to the McAwleys, I feel like I should let Beau come to me and ask. Does that make sense?”
Heaven smiled an encouraging smile and took my hand. “It does. Remember, I’ve met them before. I’m not some fragile flower who can’t hold her own with the soon-to-be in-laws. At the same time, I don’t want you to feel left out or hurt if Beau doesn’t ask you to come tonight.”
I shook my head immediately. “No, it’s an either-way situation for me.”
“Either way?” she asked, confused.
“I’m fine with it either way. If he needs me there for support, I’ll be there. If he wants to enjoy the evening without the added stress of introducing me to them, then I will also support him in that way.”
“He’s a lucky guy, Dawn,” she said with a wink.
“He knows it,” Beau said from the doorway.
My eyes widened at Heaven, and she winked again before she stood and threw her coat around her shoulders. “I better get back to the ranch and help Blaze. Thanks for the soup.” She hugged me, patted my back with atalk laterwhispered in my ear, and then she was gone.
Ten
When I walked the rest of the way into the kitchen, Dawn turned to me with a smile planted firmly on her face. I could tell she didn’t feel it. “Hi,” I said, kissing her lips. She tasted of salty, cheesy soup and buttery bread that made me hungry … for her. “You’re gorgeous as ever, darlin’.”
Dawn kissed me back before she answered. “I’m wearing old jeans and a ratty flannel shirt, Beau. Thanks, though,” she answered, winking. “Soup?”
